There are dozens of gift cards for many businesses, and members of the Facebook group are big fans!
Gift cards are important in many situations:
If you prefer the video version, here it is! Otherwise, keep on reading.
We love this strategy because it allows us to accumulate more points! First, check which category you earn the most points in with your credit card.
For example, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card gives you 6 TD / $1 Rewards points for grocery purchases and 2 TD / $1 Rewards points for other purchases. A $100 purchase at Simons will :
Once you’ve used this clever strategy several times throughout the year, you’ll earn points much more quickly. So travel paid for with points or big cash rebates arrive at full speed!
The points hunter is generally someone who keeps a close eye on his budget and is able to forecast his spending over the coming months, mainly on his credit cards. It’s all part of their strategy.
In this case, gift cards are valuable allies for quickly unlocking credit card bonuses.
Here, for example, is a typical budget for one month:
So, by planning your spending over the next 2-3 months – and having the cash to “advance the funds” via gift cards – it’s possible to unlock credit card bonuses more easily.
This can also come in handy a few weeks before the deadline to unlock the bonus if you see that the 3 months won’t be enough!
In addition to earning welcome bonuses, it’s best to learn when to use the right credit card at the right place in order to earn more reward points or cash back!
For example, rather than using your American Express CobaltMD Card directly at an SAQ branch(1 point per dollar), you could buy SAQ gift cards at your Métro / Super C grocery store or Couche-Tard convenience store(5 points per dollar)!
Thus, your purchase at SAQ with a gift card will have earned you 5 points per dollar instead of 1!
This applies to a wide range of retailers; in fact, all those for which you can find a gift card in your grocery store, gas station, convenience store or pharmacy:
Below you’ll find out which credit card to use where to get more reward points!
American Express cards are increasingly accepted, especially by small businesses.
Some stores continue not to accept them, such as large grocery chains (Maxi, some IGAs, etc.). At this point, something exists: Rakuten.
Rakuten allows you to get cash back for your online purchases. But the site also contains a section dedicated to gift cards(not accessible from the mobile application)!
If you are not a member of Rakuten.ca, sign up via our referral link to get a $5 credit after a $25 purchase!
Many businesses are accessible through the card offered on Rakuten.
For example, since Maxi or Provigo do not take American Express, you could purchase a gift card for these grocery stores on the Rakuten.ca site. While earning a cash back!
You can then use your American Express card(via Paypal) to buy a Maxi gift card, for example.
Indirect use of your American Express card at Maxi 😉
There are different categories of businesses in Canada offering gift cards that can be purchased with credit cards:
And for each of these categories, there are different credit cards to earn points! We will give you our best credit card choices for each category.
Only credit cards offering a permanent bonus in the categories are mentioned. Cards that impose a time limit for the bonus on certain categories (3 months, 6 months) or use an “easily attainable” annual maximum amount ($15,000) have therefore been excluded.
To purchase grocery store card with a credit card , turn to one of these 5 credit card :
The first two American Express card can be used at most Metro, Super C, IGA and Safeway grocery stores.
They will offer 5 points per dollar, a return of approximately 5% on all grocery store gift card purchases.
You can read our detailed comparison on these two credit cards here.
If you shop elsewhere, you’ll want to consider the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard®, which gives you 5 points per dollar spent on groceries when you purchase gift cards.
Or switch to the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card or Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card, which will give you 4% cash back on all gift card purchases at a grocery store.
Finally, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar with the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card. This corresponds to a return of around 3.5% on travel purchases made with your points.
To purchase gas station card with a credit card , turn to one of these 6 credit card :
All gas stations accept American Express credit cards. Here, the choice of a card will vary depending on the type of rewards you prefer to have.
