Revisiting the Good Old Days in The Drugstore Game

I started playing The Drugstore Game back in 2008, and in June of that year, I was able to buy a ton of stuff for free:

Thanks to ECBs and free gift cards that I earned through MyPoints, won from My Good Cents, and received for new prescriptions, I spent zero dollars out of pocket at CVS during the month of June.

The amazing thing is the tally of things that I picked up this month, all for free: lots of toilet paper and paper towels, Lysol wipes, Listerine SmartRinse (regular Listerine devastates my mouth, but this stuff is great), bandages, batteries, toothbrushes, diapers, wipes, and more.

I saved over $150 by shopping at CVS. That's the amount I would have paid at Target during my pre-Drugstore Game days, and that's assuming the best price scenario with sales and coupons.

I didn't even include in my $150 savings the stuff that I wouldn't have bought if it wasn't free or almost-free at CVS: things like deodorant, cotton swabs, cookies, and more. I'm now finding a use for these items, giving them away to friends and family, or donating them to a good cause. And I just have one thing to say ...

I love The Drugstore Game!

Things have changed a lot in the last four years. Gift card offers for prescriptions are a lot rarer than they used to be, and there are far fewer free-after-rewards deal at all of the drugstores. I can't remember the last time I got free toilet paper. You can definitely still save a lot of money by waiting for sales, using coupons, and rolling rewards (I got free contact solution and cheap sunscreen at Walgreens last week) - but it's not as easy as it used to be!

Drugstore Disappointments & Strategies for Avoiding Them

I took a couple of hours to go shopping today, and I struck out at all of the drugstores! That's pretty rare, but it does happen sometimes.

The CVS I stopped at had no Aquafresh kid's toothbrushes. They are supposed to be on sale for $1, and there were $1/1 coupons in yesterday's RP insert as well as $1/1 printables at Red Plum, so they're free after coupon (the printables may have hit the print limit already). There didn't seem to be a space on the shelf for the toothbrushes, so I don't think that store even carries them. It turns out that the Aquafresh kid's toothpaste is also on sale for $1, so they'll be free after the $1/1 coupon that was also in yesterday's RP insert. Unfortunately, I didn't have those coupons with me, so I left the store empty-handed.

I'm running very low on tissue, so I planned to buy some as part of the household items deal at Rite Aid - you get at $10 +UP reward when you buy $30 worth of participating products. But when I got to the store, there was all of one box of Puffs on the shelf. I could have bought it, and the other items on my list, because the deal is reported to be tracking, meaning you can buy the $30 worth of items in multiple transactions and the $10 +UP will be triggered when you hit the $30 mark. But if I can't find more Puffs at other stores I won't be able to hit the $30 mark so I decided to wait until I can get to another store tomorrow.

Finally at Walgreens, they didn't have many Reach Total Care floss with whitening, so I only bought two instead of four. Those are on sale for $2.99 and giving a $2 Register Rewards, so they're a small moneymaker after the $2/1 coupon from the 10/10 RP and tax. This store also didn't have any of the single serve peeps that are $0.50 after the in-ad coupon.

Low stock and hit and miss deals are, unfortunately, always a part of playing The Drugstore Game. There are a few ways to minimize the disappointments, however:

• You have a better chance of finding items in stock at the beginning of the sales cycle. But remember to be considerate and not clear the store's stock without permission.


• Ask the store management if they will order extra quantities of an upcoming sale item. If you know you want a large number of something that's going to be on sale, you can see if the store manager will order some especially for you. If I'd planned ahead, I could have done this with the Puffs!


• Know which stores in your area tend to have good stock. My favorite Walgreens is, unfortunately, one of the smaller stores, so while I have a great relationship with their manager, they simply don't carry some of the items that I'm looking for. There is a Walgreens that's a couple more miles away that's bigger and has better stock. And I'm optimistic that the CVS I'm planning to visit tomorrow will have the Aquafresh toothbrushes, since it's a large store that's usually quite good about managing its stock.


