What do you use your air miles for?

**peanut** · 08-17-2011, 06:12 PM

I'm revisiting this thread as a result of reviewing whether Air Miles are worth it or not.

I went to their site for Canada and went through the list of sponsors and companies that take Air Miles cards. I short listed about 15 that are local that we might use. Most of them sell goods at higher prices than other local stores. So while I get air miles, I am dinged by higher pricing. I'm not convinced it's worth it.

However one thing stuck out like a sore thumb. We could be collecting air miles every time we pay our natural gas bill! Apparently our provider has a deal with air miles. I'll have to talk to DH and see if he's set something up. He has an air miles card and may be collecting there without me knowing it.

Also, our car insurance company has a deal with Air Miles. Other than that, we don't really use them unless I plan poorly and we end up at Safeway for groceries or Boston Pizza for supper!

One thing I didn't realize is that I could collect them at the Holiday Inn Express. We didn't when we went east this year. That would have been a hefty amount of Air Miles! But I'm not sure you can collect them AND Priority Club points at the same time... Anyone try that?

ETA: Just talked to DH. He DOESN'T have an Air Miles card, and our natural gas bill is NOT hooked up to my card. Okay, time to rectify that!!

**peanut** · 08-17-2011, 06:30 PM

Rats! Just phoned our natural gas provider. They only give air miles on special promotions such as signing up for equalized billing etc. DH and I refuse to do that because they overcharge by a substantial amount on equalized payments. And they have our money earning interest for them, rather than us being able to use it for ourselves. So no go on that one!

**monkeywrangler71** · 08-18-2011, 09:12 AM

Do you shop online? If you go through their site you can earn miles at Chapters, ebay, amazon, and a bunch of other places. If you normally buy books at Chapters's retail stores, I would recommend switching to their online store anyway - the prices are lower online and they have free shipping over $25.

You had mentioned the cost of mailing gifts to your daughters in Halifax; you might want to look into buying their gifts online this year and having them shipped directly to them. If you do that, you may find some of the shops on the Air Miles site appropriate for gifts.

**peanut** · 08-18-2011, 10:37 AM

Thanks monkeywrangler71. Truth be told, I've spent my clothing allowance for the year and I'm on a self-imposed moratorium on books.

I won't buy from one address and send to a different address, at least with Amazon, because I did that and the book never arrived at the address. When I went to leave feedback the owner of the shop tricked me into 'reassessing' it, by asking me to take it down and write a new one. Then I couldn't put anything up again. I was so unimpressed I don't order from them anymore. It was one huge negative experience.

**madkat2618** · 08-18-2011, 11:39 AM

I usually collect mine at Safeway and the Liquor Store. I always check the Safeway flyer and see what products have bonus miles. If the price is right, I'll buy. I also get their e-mail, and they sometimes have good coupons with bonus miles. Every once in a while they will have buy 2 dozen eggs, get 20 miles. Not much, but they add up.
I was pretty happy this spring, when we had to replace our washer & dryer, they had double AirMiles on the set we bought. 300 miles for something we needed anyways.

Last year, I cashed them in for HBC gift cards, and those, along with my HBC points, I was able to buy a new patio set for our balcony. It worked out to $250 in gift cards, between the two.

In New Brunswick, I liked trading them in for Sobey's gift cards, but we can't do that in Manitoba.

**dinah** · 08-18-2011, 02:49 PM

we are saving up for two tickets to england. you really have to watch the AM specials at Safeway to make it work and we always shop on the first tuesday of the month to get the 10 times the AM, and we always make sure to take advantage of the spend $100 get 100 AM.

we make sure to use them at the liquor mart and shell and rona.

QM · 08-18-2011, 03:00 PM

We use our Air Miles for gift cards to the Swiss Chalet chain of stores (not sure if that's still available) and movie tickets to Cineplex theatres. We like the 2 free admissions, 2 soft free drinks and 1 free large popcorn for...I think...150 or so Air Miles.

**madkat2618** · 08-19-2011, 01:17 PM

Just a heads up if you have a Safeway. Like their page on Facebook and they have a different coupon each week.

This week it's buy a $25 Chapters gift card and get 40 AirMiles.
I thought this would be good for a Christmas gift for one of my kids. Easy way to get 40 miles!

**monkeywrangler71** · 08-19-2011, 01:22 PM

I don't know if anyone else is in Atlantic Canada, but the price of Sobeys cards is going up from 140 point to 175 points on August 26th. So if anyone has points sitting there, this week is the time to cash them in.

They standardized all of their gift cards to 175 points for $20 at the start of June, but Sobeys has been kicking in the extra 35 points to keep it at 140 until Aug 26.

**strezzed** · 02-05-2012, 12:01 PM

I only get Air Miles via my Amex card. Most places where they're given out are generally quite expensive to shop in, imho. I've used them to replace our sheets but nothing else yet. I wanted to get bedding again, but lately they haven't had any in king size recently. Hopefully, that will change.

**alternativelyfrugal** · 03-01-2012, 08:58 PM

I can never manage to book a flight with them, but hotels are usually available at the times i need. There seems to be some extra value if you're going to a really expensive city.