If you prefer to earn Marriott Bonvoy points by purchasing your gift cards at gas stations, we recommend that you use :
If you prefer to earn travel points by purchasing your gift cards at gas stations, we recommend that you use either:
Finally, if you prefer to earn cash back by purchasing your gift cards at service stations, we recommend that you use either:
To purchase gift cards in drug stores with a credit card, you will turn to one of these 3 credit cards:
Most drugstores accept American Express credit cards.
If you prefer to collect Membership Rewards points when you buy your gift cards at drugstores, we recommend using the American Express® Gold Rewards Card 2 points per dollar spent.
If you prefer to earn cash back by purchasing your gift cards at pharmacies, we recommend using Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card or the Tangerine World Mastercard.
You can choose the “Drugstores” category among the categories offering 2% cash back.
To buy gift cards in convenience stores such as Couche-Tard, Macs, Circle K, 7-eleven with a credit card, one will turn to one credit card:
The American Express CobaltMD Card is recognized as one of the best credit cards in Canada.
When you buy your gift cards in convenience stores with this credit card, you will get 5 points per dollar:
Walmart gift card can be purchased at Couche-Tard convenience stores! A sneaky way to get 5 points per dollar for Walmart with the American Express CobaltMD Card.
Including for medications at Walmart pharmacies!
To purchase gift cards at home improvement centres with a credit card, two credit cards shou;d be used:
You can earn cash back by purchasing gift cards at home improvement centers using Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card or the Tangerine World Mastercard.
You can choose the “Renovations” category among the categories offering 2% cash back.
To purchase gift cards at office supply stores with a credit card, two credit cards should be used:
You can earn travel points by purchasing your gift cards at office supply stores using:
Now you know which credit card to use in the right place to buy gift cards. Now, don’t forget your gift cards when you go shopping!
Gift cards are prepaid instruments that allow the holder to purchase goods or services up to the monetary value printed or loaded on the card. They are often given as gifts for various occasions.
On the back of your gift card, go to the Internet address indicated. On this site, you’ll find a section that looks like “Check my gift card balance”. Enter your card information.
Sometimes, there is also the option of calling a customer service department, which will provide the balance. Or go directly to the store and find out the amount at the checkout.
When you purchase gift cards using your credit card, it generally counts as a regular transaction. So, if your credit card offers points or rewards for every purchase, you’ll earn these benefits by purchasing gift cards.
To maximize your points, it’s a good idea to buy gift cards at stores where your credit card offers bonus points or higher reward rates. Such as a grocery store, gas station, convenience store or drugstore.
You can buy gift cards at many stores, including grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, Dollarama stores and drugstores.
There are hundreds of gift cards for a wide range of retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Ikea, Shell, Esso and SAQ.
To obtain gift cards, you can go to any major supermarkets or chains selling them. These cards are often available at checkouts or in special displays. In addition, many websites also offer the option of buying gift cards online, which you will receive either in physical form by post or electronically by e-mail.
There are several online gift card sites. This is the case of Rakuten, for example.
It is possible to purchase a Walmart gift card at a Couche-Tard/Circle K convenience store. In this case, it’s best to use the American Express CobaltMD Card to earn 5 points per dollar.
IKEA gift cards can be purchased at Couche-Tard/Circle K convenience stores and IGA. In this case, it’s best to use the American Express CobaltMD Card to earn 5 points per dollar.
The most common way to check a gift card balance is to visit the card issuer’s website. Most of these sites have a dedicated section where you can enter the card number and, if necessary, an associated PIN code. By providing this information, the site will usually show you the remaining balance on the card. If you can’t access the website or prefer a different method, you can also often check the balance by calling a customer service number indicated on the card or by asking directly in-store.
As with any transaction, it’s essential to ensure that you buy gift cards from reputable suppliers. There’s also a risk of over-consumption, as it can be tempting to buy lots of gift cards to earn points, but this could result in a high balance on your credit card.
In Canada, most gift cards have no expiry date. However, it’s always a good idea to check the specific terms of the gift card when making a purchase.
Gift Card is written Gift cards in the plural.
Savings are here:
