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A fond farewell to Walgreens' EasySaver rebates

Posted May 04 2009, 06:00 PM by Karen Datko
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Here's bittersweet news for the skilled players of The Drugstore Game: The Walgreens EasySaver rebates are no more.

But Walgreens hasn't dropped out of the competition with CVS, Rite Aid and other chains that offer extreme savings to savvy shoppers. Tara Kuczykowski, who blogs at Deal Seeking Mom, said Walgreens' Register Rewards offers appear to be more plentiful.

"They can be a little trickier," she said, "but the savings are worth the effort to figure out how to use them effectively."

Just exactly how do you do that?

Tara provided some examples. For instance, buy Colgate Sensitive toothpaste for $4.49 and get $4.49 in Register Rewards. Combine that with a $1 printable coupon for one tube and it's "better than free after coupon and RRs," she said. (She invited readers to share their best RR deals, and last time we checked, 34 had responded.)

But some shoppers miss the ESRs. The Register Rewards are much more complicated, they said. (Readers at Couponing 101 agreed.)

For instance, Julia complained:

I read somewhere that there is a limit at Walgreens as to how many total coupons per total items you can use. Is that true? Does it work better to use your RRs first, then your manufacturer's coupons? I would just hate to have them not accept my manufacturer's coupons and have to also eat my RRs. Whew!

Tara, luckily, had an answer. The total number of RRs and coupons you use can't exceed the number of items in your cart. You can easily get around that rule by buying cheap or clearance "filler" things you might need, like pencils and gum.

"Tracy K." suggested you give the cashier your Register Rewards before she or he rings up the manufacturer's coupons.

Stella asked, "If I use my RRs to purchase something that gives RRs, will it actually give me the RRs at the end of the transaction?"

Answer: Yes, Tara said, "but only if the deal you use the RRs (for) is different from the deal you earned them from." Double whew!

Why was the EasySaver rebate program retired? Walgreens said, "We are developing new loyalty programs that we expect will bring even more interesting incentives and rewards."  Let's keep our fingers crossed. Meanwhile, your April rebates will be honored if they were submitted by May 2. Have other questions? Check out the Walgreens Web site.

Related reading:

CVS and beyond: The superstars of ‘The Drugstore Game'

The incredible $800 (a year) food and sundries budget

Free toothpaste for life!

How to speak frugalese

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Comments

 

couldn't last forever, they probably lost a lot of money from us cheapskates.

Tori (Posted 05.05.09 1:56 AM ) Report Abuse

Last night I went to Wags to do my weekly shopping. This time was different. I had a very nice cashier & manager who voided my order to retry it another way. I could not use my coupons if I got rrs back on the item.  If I didn't use the coupons for the item I got the rrs, but not both. My husband works for Wags. They had a meeting Sat. & the manufacters of the coupons are the ones who put a stop to this. Also I was told you can't use the rrs to purchase a totally different item, if that item has rrs. I called the coperate office about this and they are to get back with me within 48 hrs. If you can't use the coupons with the rr items it isn't worth it on a lot of items.  I had got a list of things divided into different orders where I used rr to pay for different things, & I just stopped after the 1st order when it wouldn't let me use the coupons.

Debbie Recla (Posted 05.05.09 11:24 AM ) Report Abuse

Thanks for linking me!  I blogged today about how I actually do prefer the RR deals over the ESRs.  I want my money now not in 6 weeks!  I think it's a great move for Walgreens especially with CVS coming to my area, there is going to be a lot more competition.  

http://thefrugalfind.com

Julia (Posted 05.05.09 11:24 AM ) Report Abuse

Debbie, as of right now the only thing that you can't do with RR is to purchase the same item they were awarded to you for.  For example if you purchase the Colgate toothpaste and you get  $4.50 RR, you can't use that same RR for another tube of the same toothpaste.  Well, actually you can...but it won't print another RR for you.  However you CAN use the RRs that printed from another offer, like the Pert Plus shampoo deal, you could use those to purchase the Colgate toothpaste.  I roll my RR every week like this, did it just last night in fact.  If this ended, I would seriously consider breaking off my love affair with Walgreens.  

The KEY is you can only use as many coupons/RRs as there are items in your cart.  you also cannot have overage, they will not give you the change from your RR.  Your RR are in fact like cash, but they are technically a manufacturers coupon.

To clarify the RRs can be used to purchase anything in the store, except gift cards, prescriptions, and alchohol I belive.  

Julia (Posted 05.05.09 11:45 AM ) Report Abuse

Alas, while I could learn to play the game, it is not cost effective for me. Some of us need actual particular products. I need sensodyne toothpaste for example and only use one type of shampoo. This severely limits my drugstore power. I wish all the authors of these posts would remember that ANY type of a lot of products simply isnt an option for some of us.

Candi (Posted 05.05.09 12:40 PM ) Report Abuse

Candi, you could always get the free items and donate them to your local food bank or church, they are really hurting durign this economy.  Then simply use the RR for the items you would normally buy.  I too use Sensodyne but have found that the Colgate Sensitive toothpaste that is offered free this week works just as well for me.  Just a thought.

Julia (Posted 05.05.09 2:05 PM ) Report Abuse

I finally got my EasySaver rebate (probably one of the last ones) and Walgreens tried that trick of making the check look like junk mail.  It is a trick that companies who offer rebates try in hopes you will throw it away and never cash it.  Shame on them.

VMH (Posted 05.05.09 4:59 PM ) Report Abuse

I stopped shopping at CVS because I didn't like the bonus bucks program. Now I may go back because the Walgreen's register rebates is worse. This morning I stopped at Walgreens to purchase 3 items with register rewards and the machine wouldn't work. The clerk told me that this happens a lot. This program stinks.

MIKE (Posted 05.07.09 11:11 AM ) Report Abuse

I'm devestated that Walgreens switched over.  It must depend on the location, because I had bought some toothpaste and received the RR... I used that RR to buy the toothBRUSH that also had a RR... but it wouldn't give me another RR.  The manager told me that you cannot get another RR when you use a RR... even though it was for a different item.  I know that longer ago it used to work, but not anymore.  Maybe it depends on the location, as some of them may have not updated their computer systems to catch this.  So if you aren't able to get RRs when RRs are used, then you are still spending the money on at least one item, so it isn't actually free.  BOO!!!

Tish (Posted 05.13.09 9:49 AM ) Report Abuse

Just got a reply from Walgreens on my April ESR ... denied because I did not send the original receipt (which I sent).  Now I have to waste time calling their customer service and argue.  No wonder I like CVS better.

D (Posted 05.13.09 1:48 PM ) Report Abuse

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