Here is some helpful info if you plan on shopping at CVS.
This information is found at Hip2Save
CVS at first glance is a complicated store with deals that are sometimes difficult to understand. Going there can be, to say the least, a little intimidating and sometimes overwhelming. We’re hoping this guide gives you the courage to walk into CVS like you own the store, make the cashier have her jaw hit the counter, and walk out with a cart full of items for next to nothing!
Your First CVS Baby Step
The first step to take before you can even begin shopping at CVS is to either go in the store or online here and fill out the Extra Care membership form. Once you become a member, you’ll get your very own Extra Care Card. The benefit of going in the store is you will be able to get the card immediately. If you apply online, you’ll have to wait two weeks for your card to arrive in the mail.
Having an Extra Care Card will allow you to score all the sale prices and promotional Extra Care Buck offers! Always make sure to have your card scanned FIRST–before the cashier rings up your purchases. That way you will get the correct sale price and/or Extra Care Bucks (What are those? Look below!).
The Extra Care Program Overview
Extra Care Bucks or ECBs are CVS rewards that will give you money back to spend in the store however you want (a few exclusions apply). Always remember to have the cashier scan your Extra Care card first so you never miss out on the Extra Care Bucks! Every week, there will be Extra Care Buck deals advertised in the weekly ad. Basically you will have to purchase a select product, and then, after purchasing the item, you will get a certain amount of Extra Care Bucks back. The Extra Care Bucks will come in the form of a coupon at the end of your receipt. These Extra Care Buck items will come with different limits. Some items will give you one ECB per card… other items may give you five ECBs. Sometimes there will even be FREE after Extra Care Buck items advertised! This means that you will buy an item for a certain amount and then get that same amount back after purchasing the item in the form of Extra Care Bucks! And even sweeter, if you have a manufacturer coupon to use on the free after Extra Care Buck item, then you’ll turn this deal into a moneymaker!
You will also earn 2% cash back in the form of Extra Care Bucks on every purchase in-store and online. Every three months these Extra Bucks will print out at the end of your receipt. If you are a really great CVS shopper–which means you spend very little out of pocket–this amount won’t be too much… BUT every little bit helps and it’s like scoring FREE money on items you would have purchased anyway! You can also earn one Extra Care buck for every two prescriptions purchased in-store or online.
Rolling Extra Care Bucks
Once you start getting the hang of CVS, you’ll be able to “roll” your Extra Care Bucks! This means that you’ll be able to purchase new Extra Care Buck deals on a regular basis while rolling Extra Care Bucks earned from previous weeks to purchase them! And that means, you’ll be spending little to NO money out of pocket! Once you get really good, you’ll start profiting off these deals. How? Well, when you stack manufacturer coupons on top of Extra Care Buck deals, you can really come out ahead!
Here’s an example:
CVS has Suave Shampoo on sale for $1, and it will generate a $1 Extra Care Buck (ECB) after purchasing one. Plus, you have a $0.50/1 manufacturer coupon. You’ll end up only paying $0.50 out of pocket, but then you’ll get back a $1 Extra Care Buck–netting you a $0.50 profit for purchasing Suave! This extra money earned can go towards much needed items like diapers and milk!
Stacking Coupons
Always be on the lookout for other CVS store product coupons. These can be stacked with manufacturer coupons for even more savings! Some will print out at the end of your receipt, after your Extra Care Bucks. You can usually find printable store coupons here too. I have also found CVS coupons in various magazines!
CVS offers money off a certain purchase amount store coupons on a regular basis too. These are usually $4 off a $20 purchase Store coupons and the best part, these coupons can be used before any manufacturer coupons to really lower your out of pocket expense. These coupons are usually emailed to select card holders. Make sure to sign up for email updates when you register for your Extra Care card and you just may get one of these coupons in your Inbox soon!
Once you’re ready to checkout, put your coupons in this order: $4 off $20 store coupon (or any other money-off store coupon), CVS store product coupons, manufacturer coupons and finally Extra Care Bucks.
