Store Guides and Policies

Walgreens 101 – How to Shop and Save Money at Walgreens!

This is a simple guide to getting the best deals when shopping at Walgreens. We all know buying household items at a pharmacy traditionally isn’t the cheapest option, but with the right coupon and rewards strategy, it can be!

And sometimes it’s the easiest… if you’re already in the store for medicine, why not scoop up the rest of your shopping list? Read on for some pro tips on how to maximize your dollar at Walgreens. (If you’re more of a CVS person, check out our guide on that here!)

Walgreens Balance Rewards

This is Walgreens’ free loyalty program where members get access to exclusive sales and coupons while earning Balance Rewards Points on their purchases. These points can then be redeemed as dollars off future purchases.

But this isn’t a straightforward, 1 point per dollar kind of program. Depending on what you buy and the status of your account, you can earn way more than that! More on that later. But first, the basics…

How do I sign up?

Head over here to sign-up. Keep in mind that everything is tracked through your Balance Rewards card, and some sale prices are only available to cardholders, so be sure to scan it every time you shop. If you forget your card, they can still look you up by your phone number. Just make sure to ask before paying.

Another way to carry your Balance Rewards card with you — and this is my favorite way — is through the Walgreens App. Not only does it pretty much guarantee that I’ll always have my card with me, it also enables me to look up sales and coupons right on my phone while I’m in the store. No need to clip coupons before coming in!

How do I earn points?

There are a few different ways to earn points:

Shop & Activate Everyday Points Perks

Every Balance Rewards member gets points back on select items that are designated as earning Balance Reward Points. These are typically marked with a green tag in stores and usually only earn 1 point per $1 spent. But you can up your earnings tenfold if you activate Everyday Points Perks. This program sets you up to earn 10 points on almost everything you buy — in store, online or on the app.

Don’t leave points on the table when it’s totally free and easy to activate this perk! All you have to do is log into your Balance Reward Points account online and add the Everyday Points Perk to get 10 points per $1 on almost everything.

Become a Beauty Enthusiast

If you buy things like makeup and hair products regularly, this is another perk you don’t want to miss. Log into your Balance Reward Points account online and add the Beauty Enthusiast Perk to unlock these benefits:

  • 5,000 points ($5 reward) for every $50 spent on beauty
  • Digital coupon via email for 20X everyday points when you sign up
  • Enthusiast-exclusive access to events, sneak peeks and samples
  • Personalized dashboard with products curated just for you
  • First access to new beauty products

Fill Prescriptions at Walgreens

When you pick up your prescription from Walgreens, make sure you scan that Balance Rewards card! Even if your medicine is covered by insurance and you don’t end up paying anything out of pocket, you should still scan your card. Why? Because you can earn hundreds of points depending on the type of prescription you fill:

  • 30-day prescriptions = 100 points
  • 90-day prescriptions = 300 points
  • Vaccinations = 100 points

Make Healthy Choices

This is probably the coolest way to earn points because you don’t have to spend a thing and you don’t even have to go into a store. In an effort to promote healthy lifestyles, Walgreens is awarding Balance Rewards Points for walking, running, cycling and a number of other healthy choices that you already make every day.

Register to start tracking your healthy activity for Balance Rewards Points here. Once registered, you can link your activity tracker (Fitbit, Apple Watch, etc.) or activity app (MyFitnessPal, Runkeeper, etc.) to start earning!

And this doesn’t have to be exercise… even if you simply weigh in or test your blood glucose levels, you can earn points. Check out the FAQ on this unique program here to see if your activities qualify to earn you points.

How much are the points worth in dollars, and how do I “cash in” my points?

Each 1,000 points is equal to $1 in credit toward a future purchase. You can redeem your points at any Walgreens or Duane Reade store during a purchase or online at Walgreens.com, but you must have at least 1,000 points on your account. You can choose to redeem all, some, or none of your points during any given purchase. Note that your earnings on that purchase will be calculated based on your total after the Balance Rewards has been applied!

To redeem in store, you will be prompted by the sales associate to choose to either redeem your points or continue earning points on that purchase. You can elect to redeem or keep saving using the pin pad at checkout or by telling the sales associate.

To redeem on Walgreens.com, you will be prompted to either redeem your points or continue earning points on that purchase on the Payment Options screen of the checkout process. Use the dropdown menu to select your rewards redemption value (or to continue earning without redeeming points).

How do I know how many points I have on my account?

Look at the bottom of your receipt to see a summary of your current Balance Rewards points. You can also log into your account online or on the Walgreens App to keep track.

Do points expire?

Points and rewards expire one year after they are earned or if an account has been inactive for 6 months. Your account is deemed inactive if you have not used your card in-store or online. Be sure to watch these dates closely so you don’t lose out on the points you’ve earned.

What else do I need to know (coupons, details, how transactions work, etc.)?

