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Email this1:20 pm
February 17, 2013
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Hmmmm.... the wallys I tried in the states was a superstore yet I only got 1%. Different in the US?
3:40 pm
April 6, 2013
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According to the Visa Supplier Locator, some Walmart Supercenters in the US have credit card terminals coded to MCC 5912 (Drug Stores). For example, Walmart Supercenter #389:
WM SUPERCENTER #389
1225 W I 35 FRONTAGE RD
EDMOND OK 73034
(405) 348-8005DRUG STORES - 5411,5912
Drug Stores is one of the 2% categories for the Tangerine MasterCard.
Check your statement. Is the icon in the Category column the "1%" in a circle or an icon for one of the ten 2% categories?
Perhaps, the transaction was classified as "Drug Stores" and that wasn't one of the categories chosen to earn 2%.
10:17 am
February 17, 2013
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Sounds like it's up to us to keep track of which stores are classified as what. Trial and error?
10:20 am
December 12, 2008
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Rick said
Sounds like it's up to us to keep track of which stores are classified as what. Trial and error?
Yup. It shouldn't be that much of an issue. Make a small purchase, see what you get. Its only a 1% difference.
I did the exact same thing with Plastiq.com by performing a $1 charge to see if it would count as recurring or not. It ending up being just 1%, so I lost a penny.
djino
7:45 pm
December 12, 2009
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djino said
I picked Gas, Restaurants, and Recurring Bills. But debating on switching Restaurants for Groceries as there may be some things I'll want to buy at Walmart, and it be nice to get 4% cashback from.
djino
"Hmmm, Decisions...Decisions"
I initially had "Drug Stores, Restaurants and Recurring Bills" but swapped out "Recurring Bills" for "Groceries" and it's been beneficial. The only recurring bill I charged each month was my cell phone bill and it still earns 1%, which is decent (too bad they didn't have a 2% promo for everything else during this "thank you"!), but the "Drug Stores" one is really nice to have my monthly transit pass rebated at 2% cash back rewards (or 4% until the end of June!)! I like that quick-service restaurants like Subway and even Starbucks are included within "Restaurants" as I rarely go to a fine dining-type restaurant. 
Cheers,
Doug
P.S. I got the "thank you" e-mail this week so am assuming my "thank you" card will be coming via postal mail next week.
5:48 am
December 12, 2008
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Doug said
djino said
I picked Gas, Restaurants, and Recurring Bills. But debating on switching Restaurants for Groceries as there may be some things I'll want to buy at Walmart, and it be nice to get 4% cashback from.
djino
"Hmmm, Decisions...Decisions"I initially had "Drug Stores, Restaurants and Recurring Bills" but swapped out "Recurring Bills" for "Groceries" and it's been beneficial. The only recurring bill I charged each month was my cell phone bill and it still earns 1%, which is decent (too bad they didn't have a 2% promo for everything else during this "thank you"!), but the "Drug Stores" one is really nice to have my monthly transit pass rebated at 2% cash back rewards (or 4% until the end of June!)! I like that quick-service restaurants like Subway and even Starbucks are included within "Restaurants" as I rarely go to a fine dining-type restaurant.
Cheers,
DougP.S. I got the "thank you" e-mail this week so am assuming my "thank you" card will be coming via postal mail next week.
You also could have swapped Restaurants for Groceries (to end up with Drug Stores, Groceries, Recurring Bills) and buy gift cards at Grocery stores for the restaurants you eat at. They do carry Subway/Starbucks gift cards at grocery stores 
---
My issue mainly is maximizing this 4% Tangerine Mastercard promo. I already have the MBNA RWE that gives me 2% on everything in addition to the Scotia Amex that gives me 4% back from Gas/Grocery/Restaurant/Entertainment spending.
I'd love to get 4% back from Recurring Bills in addition to getting 4% back from Wal-Mart (Since Wal-Mart superstores are only grocery merchants for Mastercard and not AMEX) and unfortunately, Wal-Mart gift cards are not sold anywhere else. I also picked Gas, since I pump Gas a lot at Costco (which normally has gas prices 5-10c) cheaper than elsewhere, but Costco Gas doesn't take Amex for me to get 4% back, so I've settled for getting 2% back with MBNA. But now I can get 4% back at Costco Gas by having a Gas category chosen with Tangerine.
With all of that in mind, makes me believe that having Gas, Groceries, and Recurring Bills as categories would be ideal during the 4% promo (instead of my current Gas, Restaurants, Recurring Bills).
