Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[Donald - my hero]

We use Manulife for our house as well! We do have a chequing and savings account. I use the savings account as my vacation fund.

Mine is bursting right now...over 7000 Cash and over 9000 Dream, DH's is over 3000 Cash and over 4500 Dream. ugh...I just want to spend them all! lol

The Manulife account literally saved our house when we weren't able to live on what hubby was making --- to only need to pay the interest owing was a true Godsend! We do have a small savings account that we keep in RBC so if we need some emergency cash we have easy access (yes i know we could use our debit cards from the Manulife account but neither one of us knows our PINS ) We also have a US savings account there that we will transfer funds to if/when the exchange rate is favourable .

OH -- the pull to use those Miles is strong isn't it?!?!? I regularly tease myself by looking at the rewards

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

It is quite nice knowing we don't HAVE to make a full mortgage payment if we got stuck. I do all of my day-to-day banking through the manulife account. I always have to keep a note as to what our "zero dollars" is for each pay period though. It's not like I'm out there shopping-til-I-drop each month!

I REALLY want to buy our WDW and USO tickets now, but with the expiry on the tickets, I can't. Oh well. Money in the bank

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Well...just got off of chat with an airmiles rep. I was missing miles from purchasing some Cabella's gc for stocking stuffers for my boys. I did one chat earlier...and the rep was convinced that those ones had been posted to my account. NO...they were not...I keep track of my miles. Especially 150 Miles!!! I had done 2 previous shops according to my bank statement, and those were the points that he was refering to - not my Cabellas gc. So i tried chat with a different agent...got Christina...and she didn't hesitate to give me the missing miles once I said that according to me bank statement I had done 2 previous shops that week for x amounts. So I'm a happy camper now. And can ditch that receipt. Now to wait for my measly 300 AM for shop the block promo But it's better than zero miles

 

[bababear_50]

I made a strategic error and had my miles set to cash for the last Sobeys Blue Friday sale,,
so I just cashed them out for next years Christmas Starbucks gift cards.Over $200.00.
I will have to be careful going forward.
Rexall shop today:
picked up a humidifier for the Living Room (the air is so dry here) and some Zantac at Rexall =124 airmiles,

Hugs
Mel

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I made a strategic error and had my miles set to cash for the last Sobeys Blue Friday sale,,
so I just cashed them out for next years Christmas Starbucks gift cards.Over $200.00.

I love it when I get Starbucks cards as I never buy anything from there, too expensive!

They were very handy at MK while waiting for the fireworks and needed something easy to eat.

Same at Cabana Bay in the evenings after a long day at the parks.

 

[marchingstar]

I made a strategic error and had my miles set to cash for the last Sobeys Blue Friday sale,,
so I just cashed them out for next years Christmas Starbucks gift cards.Over $200.00.
I will have to be careful going forward.
Rexall shop today:
picked up a humidifier for the Living Room (the air is so dry here) and some Zantac at Rexall =124 airmiles,

Hugs
Mel

200$ towards christmas already is awesome. it’s nice to find those silver linings

 

[marchingstar]

my air miles account is bursting at the seams too. last year i decided i was saving for a disney cruise, and while i still want to take one, i think it’ll be another few years still (i’d like for our kiddo to be independent enough to enjoy the kid-exclusive stuff. but first, he’s gotta learn to crawl! )

i admit, i’ve been on the travel site some evenings, figuring out how else i could spend my miles. now that disney hotels are options, i’m in danger...

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

i admit, i’ve been on the travel site some evenings, figuring out how else i could spend my miles. now that disney hotels are options, i’m in danger...

Where are the Disney hotels? On the travel hub? I only see Port Orleans available to select, but then I can't find any availability for it.

 

[marchingstar]

Where are the Disney hotels? On the travel hub? I only see Port Orleans available to select, but then I can't find any availability for it.

oh i meant in packages through red tag. the availability seems to vary a lot by date of travel, but i’ve seen rooms in all the categories (if i remember right, i’ve seen pop, art of animation, all star sports, port orleans, caribbean beach, old key west, animal kingdom lodge, and the contemporary. oh and swan and dolphin)

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

oh i meant in packages through red tag. the availability seems to vary a lot by date of travel, but i’ve seen rooms in all the categories (if i remember right, i’ve seen pop, art of animation, all star sports, port orleans, caribbean beach, old key west, animal kingdom lodge, and the contemporary. oh and swan and dolphin)

Can you modify the return flight of the packages, if you wanted to stay an extra week at a different property?

 

[marchingstar]

Can you modify the return flight of the packages, if you wanted to stay an extra week at a different property?

i’m not sure yet but i’ll report back after a bit more research!

 

[Disney Addicted]

The Manulife account literally saved our house when we weren't able to live on what hubby was making --- to only need to pay the interest owing was a true Godsend! We do have a small savings account that we keep in RBC so if we need some emergency cash we have easy access (yes i know we could use our debit cards from the Manulife account but neither one of us knows our PINS ) We also have a US savings account there that we will transfer funds to if/when the exchange rate is favourable .

