As background, let me say that I shop at the three biggest drugstore chains: CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. I save about $200-300 per month over what I would have paid at Target's best price (i.e., with sales and coupons). My personal policy now is to not pay for shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, and dishwashing soap, unless my favorite version is on steep sale or I need a very specific version. I also save on necessities like paper goods, baby items, over the counter medication, and food. If you want to do the same, here's how you can get started:
First, you need to understand how store coupons and manufacturer coupons work together. Coupons that come with the Sunday newspaper are most commonly manufacturer coupons that can be used at any store that takes coupons. Manufacturer coupons can usually be combined with a store coupon, which is a coupon that is put out by the store. For example, if you have a $1 off Pantene manufacturer coupon and a $1 off Pantene CVS coupon, you can use both coupons at CVS to get $2 off a bottle of shampoo.
The next thing you need to understand is how the various store rewards and rebate programs work. Each major drugstore has its own program and each is a little different. For example, CVS has the ExtraCare program https://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/extracare/extracare.jsp- Extra Bucks (also known as ExtraCare Bucks, or ECBs) are coupons that print at the end of your receipt after qualifying purchases. ECBs can be used like cash on future purchases.
Walgreens has a program that's somewhat similar to the ExtraCare program called Register Rewards, which are coupons that print out after you make a qualifying purchase. Walgreens also has the monthly Easy Saver rebate program.http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jsp Each month, Walgreens comes out with the Easy Saver catalog, which includes many rebate offers as well as coupons. After you make your purchases, you submit the required information and wait until you get your rebate. You'll receive an extra 10% on your rebate if you have the rebate credited to a Walgreens gift card.
Rite Aid has the Single Check Rebate program,https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/default.asp?jse=yes which is similar to Walgreens' program. Like Walgreens, Rite Aid puts out a monthly rebate booklet that lists that month's offers. Make your qualifying purchases, enter your information online, and wait for your check.
The key to success and big savings in The Drugstore Game is understanding how coupons and rewards programs work together. This can be tricky, but it is absolutely worth mastering. For example, last week, CVS offered a Sunday-and-Monday only deal of free-after-ECB L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Serum. If you paid $11.99, you got $11.99 back in ECBs. But wait! If you used a $2 off $10 purchase coupon that was available online last month, and a $3 off L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle product coupon from a previous Sunday newspaper, you'd only pay $6.99 and still get $11.99 back in ECBs. In other words, you'd "make" $5 to spend at CVS on things you'd be buying anyway, like food or diapers or toilet paper.
In order to play The Drugstore Game at a high level, you need a game plan before you head out the door. The key to a good game plan is good sources of information. You could sit at home poring over the weekly and monthly drugstore circulars, or you could simply visit the sites that do all the math for you. I rely on coupon forums like A Full Cup http://afullcup.com/, SlickDeals http://www.slickdeals.net/, FatWallet http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/, and Hot Coupon World http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/for previews of upcoming ads, highlighted deals with coupon match ups, and tips on how the deals are working (for instance, sometimes the ECBs on a deal don't print properly for the first couple of days of the sale, or a deal that's advertised as a weekly deal is actually a monthly deal so there's no need to rush to the store).
There are also some fabulous blogs that put together lists of the weekly deals, lists of items that are free after coupon and/or sale, and scenarios to help get the most bang for your buck. These sites were especially helpful to me when I first started playing The Drugstore Game and didn't quite understand all of the in's and out's of the game. If you're new to The Drugstore Game, I highly recommend checking out the following sites:
Coupon Cravings http://www.couponcravings.com/
Common Sense with Money http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/
Mommy Making Money http://sahmmoney.blogspot.com/
Money Saving Mom http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
First, you need to understand how store coupons and manufacturer coupons work together. Coupons that come with the Sunday newspaper are most commonly manufacturer coupons that can be used at any store that takes coupons. Manufacturer coupons can usually be combined with a store coupon, which is a coupon that is put out by the store. For example, if you have a $1 off Pantene manufacturer coupon and a $1 off Pantene CVS coupon, you can use both coupons at CVS to get $2 off a bottle of shampoo.
The next thing you need to understand is how the various store rewards and rebate programs work. Each major drugstore has its own program and each is a little different. For example, CVS has the ExtraCare program https://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/extracare/extracare.jsp- Extra Bucks (also known as ExtraCare Bucks, or ECBs) are coupons that print at the end of your receipt after qualifying purchases. ECBs can be used like cash on future purchases.
