Maximize Your Points

Well, what a great day for points! I had my list of items that I wanted to buy this morning at Super Store.
This week there is an offer on IOGO Protein yogurt for 2000 bonus  points with the purchase of 2.   There is also a coupon for 75 cents off each purchase.  Yogurt often has the magical pink stickers, you know the ones that make items half price. $3.99 is the original price. I went to the clearance section of the store first and found lots of pink sticker yogurt!
I often am asked if coupons can be used on marked down items and the answer is yes! Maximize this with your personal offers and with the offers in the flyers.
I purchased yogurt and cucumbers and a few packages of blueberries.  
I redeemed $20 worth of points and put the $20 in my vacation fund. After reading about more points stolen from the Pc Optimum I have decided to redeem the points in my account. I paid $2.50 and earned $8.90 back in points!

In summary, try to use coupons on pink sticker items, and if it is a Caddle or CO51 offer or points in your offers EXTRA BONUS!

Free Movies

Who doesn’t love a movie? Going to the theatre isn’t something  we do often, but we always have fun when we do.

Saturday mornings select theatres off family movies for $2.99. Unfortunately, the theatre in my town isn’t on the list. 

Last weekend we were away for the weekend while my husband was taking a course. I was looking for fun activities to do and around midnight remembered this deal.   Around the same time I was playing on my phone checking out my Air Miles status and this freebie promo came across my screen.

Simple steps lead to a free movie! 

I logged into my Air Miles account, and entered my pin and then email address.  

Instantly an email came with pins and each pin was for a free ticket to a family favourite show.  

Then I logged into cineplex.com and entered which theatre and they emailed me a PDF for theatre pick up. 

Just like that 3 movie tickets and an hour and a half of free entertainment. 

Join Guess Who’s Cheap on Facebook 

April Budget Challenge

It’s close to supper time, and by now I have experienced 2 sugar crashes.

Don’t crash your budget for this month!

Get out your envelopes and start stuffing with the money you need for your budget.

I use the same envelopes until they fall apart.  I record on them how much I need for the month.  Some months I don’t need every envelope and some months I need to add some envelopes.  This month dance and gymnastics money is due for the kids, sigh.    Even though the fee stings, I a, prepared.

This month I am going to challenge everyone to shave $50 off of the April budget.  Throw it in your debt.   

I am going on a vacation and would like to save up some spending money. That’s my goal until June.

Let’s see who has $50 leftover from their envelopes at the end of the month

Comment and share how you did it.  I look forward to hearing the tips.

Good Luck 

Priority Pass

I took advantage of an offer exclusive to World Elite Master Card holders yesterday, and will never look back again!

Priority Pass Lounges are something that I have seen at airports when I travel, but I never knew how to get inside.

Last year, before a trip to New York I had phoned Master Card to ask questions about traveling outside of the country. I was told about the insurance that was available to me, and also that I was able to gain access for myself and a guest to the Priority Pass Lounges.

Inside the lounge are comfortable chairs and sofas. That alone was worth using the Priority Lounge. If you don't have access to the lounge card, you can pay a walk in fee which varies from $25-$50 depending on the airport and services. There was a bar with free drinks, and a small fee for the premium beverages. Coffee, tea, pop and bottled water was also available. Since you are through security, you can take it right onto the plane with you. There were also sandwiches, veggies and desserts along with WIFI. Some lounges also offer a shower and hot meals. 

Despite me being cheap and frugal, after this airport experience at the Priority Pass I would go out on a limb and suggest it is even worth the fee to sit in the Priority Lounge vs purchasing a meal at the airport and waiting for flights. 

A list of all available lounges can be found at https://www.prioritypass.com/ 

If you recall from last year's blog, my flight was cancelled and I ended up paying $500 Canadian for one night of accommodations at JFK airport. When I returned home, I was reimbursed. The great free travel insurance is another great perk.

March Budget

Here it is March 4th and I haven’t written my budget up for this month yet, oops.
Don’t worry it takes a few months to figure out how much you actually spend on the categories.   Look through your debit and credit card statements to add up your average in each category.

