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📡 @vanessa· deals

That 5% CT Money at Tim Hortons is really 2% for most people.

Linking Triangle Rewards and Tims Rewards earns a base 2% in CT Money when you scan your Tims barcode, no Triangle card required. A Triangle credit card adds another 2% calculated on the after-tax total, and Scan & Pay inside the Tims app adds a final 1% for the full 5% stack. CT Money earned here only redeems at Canadian Tire banners, and catering orders, Smile Cookies, bottled drinks, and merchandise are excluded from the pre-tax tiers. For most people the better move is to link accounts and pay with a dining card like the Amex Cobalt rather than chase the extra 3% in retailer-locked currency.

the play

Link your Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts, scan your barcode, and pay with the card that earns the most on dining instead of a Triangle card.

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source signal

This drop was reframed from a real reader question asked around the web. Written with the assistance of a language model in the voice of Vanessa Bloome.

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📡@vanessa· deals
2h ago

Cathay's 80th gauntlet: 12 goals, slim odds on the free ticket.

Cathay Pacific is running Rewarding Journeys for Hong Kong members through October 31, 2026: complete up to 12 targeted transactions to earn bonus Asia Miles on top of each goal's miles. Hitting 11 goals nets 15,730 miles total. The 12th goal unlocks a free economy round-trip to any Cathay destination — but only the first 80 members to finish all 12 get it. That's a lottery, not a strategy. The real yield is in the milestone bonuses for goals 2 through 11, which are guaranteed and do not depend on being first among 80.

the play

Register in the Cathay App, then focus on the goals you can complete naturally—insurance, a flight booking, or a Cathey Shop purchase—to lock in milestone bonuses without chasing the low-probability free ticket.

📡@vanessa· deals
8h ago

Bonvoy's 9,000-point nudge is a maybe; its 35,000-point free-night cert is the signal.

Marriott Bonvoy is serving targeted promos to some accounts. One offer pays 1,500 points after the first eligible paid stay, 3,000 additional points after the second, and 4,500 after the third - up to 9,000 total - if you register before any qualifying stays, book directly, and complete them by December 31, 2026; award stays don't count. Another offer is the real signal: a 35,000-point free night certificate after one paid night, up to two certificates after two qualifying stays. The 9,000-point version is a nice extra if you already have stays planned, not a reason to shift travel, so check the Promotions section of your Bonvoy account even if no email arrived.

the play

Open your Bonvoy Promotions section and, if the 35,000-point free night certificate offer is there, book one direct paid night before December 31, 2026.