Author: szussino

American Express just announced some great sign-up offers with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. This is my favourite card for free hotel nights in Canada.

With this exceptional limited-time welcome offer, you can earn up to 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points:

• 65,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Card membership
• Plus, earn an additional 3 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points)

This is a high offer as the sign-up bonus is usually 50,000-55,000 points.

Don’t wait, this offer ends on March 4, 2024!

It’s a Card I recommend keeping because each year at renewal, you get an Annual Free Night Award (for up to 35,000 points at hotels worldwide) and 15 Elite Night Credits per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

It is a no-brainer to me as the annual fee of $120 is a good value as I can book a nice hotel with my certificate and get a value of at least $250-$350 (especially in the United States).

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Finally, this Card comes with comprehensive insurance: baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel or motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.

I only use this card at Marriott’s or when I find a good American Express offer as I can earn more points with other cards. There is no minimum income requirement.

Here is the link to register for this card.

From October 1, 2023, until November 30, 2023, your transfer of 1,000 Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy® is equal to 1,500 Marriott Bonvoy points.

For example:

• 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 1,200 1,500 Marriott Bonvoy points

• 30,000 Membership Rewards points = 36,000 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

• 50,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

A minimum of 1,000 Membership Rewards points and a maximum of 999,900 (in increments of 100) are required for a transfer to your partner program account.

Here is a link to the promotion.

Air Canada announced their partnership with Avis, Aeroplan Elite members and cardholders of premium Aeroplan co-branded credit cards can receive free Avis Elite membership with the following benefits:

• Aeroplan 75K Elite Member, Aeroplan Super Elite Elite Member, cardholders of high-end Aeroplan co-branded credit cards (main cardholders of Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege and American Express (Business) Aeroplan Reserve only): Avis President’s Club membership ( Book 24 hours in advance to ensure a car, free upgrade to 2 car types, there is a dedicated line service)
• Aeroplan 25K Elite Membership, Aeroplan 35K Elite Membership, Aeroplan 50K Elite Membership: Automatically get Avis Preferred Plus membership (free upgrade to tier 1 car type)

To request your complimentary Avis status Aeroplan members must already be a member of Avis Preferred. Click here to request your Avis status.

If you not a member of Avis Preferred you can join the program here. and the follow the link above once you are a member.

Avis Preferred Benefits:

• Avis Preferred Plus® benefits include: complimentary one-car-class upgrade whenever available, a special Avis Preferred Plus® number for reservations and customer service support, and the ability to go straight to your car at most locations.
• Avis President’s Club® benefits include: complimentary two-car-class upgrade whenever available, a dedicated reservation/customer service line, and guaranteed car with a 24-hour advance reservation

Aeroplan has extended their pause on expiry of points until May 31, 2023 – meaning that between now and May 30, 2023, any Aeroplan points which would have expired will not.  Effective May 31, 2023, their normal expiration policy will once again apply meaning points will expire if an eligible transaction has not been completed within the 18 months prior to this date.

They have several ways to check to make sure they’re not at risk of having their points expire: 

• At any time, members can view the date their points may expire by logging into their account dashboard.  
• Aeroplan sends members reminders to customers at risk of their points expiring to encourage members to make a qualifying transaction such as: linking their Aeroplan account to their Starbucks and/or Uber/Uber Eats accounts and making a qualifying purchase, using an Aeroplan credit card, shopping online via the Aeroplan eStore at retailers like Amazon, The Bay, Sephora, Dyson, Lululemon, and the Gap, staying at one of our partner hotels like Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, or even donating points to one of our Aeroplan charities. 

As a reminder, for members who do end up expiring (after May 30, 2023), as part of their policy, Aeroplan will reinstate all their points if they fly with Air Canada or if they get an Aeroplan co-brand credit card via one of their partners TD, CIBC, American Express or Chase, within 6 months of the day the points expired.

For more information, please visit: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/your-aeroplan/inactivity-policy.html

Apply for a Simplii Credit Card for your chance to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022^™, and experience that glorious moment when players become champions. Plus, you’ll get $150 just for activating your card.

Two prizes to be won: 1) One (1) $150 credit for anyone who applies for and activates their Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa* Card within the contest period, or $150 cheque for no purchase entry winner and 2) one (1) trip for two (2) to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar (approx. value $20,000, based on sample city departure). Conditions apply. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. 

This is a great no-annual fee card to add to your list of credit since it is a good value:

For your first 4 months, enjoy 10% bonus cash back at eligible restaurants and bars up to $500 spend. Get 4% cash back after that.

The Simplii Cash Back Visa is a no fee cash back credit card with good earn rates:

• 4% cash back on restaurants, up to $5,000 spent per year (perfect for going to places that don’t take American Express Cobalt).
• 1.5% cash back on groceries, gas, drugstores, and recurring bills, up to $15,000 per year
• 0.5% cash back on all other purchases

This also has a low requirement for income at $15,000 so this is a perfect card to build credit with.

With proof of status in Aeroplan, VIPorter or British Airways Executive Club you will receive Silver, Gold or Platinum status with WestJet Rewards. You can enjoy benefits such as lounge access, complimentary upgrades and priority services until December 15, 2022.