Sit down and make a quick list of everything that you will spend money on this month.  Your budget changes month to month but some things can be carried over.  
Some items carry from month to month depending on the need and bill cycle.
Here is a list of my categories:

Emergency fund ( 3-6months of expenses if you don’t have this started)
Dental procedure
Glasses
Clothes (this one builds up)
Gas
Car repairs, or new car fund ( if you plan to buy a car in the next bit let this build up. We just bought a car but will continue here to save for tires and services)
Power bill
Internet
Cell phone
Groceries ( this includes stock pile, end of the month I build on pantry items)
Restaurant (eating out)
Property taxes ( this builds up we pay annually)
Tax Free Savings Account
RESP
Parking at airport
Cleaning
Kid activities ( 2 activities need to be paid after March break)

OTHER CATEGORIES
Housing (mortgage, rent)
Car payment
Medical/dental plan

Miles vs Time

Oh my oh my!  I have always collected Air Miles.  Hell, I even wrote a book about collecting Air Miles (link posted below).  Until two years ago, my Air Miles were always collected in the Cash Miles option.  We would redeem our Air Miles every 95 Air Miles to save $10 off at Sobeys for groceries or at Shell for gas.  Then we would take that $10 and plop it on our mortgage as an extra payment. Slow and steady wins the race.

The flights I have explored for redeeming have been short haul flights. Any of the weekends that I have explored to take a flight to NYC or Boston, there was always a layover to the destination.
I was flexible and tried a lot of Friday to Sunday options, as well as late Thursday evenings and none worked for me.
 When I only have a short amount of time to travel, I find it worth my time and money to buy the direct flight for the under $500 return trip, then redeem Air Miles and pay the $145 taxes and fees. There is a point when I need to determine miles vs time.

Fast Forward to present day.  I cashed out Air Miles in July for a trip for 2 to an all inclusive vacation in Punta Cana.  Our flights have been changed 4 times.  The first change was leaving 2 hours later to arrive in Punta Cana.  The next two changes were by 10 minutes only.  And the last change was 2 hours later leaving Punta Cana. I am grateful because the trip is to an all inclusive and no plans are booked when we arrive so nothing is time sensitive. And I do have a free trip that cost me 23000 Air Miles and only $900

Our other trip is booked for the end of June to Orlando.  I know direct flights aren’t an option. This time of year so I was prepared for a milk run.  I got a call that the trip to Orlando was also getting its 4th flight change, this time a layover in a whole different city. AND arrives 2 .5 hours later!!!! This changes my plans in Orlando. We have plans the day we arrive and some changes needed to be made.

The customer service rep told me this happens all the time with travel plans.  I have not traveled a lot, but at least one flight vacation a year. I have never had this happen with paid flights. Have I always been lucky, or is this an issue when flying with points?  I have been told by many it only happens with points. Please share your comments.

I feel close to done with collecting air miles aggressively.  I will continue to use my card but I do plan to try to be more aware with my collecting. I am debating to now put my air miles options to cash miles, and save the miles to redeem for gas etc and bank up the cash since flights are so challenging in my experience. 

I did redeem Air Miles 2 weeks ago for 4 passes to Universal Studios.  This saved us over $1100 US dollars and cost 14400 Air Miles.  Perhaps saving for merchandise only is another avenue I will explore, and also less hassle.

What have been your experiences?


https://www.amazon.ca/Guide-Collecting-Air-Miles-Canada-ebook/dp/B07169ZK5R/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519504128&sr=8-1&keywords=a+guide+to+collecting+air+miles+in+canada&dpID=51LAp7sNrfL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

My week at a glance

I am trying to get back on foucssing on the small things that got us to our financial independance.  It truly is the little things that help get you out of debt. Doing small things daily will help you see your money grow.

