How to Save Money at Walgreens

Here's Walgreens article from YAHOO.  I think this will be the last one.  If I read correctly in the previous article, it will not be on Wal-Mart.  Sniff!  Sniff!

If you’ve been following along here at the Quizzle Wire, you know we’ve been analyzing coupon policies & saving strategies at some of the nation’s leading retailers.  First up was how to save money at CVS & Kroger.  Now it’s time to look at Walgreens, the largest drugstore chain in the United States w/more than 8,100 stores.  Here’s what you need to know about Walgreens before shopping:

Sales Cycle:  Walgreens sales cycles run Sunday through Saturday, meaning that the advertised sale prices change on Sunday.  Walgreens also includes coupons right in their weekly ad, which can be used in conjunction w/manufacturer coupons.  In addition to weekly deals, Walgreens also offers monthly deals in their monthly coupon booklet & Register Rewards coupons.

Bonus:  Top 5 Places to Find Coupons

Rewards Program:  While Walgreens doesn’t have a loyalty card, it does offer Register Rewards (RRs), which are good for cash off of your next purchase.  RRs are printed at the end of your cash register receipt, like Catalinas, & RR deals are advertised in Walgreen’s weekly ad.

When using Register Rewards, keep in mind that if you buy two different items that will result in a RR, you will get one reward for each different product you have.  BUT, if you buy two of the same item, you will only received one Register Reward.  To get two RRs for two of the same item, you must purchase the items in separate transactions.

Also important to note:  You cannot “roll” RRs, meaning you cannot use a Register Reward to pay for the same item in a subsequent transaction & receive an additional RR.  But, there is a loophole.  If you find two different products that trigger the same value Register Reward, you can alternate buying those items in separate transactions, paying for the second transaction w/the first register reward, & so on.

Bonus: The Coupon Dictionary: Your Guide to Coupon Lingo

Coupon Policy:  Now that we’re familiar w/RRs, let’s look at Walgreens’ coupon policy.

• Walgreens accepts the following types of coupons:  Walgreens store coupons, manufacturer coupons, Internet printable coupons & Register Rewards.  Walgreens does not accept competitor coupons & will not match competitor prices.
• Walgreens allows you to “stack” one manufacturer coupon & one store coupon per item.  You can then use RRs in addition to these coupons, but in the event that any item’s selling price is less than the value of the coupon, Walgreens will only accept the coupon in exchange for the selling price of the item.  Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item.
• For promotional “Buy One, Get One Free” (BOGO) sales (where the sale is in-store at Walgreens, not initiated through a coupon), you may use two manufacturer’s coupons toward the purchase or another manufacturer’s BOGO coupon, resulting in two free items, as long as the final price doesn’t go below zero.
• Walgreens does not offer overage, meaning it will never pay you to take the item out of the store.  So if the coupon value exceeds the purchase price of an item, the cashier will adjust the price of the item to match the coupon amount.
• Walgreens does not double or triple coupons.
• All Internet printable coupons must have a bar code.

Bonus:  Secrets of Extreme Couponers

 

Extras:  At Walgreens, you must have at least as many items as you have coupons.  So, if you are buying one item, & you have one manufacturer coupon & one Register Reward, you will need to add a “filler” item.  This applies to all coupons.  Look for a clearance item, pack of gum, individual caramel or Sunday newspaper to add as a filler item – something less than $0.50 is ideal.

Bonus:  4 Books that Will Help You Save Money

Final Tip:  There’s some debate about the best order to use your coupons.  The general consensus, however, is to apply your Register Rewards first, followed by Walgreens store coupons & finally manufacturer coupons.

Use the Walgreens Store Locator to see where the nearest Walgreens store is in your area & start saving!