A Year of Shoppers

Shoppers has a redeem your points and get points back today(yesterday also). If you have at least 50000 points you can redeem. There are two levels 50000 and 95000 that are eligible. If you cash in 50000 points for $85 worth of free stuff you get 15000 points returned to you on Dec 25. If you cash in 95000 points for $170 worth of stuff you get 30000 points returned to you. This is the best possible time to cash in it used to be they had mega redemptions where you could get $250 worth of stuff for 95000 points, but not anymore. The best level is $210 for 95000, which they usually do first week of December or end of November. Getting $210 worth of stuff for 95000 points makes your points worth $2.21/ point. Cashing in 95000 for $170 and getting 30000 back means that 65000 points equals $170 and that makes your points worth $2.61/point!

They had the spend 95000 get 30000 points back on July 31 of this year. This was my redemption. You have to pay taxes so the total here was $179.85-$170-$3(CH51)=$6.85 for all of this!
I earned 270 points on this shop plus the 30000 that was added later.

This photo and the one below are the redemptions I did November 30th. It was the spend 95000 get $210 promo.
My total was $218.48-$210-$3 CH51=$15.48 for all of this!
I earned 110 points.

This shop I spent $210.34-$207.08(I screwed up and didn't calculate in the tax!)-$5 CH51=I made $1.74 to buy all of this!
I earned 150 points.

Final redemption of the year was yesterday. I used my last 95000 points for $170 worth of groceries. My grand total was $183.20-$170-$2 CH51=$11.20 I paid to buy all of this! I earned 3040 points and will get 30000 back Christmas day.
The total points I cashed in this year
95000X4=380000
I got back 63,570 doing those shops, so I spent a total of 316,430 points and got $799.71 worth of groceries which I paid out of pocket $31.79(12 % tax)!
How much did I spend at Shoppers to get these points? A grand total for the year of $454.53!(this includes the taxes on the redemptions)
How did I get so many points you ask? Here's some things to do.
1. Buy Shoppers gift cards to pay for your items. You get points to buy Shoppers gift cards.(10 points for every dollar)
2. Even better buy your Shoppers gift cards with the Shoppers Optimum Mastercard, you get even more points.(15000 for signing up, 15 points for every dollar spent in Shoppers)
3. Even better buy your gift cards in November when they offer 8000 points for every $150 worth of gift cards.
4. Buy only on extra points days 20X points etc.
5. Use Mail in Rebates
6. Use coupons
7. Use Checkout 51, Snap Save and Cart Smart
8. Use the Shoppers coupons they email you.
9. Watch the till. Several times I got free items because of  SCOP.(scanning code of practice)
Right now this is one of the best points programs out there. It will be interesting to see what happens now that they have been bought out! Do you use Shoppers points?

Starbucks Deal $25 Card Used by Dec 31 gets you $10

Are you planning on buying gifts or stocking stuffers at Starbucks this month? If so, you may be interested in this deal. Right now at Zulily if you buy a $25 Starbucks card and then use it all up by Dec 31 you will get a $10 eGift card that you can use for Starbucks purchases in the new year. If you were planning on buying gifts there already this is a nice bonus. Here's the link to the site. (You can earn $15 referrals from others when you invite them after you sign up.)

Here's the fine print:
Treat yourself or someone special with the Starbucks Holiday Pass. It's a limited edition Starbucks Card eGift just for zulily members, and it's sweetened with a little bonus: when you spend the full $25 amount by 12/31/2013, you'll get a $10 Starbucks Card eGift in January. It's instant joy now, and an irresistible way to start the new year.

So indulge in a breakfast pastry (or two!), buy last-minute stocking stuffers or bring home some delicious seasonal coffees. Whatever your holiday plans, the Starbucks Holiday Pass from zulily is sure to make them extra merry.