Walgreens has a program that's somewhat similar to the ExtraCare program called Register Rewards, which are coupons that print out after you make a qualifying purchase. Walgreens also has the monthly Easy Saver rebate program.http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jsp Each month, Walgreens comes out with the Easy Saver catalog, which includes many rebate offers as well as coupons. After you make your purchases, you submit the required information and wait until you get your rebate. You'll receive an extra 10% on your rebate if you have the rebate credited to a Walgreens gift card.
Rite Aid has the Single Check Rebate program,https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/default.asp?jse=yes which is similar to Walgreens' program. Like Walgreens, Rite Aid puts out a monthly rebate booklet that lists that month's offers. Make your qualifying purchases, enter your information online, and wait for your check.
The key to success and big savings in The Drugstore Game is understanding how coupons and rewards programs work together. This can be tricky, but it is absolutely worth mastering. For example, last week, CVS offered a Sunday-and-Monday only deal of free-after-ECB L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Serum. If you paid $11.99, you got $11.99 back in ECBs. But wait! If you used a $2 off $10 purchase coupon that was available online last month, and a $3 off L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle product coupon from a previous Sunday newspaper, you'd only pay $6.99 and still get $11.99 back in ECBs. In other words, you'd "make" $5 to spend at CVS on things you'd be buying anyway, like food or diapers or toilet paper.
In order to play The Drugstore Game at a high level, you need a game plan before you head out the door. The key to a good game plan is good sources of information. You could sit at home poring over the weekly and monthly drugstore circulars, or you could simply visit the sites that do all the math for you. I rely on coupon forums like A Full Cup http://afullcup.com/, SlickDeals http://www.slickdeals.net/, FatWallet http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/, and Hot Coupon World http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/for previews of upcoming ads, highlighted deals with coupon match ups, and tips on how the deals are working (for instance, sometimes the ECBs on a deal don't print properly for the first couple of days of the sale, or a deal that's advertised as a weekly deal is actually a monthly deal so there's no need to rush to the store).
There are also some fabulous blogs that put together lists of the weekly deals, lists of items that are free after coupon and/or sale, and scenarios to help get the most bang for your buck. These sites were especially helpful to me when I first started playing The Drugstore Game and didn't quite understand all of the in's and out's of the game. If you're new to The Drugstore Game, I highly recommend checking out the following sites:
Coupon Cravings http://www.couponcravings.com/
Common Sense with Money http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/
Mommy Making Money http://sahmmoney.blogspot.com/
Money Saving Mom http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
I heart CVS http://iheartcvs.com/
I heart Rite Aid http://iheartriteaid.com/
I heart Wags http://iheartwags.com/
Finally, let me offer a few suggestions to help you get started:
Pick a week and start on Sunday. Better yet, buy an early edition of the Sunday paper and start on Saturday.
Get organized. At the beginning, you may find it easiest to clip every coupon and file them in a multi-pocket folder, shoebox or plastic container, although some people really like to use a binder and still others use hanging folders. I'm still working on my own coupon organization system, so I'm not the best person to give advice in this area. Eventually, you'll figure out what works for you.
Check out the sites listed above and decide what you would like to buy. Create your scenarios and write them down, including the coupons you plan to use. Create some alternative scenarios as well, in case some of the items are out of stock. This does take some time at the beginning, but trust me, it'll take a lot less time once you get the hang of it.
Before you leave the house, make sure you have your coupons and scenarios. I like to bring all of my coupons since I never know when I might spot an unadvertised or clearance deal that I can't pass up. I also recommend bringing a calculator in case you have to re-work some of your deals, and the weekly and monthly circulars. (If you forget the circulars or don't have them yet, you should be able to pick them up at the front of the store.) The circulars are handy because stores don't always mark the shelves properly, and sometimes the only way to tell which item qualifies for a deal is to check the printed circular.
One final word of advice: Sometimes using a lot of coupons can create problems with the registers, which are programmed in a certain way. And sometimes cashiers and managers have attitude problems with customers using coupons. Even if there's no excuse for the treatment you're getting when you're checking out, please try to always remain polite and courteous. It's good for all Drugstore Game players if the stores think of us as their best customers!
