8/18 2011 Walgreens Trip

Sorry to everyone who actually reads my blog.  I know I have not been faithful about putting up posts of my couponing adventures and my recipes.  I have been so crazy busy the last couple of weeks that when I finally do sit down, I really don't feel like typing.  I am hoping that once Lorelai starts school (less than 2 weeks now), I will have more time to blog.  Well, for those of you who are interested I went to Walgreens today to shop my weekly coupon deals.  Of course I always go in with a plan and when I get there it never goes the way I plan.  They usually don't have something I need to get the register rewards that I need to purchase my next set of items.  But like I said in my last Walgreens post, I am learning as I go.  Hopefully in a few months I will have this down pat.  (Probably not but I can be hopeful).  Ok so this is what I bought this time:

4 Scope Outlast 25.4 oz
2 Hefty 17ct freezer storage bags
2 Hefty 22ct freezer storage bags
2 Expo Dry Erase Marker 6ct
5 Royal Gelatin (various flavors)
2 Revlon Nail Polish
2 Reach Total Care Toothbrushes
6 Trident 18ct gum (various flavors)
1 Penway 70 pgs notebook
Total Retail: 81.75
Paid: 8.45 + 3.25 taxes = 11.70.
Savings: 70.05 or 86%.
I didn't do the breakdown on how I did this because there were a few hiccups in the transaction process and I think that I probably should have paid less than what I did.  The reason that I divided the sales tax out is because sales tax is different for everyone.  We in Nevada pay an outrageous 8.1% (though we don't pay state income tax) but I know in Connecticut the sales tax is only 6%.  So everyone will have a different total OOP (out of pocket) amount.  When I got home, of course I figured out how I could have spent less to get even more.  If only I could do this in the store right.  Ok for those of you who are interested and want to attempt this at Walgreens, here is a break down that will get you almost the same stuff I bought plus a little more. 

Transaction 1:
Buy 1 Revlon nail polish 3.99
Buy 1 Get $3.00 Register Rewards
      use $1.00/1 Revlon Cosmetic Product  SS 8/14
      and $2.00/1 Walgreens Coupon Revlon Cosmetic Product SS 7/24
Pay: $.99 and Receive $3.00 RR

Buy 2 Expo Dry Erase Washable Markers $3.99ea
       use $2.00/2 printable coupon
       and $3.00/1 Walgreens Coupon from August Saving Book (this takes $6.00 when you buy 2).
Pay: -.02 This ends up free.

Total: $.97 + taxes Receive $3 RR

Transaction 2:
Buy 2 Scope mouthwash $3.00 ea
Buy 2 Receive $3.00 Register Rewards
       use 2 $.75/1 Scope Mouthwash 750 mL or larger PG 7/31
Pay $4.50 Receive $3.00RR

Buy 1 Reach Toothbrush and 1 Reach Floss 30 yds  $2.50ea
Buy 2 Receive 3 Register Rewards
      use $1.50/1 Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash 500 mL or larger and/or (1) Reach Toothbrush and/or (1) Reach Floss or (1) Reach Access Flosser from SS 7/31
Pay $3.50 Receive $3.00 RR

Total: $8.00 use $3 RR from previous transaction Pay: $5.00 + taxes 

Transaction 3:
Buy 2 Hefty storage bag 13, 17 or 22ct  $3.29ea
Buy 1 Get 1 Free
      Use $1.00/2 Hefty OneZip Bags, any from RP 7/10
      Or $1.00/2 Hefty OneZip Bags, any from RP 8/14
Pay:  $2.29


Buy 1 Revlon nail polish 3.99
Buy 1 Get $3.00 Register Rewards
      use $1.00/1 Revlon Cosmetic Product  SS 8/14
      and $2.00/1 Walgreens Coupon Revlon Cosmetic Product SS 7/24
Pay: $.99 and Receive $3.00 RR

Total:  $3.28 use $3 RR from buying the Scope in previous transaction.  (this is very important because if you try and use it to pay for your next transaction the 3RR will not print out in the next transaction).  Pay: .28 + taxes.  Receive $3 RR.  o now you should have 2 RR from the last two transactions.

Transaction 4: 
Buy 6 Trident Gum 18 pcs  $.79 
With In Ad coupon Limit 6
       use 2 $2.00/3 Trident Gum any single packs SS 7/24
Pay: $.74

Buy 2 Scope mouthwash $3.00 ea
Buy 2 Receive $3.00 Register Rewards
       use 2 $.75/1 Scope Mouthwash 750 mL or larger PG 7/31
Pay $4.50 Receive $3.00 RR

Buy 5 Royal Gelatin $.20 ea
With In Ad coupon Limit 5
Pay: $.40

Total: $6.24 use $6 RR from previous 2 transactions. Pay: .24 + taxes Receive $3.00 RR.


Transaction 5:
Buy 2 Hefty storage bag 13, 17 or 22ct  $3.29ea
Buy 1 Get 1 Free
      Use $1.00/2 Hefty OneZip Bags, any from RP 7/10
      Or $1.00/2 Hefty OneZip Bags, any from RP 8/14
Pay:  $2.29

Buy 2  Penway or Wexfors 1 subject notebook, 60-70 sheets .49ea
With In Ad coupon. Limit 3 
Pay: .$.98


Total: 3.27 use $3 RR from previous transaction.  Pay: $.27 + taxes

Total OOP: $6.96 
Retail: $84.52 
Savings: $77.56 or 92% 
 
Like I said above, I am still working all the kinks out on working the system at Walgreens.  My previous problems were because I didn't fully understand the coupon policy at the store.  Always look up the store coupon policy.  This will help make using coupons smoother (though I am still hitting bumps in the road.)  
Here are some things to keep in mind about Walgreens:

• Register Rewards counts as manufacturer coupons.
• You can not have more items than you have manufacturer coupons. .ie If you have 5 items that you are purchasing and you have 5 coupons from the newspaper, you will not be able to use RR.  You will need to buy a filler item (it doesn't matter what it is).  The RR counts as a 6th manufacturer coupon and you therefore have to have 6 items to purchase.
• You can not use RR to purchase something that is less than the RR. ie.  In the last transaction that I had, I needed to add the notebooks (or any other filler items) to make the total price greater than $3 RR.  Walgreens does not allow you to have credit.
• You can not use RR to purchase the same items to get more RR.  ie. In the post I mentioned that you need to use the RR from the Scope to purchase the items and to keep the RR from the Reach items.  This is because if you use the Scope RR to pay for the next few items (includes Scope), you will not get more RR.  The register will know that you have already reached your limit of 1 RR per customer.  So make sure that when you are planning trips to not buy the same items one after another if you want to get RR for both.

I hope this helps a little more.  Feel free to email me or comment if you have any questions.