7 ways to get the most out of rewards programs
Rewards programs like Aeroplan, Air Miles, PC Optimum, Triangle, and CAA-Quebec Rabais Dollars are more popular than ever. Odds are your wallet is crammed with more loyalty cards than you know what to do with. But here’s the million-dollar/point/mile question: Do you really need to belong to so many programs? And how can you reap more rewards? Follow these 7 tips.
1- Be picky about your programs
The average family belongs to eight rewards programs(1). That’s a lot! To earn rewards faster, it’s better to trim the fat and get rid of some of those cards in your stack. Keep the handful of programs that are most convenient, i.e., the ones offered by your favourite coffee shop, grocery store, service station, and pharmacy. By putting more eggs in fewer baskets you’ll fill them up faster, and you’ll be enjoying those spa days, movie nights, and trips to Paris before you know it.
2- Stay loyal
There’s a reason they’re called “loyalty” programs! Retailers offer little perks to keep you coming back. You’ll earn that gift card or gas fill-up more quickly if you are loyal to the same merchant rather than going to five different stores. Take a few minutes to look over the list of merchants participating in your loyalty program and make them your go-to choice to stack up those points, miles, or dollars.
“Program accrual terms, rewards, and participating merchants may change at any time, making it difficult to achieve your goal. So it’s better to cash in those points regularly and not let them pile up too long.” |
- Jacinthe Gratton, CAA-Quebec Vice-President of Development and Strategic Alliances
3- Don’t sit on your points, miles, or dollars for too long
Shake-ups in several reward programs in recent years sparked widespread consumer dissatisfaction, leading the Quebec government to adopt legislation to keep it from happening again. Changes to the Consumer Protection Act that took effect August 1, 2019, prohibit excessive variations in the value of points, miles, or dollars or the cost of rewards. Under the new rules, units earned also can no longer expire. But that doesn’t mean the value of points is set in stone! The ways you earn points, the merchants who offer them, the program rewards, and the accrual and redemption terms and conditions can change at any time, making it that much harder to reach your goal. The moral of the story is that a trip for four to Australia that will take you 160 years to earn may not be the ideal target.
4- Use your points regularly
It’s better to focus on smaller, more frequent rewards to avoid being disappointed in the long run. For example, with CAA-Quebec’s Rabais Dollars program, members can use the CAA Dollars they earn to lower their annual membership cost. Thousands of members save up enough discounts and CAA Dollars each year to pay their CAA-Quebec membership in full.
5- Opt for high-value rewards
When shopping for a reward, calculate the actual value of the reward and divide it by the number of points required. You’ll quickly realize that some perks are worth more than others. Trips and flights are often a better deal than merchandise. And transactions are obviously a lot simpler if the program is dollar-, not point-based.
6- Earn points faster
A number of loyalty programs can be combined with your credit card so you get more points with each credit card purchase. Some consumers always pay for purchases with their card so they can rack up rewards faster. This can be a good strategy as long as you’re disciplined enough to pay off your balance in full each month. In many cases, you can also request additional cards so your family members can add to the same account. With more people saving, the rewards pile up fast! CAA-Quebec’s 1.3 million members are automatically eligible for the Rabais Dollars program. With their membership card they get CAA Dollars or instant discounts at more than 3,000 points of sale in Quebec.
7- Tips on getting the most out of the Rabais Dollars CAA program
- Trade in your CAA Dollars for gift cards at Approved Auto Repair Service Locations or use them to buy gas at Couche-Tard, for example. With our program, there’s no gimmicks, no catches, no exchange rate, no conversion factor, and no need to scratch your head over complex calculations to figure out your rewards. 1 CAA Dollar® = 1 actual dollar—always.
- Fill up at Couche-Tard and earn in the neighbourhood of $40 CAA Dollars by the end of the year(2). Better yet, pay for your gas at Couche-Tard with your National Bank CAA Rewards® Mastercard® credit card and get 2% back(3) in CAA Dollars.
- Travel with your card! Many program partners, such as Best Western, have locations all over Canada and the United States.
- Look for the best deals! You can save as much as $100 through offers on Pirelli tires, La Ronde admission, Bétonel Dulux paint, and trips with a CAA-Quebec travel agency!
- Visit CAA-Quebec Approved Auto Repair Services locations, where many purchases score you 3% back in CAA Dollars.
- Save 3% at most Approved Residential Suppliers, up to $100.
- See all the CAA partners that offer discounts and CAA Dollar rewards.
About CAA-Quebec
CAA-Quebec is a not-for-profit organization that assists each of its members by providing mobility, travel, insurance, and residential benefits, products, and services. – 30 – ______________ (1) PwC Canada, 2017
(2) Based on annual mileage of 20,000 km with a recent compact SUV and a discount of 2¢ per litre of gasoline.
(3) When you pay for eligible purchases with your CAA Rewards® Mastercard® from National Bank, you’ll earn 1% of the amount charged to your account in CAA Dollars. When you purchase fuel at a participating Couche-Tard using your CAA Rewards Mastercard, you’ll also earn an additional 1% of the purchase in CAA Dollars. CAA-Quebec is responsible for issuing, administering, and redeeming CAA Dollars earned through this offer in accordance with the terms and conditions of the program. If you have any questions, please visit a CAA Quebec Travel Centre or call 1 800 686-9243. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Inc. Authorized user: National Bank.