I hope this gets you off to a good start! I’m sure you’ll be a CVS shopping pro in NO time!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Walgreens Helpful Info
Here is some helpful info if you plan on shopping at Walgreen's:
This information was found at Hip2save
WALGREENS CORPORATE COUPON POLICY
One of the most important things that you can do to ensure that you are a “Hip” Walgreens shopper is to familiarize yourself with the Walgreens Coupon Policy. I recommend that you print a copy of this policy and bring it with you while you shop. If any issues arise, this Coupon Policy should definitely help clear things up!
REGISTER REWARDS
Become familiar with Register Rewards (RR). Register Rewards (a.k.a. Catalina coupons) are manufacturer coupons that print out from a Catalina machine at the register after you have completed your transaction. The Register Rewards print out after you buy a participating product, which may be advertised in Walgreens weekly ad. There are also Register Reward deals that are not advertised in the weekly ads but are posted inside the store.
Register Rewards are manufacturer coupons. When you have a RR in hand to use, you can only use ONE RR per item purchased. For example: If you are purchasing three items, you can use up to a combination of three manufacturer coupons and/or RRs. If you attempt to use more than three, the register will beep. If you run into a situation where you have more manufacturer coupons/RRs to use than products, look for “filler” items to add to your purchase. Fillers are inexpensive items, and they allow you to apply more coupons at checkout. Great options for filler items include clearance merchandise, small candies, and pencils. Note: Walgreens store coupons do NOT count towards your coupon-to-item ratio. In other words, the register will not beep if you are using more Walgreens coupons than items.
If you purchase more than one of the same Register Reward participating item per transaction, you will only receive one Register Reward–NOT two! In order to get more than one RR coupon when purchasing more than one of the same qualifying items, request that each item be rung up on a separate transaction. However, you can purchase different Register Reward qualifying items in the same transaction, and you will receive one RR for each DIFFERENT qualifying Register Reward item purchased.
Another important thing to note is that Register Reward deals do NOT roll! This means that if your receive a $2RR for purchasing Huggies diapers, you cannot use this same RR to purchase another package of Huggies diapers and expect another $2RR to be generated.
You CAN use Register Rewards from a different deal to pay for another Register Reward deal–which means you can roll Register Rewards from different deals to help lower your out-of-pocket expense.
If a RR does not print, make sure that the Catalina machine is on (Note: You should see a blinking green light.) and that you bought EXACTLY the right variety of product that was supposed to generate the RR. If you still feel that you should have received a RR, you can have the cashier delete the transaction and ring your items up again OR you can leave the store and call the Catalina company directly. You can reach Catalina at 1-888-8coupon: Have your receipt in hand and state which items in your purchase should have triggered a RR. Catalina will review your transaction and will mail you a RR, within two to three weeks, if you should have received one.
WALGREENS COUPONS
Learning how to correctly use Walgreens coupons will ensure that you have a smooth transaction. Coupons are posted in the Walgreens weekly ad and in Walgreens coupon booklets – located at the front of the store, in the pharmacy area, and even in a $0.99 children’s activity booklet. With so many places to find coupons, it can be a bit confusing! You can always check www.hip2save.com for the latest updates on the booklets available. New booklets typically become available each month!
As I stated above, Walgreens coupons do NOT count towards your coupon-to item-ratio. In other words, the register will not beep if you are using more Walgreens coupons than items. Remember that Register Rewards and other manufacturer coupons can only be used once per each item purchased.
When you are using a combination of Walgreens coupons and manufacturer coupons, always hand over the manufacturer coupons first and then the Walgreens store coupons. Why? In order to get coupon overage which can then be used towards other items. If you use the manufacturer coupon after the Walgreens store coupon, the register will beep to indicate that the value of the coupon is greater than the value of the item… BUT, if you give the cashier the manufacturer coupon first, the register won’t react. Both coupons will go through without any beeps, and you’ll get the coupon overage!