I thought I would make a list of things that I did to save money

Thursday- grocery shopping and used coupons ( $5.50 in coupons) and collected PC Points at No Frills (400 points, not much)

Received 4 tickets for Universal Studios that were ordered with Air Miles for our summer family vacation. ( airline tickets also paid with air miles and 3 of our 4 hotel nights for universal studios are free with Best Western points )

Friday- 2 free Pizzas from Pizza Delight (in December we purchased 4, $30 gift cards to Pizza Delight and each came with one free 12 inch pizza. We had a dinner planned for Baton Rouge during Christmas and the gift cards could be used there also, so we purchased a few and paid for the meal with gift cards to get the free pizza)

Took my daughter and her friend swimming at the Best Western. I bought a 10 swim punch card for $25 for their Christmas stockings. $2.50 a swim so $5 for a play date that was an hour and a half, well worth it.

Saturday- Filled up car with gas at Canadian Tire. Paid with Canadian Tire gift cards that were on sale for 10% off at the Super Store a month ago.  Also collected $1.46 in Canadian Tire money that in the summer I will cash in all the points for pool chemicals

Ate lunch at the Super Store and paid $15.40 for the 4 of us to have sandwiches, nachos and dip, bananas, and quiche, We brought water from home, and took it into the store with us. We ate in the Super Store at the tables set up for in store purchases

We had packed snacks and ate those as we shopped and did our errands

Value Village-I took a bag of clothes into the store to donate and received 15% off my next purchase. I used this at the checkout, and I am also a member of the loyalty program, just give your phone number and they collect  points, when you receive so many points you get a percentage off of your purchase.  I bought 2 pairs of sneakers, winter boots and a pair of brand name shorts, all for my daughters. Watch the prices, some things were crazy high prices and not worth buying. My girls also bought books, buy 4 get the 5th one free.

Grabbed coffee at a coffee shop called something Cabin. I asked them if they have a loyalty card, sure enough they did and I got stamps towards a free one.  (I have a wallet just for when I am in the city and I keep all loyalty and gift cards that are in the city in this wallet. At some point I may go back to that coffee shop, if I don't, it won't to add it to the wallet.)

Shopped at Michael Kors store, my favorite store. I have a few things that I have wanted there for almost a year. I found the item for half price! The wallet was a splurge but I have been waiting to use my budget for it when it was on sale. They always have a few red pieces discounted after Valentine’s Day. Also if you go to the store they have a sale section. I was happy!

Supper was at Moxies.  I had bought Sobeys Gift cards for the bonus 95 Air Miles when I bought $200 in Sobeys gift cards.  I then purchased Moxies gift cards with the Sobeys gift card.   We just drank water. My meal was huge, as soon as it came I cut it in half to take some home.  The kid meals were also big, and half came home.  We ate the leftovers the next day.

Sunday

Shopped at the grocery store for the pink sticker items.  Bought lots of bread and meat for the freezer.  On the way out of the store as I checked the receipt I noticed $1.25 wasn't taken off of my total and I went to customer service and got that money back. SCOP doesn't count on pink stickers, I asked.

Took the kids to the movies for Family Day.  I used the buy 1 get 1 free voucher from gift cards received at Christmas.  The snacks were 2 popcorns from the vouchers at Christmas.  Scene points were also collected.  We brought water bottles with Pepsi and 2 water bottles to drink. I also brought a bag of skittles to share.

Monday
Went to gas station and paid $2 to vacuum car and $2 for the Lysol wipes that I got on sale a few months ago and cleaned the car.  Lots of money saved compared to the price of paying someone to detail the car for me.

I went to Lawtons with the intent of spending $35 on Compliments products to earn 95 Air Miles. I walked through the store, and didn't find any products on sale. I realized I truly only needed the Compliments Brand Band Aids, and the other items would be purchased just to earn Air Miles. I returned the other items, got what I needed, spending only $3.85  I paid using my Sobeys gift card, Lawtons and Sobeys are owned by the same company and the gift cards are interchangeable.  Also my work received a Lawton's discount card that is scanned with each purchase for a surprise amount of money off.