That's $9 off a future purchase at Walgreens. There are a few exclusions on what you can buy with it, and it expires in 2 weeks. Other than that, it's as good as gold.
In other words, Walgreens paid me $5 to take their nasal spray (which I will probably donate someplace).
This is an example of using coupons in conjunction with what I refer to as "retail kickbacks," or "RK's". Here is a quick rundown of 4 retailers that regularly offer RK's.
RETAILER: CVS
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: "Extra Bucks"
METHOD OF RK: Extension of your receipt. They look like gift receipts. Extra Bucks have bar codes and "tear hear" lines before and after each one that prints.
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: High.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: Yes. You've got to show the cashier your card.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: Yes. You've got to show the cashier your card.
EXPIRATION: Usually 3 weeks after they are printed, but CVS usually accepts expired Extra Bucks at least a month after their expiration date.
PURCHASE LIMITS: Yes. Each Extra Buck deal has a limit, and since you have to show your card to get the Extra Bucks, they keep track of whether you've reached your limit. There are 3 nice things about this, though: 1), there is a "status section" on your receipt that tells you if you've reached your limit for any given Extra Bucks deal; 2), you do not have to buy all of the items that trigger the Extra Bucks deal in one trip. For example, if the deal is "BUY 4 12 PACKS OF PEPSI AND GET 3 EXTRA BUCKS," I can buy one on Monday at a certain CVS and three more later in the week at a different CVS and still get my Extra Bucks. But I do need to buy them all within the time frame of the offer; 3), if there is an offer limit of more than one, I can max out my limit in a single transaction.
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUES?: Yes. Especially near the end of a week, CVS may sell out of items with sizable Extra Bucks attached to them. But CVS has a simple and customer-friendly rain check policy. Bring the ad to the counter, say, "I need a rain check for this," and the cashier will take care of the rest. Hold on to the rain check. It never expires. You can still use coupons with them. You'll still get the full Extra Bucks amount printed out.
OTHER NOTES: CVS's Extra Bucks program is consistent and customer-friendly. The employees are usually happy to help out with questions and issues. The purchase limits keep you from stocking up on particular products as much as you may like to, but this overall smoothness of the system makes up for that.
RETAILER: Walgreens
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: "Register Rewards"
METHOD OF RK: Printed out on separate machine. Sometimes handed to you in a stack of other coupons that print out at your purchase.
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: High.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
EXPIRATION: 2 weeks from day of printout. There is no grace period! Use them or lose them!
PURCHASE LIMITS: You can only get one Register Reward for the same product, per transaction. For example, if the deal is "BUY 1 COLGATE TOOTHPASTE FOR $3, GET $3 IN REGISTER REWARDS," and you buy two tubes in one transaction, you will get one--and only one--$3 Register Reward printed out after you pay. That said, there is nothing keep you from making multiple trips to Walgreens stores and making as many purchases as you so desire. BUT, you can NOT use your $3 Register Reward to buy another tube of toothpaste and still get another $3 Register Reward printed out afterwards (there are occasional exceptions to this rule of "no rolling Register Rewards" but don't worry about those). You CAN use a Register Reward to pay for a DIFFERENT product that triggers a DIFFERENT Register Reward. Because of this, if one week Walgreens has two products of similar price with the full purchase amount "kicked backed" in the form of a Register Reward, I will sometimes make several Walgreens trips in a single week: I will take my $3 Register Reward for the Colgate, run into another Walgreens and buy (for example) a $3.50 hair brush that has a $3.50 Register Reward kicked backed on it. I'll pay for the brush with my $3 Register Reward and some change, then get a $3.50 Register Reward printed out. At my next Walgreens stop, I'll buy another tube of Colgate and a box of dried fruit (to get the total over $3.50), then pay with my $3.50 Register Reward from the brush. Over the course of a week, if I make 6 quick Walgreens stops, I'll have three tubes of Colgate, three hair brushes (and three boxes of dried fruit) all for just a couple of bucks out of pocket.
