How to Shop for FREE at Walgreens

Walgreens is one of my favorite stores to shop.  I have picked up all of my family's personal care items there for next to nothing or absolutely nothing! Some people are intimidated by the idea of shopping at Walgreens, but all it takes is some general knowledge, and a few test runs, and before long, you won't be buying your personal care items at a grocery store ever again! 

There are basically two ways to get product for cheap at Walgreens, Register Rewards and Stacking.

REGISTER REWARDS

The main way to pick up FREE items at Walgreens is by utilizing their Register Rewards. A Register Reward is a cash back coupon which prints after you purchase an item that is part of a Register Reward promotion. You can then apply the Register Reward to your next transaction.

Example:
Scunci Rubber Bands $2.00
Pay $2.00

Receive a $2.00 Register Reward

Unlike Albertson’s catalinas, Walgreens Register Rewards CANNOT be rolled. As with the example above, if you chose to use your $2.00 Scunci Register Reward to pay for a second pack of Scunci Rubber Bands, you could do so if you wanted to, but you would not receive a $2.00 Register Reward on your second transaction for the rubber bands (it will not print.)  When a Register Reward prints, it will have the product’s company’s name on it.  This makes it easier to tell them apart when you are paying with Register Rewards from multiple products.  Try to avoid paying for a product with Register Rewards from the same product.

Register Reward for Colgate, should not be used to pay for another Colgate product, if you expect the
second Colgate product you are buying to give you another Register Reward.

You will only receive ONE Register Reward per transaction per product.

Example:

If you wanted TWO packs of free Scunci rubber bands, you would need to do two separate transactions to receive a Register Reward for each item. 

If you bought them both at the same time, only one $2.00 Register Reward would print.

You are allowed to combine Register Rewards with manufacturer coupons on a purchase.

Example: 

If you had a coupon for $.50 off Scunci rubber bands, you would pay $1.50 and would receive a $2.00 Register Reward at checkout. This would be a .50 MONEYMAKER ;)

IMPORTANT: Register Rewards are considered manufacturer coupons and will need their own item to attach to upon checkout. Walgreens coupon/item ratio policy is that you need to have as many items as you have manufacturer coupons.

Example:

You want to purchase four bottles of Garnier Fructis for $10
You want to use four $1.00/1 Garnier coupons and a $6 Register Reward
Your price: Free

*Because you have four items, and FIVE manufacturer coupons, you would have to add one more item to meet the coupon/item ratio.

This is where “filler” items would come in. Filler items are low priced items that you can use in a transaction to help meet the coupon/item ratio requirement. I usually use items that Walgreens frequently has on sale with a store coupon like dish soap, panty liners, mac and cheese, pencils, or anything that is less than a dollar. If you are in a bind and can’t find a filler, they have little .39 cent caramels that they keep right by the register for that purpose. *Remember, you can use an item that has a Walgreens store coupon as a filler item, as long as you don’t combine it with a manufacturer coupon.

Register Rewards are only good for TWO WEEKS before they expire. So don’t forget to use them.

STACKING COUPONS

Another way to get items for free or really cheap is to stack (COMBINE) Walgreens store coupons with manufacturer coupons. Store coupons are usually located in Walgreens weekly ads or in their monthly IVC book. You can find their monthly IVC book usually at the front of the store where they have their weekly ad on display.

 

Stacking Coupons

Example:

Washable Expo Markers $3.99 each
Use a $2/2 Coupon for Expo Markers (Manufacturer Coupon) and
Use a two $3/1 Walgreen’s coupon located in their August, 2011 IVC Book (keep your book handy, they will scan it twice.)

Total Price: TWO PACKS OF EXPO MARKERS FREE

IVC Book, August 2011

Walgreens cashiers usually like you to hand them your coupons in this order:

1. Manufacturer’s Coupons
2. Walgreen’s Store Coupons
3. Register Rewards

I love shopping at Walgreens and will keep track of the best weekly deals I spot from their weekly circular, or what I see when I make my in store trips. Keep checking back!