I had my last name changed about four years ago to my mother’s maiden name. Before I changed my name, I’d tried to get a credit card, but for whatever reason, I was always turned down. I had money in the bank, I had a job, but I couldn’t get a credit card. When I was approached at a Shoppers Drug Mart for their new Shoppers Optimum Visa, I figured I may as well try it. Knowing that I was going to be changing my name in the near future, I filled out the application with my new name.
A few weeks later, my application was processed and I received my new visa in the mail with the name “Gillian Hyde,” who didn’t exist yet, because I hadn’t changed my name yet! How my application got approved- I’ll never know- it still boggles my mind.
Too scared to actually use the card, I waited until I became Gillian Hyde, and then activated it. With the Shoppers Optimum Visa card, you get points on every dollar you charge to your account. I am IN LOVE with Shoppers Optitum points. As most people know, Clive and I have spent the past year out of the country, far from any Shopper’s Drug Marts, but yet, thanks to my visa and the enormous amount of money I’ve spent using my visa (four trips back and forth to the Caribbean, a laptop, a digital camera, flights from Toronto to Halifax and back, a back up method when things were bad in the BVI and our setting up costs when moving to London), I’ve racked up over 46,000 Optimum points hardly EVER shopping at Shoppers. I’d drained my points before leaving last summer on sunscreen and bug spray and other necessities.
I got an email from Shoppers yesterday informing me that this weekend my Optimum points will be worth more than normal. If I want to cash in 30,000 points, I get an extra $20, and my 40,000 points will be worth $100! Imagine going into a drug store and being able to walk out with $100 of merchandise for doing absolutely nothing. Good lord, I love it. My 40,000 is worth an extra $25, and I’m totally taking advantage of it. I don’t even know what I am going to buy, considering I get 90% my makeup for free because I develop this website and the owner is very, very good to me. Maybe some face wash and hair dye and tylenol and feminine products and whatever else I feel like. It’s a big day for me.
