For Canadians. Do you use a PC Plus card at Loblaws, etc.? Game the System!

Now, this is going to sound like I'm shilling for the Weston's (owners of Loblaws, et al.) but when I look at the money I get back by using the PC Plus card when I shop for groceries, I'm kind of astonished.

Firstly, let's put forth this: I'm CHEAP. Here are a few things I do to keep my grocery bill relatively low:

I only buy grocery store meat at 50% off.
I only buy cheese at 50% off.
I MOSTLY buy seasonal produce, and only purchase salad greens that are 50% off.
I stock up on sales.
I plan meals around what's on sale, and what I all ready have.
I garden. I have chickens for eggs (I'll buy eggs if the peckers are broody. We have meat shares for pork/chickens.
I have the time to bake my own bread. Lots of people just don't. Life is busy.

Now, we also entertain a lot, so we're usually providing a home cooked meal for a few people a week on average. In a two person household plus guests, I've never spent more than $200 at the grocery store in a month (ETA: this would include the money we pay a farmer for chickens and pork.) , much less in the summer.

I signed up for PC plus points at some point, and in the summer, the man and I were able to purchase a 200.00 charcoal bbq with the points on the card, with a few left over. I still didn't think about the value until yesterday.

I spent $108 at the store, and recieved 3600 points on my card, worth $3.60. That's 3.3% cash back to spend at the store. That's almost like gaining dividends on a low risk investment.

The month before, I spent $134 and recieved 8800 points, $8.80; 6.6% in cash back to spend at the store. That's insane, people!

Better yet, the card is a typical evil points card, and tracks your every move in the store; therefore you recieve "offers" that you load to the card to recieve the points. So you're getting the most points on things you spend money on anyways. A wise spender could really, REALLY game this system to get free groceries.

If you're a low budget shopper, or you're cheap, and you want to game the grocery system, look into this!

This isn't super ethical, but as someone who produces most of their produce and pays cheaply for meats, I know I can get back a huge amount of money in groceries now that I realized what I had in my hand.

I use one.
It's been really helpful when the points have built up.
The PC Card has added up enough a few times to buy our groceries with the points.
On the phone app, you can also push 3 items that you didn't purchase onto the following week

a reply to: snowspirit

I didn't even notice that option. I just downloaded the actual app today and that's when the value became to apparent.

That would be perfect for trying to get things on sale or discounted. Thanks for pointing that out.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Hi Atsbhct!
I use my PC card too! (at Zehrs and No Frills)

It doesn't take long to get $20 worth of points to redeem, I've done it a few times now. I haven't really used any brain-power to figure out how to make it work better though I'm sure I could.
I'm also a big fan of my Shopper's Drug Mart Optimum card.

jacygirl

originally posted by: jacygirl
I haven't really used any brain-power to figure out how to make it work better though I'm sure I could.

Make sure you tie your shoes first. We don't want any mishaps.

a reply to: jacygirl

Well now that we're all aware, I'm going to treat this as a little experiment!

I really wish I had access to a No Frills, but no such luck.

a reply to: Atsbhct

There's a credit card by them also, and I think it doubles the points if it's used instead of other credit cards or cash/debit at whatever stores use the card. We didn't get one yet, but it might be good as a"groceries only "card"
Just google pc financial for proper info

a reply to: snowspirit

I'm pretty strict about just using my credit card for emergencies because I know myself...know what I mean. But seriously, if you only used that card for groceries and then paid it off...you'd be making Loblaws your grocery b$&#h!

a reply to: jacygirl

Damn Zehrs still exists... that was the only place I could find Tahiti Treat soda pop, haven't seen one in a while though.

I do have one but I rarely go to the superstore as it is an hour drive, I became a co-op member since the store is way closer they give around 3% cash back on food and gas at the gas bar. last year's cheque was for around 200. When I lived in ontario Zehrs was my go to store and we really could rack up the PC points quickly.

a reply to: Daavin

Our two local co-ops went belly up in recent years, unfortunately. They were great because they always had local produce and bulk deals.

What does it cost for a co-op membership now?

originally posted by: Konduit
a reply to: jacygirl

Damn Zehrs still exists... that was the only place I could find Tahiti Treat soda pop, haven't seen one in a while though.