RETAILER: Walgreens
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: "Register Rewards"
METHOD OF RK: Printed out on separate machine. Sometimes handed to you in a stack of other coupons that print out at your purchase.
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: High.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
EXPIRATION: 2 weeks from day of printout. There is no grace period! Use them or lose them!
PURCHASE LIMITS: You can only get one Register Reward for the same product, per transaction. For example, if the deal is "BUY 1 COLGATE TOOTHPASTE FOR $3, GET $3 IN REGISTER REWARDS," and you buy two tubes in one transaction, you will get one--and only one--$3 Register Reward printed out after you pay. That said, there is nothing keep you from making multiple trips to Walgreens stores and making as many purchases as you so desire. BUT, you can NOT use your $3 Register Reward to buy another tube of toothpaste and still get another $3 Register Reward printed out afterwards (there are occasional exceptions to this rule of "no rolling Register Rewards" but don't worry about those). You CAN use a Register Reward to pay for a DIFFERENT product that triggers a DIFFERENT Register Reward. Because of this, if one week Walgreens has two products of similar price with the full purchase amount "kicked backed" in the form of a Register Reward, I will sometimes make several Walgreens trips in a single week: I will take my $3 Register Reward for the Colgate, run into another Walgreens and buy (for example) a $3.50 hair brush that has a $3.50 Register Reward kicked backed on it. I'll pay for the brush with my $3 Register Reward and some change, then get a $3.50 Register Reward printed out. At my next Walgreens stop, I'll buy another tube of Colgate and a box of dried fruit (to get the total over $3.50), then pay with my $3.50 Register Reward from the brush. Over the course of a week, if I make 6 quick Walgreens stops, I'll have three tubes of Colgate, three hair brushes (and three boxes of dried fruit) all for just a couple of bucks out of pocket.
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUES?: Yes. And Walgreens does NOT offer rain checks on Register Rewards. If there is an especially beneficial Register Rewards deal, I will try to make it to Walgreens on Sunday--the first day of the new deals--or risk getting left out in the cold.
OTHER NOTES: Walgreen's RK system is glitchy and inconsistent compared to CVS's. Sometimes Register Rewards don't print out when they're supposed to. Sometimes the bar codes on Register Rewards won't scan when you're trying to use them to make a purchase. Also, compared to CVS employees, Walgreens employees are often grumpier and less knowledgeable about assisting with their RK's (my experiences seem to be mirrored by others on internet message boards). I have been told--even by managers--"rules" for Register Rewards that I know for a fact are not true (like, "If you use a coupon to purchase an item, you can't get a Register Reward.") I have also experienced general grumpiness from cashiers at Walgreens who act like the money I save on using Register Rewards comes straight out of their pocket. It was once so blatant that I was within an eyelash of actually asking, "Do you have a problem with me?" That said, I suspect that corporate Walgreens has tried to instill an attitude adjustment in its store employees, because the problems I experience with them seem to be occurring with less frequency. One trick I have found to be helpful--especially if I have a complicated purchase to make--is to make my transaction at the cosmetics register, even if it means tracking down the cosmetics cashier from somewhere else in the store. There is usually not a line at the cosmetics counter, so there is less pressure and tension all around if something doesn't go smoothly and needs to be corrected. Also, I have been told that cosmetic cashiers actually get a commission on certain items that they ring out. It's amazing what this does for cashiers' cooperativeness!
RETAILER: Target.
RETAILER: Target.
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: "Target Gift Card" (not very special, I know)
METHOD OF RK: A gift card loaded and handed to you by the cashier the moment the triggering items are scanned.
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: Low (I've seen it once).
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
EXPIRATION: None.
PURCHASE LIMITS: Sometimes. Read the fine print.
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUES?: Sometimes. The fine print in ads says "No Rain Checks," but I am not sure if individual stores enforce this policy.
