Walgreens 1/31-2/6

Make a trip to Walgreens this week for FREEBIES!

I LOVE weeks like this!

If you are just starting and don't have newspaper coupons, I suggest starting with FREEBIES and get your Register Rewards rolling for upcoming weeks. Remember you'll have to pay out of pocket and then you'll receive coupons that act like cash at Walgreens next week. You could also access all online coupons available.



The following items will be FREE after Register Rebates...Gotta Love It!



Vitamin Schtik Lip Care $1.99 Get $1.99 in RR = FREE

Blink Tears $7.99 Get $7.99 Register Rebates = FREE

Plus, make it a money maker by using one of the following coupons available:

Use $1.50/1 Printable Coupon HERE

Use $2/1 Coupon (1/31 Red Plum Newspaper Insert)



Post Shredded Wheat $1

Buy 2 boxes

Use (1) $2/1 Post Shredded Wheat Cereal Printable Coupon HERE

FINAL PRICE = BOTH BOXES FREE

I don't know about you, but FREE is my favorite type of cereal!



Advil 40-50ct or 16-20ct PM $4.49 Get $5 RR wyb 2

Buy 2 Advil

Use (2) $2/1 Coupons (1/31 Red Plum Newspaper insert)

FINAL PRICE = BOTH FREE



Zicam Cold Sore Gel Swabs $10 Get $7 RR

Use $3/1 Zicam Peelie found on Product (If you can find one with a peelie left!)

FINAL PRICE = FREE



Joint Juice $10 Get $10 RR

FINAL PRICE = FREE



Scalpicin $5.99 Get $5.99 RR

Use $1/1 Printable Coupon HERE or HERE

FINAL PRICE = FREE + $1 Money Maker



Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Monitor $14.99 Get $10 RR

Use $30/1 Coupon (10/25 RP)

Warning: The coupon will beep and the cashier should adjust it down to purchase price

FINAL PRICE = FREE + $10 overage

Making Money! Don't need it...Remember to DONATE items.





Other great deals this week...



Thermacare HeatWraps 2-3pk 8-hr $5.99 or 12-hr $7.99 Get $5 RR

Buy (2) 8 hr packs $5.99 each

Use (2) $3/1 Printable Coupon HERE

FINAL PRICE = $.49 each wyb 2



SPEND $20 ON THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS GET $10 REGISTER REBATE

Pepsi (12 packs) $3Pepsi

2 Liters $1.25

Snack Chips (see ad) $2

Get $10 RR



Comet Cleanser $.50 each w/in ad coupon



Renuzit Air Freshener $.99 w/in ad coupon

Use B2G1 FREE Renuzit Coupon (1/10 RP)

FINAL PRICE = $.67 each wyb 3



Hunt's Pudding Snack Pack (4 pk) $1

Use $1/4 Coupon (1/10 SS)

FINAL PRICE = $.75 each wyb 4



Puffs Facial Tissues $.89 w/in ad coupon.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

(Thanks, CWC!)

Why Coupon?

The picture above are items purchased at Wal-Mart. All items = FREE! That's right...F..R..E..E! I had $1.00 off coupons for each of the items pictured and when you purchase the smallest size or least expensive item...you can often find FREE deals! Okay...some of you are excited and some of you are thinking- Why does she need that many liners and soaps?! Well, my advice is to stock up when you can get items for free or close to free. I don't clear the shelves, but I do get enough to stockpile until the next free item comes along. My girls will go through the Johnson soap pretty quickly and it's a great item to put in gift baskets for friends and family. The panty liners...I hate paying for those things! They will all be used and kept at home this time.