• Find out when the store gets new stock. Most stores get one or two trucks per week, on the same day(s). You'll need to give them time to unload it and find out what they got, but you might be able to get the hot sale items mid-week if you can get to the store right after the stock has been replenished.


• Call the store to check on their stock before you head out. This is my least favorite strategy, partly because it entails a lot of waiting on the phone, partly because I think it just annoys the store's staff, and partly because I find it unreliable since there's always the chance the employee didn't quite understand which item you were calling about. Also, it seems rude to ask if they have three or four items in stock, so I'd rather go in person or just skip the store that week if I don't have time to stop by.


• Ask if there's stock in the back. Most of the time the answer is no, but sometimes you get lucky.
  

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Which is the best overall drugstore to shop at?

There's a thread over at A Full Cup about which drugstore you would pick if you could only shop at one. It got me thinking about how I feel about the different stores. I like them and dislike them all for different reasons, but here's a summary of my thoughts:

CVS

• I think CVS is the most straight-forward, and therefore the easiest, of the three major drugstore chains to shop at.
  
• The limits are usually clear, and because of them I don't spend the entire week thinking, I have a few more coupons, I could/should go again.
• I transfer my prescriptions back and forth between CVS and Ralphs to get gift cards, so I usually spend nothing out of pocket when I shop at CVS.
• I have the least trouble with coupons beeping at CVS, and when there is trouble, the cashiers are pretty good about how they handle it.
  

Rite Aid

• Of all the drugstores, I think Rite Aid is the easiest to make money at, because there is usually a $/$$ coupon available to use on items that are free after coupons and/or +UP rewards and/or Single Check Rebates.
• SoCal deals start on Fridays, which can be great if there are coupons expiring on a Saturday, but it also means I'm usually struggling to figure out the deals for myself if I want to go on Friday or Saturday because deal blogs haven't posted their match ups yet.
  
• I have the most trouble with coupons at Rite Aid, out of all the drugstores. I think it has something to do with the way their computers are programmed (coupons seem to beep a lot more often at Rite Aid), as well as a lack of training, despite the official coupon policy (pdf).
  
• I usually spend the most out of pocket at Rite Aid, even though I make the most money there, because I have to wait for the SCR check to arrive before I am "reimbursed."

Walgreens

• Most stores don't really have limits (or if they do, they're daily), so you can buy more at Walgreens than any other store, usually limited more by the number of coupons you have than anything else.
• But the one Register Reward per transaction limit (per deal) makes for a greater number of transactions.
  
• The items to coupons-including-Register Rewards ratio makes Walgreens the most complicated to shop at.
• Because the Register Rewards values are usually low, I have to do a lot of transactions to minimize my out of pocket expenses, which is inconvenient and something of a deterrent.
  
• Most stores don't seem familiar with and/or welcoming of multiple transactions (although I spoke to the manager of a newish store recently and she assured me that I am welcome to do as many transactions as I want unless they have very limited stock - yay!).

I find that I go through cycles at the drugstores: For a couple of months, I'll go to Walgreens several times a week, then for a couple of weeks, it'll be Rite Aid, then the next few months, it'll be CVS. I won't avoid the other stores but I'll only go once a week at most during their downward cycle. So I can't really pick just one store I'd prefer to shop at the most.

But if I had to pick, I'd probably go with CVS, just because it's the easiest and most convenient for me. But I'd sure be sad about missing out on all of the deals at Rite Aid and Walgreens too. So I'm glad and grateful to be able to shop at all three!

Which one would you pick if you could only shop at one of the drugstores?

How to Play The Drugstore Game at Walgreens

Updated 5/13/2011

The Drugstore Game is really just the combination of sale prices, store rewards programs, and coupons. Your success in The Drugstore Game will depend on how well you are able to combine these elements to minimize your expenses.

