Helen Burnett-Nichols
Beth Buczynski
Summer days are often spent getting outdoors, firing up the grill, catching up on the latest movies or hitting the road to explore new places.
But whether you’re hosting the neighbourhood barbecue or visiting a new city, the cost of summer fun can add up quickly.
Rewards points, like those offered by the Scene+ rewards program, can help you have fun in a more budget-friendly way. If you have a Scene+ card or a credit card that earns Scene+ points, use these tips to save more on your favorite summer activities.
Grill out for less
Scene+ points can be redeemed for discounts on groceries — including your backyard barbecue staples.
Every 1,000 Scene+ points you earn can be redeemed for $10 towards in-store or online grocery purchases at partners including:
- Sobeys
- Safeway
- Foodland
- Foodland & Participating Co-ops
- FreshCo
- Chalo! FreshCo
- Thrifty Foods
- IGA
- Rachelle Béry
- Les Marchés Tradition
- Voilà by Sobeys
- Voilà by Safeway
- Voilà par IGA
And if you’re looking to build your stash of points over the summer, Scene+ cardholders can also earn points at participating grocery stores while shopping, through weekly offers on products, in-store events or via personalized digital offers in their grocery app. Grocery partners also offer exclusive pricing to Scene+ members on several products each week.
Score free movie tickets
Scene+ participants can earn bonus points at Cineplex theatres across Canada for money spent on tickets, concessions and shopping. Here’s the breakdown:
- With the Scene+ card, earn five points for every $1 spent on movie and entertainment purchases at Cineplex theatres.
- Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on food and drink (excluding alcohol).
- Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at the Cineplex store (Cineplex.com).
If you’re hoping to take in some of the year’s most anticipated movies this summer, your Scene+ reward points can also be redeemed to pay for all or part of your ticket price. Scene+ members also save an extra 10% on Tuesday movie tickets.
Access discounted experiences
If your family’s summer plans involve more video games and VR than movies, you can use your Scene+ reward points to lower the cost of your visit to popular entertainment destinations Playdium and The Rec Room.
Cardholders can earn one point for every dollar spent at these venues located across Canada — or choose to redeem their Scene+ rewards for discounts. For 500 points, you’ll get $5 toward games, food, music, and tickets at the Rec Room or $5 toward game tokens and snacks at Playdium, for example.
Scene+ members who are frequent guests of the Rec Room can also unlock exclusive privileges like front of the line access, advanced tickets and upgrades while regular Playdium visitors can also earn bonus points and exclusive experiences.
Best ways to earn Scene+ points
When it comes to earning maximum Scene+ points for ultimate discounts this summer, a few spending categories will help you accumulate Scene+ points faster than others.
- Going to the movies frequently and using your Scene+ card while you’re there is one way to rack up the points, with Cineplex purchases rewarded at five points to the dollar.
- Using the Scene+ Travel service (powered by Expedia) to book your next summer trip is another way to accumulate points quickly, as you’ll earn three points for every $1 spent on hotel stays and car rentals.
- Carrying one of Scotiabank’s Scene+ credit cards isn’t a requirement for participation in the program, but it will deliver even more points per dollar spent — giving you more bang for your buck and getting you to your rewards goal faster.
Not yet earning Scene+ points?
If you haven’t started collecting Scene+ points and want to get in on the program to take the edge off your summer fun expenses, you can register online at www.sceneplus.ca/register and receive a loyalty card in the mail.
However, using a Scotiabank Scene+ credit card is one of the easiest ways to rack up Scene+ rewards points. Depending on your lifestyle and other factors you might want to consider — like annual fees or bonus rewards, here are a couple of options:
Scotiabank’s Scene+ Visa card: A no-fee credit card that currently offers the chance to earn two Scene+ rewards points on grocery and Cineplex purchases, plus one point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Scotiabank’s Passport Visa Infinite card: A premium rewards credit card that comes with a $150 annual fee but currently offers cardholders the chance to earn three Scene+ points for every $1 spent at grocery partners and two Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, dining, entertainment, and daily transit.
Scotiabank’s Gold American Express card: A travel rewards credit card that earns six Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries at partner stores, five points per $1 spent on all other grocery, dining, and entertainment, and three Scene+ points per $1 spent on gas, public transit and select streaming service purchases.
Best Scotiabank Credit Cards
The best Scotiabank credit cards in Canada include cash back cards, travel rewards cards and others on the Visa and American Express networks.
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