OTHER HELPFUL INFO
If you are planning to buy mass quantities of a sale item, it is beneficial to contact the store and order the item in advance. You can order up to 99 of a particular item in advance. This is much better than coming in on the first day of a sale and completely cleaning out the shelves. There really is such a thing as coupon etiquette!! Walgreens will most likely want you to pay for the order of items in advance, so be sure to have all applicable coupons in hand!
If you are planning to do multiple transactions, you may want to check out at the Cosmetics counter. Typically, this counter is not as crowded, so the cashier usually has time to deal with all the coupons that we Hip2Savers like to use and/or run through multiple transactions. Don’t forget to ask the cosmetic counter employee if she/he has extra manufacturer coupons for cosmetic-related items (or any other store items). There is often a huge stash of coupons available behind the counter and sometimes FREE samples too! Just ask!
Rain Checks:
Walgreens does issue rain checks! Rain checks are good for in-store purchases only and valid for 30 days. In some instances, a store employee may authorize the substitution of a similar item of the same brand at the advertised price.
Buy One, Get One Free Items:
If there is a Buy One, Get One free or a Buy Get One 50% Off promotion, you can use two coupons for the items. You can also use a Buy One, Get One free coupon for items that are currently part of a Buy One, Get One free promotion–this essentially makes both items FREE! If you have any issues using two coupons on a Buy One Get, One free sale, refer to Walgreens coupon policy which specifically states When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.
Keep your eyes peeled for clearance tags! There are two kinds of clearance tags: orange and yellow. The orange tags are issued from the corporate office, and you can find them at any Walgreens store. The yellow tags are specific to each individual store. You can often pair up clearance items with Walgreens and/or manufacturer coupons and score items for FREE!
If you have an issue with a cashier, ask to speak with the store manager. If you are unable to resolve the issue with the manager, note the manager’s name and the time the incident occurred and then call Customer Service. The phone number is 1-800-WALGREENS or 1-800-925-4733 or you can click here to send an email. You can always write a letter as well:
Walgreen’s Corporate Office
200 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
Thanks again to Hip2Save for this information...
This information was found at Hip2save
WALGREENS CORPORATE COUPON POLICY
One of the most important things that you can do to ensure that you are a “Hip” Walgreens shopper is to familiarize yourself with the Walgreens Coupon Policy. I recommend that you print a copy of this policy and bring it with you while you shop. If any issues arise, this Coupon Policy should definitely help clear things up!
REGISTER REWARDS
Become familiar with Register Rewards (RR). Register Rewards (a.k.a. Catalina coupons) are manufacturer coupons that print out from a Catalina machine at the register after you have completed your transaction. The Register Rewards print out after you buy a participating product, which may be advertised in Walgreens weekly ad. There are also Register Reward deals that are not advertised in the weekly ads but are posted inside the store.
Register Rewards are manufacturer coupons. When you have a RR in hand to use, you can only use ONE RR per item purchased. For example: If you are purchasing three items, you can use up to a combination of three manufacturer coupons and/or RRs. If you attempt to use more than three, the register will beep. If you run into a situation where you have more manufacturer coupons/RRs to use than products, look for “filler” items to add to your purchase. Fillers are inexpensive items, and they allow you to apply more coupons at checkout. Great options for filler items include clearance merchandise, small candies, and pencils. Note: Walgreens store coupons do NOT count towards your coupon-to-item ratio. In other words, the register will not beep if you are using more Walgreens coupons than items.
If you purchase more than one of the same Register Reward participating item per transaction, you will only receive one Register Reward–NOT two! In order to get more than one RR coupon when purchasing more than one of the same qualifying items, request that each item be rung up on a separate transaction. However, you can purchase different Register Reward qualifying items in the same transaction, and you will receive one RR for each DIFFERENT qualifying Register Reward item purchased.
Another important thing to note is that Register Reward deals do NOT roll! This means that if your receive a $2RR for purchasing Huggies diapers, you cannot use this same RR to purchase another package of Huggies diapers and expect another $2RR to be generated.
