Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[ottawamom]

Just back from an afternoon of running around. Got my Minnie eyes on the Rexall flyer for next week and there is a Spend $50 get 100AM on Friday and Saturday. So, save your purchases until then.

Turns out my cashier didn't have an Ottawa area coupon this week so I'm waiting till Friday to shop. Maybe there will be something different in my L&G by then.

 

[cari12]

Just checked my AM account and I received the 360 AM from BMO Mastercard for doing 98 transactions Dec 1-27! So far at 766 Am for 2018, not a bad start!

 

[bababear_50]

Just back from an afternoon of running around. Got my Minnie eyes on the Rexall flyer for next week and there is a Spend $50 get 100AM on Friday and Saturday. So, save your purchases until then.

Turns out my cashier didn't have an Ottawa area coupon this week so I'm waiting till Friday to shop. Maybe there will be something different in my L&G by then.

love those minnie eyes
thanks for the heads up Hon.
Hugs Mel

 

[bababear_50]

O/T
So tomorrow is my last day as a official FTE (full time employee), I am now part time--half days.
I just logged on to my work web site as glanced at my new yearly salary--NOW is the time for everyone to tell me Mel things are going to be OK!Please....................
I never thought this whole process was going to be so scary, I meet with the accountant next Monday
to finalize my brothers estate and also review my finances. I think that for years I used to work both fulltime and partime (sole provider for sons),that taking some time just for me is so strange.
Jamie (my brother that passed away last March) and I used to dream of retiring at 55 (we called it freedom 55).
Well while I didn't make it to full retirement yet ,I am still proud to have made it half way,,and I know he is watching over me and celebrating.
So please raise your cups of coffee and tea for me tomorrow as I start a big change in my life.(Cheers)
Thanks for listening
Big Hugs Mel

 

[bgula]

I just went back and checked my account to see what I had received. I thought I had done them all but now I'm not sure. My totals are June 400, Sept 800, Oct 900, Nov 800. If I remember correctly they combined two of the offers of 500 and 300 together which made up the Sept 800. However, when I add them up, it only comes to 2900 so I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Maybe someone else who did the SIM offers can pipe in.

This is what I have marked down:
SIM #1 - 400 AM (possibly 500)
SIM #2 - 500 AM
SIM #3 - 800 AM
SIM #4 - 400 AM
SIM #5 - 500 AM
SIM #6 - 800 AM

Total - 3400 AM (or 3500)

 

[Donald - my hero]

OH Mel, what an exciting, yet terrifying point in your life!!! You'll be on my mind as I putter around tomorrow and I'll raise my tea cup to you



That was a great advertising campaign that London Life had and it lets us know how old you are if that is part of your language!! Hubby now jokes that he's right on target for Freedom 85!

 

[Donald - my hero]

I've just gotten around to totaling up the AM I got from the SIM program and comparing it to what the program was supposed to be offering. I was awarded 3100 AM, but from my totals, I should have received 3400 for completing all the offers. Does this number jive with what everyone else has for a total for the entire program? Just want to know if I'm missing anything before I contact Amex.

I just went back and checked my account to see what I had received. I thought I had done them all but now I'm not sure. My totals are June 400, Sept 800, Oct 900, Nov 800. If I remember correctly they combined two of the offers of 500 and 300 together which made up the Sept 800. However, when I add them up, it only comes to 2900 so I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Maybe someone else who did the SIM offers can pipe in.

This is what I have marked down:
SIM #1 - 400 AM (possibly 500)
SIM #2 - 500 AM
SIM #3 - 800 AM
SIM #4 - 400 AM
SIM #5 - 500 AM
SIM #6 - 800 AM

Total - 3400 AM (or 3500)

Here's what we did (and i know we missed one because it was related to gas fill-ups and Fred's tank is too small)

1. June -- 100 AM for signing up
2. August --400 AM
3. September -- 800 AM
4. October -- 900 AM
5. November -- 800 AM

Total of 3000 AM I don't remember what the original claim was but I'm happy with what we got.