As couponers, you know we need the nitty gritty on how all of this is going to work for us! Here’s what I’ve discovered so far:

  • Balance Rewards Points can be used in conjunction with manufacturer’s coupons or promotions. For example, if you have a $1.00 coupon for a certain bottle of shampoo and 1,000 Balance Rewards Points on your account, you could save $2.00 on that shampoo!
  • Coupons do not affect the number of points you get on advertised Balance Rewards offers. So just keep on using your coupons like you normally would, and you’ll still receive the amount of points advertised for the item you’re buying!
  • There is not a limit on how many Balance Rewards Points items you can buy in one transaction like there was with the old Register Rewards program. You can buy as many items per transaction as you’d like, and get points for each item. For example: If you buy 4 deodorants that each earn you 1,000 points, you’ll earn a total of 4,000 points!
  • If you pay with points, you will NOT earn points on that part of your purchase.
  • Balance Rewards policies can vary in certain states. To look up your specific area, check out the full terms and conditions here.

Walgreens Coupons

Weekly Ad Coupons

These are coupons found in the weekly store ad. They usually advertise a price (e.g., Dawn Dish Liquid 99¢) and most have a limit on how many items you can buy with the coupon.If you buy more than the stated item limit, any items over the limit will ring up at regular price.

These are not sales that apply to any purchase; you must present the coupon in order to get the advertised coupon price. However, most stores don’t require you to cut them out! Just show the cashier the coupon you want to use and they will scan it or type in the coupon code.

You can pick up a weekly ad in-store or view it online here.

Paperless Coupons

If you have a Balance Rewards Card, you can also clip Paperless Coupons from the online or in-app database here and virtually add them to your account. These coupons will then automatically apply when you scan your card at checkout. You can also skip the trip to the store altogether and order straight from the coupon database!

Coupon Order

The best order to give the cashier your coupons is Manufacturer Coupons, then IVCs, then Walgreens Ad Coupons, then Register Rewards. For example: Gum is regularly priced $1.19, use a B1G1 coupon which will deduct $1.19 then use the Walgreens Weekly Ad coupon that makes the gum 2/$1 which will deduct $1.38 from your order. That means you get the gum free! Note that overages do not get paid out in cash at Walgreens.

For more information, check out my post on the Walgreens official coupon policy.

Subscribe to Automatic Shipments

Last but certainly not least, you can subscribe for automatic refills on everyday items and save. Visit the Walgreens Auto Reorder site here to set automatic shipments on products that you use regularly. Right now they are running a promotion where you get 10% off and free shipping on automatic shipments starting on your second delivery, and select Walgreens brand items will receive 20% off!

If you plan it out right, you can save even more when you think about the gas you’ll be saving by eliminating the need to go into the store, and you’ll avoid any impulse buys that happen in-store (I see you eyeing that candy at checkout!). Just be careful not to order too much too frequently, or else your savings will be a wash, especially on items with an expiration date that go bad before you get to use them.

 

So that is how to shop and save at Walgreens!

If you have any additional Walgreens shopping tips, feel free to share in the comments!

    137 Comments

  1. I have a really dumb question I think, but I truly do not understand. In the above example used for ‘coupon order’ why would $1.38 be dedicated vs $1.00? In my mind, I would think that I have to pay.19 cents for both packs of gum? Help me make sense of that…. my math is not strong!

    Reply

    • Hi Tarra! It’s the way Walgreens coupons work. When you buy the 2 packs of gum, your total before any coupons is $2.38, so if you hand them a coupon that says you get the gum 2 for $1, it will deduct $1.38 from the $2.38 to get you down to $1. So, even though you’ve already used the BOGO coupon to get $1.19 off, the Walgreens coupon will still deduct an entire $1.38 from the order since that’s what it originally took to get you down to the $1 price on the Walgreens coupon. I hope this makes sense! Good luck. 🙂

      Reply

  2. Wow that was a lot of reading 🙂 Thanks so much for the post. I just have one hopefully quick question. The coupons in the weekly ad that say “limit 4” Can I use more than one of those if it does not specify per customer or per visit ect.. or is it their policy to only take 1. Thanks again

    Reply

  3. This evening I shopped at a different Walgreens than usual. On the Schick razor deal this week (Schick Quattro and refills $8.99 plus $3 RR) I used a B1G1 coupon, $2 off coupon, and the Walgreens IVC for $3 off. When I have shopped at other stores my total came to $2.99 after tax, but when I shopped at this store the cashier wouldn’t give me the full $8.99 off on my free item. She claimed that I didn’t actually “pay” $8.99 for the item because I used a $2 off coupon (I gave them to her in the suggested order), and therefore only gave me $6.99 off. The other stores have been giving me $8.99 off and so I was able to get both items for $2.99 (plus tax) and receive my $3 RR. Do you know what the correct policy should be int his case?

    Reply

  4. Pingback: Coupon Glossary

  5. Are the coupons that print at the walgreens register considered manufacturer’s coupons or can you stack them with other coupons? They say they can only be used at Walgreens so I was wondering if they were like the ones that print at Target that you can stack with another manufacturer’s coupon.
    Thanks

    Reply

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  8. I forgot to tell you that I was purchased 4 boxes of cereals = $8 before coupons. I paid $5, not $1 for all 4.

