#6 — Barry Choi: Credit Cards and Loyalty Points—How to Get the Most Value

Our guest this episode is Barry Choi, the ultimate expert on all things credit card points and loyalty programs in Canada. You may also know him from his frequent TV appearances or his personal finance website www.moneywehave.com. In this episode Dave asks Barry everything Canadians need to know about credit card points and loyalty programs including which programs offer the most lucrative sign-up bonuses, tips for how to maximize the value of your points, which card is best for travel and much, much more.  This is a highly informative episode and you’ll be sure to take away a few valuable tips by listening.   Show Notes 00:00 – Intro & Disclaimer 00:56 – Intro to Barry Choi 03:02 – Loyalty Programs and Data 06:35 – Learn a Few Programs Inside Out 08:51 – Transferring Points to Increase Value 10:47 – Credit Card Points as an Employee Benefit 12:04 – Tips to Maximize Points 14:39 – How to Optimize Points for Travel 17:12 – Which Credit Card is Right for You 18:56 – Sign-Up Bonuses 22:16 – Dave’s Reservations About Credit Cards 25:32 – High-Income Canadians with Credit-Card Balances 28:01 – Barry’s Spending 30:02 – When Barry Took His Family to Hong Kong 34:09 – American Express 37:37 – Dave Doesn't Use Airport Lounges 38:26 – Non-Point Benefits 41:20 – The Lifecycle of a Fintech Company 42:25 – Consumerism & Stuff 45:49 – Donating Loyalty Points 46:58 – Fraud with Loyalty Points 48:37 – Conclusion