Canada’s Best 3 Cash-Back Credit Cards to Offset Sky-high Grocery Prices

Top 3 Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada

Grocery prices are skyrocketing and there is no sign they will come down anytime soon. To offset high grocery prices, I will give you the best 3 cash-back credit cards in Canada. Although these credit cards won’t lower grocery prices directly, the cash you will receive back will be significant and help you to cope with higher grocery costs.

I will concentrate only on the grocery cash back return in this article.

CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite – Provides 4% cash back. Annual fee is $120. This is the only card that offers cash-back redemptions anytime once you reach $25. If not redeemed monthly, cash back will be provided annually.

Scotia momentum Visa Infinite - Provides 4% cash back. Annual fee is $120. There is only an annual option to redeem your cash back.

American Express SimplyCash Preferred – Fees are charged monthly, but come close to $120 annually when you add them up. 4% cash back on groceries, but on everything else (except gas and groceries) the cash-back rate is 2% with no limit, making it the only card in Canada to provide this type of cash back.

Honorary Mention – BMO World Elite MasterCard - Provides 5% cash back on groceries (the highest in Canada), however the problem with this card is that there is a $500 monthly limit on groceries for 5% cash back.

I have a video on this topic which can be viewed here: How to Beat High Grocery Prices with These 3 Canada’s Best Cash Back Credit Cards

The Best Number 1 Most Important Travel Hack You Didn’t Know

The Top Travel Hack You Must Know Now

The most important and best travel hack starts before you even leave home and not following this travel tip may risk your next trip. Today, I will talk about what you should be doing before taking your next flight.

When you are heading out for your next trip, the first thing you need to know is the travel requirements of your destination country. There can be various things required such as visa requirements, vaccination requirements, and other travel documents you may need to present there.

Not having the right documents can end up with your entry being declined and lots of hassle and waste of money. In the past, I used to ask around and search for my destination’s required documents. This was a lot of hassle, was very time consuming, and sometimes resulted in getting inaccurate information.

There is no need to do as I did anymore. A Canadian global travel requirement website called Sherpa has a database of most of the countries and can give you any travel requirements in a breeze. You have to enter your passport country and your travel from and to countries and you will get a list of everything you need to know before leaving home.

If you need to fill out any online forms, Sherpa can even give you a link and give you details. There might be other websites like Sherpa, but so far I haven’t found a reliable one like it.

I have made a video on Sherpa, which you can view by following the link below:

The Best Number 1 Guaranteed Travel Tip You Didn't Know

Why You Shouldn’t Keep Rechargeable Batteries in the Fridge

Should You Put Your Rechargeable Batteries in the Fridge?

While looking for some travel hacks and tips, I came across a lot giving the wrong information and incorrect advice. Even the big sites or YouTube channels have travel hacks that are wrong. I will demystify one such travel hack today.

A common travel tip floating across the Internet is that rechargeable batteries should be kept in the fridge to lengthen their charge. This is not only incorrect but can also damage the batteries.

I have noticed that batteries lose their charge fast when I film outside in the winter and that I needed to keep charging more frequently.

Various reputable sources, including the Panasonic Rechargeable battery division, confirmed that keeping batteries in the fridge not only deteriorates their life but can also cause damage.  This is because moisture in the fridge causes condensation.

Batteries will pick up the moisture, which doesn’t help rechargeable batteries and will actually reduce their charge and life expectancy. The best place to store rechargeable batteries, or any type of batteries, is in a cool, dry place.

So, when you are looking for travel hacks and travel tips, don’t believe everything you read or see on YouTube. Use your common sense and judgement first before deciding on a travel hack.

Rode Wireless Me – First Impressions & The Ultimate User Guide

Best Wireless Audio Mic for Content Creators - Rode Wireless Me

Rode just released its new wireless system Rode Wireless Me for social media, which is a trimmed down version of its Rode Wireless Go II. Rode Wireless Me has some unique features, but is also missing some features.

Rode Wireless Me Best Features

GainAssist

By far, this is the best feature Rode Wireless Me offers and I believe no other wireless audio system currently offers this feature. What this means is that Rode Wireless Me will automatically adjust its gain (loudness) without the need to set anything up manually.

GainAssist takes away a lot of guess work and hassle and the unit is ready to work when you are ready.

Me Mic

The receiver has a built-in microphone (the ‘ME Mic’), allowing Rode Wireless Me to record from both the receiver and transmitter. This is very handy when you need to record 2 people like when you are interviewing someone.

I haven’t seen any other wireless recorder offering this feature without buying a 2nd transmitter.

There are some features Rode Wireless Me is missing as stated below:

- Doesn’t have any audio recording meter on the devices. So, it’s hard to tell if it’s level or even if it’s recording.
- Doesn’t have any options to change settings on devices. You will have to open the Rode Central app and connect with a USB cable to do that.
- Me Mic doesn’t have any microphone port to add an external mic.

- Transmission range is 100m, half than most other similar wireless mics.

If the shortcomings are not so important, with its unique features Rode Wireless Me is something to take a look at before deciding on your next wireless mic system.

I have a full tutorial video on Rode Wireless Me here:

Rode Wireless Me - The Complete Beginners Guide Instruction Manual

Canada’s Best No Foreign ATM Fee Bank Card Debit Card

Best No Foreign Transaction Fees Bank Card in Canada

I was looking for a Canadian bank card that charges no foreign currency transaction fee and no international ATM withdrawal fee. Then I came across the EQ Savings Plus Account.

EQ Bank offers a high-interest savings account, unlimited transactions, unlimited Interac e-Transfers, bill payments, and Electronic Funds Transfers. No minimum balance requirements, no separate accounts for savings/chequing … and all these are free.

All these sounded too good to be true, so I was hesitant. So, I read of few reviews online and contacted their customer support. At this point, I was certain that this was the real deal and I ended up opening an account.

I was only interested in the unique feature of EQ Bank’s no foreign currency ATM withdrawal fees and no foreign currency transaction fees. I have a one-month long trip coming up, so I needed to have a bank card that lets me withdraw from foreign ATMs.

The problem with taking out money from a foreign ATM with a Canadian bank card is that you will get hit 3 times with fees. Your Canadian bank’s ATM fee, a foreign currency transaction fee, and a foreign location’s ATM fee imposed by that ATM.

With an EQ Bank card debit card, I am removing my Canadian bank’s ATM fee and foreign currency transaction fee, which is a win-win situation and for all these benefits EQ Bank is not charging anything. 

I will keep a few hundred dollars (for security) to access via my EQ bank card when I am traveling and if I need more, I can always transfer more money from my regular bank.

I have a video about EQ Bank you can watch here:

The Best Canadian Bank Debit Card To Avoid International ATM Fees