You CAN use Register Rewards from a different deal to pay for another Register Reward deal–which means you can roll Register Rewards from different deals to help lower your out-of-pocket expense.
If a RR does not print, make sure that the Catalina machine is on (Note: You should see a blinking green light.) and that you bought EXACTLY the right variety of product that was supposed to generate the RR. If you still feel that you should have received a RR, you can have the cashier delete the transaction and ring your items up again OR you can leave the store and call the Catalina company directly. You can reach Catalina at 1-888-8coupon: Have your receipt in hand and state which items in your purchase should have triggered a RR. Catalina will review your transaction and will mail you a RR, within two to three weeks, if you should have received one.
WALGREENS COUPONS
Learning how to correctly use Walgreens coupons will ensure that you have a smooth transaction. Coupons are posted in the Walgreens weekly ad and in Walgreens coupon booklets – located at the front of the store, in the pharmacy area, and even in a $0.99 children’s activity booklet. With so many places to find coupons, it can be a bit confusing! You can always check www.hip2save.com for the latest updates on the booklets available. New booklets typically become available each month!
As I stated above, Walgreens coupons do NOT count towards your coupon-to item-ratio. In other words, the register will not beep if you are using more Walgreens coupons than items. Remember that Register Rewards and other manufacturer coupons can only be used once per each item purchased.
When you are using a combination of Walgreens coupons and manufacturer coupons, always hand over the manufacturer coupons first and then the Walgreens store coupons. Why? In order to get coupon overage which can then be used towards other items. If you use the manufacturer coupon after the Walgreens store coupon, the register will beep to indicate that the value of the coupon is greater than the value of the item… BUT, if you give the cashier the manufacturer coupon first, the register won’t react. Both coupons will go through without any beeps, and you’ll get the coupon overage!
OTHER HELPFUL INFO
If you are planning to buy mass quantities of a sale item, it is beneficial to contact the store and order the item in advance. You can order up to 99 of a particular item in advance. This is much better than coming in on the first day of a sale and completely cleaning out the shelves. There really is such a thing as coupon etiquette!! Walgreens will most likely want you to pay for the order of items in advance, so be sure to have all applicable coupons in hand!
If you are planning to do multiple transactions, you may want to check out at the Cosmetics counter. Typically, this counter is not as crowded, so the cashier usually has time to deal with all the coupons that we Hip2Savers like to use and/or run through multiple transactions. Don’t forget to ask the cosmetic counter employee if she/he has extra manufacturer coupons for cosmetic-related items (or any other store items). There is often a huge stash of coupons available behind the counter and sometimes FREE samples too! Just ask!
Rain Checks:
Walgreens does issue rain checks! Rain checks are good for in-store purchases only and valid for 30 days. In some instances, a store employee may authorize the substitution of a similar item of the same brand at the advertised price.
Buy One, Get One Free Items:
If there is a Buy One, Get One free or a Buy Get One 50% Off promotion, you can use two coupons for the items. You can also use a Buy One, Get One free coupon for items that are currently part of a Buy One, Get One free promotion–this essentially makes both items FREE! If you have any issues using two coupons on a Buy One Get, One free sale, refer to Walgreens coupon policy which specifically states When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.
Keep your eyes peeled for clearance tags! There are two kinds of clearance tags: orange and yellow. The orange tags are issued from the corporate office, and you can find them at any Walgreens store. The yellow tags are specific to each individual store. You can often pair up clearance items with Walgreens and/or manufacturer coupons and score items for FREE!
If you have an issue with a cashier, ask to speak with the store manager. If you are unable to resolve the issue with the manager, note the manager’s name and the time the incident occurred and then call Customer Service. The phone number is 1-800-WALGREENS or 1-800-925-4733 or you can click here to send an email. You can always write a letter as well:
Walgreen’s Corporate Office
200 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
Thanks again to Hip2Save for this information...