    THANKS – see, I really am confused with couponing!! LOL

    Reply

  9. I also am new to couponing. If I have a mfg coupon for $1 off 3 cereals, does that coupon count as 3 coupons (everywhere) when checking out?
    Cereal was on sale at Walgreens 2/$4. I had the mfg coupon for $1 off 3 cereals and I had two RRs ($2 and $1). The cashier said I had too many coupons; she could only use one RR ($2) with the $1 off 3 cereals coupon because the cereal coupon counted as THREE coupons.
    She was VERY nice and said that I could buy a filler; but I was so confused that I said ok, paid $1 and left with the remaining $1 RR.
    I really have never noticed anything around the cash register that cost just pennies…..mainly gum and cany.
    THANKS for your help. You are an INSPIRATION to new couponers!

    Reply

    • Yes, technically the $1/3 coupon counts as 3 coupons – since you can only use 1 coupon per item, the $1/3 is applied to all 3 items. So you could not use another coupon on any of those 3 items (including an RR).

      Reply

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  12. Great site, thanks for all of the helpful information! I have a question. Is it possible to use one large RR on two smaller items? For example, can I use a $10 RR on two $5 items?

    Also, since I’m new and didn’t understand all of the rules I made a “mistake” I wanted to share. In my first transaction I got a Crest $2RR and a Pantene $3RR. In my next transaction I gave the checker the following in this order: 2 Fillers, Crest item, Pantene RR, Crest Mfr Coupon; Pantene item, Crest RR, Pantene Mfr Coupon. Both RR worked in the same transaction, and another 2RR and 3RR printed!

    Reply

    • Yes, you can use your RR on any number of items as long as the total price is equal to or greater than the amount of the RR.

      And glad you were able to earn you RRs, that usually doesn’t happen!

      Reply

  13. You can also use two B1G1 free coupons & only have to pay sales tax. I printed the coupon policy & verified it with my local store manager today!

    Reply

  14. I bought the Schick Hydro3 today I had a RR for $5.00 and a manufacturer for $3.00 off I could only use one. But I think I understand now if I would of bought one more item, like a candy bar I could of used both. Is that right.

    Reply

    • Register Rewards are coupons that you earn after buying a specific item. You can typically use them on almost anything in the store (more specific info is above in the post).

      Reply

  15. Can someone please explain to me what went wrong at my Wags? Today I purchased 1 pack of paper towels for $5 and 4 butterfingers for $.39 each. I used a $.50 MQ for the butterfingers plus 4 RR, 2 @ $1.50 and 2 @ .99. I had one item per coupon, however the last .99 RR would not take. I had to buy another candy bar to make it go through . Any ideas?

    Reply

  16. do you have to do seperate transactions for every item that earns register rewards or can I do one transaction and it will print all register rewards at one time? Also if I have say $7.00 dollars in register reward but it is 2 different print outs (1 for $3.00 and 1 for $4.00) can I use them both towards say a large package of toilet tissue or paper towels?

    Reply

    • @Peggy, You can buy all the different deals in 1 transaction (ie buy 1 paper towels, 1 body wash, and 1 makeup – all 3 rewards will print in 1 transaction). But you can’t buy 2 of the same deal in a transaction and get both rewards, you’ll only get 1 (ie buying 2 makeups in 1 – only 1 RR will print).

      You can’t have more coupons than items, so if you try to use 2 register rewards on 1 pack of toilet paper you’ll have issues. You’ll need to buy another item to use both coupons.

      Reply

  17. I see my problem was addressed, but I never really saw an answer.

    Product A was on sale in the store for $2.99 (marked down from $4.99)
    I have a $3 coupon that the manufacturer gave me.

    The clerk could not ring it up where I could use the coupon, because the coupon was worth more than the product. The asst manager came over and said they couldn’t do that, I then showed the Coupon Policy and I got absolutely nowhere. He said his computer will not let them code in a smaller amount for the coupon. Then I got the whole “I’ve worked here 13 years and I’ve never heard of such a thing” … Is my coupon working and do I need to just go to a different store or am I out of luck here?

    Reply

  18. If I get item A and it has an RR of $5 and then I go back the next day and get the same deal on item A, then can I take the 2 RR’s of $5 ($10 total) and use them at the same time the next time I buy something.

    Reply

  19. If item A has a RR of $2 and item B has an RR of $3 and i want to buy both items at the same time, do I get both RR’s

    Reply

  20. Do you know if you can use RR to buy gift cards? We have a bunch of them that we were going to put into a gift card for my grandma to go get whatever she wants. She doesnt want to shop for sales or use coupons or for us to do the shopping for her. This way we can still help her out with our newly found hobby!

    Reply

  21. @Stephanie,

    I work at Walgreens, I personally have no problem with multiple transactions. I just ask that go over to the cosmetic counter, then you are out of the way of customers that are wanting to just get in and out. At the photo we are normally swamped in orders, but every store should have someone at the make up counter!

    Reply

  22. I’m a rookie, but I read through, and I don’t see where this has been asked before. Do I have to do multiple transactions in order to use my RRs on the other items I would like to purchase using the RRs I just earned? Does this hold the line up? Are the cashiers used to people doing this? How do I plan the best RR-to-transaction strategy for maximum benefit (and time efficiency @ checkout)? Thanks so much.

    Reply

  23. Thank you so much for all the information on this site and in this article. I too am a new couponer.
    One quick question.
    When does walgreens put out their coupons and circulars that are available at the front of the store? I’d like to be there the day they come out.
    Thank you for everything,
    Teresa

    Reply

    • @Teresa, the super saver books come out the first of the month and are good for the whole month, i believe the circulars come out on Sundays and are good through Saturday. Hope that helps.

