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RBC Starbucks Duetto** Visa* card @ http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/RBC: ... onal/starbucks.html.

Application forms can be picked up from RBC branches or Starbucks outlets.  For online application, theoretically it's the same whether u apply for the Visa from RBC or Starbucks, however the current $25 bonus is only mentioned from the Starbucks link(back to RBC).  It'll be safer to start with http://www.starbucks.com/card/duetto.asp

This is really 2 cards in one, one side is regular Visa credit card, the "other side" is a Starbucks Card.

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Get 1% "Starbucks $ reward" on ALL purchases, automatically added to your Starbucks side ~ 2 days after your statement date, can only spend the Starbucks Dollar @ Starbucks.

The minimum credit limit for this card could be as low as $500.

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After your 1st use of the new card, few weeks later, Visa will put $25 on your Starbucks side as a welcome bonus.  

* The Welcome Bonus may change anytime, check when u apply for the credit card.

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For those of u who like going to Starbucks, instead of charging coffee to Visa Card, add $ to your Starbucks side.

Register your Duetto Visa on Starbucks.com, use AUTO-RELOAD function from Starbucks Website, u get 3% rebate on reload value, instead of the regular 1%. e.g. reload $20, u get $0.60 Starbucks$ instead of $0.20.

Note:  Auto-reload minimum used to be $20, believe they've changed it to $25+

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Quarterly:
1st - Jan 1 - March 31
2nd - April 1 - June 30
3rd - July 1 - Sept 30
4th - Oct. 1 - Dec. 31

Total quarterly spending from Starbucks side*
$30-$59.99 -> $ 3.50 extra quarterly bonus
$60-$89.99 -> $7.00 bonus
$90 + -> $10.50 bonus (maximum)
Bonus automatically loaded into the Starbucks side ~10-12 days after each quarter, e.g. April 12 for 1st quarter

* Spending at Starbucks but charged to Visa side is not counted.  Only the amount on Starbucks$ u spend.

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In US, use Starbucks Duetto Visa; in Canada, u need to use Starbucks Gift Cards(Card# and its PIN as UserName+Pwd).

Gift cards are free, u can put any amount >=$5.  Charge the $ to your Visa/any credit card, or move your Starbucks$ from your Duetto  into gift card.  

Use your gift card minimum ~once a month, u can use free WiFi at Starbucks for the whole month, max. 3 hours per day. (I don't know how u can sit there for 3 hours without buying coffee though  :p )

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Apply for your Duetto from Starbucks link below, get letter in mail to pick up your new card at your selected RBC branch with your IDs. Or mail application form, they'll post credit card to your home.

1) Go to any Starbucks, top up=buy $5 of Starbucks$, with your new Duetto Visa or any of your other credit card,
or Go home, register your card on Starbucks.com, set up auto-reload for the next day*

2)  Start spending the Starbucks$ directly on Visa;
or ask counter personnel to move Starbucks$ over to a gift card, then spend$ from gift card.

3) Few weeks(ours only took ~5/7 days) after first use of new Visa, $25 will be added to the Starbucks side.

4) On or before March 31, check total amount spend on Starbucks side of Visa, move the corresponding $ to gift card, TOTAL $30/$60/$90 for period 1/1-31/3.

5) U'll see an additional $3.5/$7/$10.5 added to Starbucks side ~April 12.

U can always spend the Starbucks$ on your Visa, but I find it harder to control.  After u register your Visa and/or Gift cards, u can check all spending of $ on Starbucks.com.  However, only 10/15 lines of history, no more.

If u auto-reload $20, u can leave the $15 for next quarter . . . . . hope u understand what I'm saying.

*it'll work, but remember to go back and CANCEL auto-reload afterward, else it'll keep reloading itself. Auto-reload can be set for specific day of each month or whenever Starbucks side hit $ minimum. :p

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Warning:  Existing policies on Welcome Bonus($25) and Quarterly Bonus($3.5/$7/$10.5) may change anytime.

Please note RELOAD(1%) and AUTO-RELOAD(3%) on Starbucks.com are different.

On Quarterly Bonus, it's the amount u spend on Starbucks side that counts.  Doesn't matter how u get the Starbucks$, i.e. from Welcome Bonus, from monthly rewards, from buying Starbucks$ yourself(buy at counter or reload or auto-reload on web), all the same.

Spending = buy ANYTHING from Starbucks = coffee/pastry/? at store, ? take out, gift cards, all the same.

Have fun!

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Rumors:  Starbucks Hot Chocolate is the BEST in town, including boutique stores(="上乘的home made小店").

About ~$5+tax per cup :p

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Another quarter ending in 2 days:

1.  There was a reminder on top right corner of last month SB credit card statement,

2.  Did my calculation, set up AUTORELOAD (get 3% instead of 1%) on next day for an amount that will top up to $90(quarter total) of Starbucks Dollar, paid by SB Visa card of cause :cool:

3.  Auto-reload is always done when I wake up the next morning :p, then I sign back onto Starbucks website to cancel(=disable) AUTORELOAD function.

4.  Go to any Starbucks on or before 31/3 to transfer all (total $90 for quarter) Starbucks Dollars from SB credit card to Starbucks gift card(s) (<== this is considered SPENT)

5.  Wait for the Quarterly Bonus, get $10.50 for total of $90 SPENDING, on the 11th or 12th of next month .

*  Autoreload can be DATE based or AMOUNT based.  I use date based, there is a $20 minimum, any amount after that, but NO cents.  e.g. $29
** When u transfer SB Dollar to gift card(s), there is a minimum of $5, any amount.  e.g. I can transfer $5.21.