 

[bababear_50]

Metro Flyer
Feb 1- Feb 7
https://flyers.smartcanucks.ca/canada/metro-on-flyer-february-1-to-7/all

Hugs Mel

 

[momof2gr8kids]

O/T
So tomorrow is my last day as a official FTE (full time employee), I am now part time--half days.
I just logged on to my work web site as glanced at my new yearly salary--NOW is the time for everyone to tell me Mel things are going to be OK!Please....................
I never thought this whole process was going to be so scary, I meet with the accountant next Monday
to finalize my brothers estate and also review my finances. I think that for years I used to work both fulltime and partime (sole provider for sons),that taking some time just for me is so strange.
Jamie (my brother that passed away last March) and I used to dream of retiring at 55 (we called it freedom 55).
Well while I didn't make it to full retirement yet ,I am still proud to have made it half way,,and I know he is watching over me and celebrating.
So please raise your cups of coffee and tea for me tomorrow as I start a big change in my life.(Cheers)
Thanks for listening
Big Hugs Mel

Congrats Mel! He is smiling down on you for sure - proud of everything you achieved throughout the years as a single mom. I don't think we'll get to freedom 55 - 60's the plan unless there's a major pixie dust sprinkling coming our way very soon. LOL. Although after 4 kids spreading from 27-13 now, I tell my husband once that 13 year old is gone it will be like retirement. Even being able to plan holidays not around kids, or not having to drive a kid somewhere, or do what we want on a weekend, it will be a semi retirement! lol

If we're still healthy enough, I'd still like to work pt after 60 for the nice new boat and trailer I want once I retire! Working isn't so bad once you know it's just to pay for the fun stuff you want! lol

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Just checked my AM account and I received the 360 AM from BMO Mastercard for doing 98 transactions Dec 1-27! So far at 766 Am for 2018, not a bad start!

Forgot about that one. Hasn't shown up in mine yet. Will have to keep an eye out. Mine was only for 240 AM I think. That was a wierd one, and a pita keeping track of the # of transactions!

 

[tinkerone]

O/T
So tomorrow is my last day as a official FTE (full time employee), I am now part time--half days.
I just logged on to my work web site as glanced at my new yearly salary--NOW is the time for everyone to tell me Mel things are going to be OK!Please....................
I never thought this whole process was going to be so scary, I meet with the accountant next Monday
to finalize my brothers estate and also review my finances. I think that for years I used to work both fulltime and partime (sole provider for sons),that taking some time just for me is so strange.
Jamie (my brother that passed away last March) and I used to dream of retiring at 55 (we called it freedom 55).
Well while I didn't make it to full retirement yet ,I am still proud to have made it half way,,and I know he is watching over me and celebrating.
So please raise your cups of coffee and tea for me tomorrow as I start a big change in my life.(Cheers)
Thanks for listening
Big Hugs Mel

Congratulations and things WILL be okay. I will tell you , when I retired a few years ago, I was having the same worries and thoughts as you are. Will I be okay financially,will I be able to fill my time? If I'm not there ( and this one is the funniest) will they be able to get along without me? I'm here to tell you that everything works out. Not only am I able to fill my day, I actually have to much to do and can't imagine how I ever found the time to work. As for the financial aspects, I knew I was planning to retire so I learned to live on what my retirement would give me, about half of my take home salary. I have more than enough money and I holiday a few times a year.

What I'm trying to say is that planning is the key and I'm sure you have done some planning ahead of this. Sit back and enjoy. It's well deserved.

 

[ottawamom]

O/T

So please raise your cups of coffee and tea for me tomorrow as I start a big change in my life.(Cheers)
Thanks for listening
Big Hugs Mel

Here's to being able to do all you want to do with your new found freedom from half of the daily grind.

Cheers, Anne-Marie

 

[ottawamom]

I see some popcorn and snack bars in my future (Metro flyer). Should be able to get 100AM in a quick shop.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Yeahhhh the AirMiles were a good "envelope" system for vacation money. My DH can't/won't make that distinction with the PC points, sadly. He has shot down my reasonable and sane explanation of "let's budget using GC!" when I first heard about it. His thoughts are, if the Visa is holding any balance or if we have any amount owing on our LOC's, if we didn't spend that money on groceries thanks to sales/coupons/great deals, that money has to go pay down debt. I understand his thought process but it just pushes our next vacation further and further away. Of course most people would nod and say, "Yep, you got debt. No vacations for you," but I enjoyed pulling out that travel rewards card and USING it!

