Shopping with Coupons | Learn to Play the Drugstores
This is the seventh and final baby step to Shopping with Coupons: A Beginner's Guide to Saving. This snack will help you Learn to Play the Drugstores.
When I first started to use coupons, I did not play the drugstores. At that time, I was using a paid service that matched coupons with sales, and the “rules” they provided for drugstore shopping were not clear. Honestly, drugstore shopping just seemed more confusing than it was worth. Obviously, I didn't truly understand the value drugstores could provide for me.
I decided some tips to play these drugstores would be nice to share so my friends could see the benefits of shopping at drugstores too. So, to Learn to Play the Drugstores, I want to reinforce the fourth baby step to Focus on One Store. If you try to learn every drugstore at once, the rewards programs and rules will get confusing and you may get frustrated. The whole purpose of following baby steps is to avoid the frustration. I want you to learn at your own pace and be motivated to save!
To help you Learn to Play the Drugstores, I have two snacks that have been around since I began Mommy Snacks. These are a must-read if you want to save even more money and get lots of FREE stuff! Please refer to:
Walgreens – Top 5 Tips to Play
You will see other discussions on drugstore shopping that quite possibly are more comprehensive. But, some of that information (as my friends have told me) is overwhelming and just too much. I try to keep many things with just a few tips or bullets because it seems that my friends and I learn better that way, so I'm hoping you do too :-)
When you have prescriptions to fill (like our family does), periodically both stores will publish coupons to receive a store gift card for a new or transferred prescription. Both CVS and Walgreens will accept competitor's coupons for these gift card offers too. This is a great way to have money to play and earn ECB's (at CVS) or pay for rebate items up front (at Walgreens).
I really don't have a preference on either store since both programs are unique – the sales always dictate where I shop. I have shared many times, my ultimate goal in shopping and saving is coming in at/under my grocery budget. I have saved a ton of money this year at both stores! I feel it is a blessing since the first day I began to Learn to Play the Drugstores!
Read all of the steps in the Beginners Guide to Saving.
Andrea – where do you find the coupon machine in your store? What does it look like?
Thanks
Theresa, the coupon machine in our store is right near the front aisles. It is red with a black iron stand it sits on. You can’t miss them!
What Walgreens do you use that accepts comp. coupons? Mine won’t. I’d love to know since Kroger stopped taking them too.
Thanks!
Sherry, I’m DM’ing you on twitter :-)