Here’s what you need to know to play The Drugstore Game at Walgreens:

Register Rewards
Register Rewards ("RRs") are coupons that print from a Catalina machine next to the register. (You can see a picture of a Catalina machine here.) They should print at the end of a transaction when you’ve made a qualifying purchase, and can be used to help pay for your next transaction. Generally, RRs expire two weeks from the date they were printed, though this occasionally varies.

RRs are typically part of the following types of deals:

Buy Product X, Receive a $Y RR
Example: Buy Excedrin on sale for $2.50, Get a $2 RR

Buy $X worth of select products, Receive a $Y RR
Example: Buy $20 worth of selected P&G prodcuts, Get a $10 RR

Spend $25, Get a $5 RR
This has happened in December for the last two years.

When purchasing a qualifying item, you can use coupons and still receive the RR. In the first example above, you could use a $2/1 coupon on the Excedrin and get the $2 RR back. In essence, you’ve "made" $1.50 on the purchase. You can do the same in the second example, for instance if you bought $20 worth of Tide, used 2 $1/1 coupons and paid $18 plus tax, you would still get the $10 RR.

Some Register Rewards deals run weekly, and some run monthly. The weekly ones will usually be in the ad, while the monthly ones are frequently advertised only for one week even though they run all month. (A "month" at Walgreens usually starts on the last Sunday of a month and ends on the last Saturday of the next month.)

One thing to keep in mind with RR deals is that you'll only get one RR per deal per transaction. So if the deal is Buy 1 X, get a $Y RR, you'll only receive one RR even if you buy 2 X's in one transactions.

Also, you usually cannot "roll" an RR into the same deal. Thus, you cannot use an RR that you received for buying X to buy another X and still receive an RR. But you can generally buy X, receive an RR, use that RR to buy Y, and receive another RR.

Store Coupons
Walgreens is pretty generous with store coupons. You’ll find coupons in each week’s ad, as well as in the monthly coupon booklet that’s at the front of the store. Sometimes, there are booklets or pamphlets available in the store for free that also have store coupons.

Coupon Policy
Walgreens now has an official coupon policy (yay!).

I’ve never had any problems using printable coupons at Walgreens, unless they didn’t scan. On the rare occasion that that’s happened, some cashiers have pushed it through while others have told me they can’t accept it.

One thing to keep in mind with Walgreens is that you must have as many items as manufacturer coupons, and that RRs count as manufacturer coupons. You do not need to include store coupons in your ratio. For example, say Quaker Oatmeal is $2.50 if you use an in-ad coupon, and you have a 50 cents/1 manufacturer coupon and a $2 RR. That’s 2 manufacturer coupons (the 50 cents off oatmeal and the $2 RR), so you would need to buy a "filler" in order to be able to use the RR. You can use anything you want that doesn’t have a manufacturer coupon attached as a filler; most shoppers will use something cheap like candy or an item that’s cheap after in-ad coupon like novelty pencils.

Another thing to keep in mind is that RRs cannot be used to pay for tax, and cannot be adjusted down. Therefore, your RR must be equal to or less than your pre-tax total after coupons. In the example above, if you had a $1/1 coupon instead of the 50 cents/1 coupon, your pre-tax total would be $1.50, but you’d have a $2 RR. In that case, you’d want your filler to cost at least 50 cents – if it was less, you’d need more than one filler.

Problems with RRs
RRs are a wonderful way to save money at Walgreens, but sometimes you may run into trouble. If your RR doesn’t print, you have a few options:

The first thing you should do is be sure that you bought the right item for the deal, during the promotion period. If you’re sure you should have gotten the RR, then check to see if the RR deal is listed in the ad or tagged on the shelf. This makes it easy for you to say to a store employee, "Excuse me, I bought X and was supposed to get an RR but it didn’t print out." Just show them the ad or shelf tag, and the product you bought, and let them decide how they want to handle it. Some stores issue gift cards for the amount of the RR, some stores try a return/repurchase at a different register, etc.