Why coupon? Why not? Okay, I have to admit couponing did not come naturally to me. What I mean by that...I was a little embarassed, felt bad for the people behind me in line, and was easily frustrated when the "deals" I thought I was getting didn't work once I was at the register. There is a bit of a "game" that you have to play when you coupon. I have to say, the embarassment part is GONE! Once I started getting amazing deals...I got over it really quickly. It took about one month. I think of my coupons as cash now. Would I walk by a dollar bill laying on the floor? NO WAY! Many coupons have values of $1.00. I'm crazy if I don't use it! I now have a bag that is big enough to carry my coupon binder with me. Sometimes, people look at me like I'm a crazy coupon lady...but I just ignore them. My kids call me the "Coupon Queen". I prefer to think of myself that way. You have to get over the embarassment part of couponing and just realize you are Cool 2 Clip! You're saving money and in this economy...that is REALLY COOL! I have to admit, I still feel sorry for the people stuck behind me in checkout lines. I usually make a joke of it and start a conversation with them. Time is valuable and I don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable making the people behind me wait while my coupons are scanned. When my $84.00 bill gets down to $14.00, it sure helps with the embarassment of making people wait. Really, most people don't mind. Stay strong...and remember it's FREE MONEY!

You can't afford not to follow Cool 2 Clip. I will do my best to fill you in on all of the "tricks of couponing". I also frequently search other blogs and will find the most user-friendly information and provide the links to them on Cool 2 Clip. It will save you the time of hopping from blog to blog, trying to find the best deals. It will already be done for you. MAJOR TIME SAVER! I already keep up with many deal sites and I have received permission to pass the deals along to you. Score!

Growing up, I don't recall coupons being used. My dad always loved a good deal and would stock up when he found one. With 4 kids and 2 working parents, I'm sure it was just one more thing for my parents to do at the time. I do think that the internet has made couponing even easier for those of us attempting it now. I hope that you're excited and ready to try it!

If you find that you have excess items after couponing...donate. I donate items all the time. I work with children and many of them need the additional items we can pick up for little or nothing. Broaden your thought to outside your home. If you have additional money and don't see a need for it in your home, use couponing to make a difference in the lives of others. Donate items to food pantries, abuse shelters, homeless shelters, schools, dog pounds, etc. Somebody needs it. The only thing it will cost you is your time. Make a difference!

Remember...it's Cool 2 Clip!  Pass it on!

Understanding Walgreens

1. Register Rewards print on a "special register" and look like a long, skinny coupon.

2. Register Rewards are essentially like gift cards. They are good for the dollar amount shown on your next purchase (See Understanding CVS).

3. You get Register Rewards by buying items that are advertised as having "Register Rewards good on next purchase" in the weekly flyer.

For example, some toothpaste might cost $3.49 and is advertised as giving $3.49 in Register Rewards. This means you will pay $3.49 upfront (cash) and a Register Reward (catalina) coupon for $3.49 off of your next purchase will print. Essentially, this item is FREE if you plan on shopping at Walgreens again.

4. If I buy toothpaste that gives me a Register Reward, I cannot turn around and buy more of the same toothpaste using that specific Register Reward and get another Register Reward. The good news is you can use other Register Rewards you received from buying different products but not the same product.  It takes a bit of shuffling.

5. You cannot split up Register Rewards. For example, if you have a single Register Reward for $3.49, you cannot use $1 on one day and save the rest for later (same as CVS).

6. The ultimate goal is to "roll" your Register Rewards. For example, you want to "pay" with Register Rewards you already have from before and get items that will give you more Register Rewards for your next trip.

7. Register Rewards deals are sometimes "hidden" and you don't know about them until someone "accidentally" buys the item. It keeps it fun and exciting. The good news is that I will post as many of the "hidden" rewards as I can. If you find one, let me know and I'll post it with your name.

8. Each month, a Walgreens monthly catalog comes out. It is filled with Walgreens coupons and you pick it up at the front of the store with the weekly ads.

9. The cool part is that you can combine the coupons inside the catalog with manufacturer's coupons to get deep discounts.

10. There are ususally a few items that are free after Register Rewards.

12. At Walgreens, you cannot have more coupons than you have items. If you do, just purchase a filler item (candy bar, pencil, or something else inexpensive).

13. Register Rewards count as coupons.

14. You will probably have to pay a little bit out of pocket to get started. You will probably need to plan on spending $25.00 out of pocket to get a good start and enough Register Rewards to start rolling.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I will do my best to help. In all honesty, I've scored great deals at Walgreens and CVS. Walgreens seems to take a little more pre-planning and preparation for me but the deals are worth it.

