Tuesday, September 30, 2008

My Experience with Walgreens

If you have visited any of my favorite money saving blogs, you'll quickly realize that shopping at Walgreens can make you a little money and a lot of free products. BUT I don't seem to have it down yet. So far I've had to pay out of pocket for several things. If you are an experienced Walgreens shopper I'm sending out an SOS. Please help. And if you've never shopped there, jump on the bandwagon, there are great deals to be had.

Last week I bought most of the "free after mail in rebate" products. (All the ones I knew I would use, that is.) I had a coupon for almost all of them. I even realized that several of them, along with a purse I got on clearance, would make a great gift for someone. When I submitted my rebates online, I got the purchase price of the lotion (which was priced at around $16) minus the coupons. Bummer! Why would they do that?

Then I went in to get a particular toothbrush that was 2 for $5 and a register reward (which means they print off coupons when you make a certain purchase...in this case the RR would make the toothbrushes free). I didn't buy the EXACT toothbrush pictured, so I didn't get the RR. Who woulda thunk it?

Then I bought some buy one, get one free eyeshadow, and I had a BOGO coupon. She wouldn't give me the first eye shadow free. I've used BOGO coupons before (I haven't been couponing long, but Homeland will do it) and know that it is suppose to work. But it didn't.

Then yesterday I went in and got another toothbrush with a RR attached (I had a coupon making this particular purchase a money maker) and a razor (that I had a coupon for, making it free) with a RR. Then I thought I'd be slick and go back and do it all again. I picked up some M and M's cause quite frankly, I felt weird about going right back through the line with this RR money I had just garnered. Well I spent the RR on the toothbrush that I had gotten back from the toothbrush, and they wouldn't take it!!! So I didn't get it free, and now I have a coupon for a razor and RR from the razor and can't use them together.

OH, woe is me. What am I doing wrong?

6 comments:

Unknown said...

yeah i personally don't like or shop at walgreens i think they are rude and have two many rules i only stick to cvs i have done walgreens before but i just don't care for them!

Kim said...

I'm not sure, but I can't seem to get CVS down either. Maybe there's a limit? That's why CVS has you use a card so you can't stock up on the ECB's

Laura said...

RE: Wellness 360--Well, the main thing is to get signed up & go everyday & read something, then when they send out emails that say they are having a double point weekend (they did this on Fathers Day & July 4th), then really get to reading & clicking! They ad up pretty quick that way! Hope that helps!

Anonymous said...

I usually have to explain to the cashier that with the BOGO Free coupons, that the manufacturer is giving me one and Walgreens is giving me the other. Still, if you have a coupon nazi cashier, they won't do it - they just don't think anything is free in this life. If you're using the register rewards from one toothbrush to buy another toothbrush, they should have taken it but it won't spit out another one - and read the fine print on the RRs too. If you're using a RR and a coupon, then you must purchase 2 items (or something to that manner) which I usually grab something off of the clearance rack or a single piece of candy. I just checked my rebate for the L'oreal, and I did use a $3 coupon, but the entire amount is listed $16.49. I'd call Walgreens about that since I've never had them deduct a coupon from the rebate submitted. One last thing, before you start having the cashier ring up your purchases, check to make sure the green light is on on the Catalina/RRs machine. If the RR doesn't print because you didn't purchase the correct item, return it before you leave the store. Been there, done that. Check out these sites for more info: http://fromwagstoriches.entempore.com/walgreens-language/ or http://iheartwags.com/ or http://frugalisfab.blogspot.com/2008/06/getting-started_25.html

Karen in So. MD

Michelle said...

Well christy, you should remember, we dont have a CVS very close. Or I would try them out too.

Thanks Karen. That is a HUGE help!

Unknown said...

ya no Michelle to be honest i do not even remember there being a Walgreen's out there lol!!