Safeway's Sweet AirMiles Deals

[operabob]

Just read that when using BW Cards to use the code "FB100" to pull up "Manager's Specials" if none showing.

[baggypants]

Usually when I order a Metro GC from Airmiles, it comes the next week.

I ordered one on Dec. 30th and it still hasn't arrived. I imagine that a lot of people are ordering stuff to use up their airmiles before the big change but this is just another annoyance in a list of Airmile negatives.

Club Sobeys Points program is looking a lot better to me since you can redeem instore and they have some really good deals lately!! I now shop at Sobeys at least once a week and very rarely am I enticed into Metro because of their Airmile deals.

baggypants

[operabob]

Please feel free to add your comments to this thread on the Blog page:

http://smartcanucks.ca/redeem-air-mi...omment-1161305

[Saving Moola]

If you're collecting 900AMs/mo I think it's reasonable to go for flights.

Couple things to consider:

1. Flights involving smaller/regional airports give the best values and can be worth over $0.20/AM which is excellent.

2. You'll want to book early as flights tend to fill up quickly. I just flew my Mother-In-Law out from Toronto with only two weeks notice but she was a single. Couples, etc. reservations go much faster. Booking months ahead is your best bet.

3. You can improve your flight costs with a BMO Gold MasterCard which costs $99/year. It reduces the number of AMs needed by 25%. The MasterCard doesn't collect quite as fast as the Platinum American Express card but it beats it with the 25% reduction. Also, AMEX recently raised the price of their card from $50 to $79 (????). The BMO card also earns AMs on your bank account balances which offsets the higher cost.

Normally, I would never pay for or recommend a credit card you have to pay for but the BMO Gold has other advantages:

Buying our travel insurance (31 day trips + $2,000,000 coverage) costs $99 total for a family. This is about $250 cheaper than we paid BCAA for the same coverage.

It also comes with trip cancellation and lost luggage coverage as long as you pay for the trip with the card.

Some people feel you get pretty good value on cruises (around $0.125/AM). I prefer to wait for the sales. Cruise companies buy bulk and can offer discounts while I think you're going to pay with AirMiles based on full rate. Instead I use my AMs to buy BW Travel Cards ($0.133/AM) then also register for Best Westerns Rewards Program which gets me more free rooms. Hint: If you register for BWR opt for their points instead of AirMiles. The more you stay the more bonus offers they send your way and you can build up free rooms much faster.

Hope this helps.

Bob, for the travel insurance, are you referring to the $99 that you pay when when renewing for the annual BMO Gold Mastercard? I remember paying a couple of yrs ago, based on my age of being a female & let's just say between 40 & 50 yrs old about $150 for the annual fee @ BCAA when I went to Cuba for about 8 days. For some paranoid reason, I just don't trust the travel medical coverage when I go to countries like Mexico, Cuba, Asia, etc and wanted to have the extra coverage & I wrote both of those coverages off anyways when I had my income tax prepared. Do you think I'm wasting my money. I've had the BMO Mastercard medical coverage for about 6 yrs now, but never have had to use it. I'm comfortable going to the US and within Canada outside of BC with this type of coverage, but nowhere else. I'm just worried about all the hassles going to other countries and getting sick or hurt & then find out that the MC travel medical coverage isn't sufficient if I needed it. Now I just have to get onboard & get up-to-date with the Airmiles changes. Thanks for your help.

[krempy]

I did pretty good on the Healthy Living event yesterday!

Sunkist Vitamin C
sale price $4.89 - $1 coupon (found in the Oct. 29/11 Red Plum issue) = $3.89 each
B4G100AM
=$15.56 + 100AM

Flintstones Kids Vitamins/Gummies
sale price $6.92 - $2 tearpad coupon =$4.92 each
B4G100
=$19.68 + 100AM

I also picked up the toilet paper (Purex) with coupons and free Cashmere Wipes (tub value $6.12!!!) using the tearpad coupons

I may have to go back this week for some more vitamin C--we can always use it and my kids actually love the chewable ones!