Some deals aren’t tagged or advertised, which makes it more difficult for your to press your case with an employee. If you are comfortable doing so, go ahead. If you’re not, you can either return the item or go home and call the Catalina company at 1-866-8COUPON. If you provide them the information they need, they should be able to mail your Register Rewards coupon to you. If you used Register Rewards to pay for your item, you should still get a full refund, although it may be placed on a gift card instead of given to you in cash.

As with all coupon issues, please remember to be polite to the store employees, even if they are not polite to you. It helps all coupon users if we all keep a cool head. And, you are likely to return to the store if it’s in your neighborhood and it’s easier to shop when you’re on cordial terms with the staff.

Multiple Transactions
Unless you have many RRs, you will probably minimize your out of pocket expenses by doing multiple transactions. Multiple transactions can feel strange at first, so you’ll have to figure out what you’re comfortable with.

Another reason you will want to do multiple transactions is that you will only get one RR per deal per transaction. For example, if Crest toothpaste is giving an RR, you will only receive one RR even if you buy two toothpastes. However, if you bought Crest and Kotex in one transaction, and both were giving RRs, you would receive both RRs .

Some stores will limit the number of RR-producing items that you can buy. Sometimes the weekly ad states such a limit. Store employees have discretion to ignore or enforce limits, and I’ve never been turned down if I ask if it’s okay to buy something if there’s a good amount of stock out.

I try to limit myself to two transactions per store per trip. I feel that it is not excessive enough to warrant any extra attention from the employees, and I am not getting in other customers’ way. I am also not buying enough to wipe out the shelves. And, I rarely have enough coupons to repeat the same transaction more than twice.

If the stars align, I may do more than two transactions. For me, this usually requires extra coupons, a friendly cashier, and an uncrowded and well-stocked store.

If you can, get to know your store’s employees. If they are friendly toward you and your coupons, it will make your transactions that much smoother. It may also make it easier to do multiple transactions in one visit.

Putting It All Together
Walgreens math can get a little complicated, because you’ve got to consider sale prices, store coupons, manufacturer coupons, RRs, and the coupon-to-item ratio when creating your scenarios to minimize your out of pocket costs. The more you play The Drugstore Game at Walgreens, the easier it will be to understand how all of these elements work together.

I’ll put together "starter transactions" each week to help you get started at Walgreens, so stay tuned!

How to Play The Drugstore Game at CVS

The Drugstore Game is really just the combination of sale prices, store rewards programs, and coupons. Your success in The Drugstore Game will depend on how well you are able to combine these elements to minimize your expenses.

Here’s what you need to know to play The Drugstore Game at CVS:

ExtraCare Rewards Program
CVS has a store loyalty program called the ExtraCare Rewards Program. You will need to sign up for the ExtraCare program in order to fully play The Drugstore Game at CVS. You can join online, but I recommend signing up in the store so you get your card immediately. You’ll need to have your card scanned for each transaction in order to receive your rewards (the cashiers are pretty good about asking for your card at the start of each transaction).

ExtraCare Rewards are issued in the form of "Extra Bucks," also known as "ExtraCare Bucks," or "ECBs." I use the "ECB" abbreviation here at CFO, as do most other blogs and forums. ECBs are a store-issued coupon that can be applied toward your purchase. For example, if you have a $5 ECB and you are buying $5 worth of items, you can use the ECB to pay for your purchases.

There are several ways to earn ECBs. The primary way is by purchasing qualifying items, which vary by week or month. For example, a common weekly deal is on toothpaste – it might be on sale for $2.99, and giving $2 ECBs. The store expects you to pay $2.99 + tax, and then you will receive a $2 ECB at the end of your receipt, which you can use to pay for your next purchase.

Another way to earn ECBs is by getting your prescriptions filled at CVS. You’ll earn $1 ECB for every two prescriptions you have filled there. You’ll receive your prescription ECBs on a quarterly basis – they’ll either appear at the end of your receipt of your first transaction after disbursement, or you can print them from the red scanners that most stores have near the front of the store. (More on the scanners below.)

