Couponing: Drug Store Style

Couponing "drug store style" has proved to be one of the most lucrative hobbies imaginable.  I still haven't quite figured out why but drugs stores literally GIVE away free products every week.  And if you know me, you know I don't turn down anything free.


Here's an example of a deal that I did that landed our family a stockpile of (better than free) Dove shampoo and conditioner.  Last spring Walgreens was running one of their Register Rewards deals.  The deal was this: 


Buy Dove shampoo/or conditioner for $4.99 get 4.99 Register Rewards back.  Yes, you are reading this correctly.  That means you pay for the name brand shampoo or conditioner and are handed a Register Reward coupon for a cash value of $4.99 to use on your next purchase at Walgreens thereby equaling free shampoo and/or conditioner.


But wait, it gets better!  I found through following coupon blogs like Mashupmom and Bargain Briana that there was an online coupon floating around for $2.00 off Dove shampoo or conditioner.  I was able to print this coupon multiple times from different online sites.  This allowed me to do this deal and actually make money to use towards my next drugstore purchase.


For example:


Dove Shampoo or Conditioner  - $4.99 get $4.99 rewards rewards
$2.00/1 manufacturer's coupon 
Final Price: $2.99 get $4.99 reward rewards 
So basically, free Dove Shampoo and a coupon that not only paid for my purchase but gave me an extra $2.00.  


AND.... to really take full advantage of this deal (as I did), you will shamelessly make several trips through the checkout line and stock up on this product (while also gaining the extra $2.00 in Register Rewards each time thereby racking up the extra money to use on future purchases). 


Here are some tips to keep in mind when Register Rewards (RR) are involved:
You can't do multiple register reward deals of the same item in the same transaction.  So for example: had I tried to buy two Dove shampoos in the same transaction I would have only gotten one register reward coupon back for the shampoos.  So, if you want to do the deal multiple times you have to make multiple transactions.  


You can't roll your register reward coupon and use it towards the same product on your next purchase and expect that you will get another register reward.  For example:  I could not have taken my RR from my Dove purchase for $4.99 to use to buy another Dove shampoo expecting to get another register reward. You can use it to pay for another Dove shampoo but you won't get the register reward a second time.  


What you CAN do is: Use your register reward to pay for other items that you would normally spend money on.  You can also spend your register reward on OTHER items that are producing register rewards (just not the same product).  


I'll leave you with a few easy current deals going on: 


Walgreens deals week of 6/5/2011
- Gillette Fusion ProGlide, $9.99, get $5.00 RR. Use $4.00/1 from the 6/5 PG and it’s $.89 after coupon+RR. 
(So this is usually a $10.00 razor that you can get easily for $.89.  We did this deal a few weeks ago and my husband was thrilled!)
- Sobe Lifewater, $.99, get $.99 RR.
(free flavored water anyone?)


That's all I've got for tonight.  If you have followed this post in it's entirety then it will be helpful to you when I post on the CURRENT register reward deals that are going on this week.  I will try my best to do this tomorrow.  Stay tuned for ways to get free or almost free drugstore items!


As always, post if I need to correct anything or if you have comments/questions!