OTHER NOTES: It's nice that Target gives actual gift cards that work just like any other gift card regarding restrictions and expirations. But the amount they kick back often just makes the deal "good but not great," and not necessarily worth an extra trip. I have never seen Target offer an RK of the full purchase amount.
RETAILER: Grocery stores.
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: None.
METHOD OF RK: A coupon printed out after you pay (similar to a Register Reward from Walgreens)
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: Very low (I've never seen it)
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
EXPIRATION: Varies. Sometimes, it's just a few days. Not likely more than a couple of weeks.
PURCHASE LIMITS: Usually one RK per transaction.
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUES?: Rarely. Grocery stores have the space to stock up.
OTHER NOTES: These deals are offered relatively infrequently, and often are triggered by overpriced, name-brand products. Occasionally, you'll see something like "CEREAL 4/$10, A COUPON FOR $3 BACK ON YOUR NEXT PURCHASE." That actually makes it worth it, especially if you have some coupons. Also, the purchase requirements at grocery stores are sometimes pretty broad--something like, "BUY ANY 10 OF THESE 97 PRODUCTS FROM GENERAL MILLS AND GET A COUPON BACK." If you're wanting to mix and match, it can take some time figuring out exactly which products will trigger the RK.
Finally, here are a few rules/suggestions that are not store-specific but that will help you maximize your RK experience:
1) Use your RK's! Don't let them expire. I have an extra pocket in the front of my coupon caddie for valuable and time-sensitive coupons. If you do accidentally let one (or a bunch) expire, shake it off. It happens. (I also once washed about $15 worth of Register Rewards--turns out "wash survivability" is another way Register Rewards are different from actual currency.)
2) Make sure you get your RK when you're supposed to.
3) With rare exceptions, how you pay for an item should NOT affect the "triggering" of a RK. For example, using coupons or gift cards should have no affect on getting a RK. This is not my rule, but the rules issued by the various retail corporations. (Yes, they do that.)
4) If you do not get your RK, find out why. If the cashier cannot figure it out, ask to see a manager. If the manager cannot figure it out, politely say that you'd be fine just voiding part or all of your transaction. Don't say it all snooty as though you're trying to pressure them. And don't feel bad about it. I've done it a half a dozen times or so--probably 2 of those were because I misread the fine print (i.e., the fault was with me) and the others were because the computer wouldn't spit out what it was supposed to, and the employees couldn't or wouldn't override it. In that case, I still try to let the employees save face, and say something like, "I'm sorry. I guess I misunderstood how this works. I can just return this item if it's not part of the deal."
5) Do NOT use your RK's to "treat yourself" (or anyone, really) to something that you wouldn't have bought already. This is easier said than done. Something deep within us feels like, "Oh, I just made $1 profit to take these adult undergarments--I'll use my $3 RK for a bag of Hershey's kisses!" Don't. Don't, don't, don't.
6) There are some ethically questionable ways of using coupons. Navigating RK's is not one of them. It FEELS like you're stealing when you "get paid" to take an item. It is not. The retailers know that many customers combine coupons with RK's to make a profit. On one occassion, Walgreens even had a big endcap set up to display a new Bayer aspirin product. "PAY $3, GET $3 IN REGISTER REWARDS," the sign said. Stuck right next to that was a big pad of $1-off-one coupons with the sign, "SAVE EVEN MORE!"
7) RK's are almost always advertisted in the weekly ads for these stores.
That's the scoop on retail kickbacks. It might seem like a lot, but navigating RK's on a weekly basis is probably as lucrative as couponing in general. Toothpaste and shaving products are especially discounted with RK's. I estimate that over the last 3 years, I have spent a net of $0 on toothpaste. That includes the several dozen tubes I have either given away or have in my closet. And I have probably spent about $.25 per razor cartridge--and we're talking lots of name-brands, with 3, 4, and 5 blades per cartridge.
Next up I'll walk you through some other types of specicialized coupons and sales for even more savings off your monthly food budget.