Walgreens Ad Preview 8/7-8/13
Free/Cheap Deals
Crayola Crayons - $1
-Receive $1 Register Rewards
Final Price - Free after Register Rewards
Keri lotion 15 oz - $5.99
-Receive $5 in Register Rewards
*Use $2 off 1 Printable coupon found HERE
OR
*Use $2 off 1 coupon available in Smart Source insert 7/17
Final Price - Free plus $1 money maker
Colgate Total or Gum Defense 4 oz or 360 toothbrush - 2 for $6
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards
*Use $1 off 1 Colgate Total, Max Clean, Max White, Max Fresh, Sensitive, or Pro Clinical in Smart Source insert 7/24 ****I only receive a $.50 and a $.75 off 1, not $1****
Final Price - Free - $.50 after coupon and Register Rewards (depending on what coupon you go in your paper)
Listerine Smart Rinse or 72 pk pocketpacks - $3
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
*Use $1 off 1 Listerine Smart Rinse Mouthwash available in Smart Source 7/31
Final Price - Free after Register Rewards and coupon
Gillette Proglide or Venus - $9.99
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards (this appears to possibly be a monthly deal for August)
*Use $4 off 1 Gillette Proglide Razor available in 7/31 P&G insert
Final Price - $1.99 after Register Rewards and Coupon
Additional Register Rewards Deals
Aussie or Herbal Essence 6 to 14 oz - $3
- Receive $1 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $2
Coppertone or Ban De Soleil - $9.99
- Receive $3 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $6.99
Glade Sense & Spray or Lasting Impressions - $6.99
- Receive $1 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $5.99
Huggies little movers - $9.49
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
*Use $1.50 off Huggies Diapers avaiable in 7/17 Smart Source insert (expires 8/13)
Final Price - $5.99 after Register Rewards and Coupon
L'Oreal mascara, lipstick, Hip, or Studio $6 -
- Buy $12 in these products and receive $4 in Register Rewards
Lysol - Various
- Buy $15 in Lysol Products and receive $5 in Register Rewards
Organix Hair Care - 2 for $12
- Receive $5 in Register Rewards
Final Price - 2 for $7 after Register Rewards
Purex Complete 3 in 1 - $4.99
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $2.99
Tresemme - 4 for $15
- Receive $5 in Register Rewards when you buy 4
*Use (4) $1 off 1 Tresemme Shampoo or Conditioner available in Red Plum Insert 7/31
Final Price - 4 for $6 or $1.50 each
Beano, Citrucel, Fiber Choice - $9.99
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $7.99
Dr. Scholls- Various
- Buy $20 in Dr. Scholls products and receive $8 in Register Rewards
Prilosec - $18.99
- Receive $3 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $15.99
Zegrid OTC - $22.49
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $18.49
More Deals
Carmex .15 to .35 oz or Chapstick - $.99
Purex - $1.99
*Use $.50 coupon scheduled insert on 8/7
Final Price - $1.49
Palmolive - $.89
Softsoap body wash - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
*Use $0.50 off 1 Softsoap Body Wash in Smart Source Insert 7/24
OR
*$0.75 off 1 Softsoap Body Wash in Smart Source Insert 7/24
Final Price - ?? (not sure how much the body wash is originally
Right Guard Body Wash or Deodorant - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
Dry Idea Deodorant - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
Crayola Crayons - $1
-Receive $1 Register Rewards
Final Price - Free after Register Rewards
Keri lotion 15 oz - $5.99
-Receive $5 in Register Rewards
*Use $2 off 1 Printable coupon found HERE
OR
*Use $2 off 1 coupon available in Smart Source insert 7/17
Final Price - Free plus $1 money maker
Colgate Total or Gum Defense 4 oz or 360 toothbrush - 2 for $6
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards
*Use $1 off 1 Colgate Total, Max Clean, Max White, Max Fresh, Sensitive, or Pro Clinical in Smart Source insert 7/24 ****I only receive a $.50 and a $.75 off 1, not $1****
Final Price - Free - $.50 after coupon and Register Rewards (depending on what coupon you go in your paper)
Listerine Smart Rinse or 72 pk pocketpacks - $3