OH -- the pull to use those Miles is strong isn't it?!?!? I regularly tease myself by looking at the rewards

It is quite nice knowing we don't HAVE to make a full mortgage payment if we got stuck. I do all of my day-to-day banking through the manulife account. I always have to keep a note as to what our "zero dollars" is for each pay period though. It's not like I'm out there shopping-til-I-drop each month!

I REALLY want to buy our WDW and USO tickets now, but with the expiry on the tickets, I can't. Oh well. Money in the bank

What is this Manulife account?

I love it when I get Starbucks cards as I never buy anything from there, too expensive!

They were very handy at MK while waiting for the fireworks and needed something easy to eat.

Same at Cabana Bay in the evenings after a long day at the parks.

Ohh, I have been wondering if the Starbucks gift cards will work at Universal. Was it just at Cabana Bay or could you use them elsewhere at Universal? These are the CAN fund Starbucks cards?

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

What is this Manulife account?

Ohh, I have been wondering if the Starbucks gift cards will work at Universal. Was it just at Cabana Bay or could you use them elsewhere at Universal? These are the CAN fund Starbucks cards?

Manulife is a loan vs a mortgage. It's based on a certain value of your home's total worth. Not every homeowner qualifies.
Our loan for our house is $188,000, but we technically only need to pay the interest every month ($700). It's a variable interest rate, which is good and bad. I think you can get a closed interest rate, not sure on that.

As for the gift cards, they work the same as Disney gift cards. Day-of exchange rate conversion. You can use them all over.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

https://www.manulifebank.ca/personal-banking/mortgages.html

 

[Disney Addicted]

Manulife is a loan vs a mortgage. It's based on a certain value of your home's total worth. Not every homeowner qualifies.
Our loan for our house is $188,000, but we technically only need to pay the interest every month ($700). It's a variable interest rate, which is good and bad. I think you can get a closed interest rate, not sure on that.

As for the gift cards, they work the same as Disney gift cards. Day-of exchange rate conversion. You can use them all over.

Thanks!!

 

[tinkerone]

Manulife is a loan vs a mortgage. It's based on a certain value of your home's total worth. Not every homeowner qualifies.
Our loan for our house is $188,000, but we technically only need to pay the interest every month ($700). It's a variable interest rate, which is good and bad. I think you can get a closed interest rate, not sure on that.

This sounds exactly like a banks homeowners line of credit. I know with BMO's you could have a floating rate (variable) or combine it with part floater and part locked in rate. You can make them interest only as well.

 

[pigletto]

Anyone else get nervous when you start to cash out your miles? I have over $700 Cash miles and DH has about half of that. I want to start cashing them in, but I always find I have to spend that money on car repairs, house stuff, etc NOT FUN STUFF! lol Last time I started to do this I had $1000 in my vacation fund, which I had to use on my stupid car!

Anyways, I'm hoarding every last miles until our next Orlando trip in 2021 (WDW and USO), so I could have around $5000 in Cash miles and enough Dream miles for all of our park passes. Essentially trying for a free trip.

I can totally relate . We just bought a new house and we move in the first week of March. The home inspection revealed that we will need to replace the furnace and air conditioning in the first year or two. We need to build a gate for the fenced yard to keep our dogs in, we need better insulation in the attic. The house is in wonderful shape and all major things have been updated, but it’s 100 years old. Then of course we want/need some new furniture. Then there is all the regular expenses that come up.. car repairs, vet bills, my husband is in a wedding this year and so am I. It just feels endless. With all the extra going on we decided vacation is just not in the cards this year or next. It wouldn’t be responsible or practical.

BUT.. we decided that if we start now, and diligently save all airmiles, credit card points and bonuses, PC points, ask for Disney gift cards for birthdays etc , and any other rewards/ rebates etc we can probably fully fund a trip by December 2020. So for that reason my airmiles balance is set to dream. I won’t take money from our regular budget for this trip, and I will save as long as it takes, but I also won’t take money out of the vacation rewards for everyday life. We will be waiting longer but it will be worth it in the end to not feel like we spent money that needed to go to other responsibilities.
So you and I have a similar goal in mind. We can cheer eachother on! My goal is December 2021. I need to make another airmiles ticker !

 

[AngelDisney]

What is this Manulife account?



Ohh, I have been wondering if the Starbucks gift cards will work at Universal. Was it just at Cabana Bay or could you use them elsewhere at Universal? These are the CAN fund Starbucks cards?

I used it in Citywalk, Universal Studios, Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Enjoy!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

So you and I have a similar goal in mind. We can cheer eachother on! My goal is December 2021. I need to make another airmiles ticker !

Sounds good! I really was going to wait until Nov 2021, but my sister and her fam want to come with us but they can only travel during march break. DH might not be able to get that off anyways. So just saving for the meantime and we will decide in 2020 the plan.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ohh, I have been wondering if the Starbucks gift cards will work at Universal. Was it just at Cabana Bay or could you use them elsewhere at Universal? These are the CAN fund Starbucks cards?

You can use them at any Starb's world wide. They are CAD but it is converted to local currency at the time you make your purchase.