      Reply

  24. Hi Stephanie,

    I’m new to this couponing thing, and I have a question for you. If Walgreens has a BOGO offer can I use a man. Q that’s 2/$ or would I have to get four items (2 BOGO’s)?

    Thanks, love your site.

    Reply

  25. Our Walgreens no longer does the Easysaver catalog. They stopped doing it here. Now that I have read this, and it’s obvious all the other walgreens are doing it, I am considering calling somebody. Does anybody have a clue why this walgreens would quit while all others are doing it or who I could talk too? thanks so much.

    Reply

  26. Hi Stephanie!

    If one of your purchases receives a RR and you buy more than one of the same product, do you get RRs for both items or just the first product?

    Reply

  27. Walgreens does have a Savings Book every month available at the stores but, on all the coupons, it is printed “not valid with any other offer”. So, I am assuming that you cannot use the IVC from the coupon book with a manufacturer coupon?? I have not tried this yet for fear of rejection!! LOL! This whole couponing way of life has really overtaken my life!! But I am loving it and loving saving money!! I live in NE Iowa and we don’t have any stores in my area that offer double coupons, unless you count Kmart’s joke of double coupon offers they have every few weeks. Thanks for the awesome info!!

    Reply

  28. I am new to couponing and have just spent the evening looking over the site. Thanks for all of your info. I do have one thing to add for Walgreens though, they also do a military discount of 10% off entire purchase every Tuesday (check locally if you are military). The only weird thing is that you have to be checked out at a certain register. I’m not sure if that will effect using coupons or getting RR’s.

    Reply

  29. I really enjoy your blog and I WISH I had had the Walgreens coupon policy with me today. The casher told me that RR’s are considered manufacturer coupons and therefore I could not use RR and a manufacturer coupon on the same item. Is this right? I double-checked the policy it says it allows one manufacturer coupon and one Walgreens coupon. I assumed RR’s were considered Walgreens coupons. Am I incorrect? I was trying to do the following transactions:

    1)Colgate toothpaste (received $2.99 in RR)
    2) Huggies Diapers (use $2.99 RR and a $2 manufacturer coupon), was told that this wasn’t allowed so I didn’t buy the diapers and instead tried,
    3)Always pads (use $2.99 RR and a $1.00 manufacturer coupon) which they wouldn’t let me do, so I used the RR only. Received $1 RR.
    4) Finish detergent (use $1 RR and .75 cent manufacturer coupon). They wouldn’t let me use the manuf. coupon so I used the RR only.

    Needless to say, I was a bit perplexed and the cashier was annoyed. I did give the RR to the cashier before the manufacturer coupon. Will changing the order in which I give the coupons to the cashier change my outcome?

    Jen

    Reply

    • @Jen, Sorry, but the cashier is right – RRs are considered manufacturer coupons BUT you can use them as long as you buy a filler. So, buy Huggies and a pencil or cheap gum or something. Then you can use your manufacturer coupon and your RR.

      Reply

  30. Hi,

    I’ve got a question about Walgreens return policy.
    I asked my husband to stop by Walgreens the other day to purchase diapers and wipes for our son. Long story short, he bought the wron kind and now I need to return both the diapers and the wipes packages. He paid using the RR I got from some deal a couple of weeks ago. He did not use any other coupons on that transaction. My question is: what type of refund should I expect when go to Walgreens and return both items? I’d like to be prepared as I had all sorts of trouble at that store, and I can’t go to another one, as it is too far from my house.

    Thanks,
    Julia.

    Reply

  31. A clerk at Walgreens just told me that they are no longer accepting printed coupons from a computer from the manufacturor.

    Is this a misinformed clerk or a new policy change?

    Reply

  32. The Walgreens near me will NOT take both an IVC and a MFG coupon. Maybe it is only this particular store, I am not sure. I even contacted corporate about it and then the local store emailed me back stating that the IVC coupons say “not valid with any other offers” and they consider a Manufacturer Coupon another offer. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

    Reply

    • @Sarah, This happens sometimes, but the IVC coupons have always had those terms and Walgreens has always accepted them along with a manufacturer’s coupon. I would try contacting corporate again and asking them to email you their coupon policy.

      Reply

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  36. I love your site and I work at Walgreen’s. The pay is terrible ($7.75/hr) in a major metro area and I noticed several customers getting great deals and plan to do them myself since need to stretch my paycheck. However some customers abuse this too much and eventually this may lead to changes. One night we had over hundred coupons for 2 or 3 customers in one family that took over an hour to match up after shift. I’m sure abuses like this may get manufacturers and/or Walgreens to change the system. So please don’t go too far overboard at one store or hold up the line with several transactions in a row.

    And don’t get mad at cashiers. Walgreen’s pay is horrible for low end employees while managers make high pay and get bonuses. Niether the company or the managers at my store even gave employees thank you cards or anything else for the holidays (christmas or thanksgiving) while the store manager got a $20k bonus (he gets more than one bonus a year one top of $60k+ salary). Naturally your not going to get the greatest employees working a register with a company like that.