[operabob]

Saving,

$99 for the card + $99 for total coverage for a family multiple trips in a year maximum length of any one trip 31 days.


http://www.bmo.com/home/personal/ban...ar-round#total

I'd read an article in a financial magazine that suggested buying medical/travel insurance through your bank sponsored credit card was the cheapest option so checked it out. As far as I can tell from the policy it is no different significantly from what we got from BCAA. You're covered for pre-existing conditions with no changes in medication in previous 3 months (????). New conditions within 3 months not covered (????).

[Saving Moola]

Thanks Bob. BTW, keep up the great posts!!!

[ado121]

any stores in the lower mainland having the extreme airmiles event? i recall last year at this time it was the new west store that i racked up all my airmiles for spend $200 get 500. i need that again so i can make going to disneyland more....cheap!

[operabob]

Thanks Saving.

[danip467]

dani,

Something to consider:

When paying through the company points can be considered a taxable benefit. At 900/mo. I suspect this is a small company and likely not a big deal but you might want to check it out with your accountant.

I have a small business but collect around 1,000AMs/mo on my personal accounts (thanks a lot to Safeway). I use the AMs often for business purposes and get cash receipts to claim for tax purposes. I've discussed this with my accountant and because I'm paying with accumulated personal points rather than business points his opinion is it is legitimate.

I often use the points to stay at Best Western when traveling on business. I buy the BW Travel Cards instead of using points on the AirMiles website. This way I get a cash receipt that covers taxes (and meals) as well.

yes, I hadn't redeemed for gift cards before but it is completly ok with my accountant to redeem for shell GCs and then use them in the company vehicles-this amount would be then paid back to 'shareholder's loan' which means back to me personally. AND the company can still write off the gas.

I suppose with everything going on I'm just confused about whether to stay the original course towards traveling, or cashing out to get the best value.

We opted NOT to redeem for the ipad2, it would have costed $815 which is a terrible price.


I did wonder about whether to redeem for shell cards for the above reason, and also I think they sell other gift cards there? Can I use a gc to buy another store gc? I would think so?

The reasons I'm not sure about shell cards is that we gas up at Co-op where we are currently getting the store coupons back, and a refund check in February...(can't wait)...and the possibility of if I don't pay for travel, we may never go-all the money goes to the business!

[operabob]

One of the better ways to deal with Shell (Newf's idea) is to wait for their 10Xs AMs offer when you buy something in the store and buy gift cards in the store making sure you pay for everything inside rather than at the pump. I topped up with Subway GCs which I use for meals when travelling on business.

I would think you could use GCs for this but some people were saying newer certificates say Fuel Only on them although I can't verify that.

[danip467]

One of the better ways to deal with Shell (Newf's idea) is to wait for their 10Xs AMs offer when you buy something in the store and buy gift cards in the store making sure you pay for everything inside rather than at the pump. I topped up with Subway GCs which I use for meals when travelling on business.

I would think you could use GCs for this but some people were saying newer certificates say Fuel Only on them although I can't verify that.

maybe I'll order one to find out!

[operabob]

I'll order one

One what?

Or did you mean buy GCs in the Shell store?

[danip467]

One what?

Or did you mean buy GCs in the Shell store?

I mean I'll order a shell Gc from airmiles and see if there is restrictive wording on whether I can purchase fuel only, or if I can buy gift cards in store with it, etc.

[hordosr]

I mean I'll order a shell Gc from airmiles and see if there is restrictive wording on whether I can purchase fuel only, or if I can buy gift cards in store with it, etc.

One of the better ways to deal with Shell (Newf's idea) is to wait for their 10Xs AMs offer when you buy something in the store and buy gift cards in the store making sure you pay for everything inside rather than at the pump. I topped up with Subway GCs which I use for meals when travelling on business.

I would think you could use GCs for this but some people were saying newer certificates say Fuel Only on them although I can't verify that.

that is a very interesting idea...so if you buy say $60 worth of gas and say $100 worth of giftcards you would get

3 * 10 = 30 for the gas (using $20 for each airmile?)
5 * 10 = 50 for the gc (using $20 for each airmile?)
= 80 AMs

wonder what type of GCs they have there