We live in an era of subscriptions, don’t we? We have a subscription for our groceries. A subscription for our TV shows. A subscription for our budgeting apps, our ride shares, even our wine.
So it’s no surprise that retail giant Canadian Tire has launched its own subscription service aimed at their Triangle Mastercard holders. It’s called Triangle Select, and for certain Canadian Tire shoppers, it might be worth the $89.
What is Triangle Select?
Triangle Select is an annual subscription service offered to certain Triangle Mastercard holders. The keyword there is “certain:” not every Triangle Mastercard user can sign up for this program. In order to enroll, Canadian Tire has to personally invite you via email. It’s not hard to get on the list, however. You just have to submit your email address on their webpage, and they’ll send you an invite when an opportunity opens up.
As a Triangle Select member, you’ll get a slew of benefits and perks. For one, you’ll earn 10x CT Money on all in-store purchases at Canadian Tire and affiliates (Sport Chek, Mark’s, Party Cit, and L’Équipeur). Additionally, you’ll earn an extra 25x CT Money when you buy certain brands, such as Denver Hayes apparel or Petco products. Oh yeah—these rates are in addition to the Triangle Mastercard’s 4% cash back on purchase made at Canadian Tire and affiliate stores.
So far, that’s a pretty good deal. But Canadian Tire goes even further: they offer you an annual 20x bonus CT Money “top-off” on your largest and second largest Canadian Tire in-store purchases.
They”ll also give you a welcome gift valued at $50, free shipping on all online orders over $50, reimbursement (in CT Money) for five ship-to-home orders (above $20), and a free one-year subscription to Bell Media’s Crave.
Yes, all for $89 per year.
Is this worth the $89?
For certain Canadian shoppers, yes.
If you shop frequently in-store at Canadian Tire and its affiliates, the bonus earn rates can easily outweigh the $89 fee. But that’s if you shop in-store. If you do most of your Canadian Tire shopping online, you probably won’t benefit much from this subscription. For online purchases, you’ll earn 4% CT money, without the additional 10x or 25x bonuses.
Of course, you’ll want to evaluate your own situation. For instance, you may do all your shopping online, but if you’re planning a major purchase in the future, like fitness equipment or lawn care machinery, the annual top-off could give you enough CT Money to make this subscription worth the fee.
Do know that the 10x and 25x multiples are tacked on to the Triangle Rewards card, which earns .4%, not the Triangle Mastercard, which earns 4%. For instance, if you buy a Paderno pan in-store at $100, you’ll earn 4% cash back with your Triangle Mastercard, or $4. In addition, you’ll earn 10x of your Triangle Rewards, or another $4 (.4% of $100 = $.40 x 10 = $4). But, because Paderno purchases qualify for the 25x brand boost, you’ll also earn $10. So, in total, you’ll get $18 in Canadian Tire money.
For those who don’t shop frequently in-store at Canadian Tire, this subscription won’t benefit you at all. You’re better off getting a credit card with an annual fee with a higher earn rate for all purchases, then paying $89 for extra Canadian Tire Money that you probably won’t use.