Until then...
-THP
RETAILER: Grocery stores.
SPECIAL NAME OF RK: None.
METHOD OF RK: A coupon printed out after you pay (similar to a Register Reward from Walgreens)
LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE OR BETTER-THAN-FREE ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE USE OF COUPONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE RK DEAL: Very low (I've never seen it)
MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?: No.
EXPIRATION: Varies. Sometimes, it's just a few days. Not likely more than a couple of weeks.
PURCHASE LIMITS: Usually one RK per transaction.
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUES?: Rarely. Grocery stores have the space to stock up.
OTHER NOTES: These deals are offered relatively infrequently, and often are triggered by overpriced, name-brand products. Occasionally, you'll see something like "CEREAL 4/$10, A COUPON FOR $3 BACK ON YOUR NEXT PURCHASE." That actually makes it worth it, especially if you have some coupons. Also, the purchase requirements at grocery stores are sometimes pretty broad--something like, "BUY ANY 10 OF THESE 97 PRODUCTS FROM GENERAL MILLS AND GET A COUPON BACK." If you're wanting to mix and match, it can take some time figuring out exactly which products will trigger the RK.
Finally, here are a few rules/suggestions that are not store-specific but that will help you maximize your RK experience:
1) Use your RK's! Don't let them expire. I have an extra pocket in the front of my coupon caddie for valuable and time-sensitive coupons. If you do accidentally let one (or a bunch) expire, shake it off. It happens. (I also once washed about $15 worth of Register Rewards--turns out "wash survivability" is another way Register Rewards are different from actual currency.)
2) Make sure you get your RK when you're supposed to.
3) With rare exceptions, how you pay for an item should NOT affect the "triggering" of a RK. For example, using coupons or gift cards should have no affect on getting a RK. This is not my rule, but the rules issued by the various retail corporations. (Yes, they do that.)
4) If you do not get your RK, find out why. If the cashier cannot figure it out, ask to see a manager. If the manager cannot figure it out, politely say that you'd be fine just voiding part or all of your transaction. Don't say it all snooty as though you're trying to pressure them. And don't feel bad about it. I've done it a half a dozen times or so--probably 2 of those were because I misread the fine print (i.e., the fault was with me) and the others were because the computer wouldn't spit out what it was supposed to, and the employees couldn't or wouldn't override it. In that case, I still try to let the employees save face, and say something like, "I'm sorry. I guess I misunderstood how this works. I can just return this item if it's not part of the deal."
5) Do NOT use your RK's to "treat yourself" (or anyone, really) to something that you wouldn't have bought already. This is easier said than done. Something deep within us feels like, "Oh, I just made $1 profit to take these adult undergarments--I'll use my $3 RK for a bag of Hershey's kisses!" Don't. Don't, don't, don't.
6) There are some ethically questionable ways of using coupons. Navigating RK's is not one of them. It FEELS like you're stealing when you "get paid" to take an item. It is not. The retailers know that many customers combine coupons with RK's to make a profit. On one occassion, Walgreens even had a big endcap set up to display a new Bayer aspirin product. "PAY $3, GET $3 IN REGISTER REWARDS," the sign said. Stuck right next to that was a big pad of $1-off-one coupons with the sign, "SAVE EVEN MORE!"
7) RK's are almost always advertisted in the weekly ads for these stores.
That's the scoop on retail kickbacks. It might seem like a lot, but navigating RK's on a weekly basis is probably as lucrative as couponing in general. Toothpaste and shaving products are especially discounted with RK's. I estimate that over the last 3 years, I have spent a net of $0 on toothpaste. That includes the several dozen tubes I have either given away or have in my closet. And I have probably spent about $.25 per razor cartridge--and we're talking lots of name-brands, with 3, 4, and 5 blades per cartridge.
Next up I'll walk you through some other types of specicialized coupons and sales for even more savings off your monthly food budget.
Until then...
-THP
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