Understanding CVS

1. Sign up for an ExtraCare card.

2. Use your ExtraCare card each time you shop!

3. Your card will give you discounts on different items each week (in the ad it will say "price with card").

4. Your card will also allow you to receive extracare bucks (incentive coupons that work like cash at CVS).

5. You receive ExtraCare bucks by purchasing items advertised as having an "Extra Bucks Rewards"
- For example, toothpaste might cost $3.49 and is advertised as having a $3.49 Extra Bucks Rewards. This means you will pay $3.49 upfront (cash) and at the bottom of your receipt, a coupon for $3.49 off of your next purchase will print. Essentially, this item is FREE if you plan on shopping at CVS again.

5. ExtraCare Bucks are essentially like gift cards. They are good for the dollar amount shown. They will automatically print on the bottom of your receipt.

6. You also accumulate ExtraCare Bucks each time you make a purchase. it equals 2% of your total spending each quarter and they are issued quarterly at the bottom of your receipt.

7. You cannot split up ExtraCare Bucks. For example, if you have a single ExtraBucks Reward for $3.49, you cannot use $1 on one day and save the rest for later. You must use the entire amount at once.

8. Do not accidentally throw away your ExtraCare Bucks. They look like your receipt and you have to cut them off the bottom of the receipt. I usually fold mine up and put it in my wallet with my ExtraCare Card. When they ask me for my card at the beginning of my transaction, I get my ECB (ExtraCare Bucks out and ready).

9. Each week, there are usually several items that are FREE after ECBs.

10. The ultimate goal is to "roll" your ExtraCare Bucks. For example, you want to "pay" with ExtraCare Bucks you already have from your previous trip to CVS and purchse additional items that will give you more ExtraCare Bucks for your next trip.

11. You will probably have to pay a little bit out of pocket to get started on this whole thing. My first trip to CVS cost $27.00 out of my pocket (cash). I received $14.00 in ECBs. I then was able to roll my ECBs with every weekly trip to CVS. With ECBs and coupons on items, you will be amazed at the money you can save. It does take some planning, but it is SO worth it!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I will do my best to help you.

How I Began

When I first started couponing and getting freebies, I was a little overwhelmed. If you feel that way, you are not alone. My husband and I both work full-time and we have two very active daughters. I am a Girl Scout Leader and my husband always helps coach the girls' sports. My point...we are the typical family heading in a million different directions with little time to spare. If we can do this, believe me...you can too! Take it one step at a time. I started with a Sunday paper and our local grocery store. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I live in a small town. We have one grocery store (IGA). I drive 30 minutes to get to the nearest Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, etc. It's not always easy, but the rewards are worth the time and effort. It honestly took me 2 or 3 months to get a schedule down for my couponing. I often have my girls in tow and I plan on doing some videos to show you how I attempt to involve them in my money saving efforts. They do a great job helping at home...but once we're in the stores it takes some creativity to keep them focused on the task at hand! I'll share some of our games with you during one of our upcoming videos. The games help them stay involved and help me maintain my sanity during our shopping trips. My husband works shiftwork and I'm often left shopping with the girls alone. I'm guessing many of you will find yourself in the same situation at one point or another. Hopefully, the games we teach you will work to keep your children involved in the shopping experience.

Okay...I'm so good at rambling. To start, I recommend setting up an organizing method for your coupons. There are multiple ways to organize your coupons. One of the most popular methods is the small accordian file. I use a binder with baseball card sleeves. I've also seen people use photo albums. I will make a video to show how my coupons are organized and I'll also share a different method used by many experienced couponers. You should pick the method that works best for you and your needs. Watch the video and you decide.

I recommend starting your couponing journey with one Sunday paper. Take it slow. It will take some time to understand the best ways to save money at various locations (see my post Understanding CVS and Walgreens). Some stores offer their own coupon incentives for puchasing certain products. The coupons then work like cash in their stores. Both Walgreens and CVS provide incentives for purchasing certain products at their stores. The items usually change on a weekly/monthly basis and when you pair coupons with their coupon incentives, you can really save a lot of money.

I hope you enjoy this blog and learn from it. I am still learning and would love to hear from you! Share a good deal with me and I'll post it on Cool 2 Clip with your name!