Walgreens 101: Learn to shop at Walgreens

I must admit, I’m not a huge Walgreens shopper, mainly because I prefer the ExtraBucks program at CVS. But take a few minutes to learn about Walgreens, and you might find yourself eager to start saving!

Walgreens has three types of coupons:

WEEKLY AD – These coupons are found in the weekly sales circular and are store coupons that can be combined with manufacturer coupons for double the savings. This is called “stacking” and is accepted in stores.

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WALGREENS EASY SAVER– This is a small catalog found in the front of the store that contains Instant Value Coupons (IVC) which can also be combined with manufacturer coupons.

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REGISTER REWARDS – This is where you’ll get lots of items for free or really cheap! Each week, Walgreens usually has several Register Rewards (RR) earning opportunities which are featured in their sales flyer. Register Rewards are manufacturer coupons that print out on a separate machine next to the register at the conclusion of your purchase. The Register Rewards can be used on a future purchase

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Another great way to save is through the Balance Rewards program. Members receive savings every week on popular products by earning and redeeming points. For more info and to sign up, go here.

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The registers at Walgreens are a little temperamental and tend to beep often when using coupons.  Here’s a good order in which to hand the cashier your coupons:

  1. Manufacturer Coupons
  2. IVCs
  3. Walgreen’s Weekly Ad
  4. Register Rewards

Now here is my biggest pet peeve with the Register Reward system.  Say I need to buy a package of Huggies diapers, that’s all, nothing else. I have a manufacture coupon and a Register Reward to redeem.  At checkout, the register will beep indicating I only have ONE item, but I’m trying to use TWO coupons.  Though they allow coupon stacking, Walgreens will not let you have more coupons than items purchased; therefore I’m forced to buy a “filler item.”  Now, they do have small pieces of candy or little tissue packages, so it’s not a huge deal, just more of an inconvenience.

Also, remember to watch the expiration dates on your Register Rewards. They usually expire two weeks after you receive them.  If they expire before you use them, it’s like throwing money away.  Now that would be CRAZY!