It was my birthday last Tuesday. I always work on my birthday, but this year, I wanted to add a little dose of pleasure to my work.
My very naive idea?
I would spend the whole day collecting all the freebies restaurants and retailers are offering to Canadians on their birthday!
A lot of articles were written on the topic, but I thought a first person account of how I had a blast while saving my bank account would be a cool story. Plus, I would include in my videos all the free coffees, ice creams and other free stuff I would score…
Turns out you need to plan this weeks in advance, since most brands require that you sign up for their rewards program and enter your birthdate in their system at least a week before…
Anyway, I ended up working on setting up some new ads for MooseMoney.com, which was fun, but was kind of disappointing compared to what I was expecting my day to deliver :)
So the moral of the story? If your birthday is coming up, make sure to sign up to the following things to get the free stuff:
- Starbucks rewards (free coffee)
- Booster rewards (free smoothie)
- Red Robin Royalty (free burger)
- MyBP (free dessert at Boston Pizza)
- Buffalo Wild Wings Rewards (6 free wings)
- Burger Boss Club (free pie at Harvey's on your birthday + a free Frings right away)
PS: Next week, I would like to use the newsletter to answer some of your questions related to money. So hit the REPLY button, ask me your question (there are no dumb questions when it comes to money), and I will answer all of them in the next issue!
Julien Brault, aka JB, Co-Founder of MooseMoney.com
Zellers Is Making Yet Another Comeback
The beloved Canadian discount store, Zellers, is making yet another comeback. Now owned by the Benitah family, which owns shopping mall staples Fairweather, International Clothiers and Bowring, the new stores will have smaller square footages and focus on clothing, home goods, luggage and seasonal items. The first location is opening in Edmonton's Londonderry Mall and the Benitah family says they're planning on bringing Zellers back to "every major market across Canada".
Source: City News
Recently published on MooseMoney.com
It doesn’t take more than opening Temu to be presented with a game that offers so-called “free gifts.” But are Temu free gifts real or fake? What’s the catch? What are they counting on you not noticing?
I Spent $132 on 6 AI Job Search Apps And They Totally Missed the Point
I Asked 10 Uber, Lyft & Hopp Drivers in Toronto How Much They Were Earning After Accounting For All Their Cost and The Result Will Shock You
Grocery Price Comparison App Shows Savings Compared To Major Competitors
Tre'dish, a grocery delivery service operating in the Greater Toronto Area, recently launched a new feature in their app which shows customers how much they're saving compared to major grocery stores. For example, four rainbow peppers are currently selling for $3.19, which is a 52% savings from the average large grocery store and a pound of deli ham is $9.99, which is a 44% savings. The service sells direct from wholesalers so that they can price items lower. To be fair, not everything is cheaper (for example, blueberries are currently selling for 33% more than its competitors this week) but the vast majority of items are cheaper.
Source: MooseMoney
Financial Calculator of the Week
Find out exactly how long it will take to pay off your credit card by paying only the minimum versus paying a higher amount each month, and see how much interest you'll save.
TikTok Just Realized You Could Save Money By Eating Hamburger Helper & Ramens
Hamburger Helper and instant ramen are making a comeback, thanks to a new trend on TikTok showcasing "struggle meals". Sure, these meals have been around for decades, but TikTokers are showing creative ways to zhuzh them up, like adding sautéed onions, garlic and an egg to ramen, which is on sale for $0.27 at Walmart this week. Increased costs of living, high inflation and unemployment worries are pushing people to get creative about making meals. Hamburger Helper said sales were up 14.5% this year.
Source: CBC
Buy Now Pay Later Apps Can Save You Money... If You Use Them Wisely
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) apps like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay can help you save money if you use them wisely. The Globe and Mail shared the example of someone using BNPL to spend $89 a month over two years instead of $1,749 outright. They can then keep that money in their investments and potentially earn more than they would have paid in interest, which is about $150. BNPL can be a slippery slope of buying more and more things, so make sure you use it smartly.
Source: The Globe and Mail
For a limited-time, get a $60 bonus* when you sign up for any Neo card.
From fast approval to everyday rewards, the Neo Mastercard pays you back. Literally. Plus, get instant access to your virtual card as soon as you're approved so you can start spending and earning right away.
* Limited-time offer. Only valid for new Neo customers who open their first eligible Neo credit product and make a purchase within 90 days. Limit of one offer per customer. Offer is subject to the Neo Rewards Policy and may be amended or cancelled at any time without notice.