    Reply

  37. I understand that that is the policy, but why do all this websites about coupons advertise that we can get free staff when we really can’t?….. i did not want the 11 cents back or anything like that and i bought other items also but still they did not want to take my coupons …so i did not get the tooth paste or the tooth brushes but i know many others did get them…..so is this policy only for some walgreens or it applies to all?

    Reply

  38. Hi, today i did my first attemp to use coupons at walgreens and i am not really satisfied. I don’t know if it is because i don’t understand it or because the cashier did not understand me. Maybe you can help me to figure it out. I wanted to buy aluminium paper and they had it for sale at 89 cents (using a walgreen coupon). I also had a manufacter coupon of 1dollar of 1 . I used my two coupons but the cashier said that i could not do that because the manufacter coupon was more than the price of the item. She told me that that was their policy. Do you know anything about this?…i feel that i should of gotten the item for free and they would still own me 11 cents!!….If they are correct….is this only for walgreens or other stores have the same policy.
    what could i have done to get the item for free?…maybe i should of buy the aluminium foil + a can of tomato sauce?…Let me know what would you have done.
    Thanks,
    Candy 🙂

    Reply

    • @Candy, i work at walgreens. it is policy that we cant do that. if we did that, everyone would get free items with their coupons and the company would lose buisness. think to yourself now, do you really think thats okay to get a free product and then money back?? thats just silly.

      Reply

      • @christi, Actually, it is not silly at all. The store will be reimbursed for the FULL value of the coupon, so it makes sense that the customer should receive the FULL discount. However, some stores do not allow cash back, in which case they should have adjusted the coupon down to the price of the item.

        Reply

        • @Stephanie, I know now that i will never be able to get a free product (at walgreens) that cost .99 cents when i have a coupon for 1 dollar. At least not in my area. (seattle)

          Reply

  39. I think I understand this, but wanted to make sure…I have a $5 RR – I don’t have to have 5 separate items to use this, correct? I can use it on just 1 item as long as it is over $5.

    Reply

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  41. I have a question i just went to Wag’s and purchased Kotex pads and got a $3 RR then purchased Huggies and got a $3 RR But both of these are from Kimberly Clark so I am wondering if since they are both from the same manufacturer if i could use the RR from the Huggies On the Kotex purchase or if it would cancel out because it is by the same manufacturer

    Reply

  42. “When you earn a Register Reward you can use it to buy other items that earn Register Rewards, but not on the same deal. For example: Buy Tylenol for $3.99, earn $3 Register Rewards. Then buy Gillette Razor for $7.99, use $3 RR from Tylenol, earn $4 RR for Gillette. You cannot use the $3 Tylenol RR to buy more Tylenol and earn another reward. Using the Reward will cancel out the Register Reward that you should be earning. But, you can use Register Rewards on OTHER deals earning Register Rewards.”

    I guess I didn’t fully understand this. When I went today I used a register reward that I received for buying Pepsi and Lay’s and then bought some more Pepsi products. Since I had many other items in my cart, I thought that the $10 from earlier in the week would apply to those items. I didn’t know that it completely cancels out that reward again (even if you have other items that it should/would apply to).

    The manager also told me:
    If you purchase something like P&G deodorant that has a $4 RR and then the following week you purchase another P&G item that has a RR, using the RR from the deodorant will invalidate the new item’s RR as well. Is that correct?

    Geeez if so, I have to know every manufacturer before I can buy anything using RRs.

    Please help!

    Thanks in advance,
    ~Melissa

    Reply

    • @Melissa, Yes, even though you bought other items, using the pepsi RR on a transaction where you are purchasing other items too will still cancel out the RR.

      It is kind of confusing. I usually break my transactions up as small as possible so I don’t accidentally mess up (which I still do!). Each RR will have the manufacturer listed on there, so check the RR with the manufacturer on the product before you purchase.

      Reply

  43. I have been having so much fun with this website, especially the Walgreen’s deals.I do find that they run out of the really good deals quick, but have been really good about writing rainchecks. Thanks for all this awesome money saving info Stephanie!!

    Reply

  44. When you say “Register Reward” (RR) in your explanations, are you talking about a RR worth $1?

    So because I can’t use more coupons than products, If I have two items and I want to use IVCs and MCs, and RRs, can I use a RR worth $5? Or do I have to buy more products because it is worth “5”?

    Does that make sense? This is the only thing I am confused about in your explanation.

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • @Tara, Register Rewards worth $5 will still be counted as ONE coupon. You will still need to buy at least $5 worth of products to be able to use a $5 RR since Walgreens does not give cash back.

      I hope that answers your question! 🙂

      Reply

  45. I think the hardest part about couponing is getting the cashiers on the same page! They seem to get so mad when you are getting a good deal, and I really don’t understand that. They will get their money with the coupons– I guess they don’t understand what happens to a coupon after they accept it. (sigh) Oh well.
    -Sylvia

    Reply

    • @Campanola Watches, we know, its just a pain in the butt to figure everything out. you have to work with it for awhile to understand. its not that easy and it does get complicated because so many people try to cheat the system.

