Posts Tagged ‘Rewards’

Credit cards are a fact of life and depending on your point of view they’re either a necessary evil or a useful tool for building credit and earning rewards. We prefer the latter, which is why I’m always on the lookout for the best credit card offers. But with seemingly hundreds of credit cards on the…

Nearly a decade ago every province in Canada passed some form of legislation that banned expiry dates and most fees on gift cards and prepaid cards. Canadians spend nearly $6 billion annually on gift cards and these regulations ensure that consumers get the full value of their gift card no matter when they decide to…

As students head back to university this fall, one question is whether or not to get a credit card. They probably should. Credit cards are practical and useful and managing them is a fact of life. So the sooner young adults learn to use one responsibly and begin building a credit history, the better. There are…

Dear Air Miles, we need to talk about your loyalty program and how you’re treating collectors. It was nearly five years ago when you announced major changes to your rewards program. The introduction of Air Miles Cash, which gave collectors the ability to redeem rewards miles instantly at various retailers, was a welcome addition for…

The PC Financial MasterCard has a bit of a cult following among certain rewards cards enthusiasts, and for good reason. This no-fee card pays 1 percent back in the form of PC Points, which can be redeemed for free groceries at any store where President’s Choice products are sold. Who doesn’t love free groceries? Indeed,…

My wife and I do a lot of our grocery shopping at Costco and a few years ago signed up to become Executive Members, which means we get 2% cash back on nearly every purchase made at Costco. Last year the warehouse giant sent us a reward coupon in the mail for $176.61 and if you…

It was all about practicality when I applied for my first rewards credit card and started using it to earn free groceries. After a while I “graduated” to a cash-back credit card, which paid a higher percentage back on grocery and gas spending. I liked the simplicity of funnelling my spending onto one no-fee cash…

When I reviewed the best credit cards in Canada a few months ago I touched on the fact that I took advantage of several sign-up bonuses in order to boost my rewards. I found that the best card issuer for these types of bonuses – hands down – is American Express. What I look for is…

I wasn’t always good with money. Back in college, I violated just about every personal finance rule you could imagine. My biggest offense was misusing credit cards. I racked up over $5,000 in credit card debt between my junior and senior year; making brilliant decisions such as bringing my credit card to the bar, taking…

I’ve spent several years reviewing credit cards and trying to determine which card is best. What I’ve learned is that when it comes to finding the best credit cards in Canada there’s no one-size fits all answer. That’s because the card that suits you best is uniquely determined by how much you spend, in which categories you…