Drugstore Shopping 101

Think drugstores at too expensive? Not if you know how to shop them. CVS, RiteAid, and Walgreens are great places to shop if you take advantage of sales, coupons, and incentive programs. I haven't paid for toiletries in months. Read on to find out how you can start saving some green.

CVS- First, sign up for a free ExtraCare Card, like a BiLo bonus card, and use let the cashier scan this with every purchase. When you buy certain products, as listed in the weekly or monthly flyer, ExtraCare Bucks, ECBs, will print off at the end of your receipt. These can be used like money back into the store. Many items are free after ExtraCare Bucks. You can use ECBs to buy more items that will give you ECBs and shop for practically free, or very cheap. You can even make money when you use coupons. For example, once a shower gel was advertised for $4.99 with $4.99 ECBs, making it free. I used a $1 coupon when I bought it, paying only $3.99, but I still got $4.99 in ECBs. Then, I used my ExtraCare Bucks to buy more items that were free after ECBs.

Walgreens- This store used to have an EasySaver rebate catalog, but they replaced it with register rewards, similar to CVS's program. When you buy an item with an advertised register reward, the reward will print off on the machine, called a catalina, by the register. This reward can be used like cash back into the store.

RiteAid- This store offers rebate checks by mail made out in your name- they don't have to be spent back in the store. Just look for advertised rebates in the weekly sales ad or monthly rebate book found in stores. Many items are free after rebate. All you have to do is enter your receipt data and request your check online.