I went a bit out of my way on Saturday to a Jean Coutu. I had one specific product in mind that would allow me to make use of the "Spend 20, get 3x" Shop the Block coupon. Of course, that particular store (the only one that's not waaay out of my way) was out of stock on that item. I'm sure I could have found a way to spend $20 on other stuff, but my impatient 8-year-old was with me, I'm not a big drugstore shopper at the best of times, and having made a trip to Rexall recently, there really wasn't much we needed. So I left. Annoyed.
I needed another STB offer. I'm sure I could have found stuff at Staples or the Children's Place, but again, I've been to both of those stores recently, and there's nothing much we need. I could probably spend $100 at Metro, but it's not my regular grocery store, and finding $100 worth of groceries there that we need, want, and can't get cheaper at Costco or Farm Boy would be a stretch. Once in a long while I do drink gin, so I looked at the LCBO offer, but I really don't need $40 worth of gin, either. I almost caved on the Rexall snack products; no doubt we would have eaten them, but no way would I be buying it if not for the coupon.
We are visiting my family in Nova Scotia next weekend, so I decided to just have a peek at the Maritime offers. Where I found this little gem:
Get 15 Bonus Miles with every
95 Cash Miles you use for an Irving Oil eVoucher.
So, wait. I don't have to go to a store, don't have to buy anything I don't really want or need - don't even have to buy anything at all, actually. I just click some buttons, use some of those extra cash miles I accumulated by mistake, and get $10 off gas when I re-fill my rental next weekend? At the Irving right next to the airport that I very likely would have stopped at anyway? Count me in!
I am done:
Sobey's cheese
20x at Air Miles Shops
Redeem cash miles at Metro
Spend $50 at Staples
Spend $50 at The Children's Place
Redeem cash Miles at Irving
Roger's Magazines (gifts, which I've been thinking of doing for ages anyway)
Not so bad, but if they do this again next year, can someone PLEASE remind me that I don't want to do it?!! I'm lucky that I live within a 10 minute drive of at least 6 of the participating stores, and shop at most of those at least occasionally, but even so, there's just too much going on at this time of year. The extra hassle and details on top of everything else I have to think about is just not worth it. And the temptation to spend on stuff I really don't need or wouldn't otherwise buy is too strong. I don't exactly regret doing it, but I'm glad it's over.
Thanks for listening, and good luck to anyone who is still in the race!
I needed another STB offer. I'm sure I could have found stuff at Staples or the Children's Place, but again, I've been to both of those stores recently, and there's nothing much we need. I could probably spend $100 at Metro, but it's not my regular grocery store, and finding $100 worth of groceries there that we need, want, and can't get cheaper at Costco or Farm Boy would be a stretch. Once in a long while I do drink gin, so I looked at the LCBO offer, but I really don't need $40 worth of gin, either. I almost caved on the Rexall snack products; no doubt we would have eaten them, but no way would I be buying it if not for the coupon.
We are visiting my family in Nova Scotia next weekend, so I decided to just have a peek at the Maritime offers. Where I found this little gem:
Get 15 Bonus Miles with every
95 Cash Miles you use for an Irving Oil eVoucher.
So, wait. I don't have to go to a store, don't have to buy anything I don't really want or need - don't even have to buy anything at all, actually. I just click some buttons, use some of those extra cash miles I accumulated by mistake, and get $10 off gas when I re-fill my rental next weekend? At the Irving right next to the airport that I very likely would have stopped at anyway? Count me in!
I am done:
Sobey's cheese
20x at Air Miles Shops
Redeem cash miles at Metro
Spend $50 at Staples
Spend $50 at The Children's Place
Redeem cash Miles at Irving
Roger's Magazines (gifts, which I've been thinking of doing for ages anyway)
Not so bad, but if they do this again next year, can someone PLEASE remind me that I don't want to do it?!! I'm lucky that I live within a 10 minute drive of at least 6 of the participating stores, and shop at most of those at least occasionally, but even so, there's just too much going on at this time of year. The extra hassle and details on top of everything else I have to think about is just not worth it. And the temptation to spend on stuff I really don't need or wouldn't otherwise buy is too strong. I don't exactly regret doing it, but I'm glad it's over.
Thanks for listening, and good luck to anyone who is still in the race!
