- Coupons: Walgreens is generally pretty coupon-friendly. Click here for a link to their coupon acceptance policy. One of the best things about Walgreens is the ability to "stack" multiple coupons--that means you can combine an in-ad coupon or store coupon with a manufacturer coupon for additional savings. There are some exceptions, though. Be sure to read the fine print on all the coupons. Where can you find Walgreens coupons?
- Many of them are included in the weekly sales flyer. You must have the cashier scan that in-ad coupon to get the advertised price.
- There is a monthly coupon booklet located near the sales flyer display at the front of each store. Walgreens will put a new one of these out each month. It contains tons of coupons! Sometimes you'll see the words "less in-store coupon" in the weekly ad. That means there's a coupon for the product inside that little coupon booklet.
- Sometimes you can find other coupon booklets near the pharmacy or cosmetics counter.
- Register Rewards: Register Rewards (RRs) print after you make a qualifying purchase. For example, Walgreens might advertise a toothbrush on sale for $1.99 with a $1 Register Reward. That means you pay $1.99 at the time of purchase and receive $1 back for a future purchase. You can also use manufacturer or store coupons when taking advantage of Register Reward deals. If you use a -$1.00 coupon for the toothbrush, you would pay $0.99 at time of purchase and earn $1 RR. That essentially means you got the toothbrush for free! Sometimes Walgreens even advertises FREE Register Rewards deals with no coupon required.
Register Rewards are a little different than the rewards that print at CVS or Rite Aid because they're treated just like manufacturer coupons. There are certain rules that apply when earning and redeeming Register Rewards, so see below for more details.
Shopping at Walgreens can be a little tricky. There are certain things you must remember if you want your transactions to go smoothly. Here are some tips:
- You can't have more coupons than items. This includes any Register Rewards you want to use towards your purchase amount. For example, you can't buy two tubes of toothpaste, use two manufacturer coupons, AND a Register Reward because that would be a total of 3 coupons for only 2 items. If you wanted to use the Register Reward, you'd have to add a "filler" item. A "filler" is something inexpensive to add to your purchase so your number of coupons match the number of items. Examples of fillers I've used in the past are $0.15 notebooks, $0.09 highlighters, and $0.39 candy.
- In my experience, a $1.00 off 2 coupon usually attaches to both items. For example, you can't buy two toothpastes, use the $1.00 off 2 coupon, and a Register Reward without adding a cheap filler. This may not be true for all scenarios at all stores.
- More than one Register Reward for the same item will NOT print in a single transaction. For example, if mouthwash is $3.99 with a $3 RR, you will not get two $3 RRs if you purchase two bottles of mouthwash. You'd only get one. If you wanted to buy two, you'd need to do separate transactions.
- You can't use the Register Reward you receive from an item to pay for the same item in a different transaction. You can't use the $3 RR you earned from the mouthwash in the first transaction to pay for another mouthwash in the second transaction. You also can't use the that RR to pay for another product by the same brand. For example, if you earn a RR on Crest mouthwash, you can't use that RR to pay for Crest toothpaste. Even though they're different products, they're made by the same company.
- To maximize your savings, hand over manufacturer coupons before store coupons.
- Watch the register carefully. Sometimes it will beep like the coupon scanned, but no money will be taken off your total. Occasionally the cashier isn't even aware the coupon didn't go through and will keep scanning away with nothing being deducted.
- I always try to check out at the cosmetics counter if someone is working that area. I do this because I'm less likely to have a line of other customers waiting behind me. There's nothing worse than having an issue with a coupon when there are 5 frustrated people behind you upset that you're holding up the line.
Kind of complicated, isn't it? If your first trip isn't successful, keep trying. The savings you'll receive will make the effort well worth it!
Here's an example of one of my Walgreens shopping trips.
August 7, 2011
Walgreens Total before coupons: $42.77 + tax = $46.87
My Out-of-Pocket: $10.77+ tax = $14.87, with $7 RRs remaining
Savings: $32.00, 68%
I started with $8 RRs from a previous purchase. ($2, $2, $2, $2)
Transaction # 1:
Keri Lotion $5.99
Used -$2.00 mfr coupon
Earned $5 RRs
Used -$2.00 mfr coupon
Earned $5 RRs
Listerine Smart Rinse $3.00
Used -$1.00 mfr coupon
Earned $2 RRs
Used -$1.00 mfr coupon
Earned $2 RRs
2 Colgate toothpaste 2/$6.00
Used -$0.75 mfr coupon and -$0.50 mfr coupon
Earned $4 RRs
Used -$0.75 mfr coupon and -$0.50 mfr coupon
Earned $4 RRs
3 cans Campbell’s chicken noodle soup @ $0.69 = $2.07 (with in-ad coupon)
3 bags Walgreens Starlight mints @ $0.69 = $2.07 (with in-ad coupon)
Total before coupons and tax: $19.13 + tax = $20.96
-$4.25 mfr coupons
-$8 RRs from last week
OOP including tax: $6.88 + tax = $8.71, earned $12 RRs ($5, $2, $4)
Transaction # 2
-$4.25 mfr coupons
-$8 RRs from last week
OOP including tax: $6.88 + tax = $8.71, earned $12 RRs ($5, $2, $4)
Transaction # 2
1 Colgate toothpaste and 1 Colgate 360 toothbrush 2/$6.00
Used -$0.50 mfr coupon and -$1.00 mfr coupon
Earned $4 RRs
Used -$0.50 mfr coupon and -$1.00 mfr coupon
Earned $4 RRs
4 Green Giant Vegetables @ $0.69 = $2.76 (with in-ad Q)
Total before coupons and tax: $8.76 + tax = $9.58
-$1.50 mfr coupons
-$7 RRs from Transaction # 1 (I did not use the $4 Colgate reward since I purchased Colgate items again in this transaction.)
OOP including tax: $0.26 + tax = $1.08. earned $4 RRs
-$7 RRs from Transaction # 1 (I did not use the $4 Colgate reward since I purchased Colgate items again in this transaction.)
OOP including tax: $0.26 + tax = $1.08. earned $4 RRs
Transaction # 3
Angel Soft toilet paper 9-pk $4.00
Palmolive dish liquid $0.89 (with in-ad Q)
Used -$0.25 mfr coupon
Keri lotion $5.99
Used -$2.00 mfr coupon
Earned $5 RRs
Earned $5 RRs
Listerine Smart Rinse $3.00
Used -$1.00 mfr coupon
Earned $2 RRs
Earned $2 RRs
2 candy bars $1.00
Total before tax and coupons: $14.88 + tax = $16.33
-$3.25 coupons
-$8 RRs from Transaction # 1 and Transaction # 2
OOP including tax: $3.63 + tax = $5.08, earned $7 RRs ($5, $2)
-$8 RRs from Transaction # 1 and Transaction # 2
OOP including tax: $3.63 + tax = $5.08, earned $7 RRs ($5, $2)