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
*Use $1 off 1 Listerine Smart Rinse Mouthwash available in Smart Source 7/31
Final Price - Free after Register Rewards and coupon
Gillette Proglide or Venus - $9.99
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards (this appears to possibly be a monthly deal for August)
*Use $4 off 1 Gillette Proglide Razor available in 7/31 P&G insert
Final Price - $1.99 after Register Rewards and Coupon
Additional Register Rewards Deals
Aussie or Herbal Essence 6 to 14 oz - $3
- Receive $1 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $2
Coppertone or Ban De Soleil - $9.99
- Receive $3 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $6.99
Glade Sense & Spray or Lasting Impressions - $6.99
- Receive $1 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $5.99
Huggies little movers - $9.49
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
*Use $1.50 off Huggies Diapers avaiable in 7/17 Smart Source insert (expires 8/13)
Final Price - $5.99 after Register Rewards and Coupon
L'Oreal mascara, lipstick, Hip, or Studio $6 -
- Buy $12 in these products and receive $4 in Register Rewards
Lysol - Various
- Buy $15 in Lysol Products and receive $5 in Register Rewards
Organix Hair Care - 2 for $12
- Receive $5 in Register Rewards
Final Price - 2 for $7 after Register Rewards
Purex Complete 3 in 1 - $4.99
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $2.99
Tresemme - 4 for $15
- Receive $5 in Register Rewards when you buy 4
*Use (4) $1 off 1 Tresemme Shampoo or Conditioner available in Red Plum Insert 7/31
Final Price - 4 for $6 or $1.50 each
Beano, Citrucel, Fiber Choice - $9.99
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $7.99
Dr. Scholls- Various
- Buy $20 in Dr. Scholls products and receive $8 in Register Rewards
Prilosec - $18.99
- Receive $3 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $15.99
Zegrid OTC - $22.49
- Receive $4 in Register Rewards
Final Price - $18.49
More Deals
Carmex .15 to .35 oz or Chapstick - $.99
Purex - $1.99
*Use $.50 coupon scheduled insert on 8/7
Final Price - $1.49
Palmolive - $.89
Softsoap body wash - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
*Use $0.50 off 1 Softsoap Body Wash in Smart Source Insert 7/24
OR
*$0.75 off 1 Softsoap Body Wash in Smart Source Insert 7/24
Final Price - ?? (not sure how much the body wash is originally
Right Guard Body Wash or Deodorant - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
Dry Idea Deodorant - Buy one get one free (price per item???)
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor - $.99 at CVS!! 7/31-8/6
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor - $9.99
- Receive $5 in Extra Care Bucks
*Use $4 off 1 Fusion ProGlide Razor available in 6/5 P&G insert (expires 7/31!!!) or available in 7/31 P&G insert
Final price - $.99 after coupon and Extra Care Bucks
Free Goody Colour Snap Clips at Walgreens - 7/31-8/6
Goody Colour Collection Snap Clip 6 ct - $2
- Receive $2 in Register Rewards
Final Price - FREE after Register Rewards!
Free Kid's Smart Hi DHA-Omega Fish Oil - Walgreens - 7/31-8/6
Kids Smart Hi DHA-Omega- 3 Fish Oil 30 ct - $7
-Receive $7 in Register Rewards
Final Price - FREE after Register Rewards
CVS Coupon Policy Change
Effective immediately, CVS will no longer accept a $/cents coupon along with a BOGO coupon.
Example:
You have a buy one Gillette deodorant, get one free
You have a $1 off any Gillette deodorant
In the past, you could use those 2 coupons together. You are now not able to do that at CVS.
***These are manufacturer coupons only that are affected. If you have CVS store coupons, you can still stack one of those with a BOGO coupon.
Example:
You have a buy one Gillette deodorant, get one free
You have a $1 off any Gillette deodorant
In the past, you could use those 2 coupons together. You are now not able to do that at CVS.
***These are manufacturer coupons only that are affected. If you have CVS store coupons, you can still stack one of those with a BOGO coupon.
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