Qualifying customers will receive their bonus $10 egift via email by 1/10/2014.To qualify, you must use the Starbucks Holiday Pass to purchase at least $25 worth of merchandise, beverages or food at participating Starbucks stores by 12/31/2013. Restrictions include:

Transfer of cash balance  to other Starbucks Cards or eGifts
Purchase of Starbucks Cards or eGifts
Returning  or redeeming for cash

Returning merchandise purchased using the Holiday Pass

Offer not valid in Quebec.
Qualifying customers will receive their bonus $10 eGift via email by 1/10/2014. 
To qualify, you must use the Starbucks Holiday Pass to purchase at least $25 worth of merchandise, beverages or food at participating CDN Starbucks stores or starbucksstore.ca by 11:59 p.m PST on 12/31/2013.
Restrictions include:  (1) transfer of cash balance  to other Starbucks Cards or eGifts prior to 1/1/2014, (2) purchase of Starbucks Cards or eGifts prior to 1/1/2014, (3) returning  or redeeming for cash prior to 1/1/2014, or (4) returning merchandise purchased using the Holiday Pass
There is no limit to the number of promotional eGifts that can be purchased.

Does not qualify for special coupon offers

This Week's Sales

Safeway has some good email direct coupons this week!
The Black Diamond Cheese 500g for $3.99!!!! Limit 2 coupon code 54521
(If you have the Snap Save App you could be eligible for another $2 if that's one of your offers!)
Organic yams are .59/lb
Celery is .99 a bunch
Fresh Express Garden Salad .68 limit 3 coupon 54265
Mandarin Oranges are 5lbs for $3.66 this weekend only!Pomegranates are .89 limit 4 coupo code 54263
Cases of Kraft Dinner are $5.99 limit 2 coupon code 54475

Costco has 3 packs of cream cheese for $4.99! 3 boxes of 250g each!

                  This week it's turkey buying time!
Save On and Cooper's both have 3-9 kg Grade A frozen turkeys for .99/lb limit 1. Safeway has Grade A frozen turkeys for .99/lb, but you must spend $50 to get this price.

Superstore
Lean Ground Beef is $1.98/lb limit 4
Spiral Hams $1.98/lb
Pineapples $1.96 each
6 lbs pears $4.88(.81/lb)
Broccoli bunches $1.26 each
Pomegranates are .96(there are .50 coupons)
Dates and Figs are $1 when you buy 3
PC Crackers 225 g $1.47(200 points which is .20)$1.27

ING Direct Get $50-$100 to Open a Bank Account!

Ing Direct Banking is offering you $50-$100 to open a bank account, but it's only on until Dec 31. I have had an ING account for awhile now, but they have recently improved access greatly by offering the ability to just take a picture of your cheque with your smart phone or tablet! It's so fast with the new app! Oh, and to send someone money via email is free! 
My friend signed up on Wednesday and we each got the $50 on Friday!
Here's the fine print:
1. To get the $50, just open an account with ING direct. If you use my numbers below I get $50 also. Thanks in advance! Once you are signed up you get your own orange referral number so you can start referring and getting the bonuses!
2. To get the $100 add your pay as a direct deposit.

These 3 pictures are a snap shot of what you have to fill out to open a chequing account with ING.

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After filling this out, you write yourself a cheque for $100. Download the ING free app for your smartphone or tablet. Take a picture of your cheque. You are done!(Don't have a smartphone? You can mail in your cheque, it takes a bit longer, but it works)
Want to get $100 instead of $50? Add your pay as a direct deposit and you get $100!

Sale Whale

I recently heard about this web site, Sale Whale. It's awesome! What it does is search the flyers for you! All you do is enter your location and how far you are willing to travel to get the item you want(don't forget to just price match if possible and save some gas). In the find a product area type in what you are looking for, and  viola, you can see which store it's on sale at. You can even see Safeway's email direct coupon items! I like this feature! Why use this site? To save you time and money before you shop! You can combine it with the Checkout 51, Snap Save or Cart Smart cash back offers buy using it to search the very best prices for the items available for cash back. You can even customize it to alert you when your favorite items are on sale! I can see this being a very helpful website. What about you?

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A search for potatoes.