You can read all of my posts on The Drugstore Game here and here. For a simple example of how The Drugstore Game can work, check out this post at I heart Wags, and then read the explanation.
It's your turn: What do you wish you had known when you first started playing The Drugstore Game? example below on 9/24 crest pro health rinse 500 ml $4.49chips ahoy 15.25 oz. $2.50chips ahoy 15.25 oz. $2.50halloween goblet $.99subtotal $10.48+ $.47 tax=$10.95 (used $10 rr, $.95 cash)received:$3 rr for nabisco (8/29 to 9/27)$4.50 rr for crest pro health rinse (through 9/26)then i bought:3 robitussin $15gallon of milk $3.79subtotal $18.79used coupons:-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)=$9.79 (used $4.50 rr, $4.50 rr, & $.79 cash)received:$10 rr for robitussin (rr reward 9/1 to 10/31, on sale for $5 09/21 - 09/27)summary:spent $19 rr + $1.74 cashreceived $17.50 rrcost: $3.24 i was hoping to get more of the reach items, but they were out. i think i will have quite a nice set of goblets soon :)no profit today, but i needed the milk. i still paid less than the cost of the milk by itself, plus i got more cookies... mmmm, cookies... Now would you rather jsut buy the milk at 3.79 or all of the other things listed at 3.24?
I heart Rite Aid http://iheartriteaid.com/
I heart Wags http://iheartwags.com/
Finally, let me offer a few suggestions to help you get started:
Pick a week and start on Sunday. Better yet, buy an early edition of the Sunday paper and start on Saturday.
Get organized. At the beginning, you may find it easiest to clip every coupon and file them in a multi-pocket folder, shoebox or plastic container, although some people really like to use a binder and still others use hanging folders. I'm still working on my own coupon organization system, so I'm not the best person to give advice in this area. Eventually, you'll figure out what works for you.
Check out the sites listed above and decide what you would like to buy. Create your scenarios and write them down, including the coupons you plan to use. Create some alternative scenarios as well, in case some of the items are out of stock. This does take some time at the beginning, but trust me, it'll take a lot less time once you get the hang of it.
Before you leave the house, make sure you have your coupons and scenarios. I like to bring all of my coupons since I never know when I might spot an unadvertised or clearance deal that I can't pass up. I also recommend bringing a calculator in case you have to re-work some of your deals, and the weekly and monthly circulars. (If you forget the circulars or don't have them yet, you should be able to pick them up at the front of the store.) The circulars are handy because stores don't always mark the shelves properly, and sometimes the only way to tell which item qualifies for a deal is to check the printed circular.
One final word of advice: Sometimes using a lot of coupons can create problems with the registers, which are programmed in a certain way. And sometimes cashiers and managers have attitude problems with customers using coupons. Even if there's no excuse for the treatment you're getting when you're checking out, please try to always remain polite and courteous. It's good for all Drugstore Game players if the stores think of us as their best customers!
You can read all of my posts on The Drugstore Game here and here. For a simple example of how The Drugstore Game can work, check out this post at I heart Wags, and then read the explanation.
It's your turn: What do you wish you had known when you first started playing The Drugstore Game? example below on 9/24 crest pro health rinse 500 ml $4.49chips ahoy 15.25 oz. $2.50chips ahoy 15.25 oz. $2.50halloween goblet $.99subtotal $10.48+ $.47 tax=$10.95 (used $10 rr, $.95 cash)received:$3 rr for nabisco (8/29 to 9/27)$4.50 rr for crest pro health rinse (through 9/26)then i bought:3 robitussin $15gallon of milk $3.79subtotal $18.79used coupons:-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)-$3 off robitussin (printable no longer available)=$9.79 (used $4.50 rr, $4.50 rr, & $.79 cash)received:$10 rr for robitussin (rr reward 9/1 to 10/31, on sale for $5 09/21 - 09/27)summary:spent $19 rr + $1.74 cashreceived $17.50 rrcost: $3.24 i was hoping to get more of the reach items, but they were out. i think i will have quite a nice set of goblets soon :)no profit today, but i needed the milk. i still paid less than the cost of the milk by itself, plus i got more cookies... mmmm, cookies... Now would you rather jsut buy the milk at 3.79 or all of the other things listed at 3.24?
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