Omg! Tahiti Treat!! I craved that when I was pregnant with my son! I forgot it existed.
Now I need to go to Zehrs and see if they still have it.

jacy

Here's an example of the kind of value you can get by shopping smart and planning meals around these points and sales.

Out of that $108, this is what I got points for:

$4.00 of ground turkey (marked down from $8) 200pts/$ = 800pts.

$4.00 tetra pack chicken broth (2 1lt packs). 200pts/$ = 800pts.

$8.00 Buffalo mozzarella marked down to $4.00. Points special = 2000pts.

So, $12.00 spent on points eligible items and $3.60 in cash back. Technically, that's a 30% return on grocery investment.

Holy. Crap.

originally posted by: Konduit
a reply to: jacygirl

Damn Zehrs still exists... that was the only place I could find Tahiti Treat soda pop, haven't seen one in a while though.

Yes! Tahitian Treat! I don't really like fruit sodas, but that rocks! I see it once in awhile. When I was about 11-14 if I was sick my mom would get me ice milk and a tahitian treat soda

i have a No frills just up the street from me. The prices are pretty much even with walmart - which is next door to the no frills.
Im going to look into the points card though. We go through a lot of groceries in this house.
As well another point card i use often is my air miles. Every month we get around an extra 300 air miles for having it linked to the bank account, which = 30 bucks free gas. Plus i signed up for the air miles reward surveys. My inbox gets at least 1 survey a day. When i have a few minutes here an there i fill out a quick survey and get 10 air miles just for doing so.

a reply to: Macenroe82

That's pretty good for air miles.

Just an FYI, if you open a PC Financial chequing account and set up direct deposit, you get 10000 PC Points. $100. Plus you get 5 points per dollar, so 5% cash back to use in store. And it's free.

My bank doesn't come close to that, so I might switch.

Loblaws ? Zehrs ? No Frills ?

What the heck country are you guys living in ??

I haven't seen a Loblaws in at least 30+ years... didn't they disappear in the late 70's or early 80's ? Didn't they go by way of the dinosaur like Woolco and Eatons ?

And what the heck is a "Zehrs" and a "No Frills" ??

a reply to: CranialSponge

Orr...any of these.



Get those free groceries.

ETA: Or maybe you're a Safeway person. I can imagine your avatar trouncing around a Safeway, doing unmentionable things to the bulk bins, smiling the whole time.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Geez... the only store names I recognize in your picture is Superstore and Extra Foods.

Yup it's official, ya'll live in a different country than me !

I can imagine your avatar trouncing around a Safeway, doing unmentionable things to the bulk bins, smiling the whole time.

Stop giving away all my world-domination sooper seekrit agendas, dagnabit !!

originally posted by: Atsbhct


Better yet, the card is a typical evil points card, and tracks your every move in the store; therefore you recieve "offers" that you load to the card to recieve the points. So you're getting the most points on things you spend money on anyways. A wise spender could really, REALLY game this system to get free groceries.

You almost had me convinced...
For the past 7 years, I have had a strict "no store card" policy. Many have tried to sell me on the points and rewards, but it has never been enough to trade for my personal info and have my shopping habits tracked. Then this thread comes along and hits me right in the sweet spot of my frugal ways...
I shop exactly like you. I have a 50% off sticker radar that can home in from 20 feet away. Not to mention, because I have a large family, it's nothing for me to drop $300 in the Superstore or No Frills, and that includes many items at half price. So out of curiosity, I pulled out my Superstore receipts for the past 6 weeks. (yes I habitually keep some things for a time.) The bottom of the receipt tells me how many points I could have received for that day. For the six weeks, the return savings was approx. $15. Now for some, that's a windfall. Not for me. I love saving money more than most, but it's still not a trade off. This isn't "beating the system" this IS the system! This is what brings customers in, keeps them coming back, and to spend exorbitant amount of money for a pittance of savings, all the while being tracked doing so. It's nothing for these corporations to give you money back to spend in their store hoping you will buy more while there,which obviously most will because it's more points. I'd wager they lose more on weekly loss leader sales than their points system. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, because for some it works...but for me..I still can't do it.
To put it simply..if a representative of the Superstore approached me while shopping, and offered me $15 worth of groceries, and all I had to do was trade my personal information and allow the store to track my purchases for 6 weeks...I'd walk away laughing at the audacity.