BARRY CHOI: PC Credit Cards Are the Key To Unlocking The Best Optimum Point Earnings And Redemptions
Recently, I heard from two readers with very different experiences using PC Optimum, the loyalty program of Loblaws-owned grocery stores.
One reader was frustrated. He’d been scanning his card for years and spending thousands of dollars, but hadn’t accumulated many points. He felt the program wasn’t worth the effort because he was barely getting any value.
The other reader had a very different experience. As a high-spending household, they earned tens of thousands of points each month, which regularly saved them $50 to $100 on groceries. They were delighted with the value they received.
Both shopped at the same stores, yet their outcomes couldn’t have been more different. The difference? How they engaged with the program.
PC Optimum doesn’t automatically reward every purchase. You only earn points through targeted offers or in-store promotions. If you’re scanning your card but not activating offers in the app, you might walk away with zero points.
Using a PC Financial credit card changes the game. You earn points on every transaction, and even more at Loblaws-banner stores. For frequent shoppers, that can add up quickly, especially if you also frequent Shoppers Drug Mart and Esso gas stations, where you can also earn additional PC Optimum points.
Some people argue that loyalty programs should be scrapped in favour of lower prices across the board. It’s an appealing idea, but unlikely. Retailers rely on these programs for data. They want to know what you buy, when, and how often.
In return, clever merchants use that data to send personalized offers. If you buy potatoes every month, you’ll likely get a points deal on potatoes every few weeks.
Privacy concerns are valid, but for many shoppers, the savings make it a worthwhile trade-off.
No matter where you shop, understanding how a loyalty program works and how to get the most out of it can lead to real savings. Know the rules, use the tools, and you’ll get better value from every grocery trip.
That said, shopping at stores with the lowest prices saves you more money than focusing your time on maximizing loyalty programs.
This guest post was authored by Barry Choi, an award-winning personal finance expert who specializes in credit cards and loyalty points.
Qtrade Announces $0 Commission Trading
Canadian brokerage firms are moving away from charging fees every time their clients buy or sell a stock. Discount brokerage Qtrade is the latest to announce $0 commission trading, while Wealthsimple, Desjardins Online Brokerage & National Bank Direct Brokerage already have similar $0 commission setups. The reason Qtrade's announcement is noteworthy is that Qtrade is a beloved platform that have been ranked "best online broker in Canada" in multiple rankings over the years.
Source: Money.ca
Blue Jays World Series Run Unlocks Food Deals
The Toronto Blue Jay are currently in the World Series, which is the annual championship for Major League Baseball. The Blue Jays must win four out of up to seven games and they're currently in the lead by three games, while the Dodgers have won two games. The next game is on Friday, October 31, and if the Jays lose, there will be a seventh game on Saturday, November 1. A bunch of food and beverage retailers are running limited-time deals during the World Series. KFC is offering a free Dinger Sandwich (which is actually just their Zinger sandwich that normally sells for $9.29) with a $1 in-app purchase the day after the Jays hit a home run. Japadog is also offering $2 hot dogs when the Jays win, which are normally $9. Check this Redflagdeals thread for more offers, which could be on offer up until Sunday, November 2.
Source: Redflagdeals
🚨🏷️ Moose on the Loose in Dealville
Google Pixel Tablet
$349.99
If you're planning on doing some early holiday shopping for a tech-loving person on your list, snap up this Google Pixel Tablet which is currently on sale for $349.99. That's a 36% drop from its regular price of $549. The tablet has an 11-inch screen and it's compatible with other smart devices like doorbells and speakers.
Crave Standard with Ads
$3.99
As a long-time subscriber to Crave, I can assure you this is a good deal that doesn't happen often! Their standard subscription, which usually costs $11.99 a month, is now on sale for $3.99 for the first three months, which is a nice 67% discount. If you're not keen on sitting through some ads, their premium subscription is also on sale for $7.99 for the first three months, down from $22 a month. Both subscriptions include HBO series.
Nivea Face Moisturizer SPF 15
$4.50
All my moose friends tell me I've got the hide of a much younger buck. My secret is wearing SPF everyday, and that applies to you human readers, too! This Nivea product, on sale for $4.50 and regularly priced at $9.97, is made for sensitive skin, which is a bonus for you folks out there with touch-feely faces. Sure, it's labelled as being for men, but gender is a social construct so go forth and use whatever lotion speaks to you!
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