To the point
Start double dipping by redeeming points from top grocery and credit card rewards programs to pay your bill.
Mixing the use of grocery rewards programs WITH credit card rewards is a great way to save money.
Use Reward Points to pay for groceries
The trick is to use a grocery store’s rewards program and pair it with your payment method to double dip!
At Maxi
| Earning rate | Redeem | |
| PC Optimum | Depending on the weekly personalized offers, the offers from the flyer and the selected products |
1,000 points = $1 off your bill at checkout Exchangeable at any time |
Offers may include a discount to the member or giving extra points for a certain minimum spend.
By properly organizing your purchases at Maxi with their flyer specials and weekly app offers, you can earn rewards faster.
Here, I got 42,800 points (or $42.80) on a bill of $159.18, including taxes. The next time I go to the checkout counter at Maxi, I will be able to get $42 off from my grocery bill.
But the best trick is to wait for theBonus Redemption Eventdays at Shoppers Drug Mart, where the exchange value is increased.
Then the trick is to pay with a credit card that has a high multiplier for grocery purchases.
Maxi only accepts Visa and Mastercard cards. So, the best credit cards to use at Maxi are :
| Grocery Store earning | Best for | Eligibility Requirements | |
| National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® | 5 points/$1 purchase | Save on travel expenses | Minimum $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income |
| BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* | 5 % Cash Back | Cash back $$ | Minimum $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income |
| CIBC Dividend Platinum® Visa* Card | 3% cash back | Cash back $$ | Minimum of $15,000 in annual income |
The World Elite Mastercard PC card gives you 30 points for every dollar you spend at Maxi. I would have earned 4,775 points, a value of $4.77.
However, much more can be achieved by using :
| Card | Points and value |
| National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® | 796 NBC Rewards points (value of approximately $7) |
| BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* | $ 7.96 cash back |
At IGA
Currently, the loyalty program linked to IGA is AIR MILES. However, in Quebec, it will change at the beginning of 2023, to Scene+ .
| Earning rate | Redeem | |
| AIR MILES (until early 2023) | 1 mile/$20 purchase |
95 miles = $10 off the bill Redeemable at any time at the cashier |
| Scene+ (from early 2023) | Depending on the weekly personalized offers, the offers from the flyer and the selected products |
1,000 points = $10 off your bill Redeemable at any time at the cashier (when the Scene+ program is in effect) |
Right now, a credit card linked to the AIR MILES program allows for a double shot of miles. The best are the BMO® AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®* and the BMO® AIR MILES® Mastercard®*.
However, much more can be achieved by using :
| Grocery Store earning | Best for | |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard: | 5 points/$1 purchase | Save on travel expenses |
| BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* | 5 % Cash Back | Cash back $$ |
It should be noted that IGA stores are increasingly accepting American Express cards through the upcoming Scene program. Then there is the Voilà online grocery store by IGA that accepts American Express cards.
| Grocery Store earning | Best for | Eligibility requirement | |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | 5 points/$1 purchase |
and/or Transfer to air and hotel programs for travel |
No minimum income required to obtain the card |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card | 6 points/$1 purchase at IGA, Voilà, Rachelle-Béry, Les Marchés Tradition, etc. |
Credit to account $ 1,000 points = $10 or In-store redemption 1,000 points = $10 off the bill (Early 2023) |
No minimum income required to obtain the card |
The latter is particularly attractive because the redemption rate is 1,000 points for $10 off the bill. It’s exactly the same as the Cobalt, but the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card earns 1 extra point for every dollar spent.
At Metro
Metro’s metro&me program earns 1 point per dollar spent. Each week, we have to download our personalized offers on the mobile application.
| Earning rate | Redeem | |
| metro&me | 1 point/$1 purchase |
Every three months Receipt of a reward check (minimum of 500 points) 125 points = $1 off at checkout |
Starting in the spring of 2023, the metro&me program will change to the MOI program. We don’t know yet the earning value, nor the modalities of the cash back. This article will be updated when we know.
Metro supermarkets accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
So you have a choice:
| Grocery Store earning | Best for | Eligibility requirement | |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5 points/$1 purchase | Save on travel expenses | Minimum $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | 5 points/$1 purchase |
and/or Transfer to air and hotel programs for travel |
No minimum income required to obtain the card |
| BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* | 5 % Cash Back | Cash back $$ | Minimum $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income |
| CIBC Dividend Platinum® Visa* Card | 3% cash back | Cash back $$ | Minimum of $15,000 in annual income |
Here is an example of how to earn points for the American Express Cobalt® Card. You’ll notice that the points are multiplied by 5, for the purchases at Metro (and other supermarkets).
At Costco
Costco has an annual cash back program, through the Executive membership card only.
| Earning rate | Redeem | |
| Executive Membership Card | 2% on every purchase made during the year in the warehouse, on Costco.ca, Costco Travel, etc. |
Once a year ($1,000 maximum) Cash back cheque to be redeemed in the warehouse only |
Costco is in a completely different category. It is classified as a “Warehouse” and not a “Grocery Store”. Then it has no additional multiplier and will be considered as an expense in the Other category.
Costco warehouses only accept Mastercard. Their CIBC Costco Mastercard offers 1% cash back on in-store purchases and 2% cash back on costco.ca purchases.
In addition, an Executive Membership Card with a 2% cash back allows you to get a little more with the following credit cards:
| Grocery Store earning | Best for | Eligibility and welcome offer | |
| HSBC World Elite® Mastercard® | 1% (2 points/$1 purchase) | Travel Expenses | Minimum $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income |
| BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* | 1% cash back | Cash back $$ |
Minimum of $80,000 in annual personal income or $150,000 in family income Up to 10% in the first three months with the welcome offer |
| Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | 0.5% cash back | Cash back $$ |
Minimum of $12,000 in annual income Receive an additional 15% discount with their welcome offer |
When you are comfortable with this technique, take it to the next level by using the trick ofusing a Visa credit card at Costco, indirectly.
Bottom Line
Rising grocery store prices can hurt the budget, but there are ways to lessen that impact.
Above all, it is very important to pay your credit card balances in full every month! Otherwise, all your savings will be eaten up by interest charges.
Once you’ve used this double dip trick, take it to the next level with the trick of buying grocery store gift cards for your other expenses.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
