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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Walgreens- Register Rewards, coupon policies, etc.

Note in this picture on the bottom right the Wal-Fex is on sale for $9.99 and you get $3 in Register Rewards back so it's like paying $6.99 after Register Rewards.  Yes, you have to pay the $9.99 first but you get the $3 back to use on something else.





Walgreens offers special coupons called Register Rewards (RR).  You do not have to join any programs, sign up for anything, or have a special card (like at CVS).  Once you make a qualifying purchase the machine next to the register, called a catalina coupon machine, will print out the Register Reward.  You can use the Register Reward towards your next purchase.  They expire 2 weeks from the date it is printed so make sure to use it before it expires.  The good thing about the RR not being tied to a rewards card like at CVS is that you can usually do multiple transactions to get more than one of the deal.  Some stores to enforce a limit so check with your store.  Usually the limits are on items that become free after RR.  For example, buy a toothpaste for $3 and get a $3 RR back.  It basically makes it free after RR. 


You can get a RR from one transaction and then use it on your next transaction on the same day at the same store most of the time.  For example, you buy a bottle of baby wash that is on sale for $3 and it also gives you $2 in RR back.  You can pay for the baby wash, get the $2 RR and use it to pay for another item as long as the second transaction before tax is over the price of the RR or $2 in this example.  


You cannot use a RR from one deal to buy another one OF THE SAME DEAL or the RR for the second transaction won't print out.  For example, a toothbrush is on sale for $2 and you get a $2 RR back.  You buy a toothbrush, pay the $2 and a $2 RR comes out.  You decide to buy another toothbrush.  If you try to pay for the second toothbrush with the RR you got from the first transaction it will not print another $2 RR at the end of the second transaction because you are using a RR from the same type of deal.  The register knows which deal the RR came from.


BUT, you can use a RR that you got from most other deals to pay for the toothbrush and it will print the RR.  For example, you can buy a $3 bottle of baby lotion that gives you back a $3 RR in the first transaction.  You can then use the $3 RR from the baby lotion to pay for a toothpaste that is on sale for $3 with a $3 RR and that $3 RR will print.  A few months ago there were 2 items on sale one week that were both $2 and then you got a $2 RR back.  You could have paid for item A, received a $2 RR from that transaction, used it to pay for item B in a second transaction, then received a $2 RR from the purchase of item B.  Then you could have "rolled" that RR into transaction number three to pay for another item A and so on and so on.  But check with your store because some stores enforce limits.


Other rules- You can only use 1 manufacturer and 1 Walgreens coupon PER ITEM.  Walgreens coupons can be found in their weekly ads, their monthly coupon booklets, and sometimes other Walgreens coupon booklets.  A Walgreens coupon DOES NOT have a manufacturer's address on it like a regular coupon does.  


IMPORTANT- If you have a Walgreens coupon and a manufacturer coupon for the same item make sure to give the manufacturer coupon first or the register might beep at you and mess up the transaction.


Filler items- A Register Reward counts as a manufacturer coupon.  If you are buying an item that you have another manufacturer coupon for and you want to pay with a RR you need a filler item.  What this means is another item that is cheap so you can use the 2 coupons.  For example, if you are buying a deodorant for $3 and you have a $1 off manufacturer coupon for the deodorant and you want to pay using a $2 RR that is 2 coupons for only one item, the deodorant.  But if you add something else to this transaction you can use 2 coupons, the coupon for the deodorant in this case and the Register Reward.  I usually look to see what is on sale that week to use as filler.  Often popcorn packages will be on sale for $.25 or you can find a holiday themed pencil, a package of jello, etc.  


Some stores, like Publix, will take Register Rewards as payment.  That does not mean that Publix is counting Walgreens as a competitor.  Publix will not price match Walgreens ads or accept Walgreens coupons.  But because RR are manufacturer coupons, not Walgreens coupons, Publix WILL accept them towards your grocery total.  RR have the manufacturer's address on it so Publix can mail it to the manufacturer like any other coupon and get reimbursed for the face value plus a $.08 handling fee on each one.  Publix WILL NOT take CVS Extra Care Bucks however because those are CVS "currency" and Publix would have no where to get reimbursed for them like with the Register Rewards.


I hope this helps!  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

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