• Silver will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan 25K, VIPorter Passport, Executive Club Bronze or Executive Club Silver
• Gold will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan 35K, Aeroplan 50K, Aeroplan 75K, VIPorter Priority or Executive Club Gold
• Platinum will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan Super Elite.

Keeping your new status is easy. Extend your status through to the end of 2023 by flying with WestJet between the date your status is approved and December 15, 2022. Your required tier qualifying spend during this timeframe will be 20% of what you would normally need.*

Tier status	Yearly tier qualifying spend amount	Tier qualifying spend earn required onflights flown to extend status for 2023:
Silver	$3,000	$600
Gold	$5,000	$1,000
Platinum	$8,000	$1,600

Here is a link to the form to status match.

Sign up for Instacart Express with your eligible TD Access Card with Visa Debit or TD Travel Rewards Credit Card to get 6 months of free grocery delivery and more.

Exclusively for TD cardholders, you’ll also get $15 off your next Instacart order.

Instacart Express and eligible TD card offer ends August 22, 2022

VALUE = $9.99/mth x 6 = $59.94 + $15 = $75

If you don’t want to continue your membership, you can cancel any time. To do this, visit the Instacart Express page and select Cancel membership. If you cancel your membership during the 6-month trial period, your free Express benefits still continue for the full 6 months.

With your Instacart Express membership, the delivery fee will not be charged on orders over $35 made with one retailer. Delivery is subject to availability. Fees, taxes, and/or tips may still apply. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not liable or responsible for any of the services and products offered/provided by Instacart, including Instacart’s administration of the Instacart Express Membership Fee Waiver. Offer may be changed, extended or withdrawn at any time without notice.

Instacart Credit: You must activate your free trial in connection with this Offer to receive the $15 CAD Instacart credit. The $15 Instacart credit will be automatically applied by Instacart to your Instacart account when you sign up for your new Instacart Express Membership associated with this Offer. The credit will expire on the date indicated in your Instacart account settings. The credit cannot be used retroactively for prior purchases. The credit will be deducted from the total purchase price for all non-alcohol products on your first Instacart order of $15+ with one retailer after this offer is successfully redeemed. The credit cannot be applied to alcohol products.

Eligible cards include:

· TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
· TD Platinum Travel Visa Card
· TD Rewards Visa Card
· TD Business Travel Visa Card
· TD Access Card with Visa Debit

1. To claim this offer, go to https://www.instacart.ca/tdbank or the Instacart app.
2. Select Get Started to create an account. If you have an account, select Log In if you are not logged in already.
3. Once logged in, select the green Redeem Offer button.
4. Select your eligible TD Credit Card or TD Access Card with Visa Debit on file or enter your TD card information.
5. Select Redeem Offer.

I found a great offer for you for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card that gives you the first year free!

Promotion details:

• Earn 10,000 Aeroplan miles after you make your first purchase on this card.
• Earn another 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of Account opening
• Receive the one-time use buddy pass when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of Account opening, and you have a whole year to use it.
  The Buddy pass lets you score a second ticket when you book an economy ticket anywhere Air Canada flies in North America, Including Hawaii and Mexico. Receive the one-time use pass when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of Account opening (value of $350).

Main benefit of the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card:

• 1.5 Aeroplan miles for every dollar spent at grocery, gas and aircanada.com
• 1 Aeroplan miles for every dollar spent elsewhere
• Enroll for NEXUS and once every 48 months get an application fee rebate (value of up to $125, assumes both the Primary Cardholder and Additional Cardholder use the NEXUS Benefit).
• Share free first checked bags (value of $120 for 2 travellers for each round-trip flight, assuming you will take one round-trip Air Canada flight in the first year).

Here is the link to apply.

Disclosure: I receive a $100 gift card for a successful application at no cost to you – helps me maintain the blog.

New clients can earn up to $400 when they open a No Fee Chequing Account before May 31, 2022 at Simplii Financial (belongs to CIBC). 

The usual bonus is $250 so this is a great promotion!

New clients need to set up an eligible payroll or pension direct deposit ($100+) and receive 3 direct deposits into your No Fee Chequing Account to get your $350 cash bonus. You will also earn a special 2.20% interest rate until Apr 30, 2022 if you open a new Simplii Financial High Interest Savings Account.

Simplii Financial pays you a sweet $350 sign-on bonus, just for opening an account. The bonus plus the no-fee chequing account is certainly one of the best banking options available out there.

You also earn a bonus $50 by using our referral link as an additional bonus. 

The benefits and perks you’ll get with this no-fee chequing account.

• Get $350  when you become a new client and set up a direct deposit for 3 straight months. (Eligible deposits include payroll, pension, government benefit payment like GST/HST credit, CCB, and so on.)
• No monthly fees, with no minimum balance.
• Free and unlimited transactions, including debit purchases, e-transfers, bill payments, withdrawals, account to account transfers, digital gift cards, Global Money Transfers, and ATM access.
• Overdraft protection up to $5000, helps with unexpected expenses.
• Earn 2.20%  interest on your savings until April 30th, 2022.
• Earn an additional $50 when you and a friend open a No Fee Chequing account with their unique referral link.