      Reply

    • @Campanola Watches, I used to cashier for Fred Meyer. The computer keeps track of how many items are scanned in each transaction and how long it took you to ring up the order. They do not like “slow” cashiers. So having to scan in several coupons, answer lots of questions, etc. pulls the cashiers “performance” down (as tracked by the company) and they may get low performance scores, etc. It doesn’t excuse anything less than exceptional customer service but may explain why the cashier may get impatient. Probably worried about the manager scrutinizing her line and giving her crap about taking so long. Do your part and know the coupon policy of the store well and have your coupons ready to go. If the manager has to come over for some reason be sure to tell them how much you appreciate the cashiers close attention to your order or something like that. Build a relationship with a full-time cashier and they’ll get trained how to do a large coupon order and you’ll get through the line faster.

      Reply

  46. I had an experience yesterday at Walgreen’s that I had not had in the past. On a BOGO offer, I have always been able to use two manufacturer’s coupons. I was told that since one item was “free”, I could not use a coupon for it. What is the policy on this?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Teresa,

      There is no “official” policy on using a coupon on a “free” item. It is up to each store. I suggest calling your store and asking the manager (sometimes the cashier doesn’t know the coupon policy). If they won’t take a coupon on the free item then maybe you could find another store in your area that will.

      – Stephanie

      Reply

  47. I faced a problem the other day. I had a walgreens Register reward coupon for $5 and purchased an item worth $5 but the cashier refused to use the RR coupon stating that i had to purchase something more than $5. In the past, i did not have any such problem. The asst manager on duty agreed with her. Do you think that is right? i wrote to walgreens customer service asking for a clarification but never heard back from them.

    Reply

    • Cy,

      It is strange but sometimes for me, the coupon will make the tax negative. So, since they can’t give cash back, they coupon won’t be accepted. It is very strange, but usually I just add in something really cheap (like a 10¢ pencil) to cover the negative tax.

      Reply

  48. Raleigh,

    Great questions!

    Register Rewards can be used to buy anything in the store (except the usual restrictions like stamps, tobacco, etc.)!

    “Using the Reward will cancel out the Register Reward that you should be earning.” it means, if you buy Chapstick, earn a $2 register reward, then buy another chapstick, use the reward you earned from buying the chapstick, another $2 reward will not print.

    “But, you can use Register Rewards on OTHER deals earning Register Rewards.” this means you can use the chapstick $2 register reward to pay for tide detergent, and the tide detergent reward will still print.

    I hope that helps! I know it can be very confusing!

    -Stephanie

    Reply

  49. Amanda,

    Your store is just misinformed. It has not changed. If they warn you that your RR won’t print, I always say “I’m willing to risk it.” They are always shocked when my RR prints anyway.

    Good luck!

    -Stephanie

    Reply

  50. Went to my Walgreens today, have been using this system for about 4 months now…. Today it changed! They said if you use any coupons on RR items you will not get the RRs! They said the Manufacturers changed it! Do you know why they changed it?? Is it because of us :)?

    Reply

  51. Hi there,

    I just wanted to say thanks for posting all of this great information. After reading the policy on register rewards, I have a few questions.

    “When you earn a Register Reward you can use it to buy other items that earn Register Rewards..” — Does this mean that my register rewards are only good on other items that earn register rewards? Or are they good on most other things in the store?

    “Using the Reward will cancel out the Register Reward that you should be earning.” — what does this mean?

    “But, you can use Register Rewards on OTHER deals earning Register Rewards.” — this seems to cancel out the last statement.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  52. I just wanted to tell you that I get a military discount at my Walgreens in Delaware. If anyone gets military privileges it definitely pays to ask if they offer one. They offer it on top of coupons and RR.

    Reply

  53. Thanks Stephanie. For some reason that is what I’ve always thought and so I’ve always done it that way. Glad to know for sure. Yes, you have helped me save hundreds of dollars, feed my family on the same very tight budget I was always on but am now buying SO much more with that amount. What is really exciting is having extra to give away during food drives, etc. Just yesterday, my college daughter was home for the weekend and got to go “shopping” in my pantry. It was so fun to help her out when before I barely had food to feed the two kids I have still living at home. I also gave a bunch of toiletries (all things I got for free) to a group from my daughter’s school that is now in Zambia to take to the orphanage there and am restocking to send with her on a mission trip to Ecuador. All of that is possible because of your blog. I do subscribe to a few others but most of what I use comes from here. You have truly been a God-send to me. I am legally blind an unable to comb the ads and coupons like you do. But, my computer reads aloud to me. So, I can listen to your blog and then find what I need to save money…something I couldn’t do before I discovered your blog. So, thank you a hundred times over for your hard work.

    Debbie

    Reply

  54. First of all I want to say that I love your blog and tell all my friends about it all the time. In fact, one day when I was in line at Target and the cashier was scanning my $127 worth of coupons, the lady behind me asked me how I did this and I told her about your site and how it has helped me so much.

    Now, I have a question about the RRs at Walgreen’s. Can I buy more than one item in one purchase and get RRs for each item purchased. For example, this week there is a $3 RR for Aquafresh toothpaste. Can I get 3 tubes of toothpaste and get $9 in RRs all in one transaction? I’ve never know for sure so have always gone back multiple times or had my daughter buy one for me to get the number that I have coupons for. I can’t seem to find anything anywhere that tells me whether or not you can do multiple purchases and get multiple RRs. Thought maybe you could help me with that.