We can't do this method of *saving* either, just doesn't jive with our budgeting. Hubby even gets a tad annoyed when we buy the GCs during the promos because that is money we put out and STILL need to buy groceries that week/month. We never carry a balance on our credit cards so that isn't a problem. Our mortgage is with Manulife so that means all of our money is in one big pot -- it's our chequing account, our savings account, our vacation fund, our tax holding account, our healthcare account ... we keep it separate on paper but when things come up unexpectedly (like the urgent car repair/replacement right now) it doesn't matter how much we might have in the vacation column it will now slide over. Sure makes things like this easier to deal with because we don't need to do any physical transferring.

Looping back to the conversation about Freedom whatever age, before hubby reaches his pre-determined age (which seems to be a moving target!) he wants that mortgage paid off and every time we increase the balance by using fancy language -- we bought these gift cards so now groceries/meals out/clothes at (insert name of store that had bonus miles for the GC) are FREE the few hairs he has left get a tad grayer

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Yeahhhh the AirMiles were a good "envelope" system for vacation money. My DH can't/won't make that distinction with the PC points, sadly. He has shot down my reasonable and sane explanation of "let's budget using GC!" when I first heard about it. His thoughts are, if the Visa is holding any balance or if we have any amount owing on our LOC's, if we didn't spend that money on groceries thanks to sales/coupons/great deals, that money has to go pay down debt. I understand his thought process but it just pushes our next vacation further and further away. Of course most people would nod and say, "Yep, you got debt. No vacations for you," but I enjoyed pulling out that travel rewards card and USING it!

I feel your pain. My hubby is the same way. Right now we are working on paying down out debt as well plus save as our daughter got engaged On New Years as well. So we are trying to pay down debt, save for a daughter's wedding. He is working overtime at his job...my day job doesn't allow OT...but I got a second job as cashier at No frills for the winter. I'm still working both Am and the PC points ( taking the cash from the PC points...and buying Disney Gift cards ). That little bit of cash that we get from cashing in the " free " groceries...is NOT going to snowball much to pay back debt...and it still keeps my dream of a Disney/Winter holiday alive. I can totally relate to your feelings. Right now,,, we are heads down butts up to get the debt paid down...so we can have a wedding and a vacation. Short term pain for long term goal....that's what I tell myself. I had to remind myself of that last night...when it was nearly -30 and that wind is coming in the doors at No Frills while i'm slinging peoples groceries through and my whole body is freezing cold.

 

[Donald - my hero]

What a difference a few days can make, things are much happier in the Duck Pond today!!! Hubby took the car to see if there could be a patch job that could help Fred last a bit longer until we can save a bit more towards a new car and well, the news he brought home is A-MAZ-ING. The day before we headed to Disney in 2014, we stopped at the bank to withdraw the cash from our USD savings account and it ended up costing us the $500 deductible on the car after hubby backed into another car -- oops. Apparently they neglected to properly secure a gasket around one of the taillights so they are going to fix it FOR FREE!!!! It's time to do the Dance of Joy!

​

 

[ottawamom]

Thank goodness for the occasional bit of pixie dust that rains down when we need it most. Congrats on the good news.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

That is amazing lucky ducky news @Donald - my hero !

 

[isabellea]

Amex promotions (Soar into More):

July 2017: Make purchases that total 200$ or more at eligible gas stations by July 31st 2017 and earn 400 AM

August 2017: Step 1: Log in to the Amex app by August 31st 2017 to get 100 bonus AM
Step 2: Spend online with Amex card to a participating merchant* by August 31st and get 100AM for each separate transaction. Up to 400AM.
*Amazon.ca, The Body Shop, Canon Store Canada, Roots, Staples, Indigo, Hudson Bay and Starbucks

September 2017: Charge 400$ to your Amex card by September 30th 2017 and get 800AM

October 2017: Charge 100$ in groceries at a stand-alone grocery store by October 31st 2017 and get 400AM

November 2017: Make purchases that total 400$ or more by November 30th 2017 and get 800AM (in Nov some of us also received a targeted offer if I remember well like spend $$$ get ###AM)

Total: 400+500+800+400+800=2900 AM

I believe I have a print screen of each of them saved in my Dropbox if someone needs one (some might be the French version)

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Well, we are off tomorrow morning at 6:30am to WDW! I can't believe it is finally here! We are going for 12 days - 7 nights at Pop Century and 4 nights at Cabana Bay. I should be good and exhausted when we get home.

I'll likely be on the boards checking each night once we are back from the parks if you have any questions.

Happy Collecting!