The only issue being that there are certain restaurants I go that do not take Amex (i.e., my work place cafeteria, etc.) which means I will only get 2% back using the MBNA RWE. I have to estimate over the next 90 days, how much I'd spend at Wal-Mart compared to Restaurants that do not take Amex. This is my issue!
djino
6:16 am
February 24, 2015
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djino, if your goal is to maximize the 4%, then why not keep the Tangerine credit card balance just under your limit, pay off as much as cash flow permits, and they buy more gift cards or whatever. Do this for 90 days. Since you have other 2% and 4% credit cards, you can always use those for any purchases that need to be made that would put you over your limit.
6:34 am
December 12, 2008
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2of3aintbad said
djino, if your goal is to maximize the 4%, then why not keep the Tangerine credit card balance just under your limit, pay off as much as cash flow permits, and they buy more gift cards or whatever. Do this for 90 days. Since you have other 2% and 4% credit cards, you can always use those for any purchases that need to be made that would put you over your limit.
During the first week of July (Promo ends July 10th), I may stock up on Wal-Mart gift cards (assuming I do change my Tangerine category to include Groceries). That plan is already in place should I go that route. There just isn't any other place I would need to buy gift cards for since I can always at anytime buy them at a Grocery store that takes AMEX and automatically get 4% back by paying with my Scotia Amex.
As for the restaurants I go to that do not take Amex, well, most do not offer gift cards for me to stock up on with the Tangerine Mastercard.
So I'm still stuck with deciding which has more spending between the Wal-Mart spending vs Restaurant places that do not take AMEX.
djino
6:22 pm
February 18, 2016
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Groceries, home improvement and recurring bills. Do not eat in restaurants, do not take drugs...
Update from Tang:
1. you can set auto-pay balance in full but funds have to come from Tang saving/chequing account. If you plan to keep it at 0 and fund it just to pay CC bill you have to consider 2-3 days for funds to arrive to Tang + 5 days hold period.
2. You can pay balance from external account through internet banking at that external bank. Consider 3-5 days for funds to arrive at Tang.
Not really friendly as all my CC cards at different institutions are on auto-pay from external bank. This is the first bank not having friendly auto-pay from external.
3. Tang was not able to advise which stores belong to grocery, home improvement, etc. category. Rep said it is set by Master Card and to contact them. Forgot to ask about recurring bills. Another day, another call... or I might walk to one of cafes.
5:07 pm
April 6, 2013
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SavingIsGood said
...
3. Tang was not able to advise which stores belong to grocery, home improvement, etc. category. Rep said it is set by Master Card and to contact them. Forgot to ask about recurring bills. Another day, another call... or I might walk to one of cafes.
Tangerine is likely not going to be able to help you much more with their recurring bill payments category.
That category is based on a flag on the credit card transaction from the merchant. The flag is not related to the merchant category code (MCC) of the merchant's credit card terminal.
MasterCard's Recurring Payments Technical Overview has more details about recurring transactions.
I don't think Tangerine decides which charges are recurring and which are not. If the charge comes in with the recurring transaction flag set, then Tangerine will treated it as a recurring bill payment.
6:16 pm
February 18, 2016
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An update:
- Card received within promised period and easily activated though Tang web site
- Tang & Master Card reps are completely ignorant and untrained as they were not able to provide a list of MCC for 'categories'
- Printed brochure received with the card (in some very strange format, cannot figure out how pages are laid but at least they are numbered) clearly lists MCC for each category. If somebody is really interested, I can OCR it over the weekend and post it here. To lazy to type...
- The way I understand, to change a category there is a waiting period of 90 days; you cannot spend 10,000 on home improvement one month, switch to restaurant and spend another 5,000 on wedding lunch next month. Have to wait 90 days (while baby grows...).
Weather permits, I will drop by by cafe tomorrow to clarify 'recurring bills'. Brochure mention 'telephone bill' but what about car insurance, internet, cell phone, etc.
6:39 pm
April 6, 2013
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SavingIsGood said
...- Printed brochure received with the card (in some very strange format, cannot figure out how pages are laid but at least they are numbered) clearly lists MCC for each category. If somebody is really interested, I can OCR it over the weekend and post it here. To lazy to type...
A copy of the MCC for each Tangerine 2% category was posted earlier in discussion Tangerine Money-Back MasterCard 2% reward categories.
9:36 am
December 12, 2008
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SavingIsGood said - The way I understand, to change a category there is a waiting period of 90 days; you cannot spend 10,000 on home improvement one month, switch to restaurant and spend another 5,000 on wedding lunch next month. Have to wait 90 days (while baby grows...).
When you start the application, you are able to make your category choices. After receiving the card in the mail, you are free to make your "1st" change that will take affect at the beginning of the following billing cycle. Any future changes after the "1st" will not take affect until your current changes have been in place for at least 90 days.
Example: I apply for the credit card on April 1st and get approved and immediately make my category choices as required. I receive the card a week later on April 8th and notice I have a billing date for the 20th of each month.