    Thanks!

    Debbie

    Reply

  55. I hate shopping at Wal-Greens. The last trip they would have owed me back .50 cents, but would not let me get change when using my coupons. I was rather irritated.

    Reply

  56. Thanks so much for showing me ways of saving at Walgreens. I went into our local store to find that they were not offering the Easy Saver Catalog anymore.. I was heartbroken. Is there anywhere else that a person can grab some Walgreens store coupons?

    Reply

  57. Thanks for your helpful cousel on the Walgreens Crazy Coupon Game. I just got back from a trip bought 8 items with 7 coupons and a RR. Pd $.96 oop, saved over 25$! everything went smoothly I used your coupon order, nothing beeped at me and checkout was a snap. The cashier on the phone with his girlfriend didn’t matter either. Thanks fellow Texan (I’m a Fort Worthian). Blessings on you.

    Reply

  58. New Coupon Clipper

    I am fairly new at coupon clipping and have found that going to the cosmetic counter at Walgreens to check out is much better. There is usually an employee standing by to check you out and if there is a problem with a price/coupon the manager is always handy. To many times at the regular check out, internet coupons would not scan…the line would grow and the cashier would get frustrated. Since I have been using the cosmetic check out I usually get the same cashier who is now familiar with “the deals”. I can also make sure the right prices are scanning and have made them make numerous price adjustments to my purchases.

    Reply

  59. I really like your 101 couponing web site i didnt even know walgreens had a saver book. Last week i brought the glade senor and toothpaste and the gariner shampoo and condition and i only had to pay the taxes thanks so much I also like your dinner to save money.

    Reply

  60. Carolin,

    It is possible that since the deodorant was on clearance it did not qualify for the register reward. The rep was wrong – the item being less than the RR doesn’t affect it. I believe you either bought a non-qualifying deo. or the deo being on clearance affected the RR.

    Reply

  61. THIS NEWBIE NEEDS HELP. I’m single and have recently lost my job. So everyone penny counts. I’ve tried 4 different Walgreens this week to do the Dry Idea deal. It’s on clearance for $2.29 and I have (2) $2 off coupons. I SHOULD get (2) $2RRs. Make a long story short. I use my (2) $2 off coupons and pay cash for the remaining. My RRs don’t print out. I ask the cashier why they didn’t print out. She doesn’t know. I go home and call the Catalina phone number and Carla told me that the RR will not print IF you spend less money on each item then what the RR will be. Since the Dry Idea was 29 cents after the coupon and the RR was $2. You don’t get the RR. I don’t understand. Earlier this week I bought Crest that is on clearance for 95 cents used a 75 cents coupon and got my $1RR. I’m confused. Has this happened to anyone? Like I’ve said I’m new to couponing and thinking about giving up on couponing. So much effort for nothing in return. HELP!!!

    Reply

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  63. Thanks! I have been buying lots of filler items because I didn’t want to hold up the line but since you clarify I can stop doing that now and save even more money!

    Reply

  64. Thanks Stephanie! I thought the cashier was incorrect, but I didn’t want to hold up the line. I’m going to go back tomorrow and get my money back.

    Love your website & keep up the good work!

    Reply

  65. Tracey,

    The expiration date is the last day you can use it. If it expires 3/11, you can use it 3/11.

    Quynh,

    IVC’s are NOT counted. Your cashier probably thought it was too many coupons because it beeped. It beeped because the shampoo is $2.99 and you are getting a discount of $3. They aren’t allowed to owe you. The cashier would have needed to adjust the man. Q down to 99¢. Or you could buy a filler to “absorb the overage.”

    Reply

  66. Hi, first I wanted to say that I love your blog and that it has been very helpful. I’m new to the coupon thing and need some clarification on some things. You said in Walgreens 101 that you need as many items as you have coupons and that the IVC and and Walgreens Q’s are not counted. When I first bought a Garnier Fructis shampoo, I was able to use an IVC and manufacturer coupon and only had to pay tax. Later in the week I went back and got another garnier item with an IVC and manufacturer coupon, the cashier that i had this time was different and he said that the computer would not take my manufacturer coupon because I had one too many coupons so I had to buy a filler item. My question is if the IVC’s are really not counted and if they are counted then are they counted as 1 or as many items as the coupon is applied to?

    Reply

  67. I simply HATE having awful couponing experiences… is there a posting of Walgreens coupon policy?? I’ll ask here… Coupon Expiration date of 3/11/09 can i use it on 3/11/09 or is the last day I can use it 3/10/09??

    Reply

  68. Shane,

    Unfortunately not all cashiers quite understand coupons. The cashier should have adjusted the manufacturer coupon down to 99¢ so you would pay $0. Sometimes it is easier to buy overage items along with items you have to pay for to avoid the overage issue.

    Reply

  69. Can somone please give me help with using coupons at Walgreens?

    I bought an item that is $2.99. I had a mfg coupon for $1.00 off the item & a wag coupon for $2.00 the same item. I assumed my bill would be $0 and I’d just pay tax. The cashier said she can’t accept the mfg coupon since the computer won’t accept it. I asked can’t you adjust the coupon & she said no.

    Can I use the combination of coupons to get free items or do I have to buy filler items to get the total over 1 cent?