You’ll also earn automatic ECBs each quarter, to the tune of 2% of your total purchases in store and at CVS.com. However, if you play The Drugstore Game correctly, your total purchases will be minimal, and your corresponding quarterly ECB will also be minimal. Like the prescription ECBs, your quarterly ECBs will appear at the end of your receipt of your first transaction after disbursement, or you can print them from the scanners.

Store Coupons
The beauty of store coupons is that they can be "stacked" with manufacturer coupons, so you can use two coupons on one item. CVS is pretty generous with store coupons, at least with some customers. (Not that I feel unloved by CVS or anything . . .)

About those scanners . . . they are red boxes and usually positioned near the front of the store. You can use them to price check items, but the scanner only tells you the price of an item and not whether an item is producing ECBs. (The only way to tell that seems be by completing a purchase.) You can also scan your ExtraCare card at the scanners to obtain coupons, including any pending ECBs you might be due. Some people routinely get great coupons from the scanners, like $3 off a $15 purchase coupon. Others (like me) only get two coupons per day, usually for $1 off specified CVS products. I Heart CVS has a weekly post listing the coupons that are printing from the scanner. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of scanning your card when you walk into the store.

If your store doesn’t have a scanner, it’s out of service, or your forget to scan your card, you may get coupons at the end of your receipt when you check out. These are known in the coupon world as "CRTs," for "cash register tape" coupons.

CVS also sends out printable store coupons via email, so be sure to give them your address when you sign up for your ExtraCare card. Again, some people get more of these than others.

Using Coupons At CVS
CVS does not have an official coupon policy that I am aware of. However, I have never had any problems stacking a CVS coupon with a manufacturer coupon on the same item.

Unlike Walgreens, in most circumstances you need not worry about the item-to-coupon ratio. Thus, you should not need "filler" items to use your ECBs on top of your manufacturer coupons. I have occasionally run into an unclear coupon limit at CVS, when the register simply refuses to accept any more coupons and the cashier insists that she cannot override the register. This has happened only when I’m using a lot of coupons on the same product, so I think it has more to do with quantity than anything else. (For example, most recently, I bought 10 canisters of Clorox wipes, and the register would not accept the last $1/2 coupon.)

Also unlike Walgreens, you can "roll" your ECB into the same deal, until you reach the deal limit. Some items, particularly free items, have a limit of one. So, for example, if Colgate toothpaste is on sale for $2.99 and giving a $2.99 ECB with a limit of one, you cannot use the $2.99 ECB to buy another Colgate and receive another ECB. But you could do it if the limit was two.

Keep in mind that your ECBs are coded for use with your card, so you cannot use someone else’s ECBs and they can’t use yours. Emailed coupons and store-generated coupons are also programmed for use with your card only.

Multiple Transactions
Unless you have many ECBs or an $X off $Y purchase coupon, you will probably minimize your out of pocket expenses by doing multiple transactions. Multiple transactions can feel strange at first, so you’ll have to figure out what you’re comfortable with.

Personally, I try to limit myself to two transactions per store per trip. I feel that it is not excessive enough to warrant any extra attention from the employees, and I am not getting in other customers’ way. I am also not buying enough to wipe out the shelves. And, I rarely have enough coupons to repeat the same transaction more than twice.

If the stars align, I may do more than two transactions. For me, this usually requires extra coupons, a friendly cashier, and an uncrowded and well-stocked store.

If you can, get to know your store’s employees. If they are friendly toward you and your coupons, it will make your transactions that much smoother. It may also make it easier to do multiple transactions in one visit.

Putting It All Together
Playing The Drugstore Game at CVS involves putting all of the elements I just discussed together. Take a sale price on an item that’s giving ECBs, use a coupon or two to make the price even lower, use an ECB to absorb most of the cost, pay a minimal amount out of pocket, and get another ECB back for next time.

I plan to put together "starter transactions" each week to help you get started, so stay tuned!

How to Play The Drugstore Game at Rite Aid

Updated 10/12/10

The Drugstore Game is really just the combination of sale prices, store rewards programs, and coupons. Your success in The Drugstore Game will depend on how well you are able to combine these elements to minimize your expenses.

