Working the RRs at Walgreens

Here are some basic rules for working Walgreens

Walgreens "deals" are Register Rewards. When you buy an item that produces a Register Reward you may use that Register Reward (rr) on a future purchase (transaction).

The secreat to learning Walgreens is understanding the following basic rules:

1) Limits. Most Register Rewards deals are "Limit one per transaction". You cannot buy two deals and have it print two rr's. You will need to split up your purchases in order to receive more than one RR.

2) RR's are actually Manufacturer coupons. Basic rule of couponing is that you may only use ONE MANUFACTURER COUPON per item. Since a RR is a manufacturer coupon, you need another item for this coupon to "attach to". Hereout referred to as "fillers". Any time you see "filler" it means buy the cheapest thing in the store you can find that does not require a manufacturer coupon. (Walgreens coupons do not count as manufacturer coupons, they are something different).

3) You cannot purchase an item with the same rr that just printed for that item. (Well, you can, but it will not produce another rr). This often also applies for manufacturers as well.

Knowing these basic rules will get you far in the ways of Walgreens.

Here's how to get the FARR (Free after Regsiter Reward) items for as little as possible, plus a few other things.

If you do jump in with both feet doing multiple transactions, just tell the cashier you have a few different transactions. . . if you feel the old stink-eye from the cashier, smile, be nice and if someone gets in line behind you, hop out and go to the end to do another transaction.

oh, and ALWAYS check out at the cosmetics counter. Less line.

Working the EBs at CVS

Here are some basic rules for CVS:

CVS uses a loyalty card. Limits are set based on card purchase. Get yourself a CVS card and use it with every transaction. This is how you earn special promotional discounts and Extra Care Bucks (ecb's).
ECB's print out at the bottom of your receipt. ECB's are like cash and can be used on anything (except the usual excluded items, alcohol, tobacco, etc). You can roll them into your next deal, including the same item (unlike Walgreens). You can buy one thing, get an ecb, turn around and use that ecb on the same thing. Since CVS uses a loyalty card system and can limit the amount of "deals" you get per card, they don't have to worry about all the catalina hijinks that Walgreens has to do with not being able to use an rr to get an rr for the same product, etc. Lately they have been adding "Limit 1"

After I do my first transaction, I  tear off my ecb's from the bottom of the receipt and then use them in the next transaction- or if I'm on the last transaction, I put the ecb in my CVS envelope so I know where it is. (those receipts tend to get lost)

If you're starting out, and will be near a CVS, go ahead and stop in and get a CVS card. Register with it online and enter an email address and they will email you a $4/$20 coupon.