- I log online on April 15th and make a category change. This change will take effect April 20th (the billing period date).
- I log online on May 15th and make a category change. This change will not take effect until July 20th, since my current changes need to be in place for 90 days before changes can be made.
- I log online on October 19th and make a category change. This change will take effect October 20th (90 days from my last change - July 20th).
djino
10:35 am
January 25, 2016
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The Terms and Conditions have changed slightly since when this post first began. Below is the information footnoted (aka. the fine print) at the bottom of Tangerine credit card page:
* This Promotion is available only to new Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card Accountholders who apply for the Credit Card between 12:01 a.m. ET on March 29, 2016 and 11:59 pm ET on June 27, 2016. To be eligible, new Credit Cards must be activated no more than 30 calendar days from the date Tangerine approves the application. During the Promotion, 2% Money-Back Categories will earn 4% money back for the 93-day period beginning on the date the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card is activated. The Promotional rate of 4% money back does not apply to Cash Advances or Balance Transfers. All other Terms and Conditions for the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card and the Money-Back Rewards program remain unchanged. If the chosen 2% Money-Back Categories are changed at any time while this Promotion is in effect, the 4% Promotional rate will be automatically transferred to the new chosen categories. Tangerine reserves the right to cancel the Promotion or change the terms of this Promotion at any time and for any reason, without notice to you. In keeping with the general Terms and Conditions of the Money-Back Rewards program, Accounts must be in Good Standing in order to receive Money-Back Rewards.
1. The application period is extended to June 27, 2016.
2. Upon the date of application approval, the card must be activated within 30 calendar days.
3. The current promotion (4% promotion) is valid for 93 days from the date of card activation.
4. Other terms and conditions remain unchanged.
As planned, I'm going to wait until the end of April to activate the card, as the wife and I have a large grocery expenditure in early July and a scheduled vacation ending around the same time as our promotional period will end (and maybe purchase some Walmart gift cards along the way).
9:53 pm
February 17, 2013
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Was pleasantly surprised to find I got the 2% preferred category rate for groceries on the clothes my wife bought at a WA Target. Continue to be confounded by which stores, other than the obvious, are categorized as what. Would never have assumed Target was listed as a grocery store. More trial and error I guess.
5:05 pm
February 18, 2016
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Rick said
Was pleasantly surprised to find I got the 2% preferred category rate for groceries on the clothes my wife bought at a WA Target. Continue to be confounded by which stores, other than the obvious, are categorized as what. Would never have assumed Target was listed as a grocery store. More trial and error I guess.
Target? Didn't they close all stores in Canada? It was lousy store anyway, worse than Zellers. Unless WA is USA? What about exchange rate and 1.5% fee? Do not care?
If confused, ask for manager and demand to tell you MCC. They must be selling some grocery stuff, potato? onions? parsley? no canned food, though...
11:18 pm
February 17, 2013
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Yes, they did close all their stores in Canada. and yes, WA is Washington state, and yes, Target has a full grocery dept, and the 1 1/2 % fee is covered by the 2% cash-back (4% starting Apr 11). Exchange rate has definitely changed our purchasing habits in the US, but the selection is still superior to what is in Canada, there are things we buy there that are just not available here. Our grocery cart is a lot lighter due to the exchange rate, but there are still deals to be had and money to be saved. When milk and butter are half the price there, cheese is a quarter the price, and sales, incentives, coupon and loyalty rewards offer discounts, even with a 30% premium we can still save money. You just have to look and work harder. We have the most expensive gasoline in North America here in the Vancouver area but can save forty to fifty cents a liter by filling up in the states. Half a tank cost 21 CDN. Same tank in Vancouver would have been 40. The clothes my wife bought were on for 70% off...she got a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and blouse for 31 Canadian. The US border towns are feeling the pain of our falling dollar, and the Canadian stores are reaping the benefits on most things, but not everything.
5:03 pm
February 18, 2016
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Wow 
I am not near US border or maybe I do not want to drive 2 hours one way, pay bridge or whatever they have there, idle while waiting to enter, etc...
How about customs? Do they check you at all? Do they ask anything? ('Anything to declare?')
7:26 pm
February 17, 2013
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I'm 1/2 hour from home to Bellingham in WA. We have Nexus so lineups are not an issue, rarely spend more than 5 minutes in border lineup. No tolls between here and there and we declare everything we buy, including a six pack fro me and a bottle of wine for the wife. We are pulled over on the average once every two years for going over limits. Yes, every once in a while they pull you over to make sure you are truthful, usually going down. Yanks seem a bit more paranoid than the Canucks. Back when our dollar was par or better we would bring back three hundred or more per trip and were never charged duty or taxes. Just have to be aware of what is not allowed across the border...they took our strawberries away once but gave us a list of non-admissible items.
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