{"id":494809,"date":"2021-05-18T07:05:04","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T11:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/ratesdotcas-10th-annual-best-of-finance-report-canadians-set-to-boost-restaurant-and-travel-spending-but-not-to-pre-pandemic-levels\/"},"modified":"2021-05-18T07:05:04","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T11:05:04","slug":"ratesdotcas-10th-annual-best-of-finance-report-canadians-set-to-boost-restaurant-and-travel-spending-but-not-to-pre-pandemic-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/ratesdotcas-10th-annual-best-of-finance-report-canadians-set-to-boost-restaurant-and-travel-spending-but-not-to-pre-pandemic-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"RATESDOTCA\u2019S 10th annual Best of Finance report: Canadians set to boost restaurant and travel spending, but not to pre-pandemic levels"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nTop credit cards revealed to help Canadians get more out of everyday purchases
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TORONTO, May 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new survey from RATESDOTCA<\/a> shows nearly three-quarters of Canadians (72 per cent) are planning to increase their monthly credit card spending in certain areas this year. The survey, conducted in mid-April by Leger on behalf of RATESDOTCA in conjunction with the brand\u2019s 10th<\/sup> annual Best of Finance report, finds Canadians are especially eager to resume spending on restaurants and travel once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, though still shy of pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadians are keen to get out of their homes after more than a year of on-again-off-again lockdowns, but these results show we may not be ready for pre-pandemic spending patterns,\u201d said Jameson Berkow, managing editor of RATESDOTCA. \u201cThat makes it all the more important for Canadians to evaluate whether they are still using the right credit cards to suit their spending habits.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most immediate priority appears to be dining, where four in ten Canadians (39 per cent) cut their monthly outlays by at least $50 during COVID-19 and 17 per cent cutting monthly restaurant spending by $200 or more. When restrictions lift, 33 per cent of respondents plan to boost their dine-in restaurant spending by at least $50, though only 7 per cent plan to boost their dine-out budgets by at least $200.<\/p>\n

The survey shows that more than one in three Canadians (35 per cent) said their monthly travel spending fell by $200 or more during the pandemic; however, just one in five (22 per cent) plan to increase their monthly travel spending by a similar amount later in 2021.<\/p>\n

The 10th<\/sup> annual Best of Finance report offers Canadians the best way to capitalize on plans to increase spending. Representing the longest-running and most comprehensive analysis of its kind, the report shows Canadians how much using the right credit card for the right purchases could be worth, from the best rewards card ($1,560 in first-year value*) to the best card for students ($364 in first-year value).<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadians have the opportunity to make the most out of their post-pandemic spending,\u201d added Berkow. \u201cSmart credit card usage is extremely rewarding, so long as we match our lifestyle and spending habits to the right credit card and how we use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The survey also found that only 16 per cent of respondents citing a change in lifestyle or spending patterns as a reason to get a new card or replace an existing one. Canadians were much more likely to be enticed by an appealing welcome bonus or promotional offer, with 41 per cent saying that would make them consider getting a new credit card or replacing an existing card.<\/p>\n

Some of the changes Canadians made to their monthly spending because of the pandemic are also likely to become permanent in the post-pandemic world. More than one third of Canadians (36 per cent) said they have increased their monthly stay-at-home spending (food delivery, streaming services, meal preparation services) during the pandemic, but only 15 per cent of respondents expect to reduce spending in that category once COVID-related restrictions are lifted. Nearly as many (14 per cent) plan to continue increasing their stay-at-home spending this year.<\/p>\n

\n RATESDOTCA has ranked the best credit cards in Canada for 2021:<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n