    Reply

  70. Hey Stephanie, I am new , and all of your information on walgreens is very helpful, just one question. How do you get the discount card? is it free? Thanks!

    Reply

  71. Thanks for the all of your advice and suggestions. I am to a newbie at this coupon thing. I will be trying my coupons out tomorrow to see how this all works. Thanks again!!!

    Reply

  72. Jackie,

    Typically you can only print coupons twice, but if you print 2 and buy 2 of the correct items, you can use both in 1 trip. Though, sometimes a coupon will say “limit 1 per household” even though it lets you print it twice. In that case, you would only be able to use 1 coupon at a time.

    Reply

  73. Thanks so much Stephanie – have another question – with internet coupons -can I print more than one and use them in one purchase. I would like to buy 3 colgate toothpastes – can I print 3 coupons and use them all at once. I’m a newbie – so I appreciate all your help

    Reply

  74. Thanks Jackie! I’m so glad you’ve found the information useful.

    The gift cards rarely take more than 2-3 weeks for me, but the rebate book says to allow 8-10 weeks for delivery.

    Reply

  75. Thanks so much for all this information – this is the best website I have come across in my quest to save money! Can you tell me how long it takes to get the Walgreen’s gift card if I choose to get my rebate $ that way. Thanks so much again! Jackie

    Reply

  76. I spoke to the manager. I was firm telling her I knew I should be able to use a coupon. But she is the one who told me I could not use a coupon if I wanted the RR. I think I will try another Walgreen’s in the future. She told me I was buying the correct razor. It came up as the sale price. I actually tried it three times with the man’s and woman’s but I couldn’t get it to work and I think the manager was ready to kill me.

    Reply

    • @Amanda, I’m new to this as well but quickly learned to stick with the stores that gave good customer service. Some cashiers and managers are rude and not willing to help while others will answer all questions and give me advice on how to work their registers. I return to those stores.

      Reply

  77. Amanda,

    I’m very sorry for your bad experience! I’ve had my fair share of those experiences as well! First of all, did you make sure you purchased the correct razor? The new Gillette Fusion Gamer razors (the ones producing the register reward) look very similar to the other Gillette razors and it’s very easy to grab the wrong one. If you did get the correct one then the problem is the catalina machine – not your coupon. You absolutely CAN use a manufacturer coupon and still get a Register Reward! It worked just fine for me yesterday. If you kept the razor then I suggest returning it.

    Don’t give up! I’m a VERY quiet/shy/non-confrontational person and I’ve had to develop some thick skin since becoming a couponer! I’m still quiet but I’ve learned how to stick up for myself when in those situations. It’s been a tough lesson, but it’s one that PAYS!

    Reply

  78. I am new to Walgreen’s and I went in today to get their deal on razors and my rapid reward didn’t print they called the manager and she said it didn’t print because I used a man. coupon and you can’t use a man. coupon and get the rapid rewards. I was very confused and they made me feel stupid for trying to get a good deal. It made me want to never shop there again.

    Reply

  79. The information you have provided about Walgreens and the coupons for items is very accurate. I am an employee of Walgreens and this is the first site I have come accross that has accurate information about the catalina coupons and using them. This def. makes my job a little easier!! Thanks!!

    Reply

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  82. JamiKate,

    I would say you should probably plan on about 2 hours per week for planning and organizing. Maybe a little more if you are new. It does get easier and takes less time the more you do it. One way to cut out time is to let the internet do the work for you. Read blogs and websites to find the deals for your stores instead of searching for them yourself. I post weekly deals for CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons, Kroger, and Brookshires. I’m also a part of the Grocery Gathering – a collection of blogs that post weekly deals for stores all over the country. So, if you don’t find your store on my site you might check there to see if it is available. Here is the site: http://www.becentsable.net/2008/08/becentsables-original-grocery-gathering.html

    And, yes, that’s how they do it! 🙂

    Reply

  83. I love your website! This is my first time to check it out but already it’s been helpful in decifering the mystery of CVS and Walgreens. I have 2 questions–how much time should I plan on spending each week clipping, organizing, checking out store ads, checking out deals online, searching and printing online coupons, etc.? I’ve tried the couponing thing several times, but each time I’ve given it up after a few months because the time committment was so overwhelming. I think if I know ahead of time how much time to plan for, it would help me stick with it. Also, I’ve been at CVS behind women buying all kinds of things and getting them free. Is this how they did that? Thanks for your help!

    Reply

  84. oh some other useful information. If the items are BOGO and they only have 1 on the shelf you can get that item half price. Also if an item that prints RR is out they will give you a raincheck for the sale price-RR’s so you are actually less OOP that way.

    I wish I could edit my comments :S

    Reply

    • I called customer service and they explained that if you get a rain check on an item that has Register Rewards, the rain check will be for the sale price only (without register rewards). They cannot subtract the register reward amount. I have tried this before with no succes. Customer service also said it is up to management but they do not have a policy allowing that.

      Reply

    • Rennelda Schumacher

      The RR come out from the catalina machine which Walgreens has no control over. It is always best to get a raincheck and then use a coupon (if you intended on it) that was it is less out of pocket. If you do have problems with the catalina, you are suppose to call their company, not Walgreens to get the problem fixed.

      Reply

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