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Walgreens rewards and coupons can be confusing, here we explain the 7 secrets to saving a ton at Walgreens each week!
SAVING AT WALGREENS
If you're looking for ways to save when shopping at Walgreens – we've got you covered! Here are the best ways to save money when shopping at Walgreens.
1. Walgreens Rewards
To save the most at Walgreens, you’ll want to start by signing up for a Balance Rewards card. You can get a card in the store, or sign up online here!
Balance Rewards are tied to your phone number/Walgreens account, and you'll earn points when you purchase specific items each week. Balance Rewards range in value from 500 points to 50,000 points. Here's what they're worth:
Redeeming Balance Rewards:
- In store: Ask the cashier to apply your points at the register during checkout.
- Online: Look for your prompt to redeem during the checkout process.
You’ll see these savings automatically when you check out using your Balance Rewards card.
Get $5 Free To Start!
Get an extra $5 Reward (5000 Balance Rewards Points) when you add your email to your Balance Rewards account. Curious how many BRs you have available? You can find your balance on the bottom of your receipt, or online HERE.
2. Earn Register Rewards
I like to think of Register Rewards as Walgreens store money. You can use them to pay for almost anything at Walgreens – with just a few exclusions. Register Rewards are reward coupons that print out at the register when you purchase specific items each week. Then they can be used on a future purchase. Note: Register Rewards (RRs) normally expire within two weeks of your purchase, so watch the date to make sure you don’t lose your savings.
You can only use these coupons at Walgreens, although Register Rewards do say “manufacturer coupon” across the top of the coupon.
Tip for redeeming Register Rewards: Register rewards count as manufacturer coupons when redeeming. You must purchase at least as many items as you have manufacturer coupons when shopping at Walgreens, and your Register Rewards count as a coupon. If you find yourself with more register rewards and coupons than you do items – pick up a filler or two! More on that below:
3 . Filler Items
Since Walgreens requires that you purchase as many items as you have coupons for, you may want to include “filler items” when using multiple coupons and register rewards at checkout. Fillers are inexpensive items that will even out your number of items per coupons 🙂
Look for sale and clearance candy, pencils, or erasers so that you always have enough items to use all of your coupons.
3. Weekly Sales
Each week Walgreens offers a few EXTRA good deals that come out to being free or almost free after rewards and coupons. Sometimes you don't need to do anything to get these deals except purchase an item. For instance, last week we had Mentos Gum for $1.29 ~ Get back $1.29 Register Rewards. (Basically free!)
Buy One Get One Free Items: Walgreens often has BOGO sales, but if you're using a coupon on these items as well just know that you can only use coupons on items that are not free. So in the Buy One, Get One you can use one coupon not two. The same coupon rule applies for Buy One Get Two Free deals (like the awesome Arm & Hammer above)
Quick Tips: Walgreens is a difficult drug store to navigate because of their various rules, so try out just one or two of their best deals each week as you get started. Their Deals of the week usually is a great deal without even having to use coupons.
4 . Using Coupons at Walgreens
Walgreens offers a couple different types of coupons to help you save even more each week.
Manufacturer Coupons:
Walgreens accepts paper coupons as well as digital coupons. You can print out manufacturer coupons here or clip them out of your Sunday newspaper inserts.
To use digital manufacturer's coupons at Walgreens, download the Coupons.com App to your phone (using the same phone number tied to your Balance Rewards). The digital coupons you tap on the app will come off automatically at checkout as long as you enter your phone number!
(Walgreens.com also has some digital coupons available to “clip to card”.)
Walgreen Store Coupons
Walgreens offers store coupons in their weekly ad, as well as a monthly coupon booklet that can be found at the front of your local Walgreens store. These can be stacked with manufacturer coupons to “double dip” on savings. Always use any store coupons AFTER handing over your Register Rewards and manufacturer coupons
TIP: You only need to use one Walgreens store coupon, even if purchasing multiples of the same item. If you purchase 4 of the same item using a Walgreens store coupon, you’ll save that amount x 4.
5 . Watch for Walgreens Clearance!
Orange tags are clearance markdowns – and you can get items for up to 90% OFF! After holidays is a good time to look for clearance, but Walgreens periodically does a reset of different sections of the store like makeup/beauty, candy/grocery, toys and seasonal, and more. I always do a walk through when I'm in the store just to scout out good orange tags 🙂
6 . How to Roll Register Rewards
Familiar with the basics but ready to take it a step further? Learn how to “roll your Register Rewards” to really start saving without spending much out of pocket.
For example: Earn a $2 Register Rewards for purchasing nail polish, and use it to buy gum. Earn a $1.50 register reward for your gum and use it to buy shampoo.
You're still getting the same deals – but instead of buying them all together you're using the rewards from one deal to buy the next by breaking purchases into separate transactions. If planning to do separate transactions, you'll want to a) go during a non-busy time of day so as not to inconvenience a long line of customers and b) possibly check out at the beauty counter where it's less crowded.
Here's another example of rolling rewards:
Important Note: You can “roll” your RRs towards other sales at Walgreens, however you cannot use those same Register Rewards to purchase identical branded items or it will prevent a new RR from printing.
Example: If you purchase Suave deodorant for $2 and earn $2 in RRs, you can use that $2 RR to purchase more Suave deodorant. However a new $2 Register Reward will not print on your second purchase. The computer recognizes you're using a “Suave coupon” so it won't give you another one.
7. Walgreens Extra Rewards
Beauty Enthusiast Rewards: In addition to RR and BRs, earn Walgreens Beauty Enthusiast Rewards when you shop. To get those savings, sign up at Walgreens and link your card to your account. For every $50 you spend on beauty products at Walgreens (calculated pre-coupons), you'll get 5,000 Balance Rewards – like earning $5! Items included are things like hair care and accessories, skin care, cosmetics, etc.
Prescription Rewards: Earn 100 Balnace Rewards points for every prescription you fill for store pickup.
Healthy Challenge Reward: Earn up to 800 points for completing a 4-Week Healthy Challenge and a prize wheel spin at the end worth up to 2000 points.
8. First Tuesday of the month at Walgreens for seniors at the age of 65 and older you can get a 20% savings on items you purchase
Thanks Cindy!
Start Shopping!
Ready to roll your cart through the aisles of Walgreens (or the online aisles of Walgreens.com?) Make your first step to check out our favorite Walgreens deals each week here and glance at ALL WALGREENS DEALS right here 🙂
BONUS TIP AT CHECKOUT:
To make sure to get the MOST value out of all your coupons and rewards – here's the best order at checkout for handing them over:
- Give your cashier Register Rewards (RRs) first.
- Then use your manufacturer coupons or app coupons.
- Next use any Walgreens store coupons (booklet is found in the front of the store.
- Finally, use any of the Balance Rewards on your card.
How do you use wag10 at checkout? Is this just for online orders?
Thanks!
Hi Jeanie, you can enter it in the promo code box at checkout. If that doesn’t work, try the code FAST10. Hope that helps!
New to this. Is there any recourse if a coupon you had saved to your card did not credit at the register? I saved the Rhino propane tank refill coupon this week before I went to the store. I just noticed it did not take the $3 off my total. Thanks!