Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I understand that this may not be a fun day for everyone. But chances are, many of us will be spending money on this day, so mine as well get a good return on rewards.

Hopefully you read my post from last year so that you are well prepared for this year. But if you haven’t or new to my site, I’ll update my Valentine’s Day tips. Keep in mind that many of my tips require that you prepare well ahead of time. So here it is:

Identify what purchases you plan to make

Exactly like the advice I give on Pointshogger 101, it is always best to identify which purchases you plan to make ahead of time, so that you can plan which is the most optical credit cards to use to maximize your return.

Optimize your rewards

Whether you are earning miles and points, or cash back, you want to maximize your return. For example, let’s say your 2 main expenses are flowers and restaurant.

For flowers, be sure to take advantage of bonus miles and points offers with the flower retailers. For example, FTD or Floraworld, which offer Aeroplan bonus miles. But you can also earn bonus miles and points with other partners if you do a little research. Another example is a bonus Air Miles offer 1-800 Flowers.

For restaurants, be sure to choose a credit card that earns you as much rewards as possible on restaurant purchases.

Consider travelling as an alternative

If you live in a cold part of the country, which is most parts, and you really want to do something special, I strongly recommend that you take a trip during this time period. Who wouldn’t want to be on the beach or somewhere sunny on this Valentine’s Day.

That being said, it can also be very romantic at some of the ski resorts. Whistler, Banff,  Tremblant are all worth considering. Whatever you decide, just remember to plan ahead of time. Surprisingly, February is actually a very busy travel month, as lots of people have caught on to the idea. So be sure to plan well ahead of time.