Here’s what you need to know when it comes to Rite Aid:

Wellness+ Program
Rite Aid has introduced the Wellness+ program, which is really just their store loyalty program. You'll get a card that you should have scanned with each transaction in order to get the most from your shopping. It will give you exclusive sale prices, access to special deals that yield rewards, and tiered discount, culminating in 20% off all non-prescription purchases.

+UP Rewards
With your Wellness+ card, you can get +UP rewards on certain transactions (you'll see them listed in the weekly ad and/or tagged in store). For example, the deal might be Colgate toothpaste on sale for $2.99, but you'll get a +UP reward for $2, making the toothpaste only 99 cents after +UP rewards (less if you use a coupon). The limits on +UP rewards are unfortunately extremely unclear and seem somewhat random.

Single Check Rebates
Rite Aid has a monthly rebate program called Single Check Rebates. Each month, there will be different participating products that have SCRs. For example, Colgate Total toothpaste might be on sale for $2.99 with a $2 SCR. The store expects you to pay $2.99 + tax, and give you back $2 via SCR at the end of the month.

You can find the partipating products online at Single Check Rebates. Your store may also have monthly booklets near the weekly ads, especially at the beginning of the month.

You’ll need to register for the SCR program, and then enter your receipt information online. You’ll know within a few days if your rebate has been approved, because the info will be right there when you log in. You can only request one check per month, so it’s best to wait until the end of the month when you’re sure you won’t do any more eligible shopping before requesting your check.

Video Values
The Rite Aid Video Values program is incredibly easy to use. The basic idea is, you watch videos about products sold at Rite Aid and in exchange, Rite Aid gives you printable coupons for those products. Each video is worth "credits" – most are worth one, but some of the longer ones will give more credits. Each month, you’ll be able to print a $4 off $20 purchase coupon after you’ve earned 20 or more credits.

The Video Values coupons are Rite Aid store coupons, so they can be "stacked" with manufacturer’s coupons, and that can make for some fabulous deals. Additionally, the $20 minimum for the $4 off $20 purchase coupon is before coupons, so you can bring your final total down quite a bit with additional coupons.

The best part about Video Values is how easy it is to use. You don’t have to download anything, the video plays smoothly, and your credits are automatically tallied. Most videos are less than a minute long, so it doesn’t take long to earn the 20 credits for the $4 off $20 coupon. The only thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to enter a "captcha" code within 30 seconds of the video ending in order to receive your credits.

Using Coupons at Rite Aid
Rite Aid has an official coupon policy that you should be familiar with, and explains how you can combine store coupons and manufacturer coupons, how you can use coupons with certain sales, etc. You may want to print the pdf of the coupon policy and carry it with you when shopping in case there are some questions about whether you can use your coupons.

Putting It All Together
I find that my out of pocket expenses are higher at Rite Aid, compared to CVS and Walgreens, because the SCR program delays the money I get back from the store. At the same time, I find it easier to "make" money at Rite Aid because there are more "free" items thanks to the SCR program, and coupons turn those deals into moneymakers.

Here’s an example of a typical Rite Aid transaction:

1 Crest toothpaste $2.74 with $2 +UP reward
1 Listerine $4 with $2 SCR
2 Kotex pads 2/$6 with $3 +UP reward
2 Dixie plates $1.99 each
1 Children’s Tylenol $4.99 with $2 SCR

Subtotal: $21.71

- $4 off $20 purchase coupon from Video Values
- 75 cents/1 Crest from Sunday paper
- $1/1 Listerine from Sunday paper
- $1.50/2 Kotex from Sunday paper
- $2/2 Dixie from Video Values
- 2 x 55 cents/1 Dixie from Sunday paper
- $1/1 Children’s Tylenol

Pay: $9.36 out of pocket
Receive: $2 +UP reward for Crest, $2 SCR for Listerine, $3 +UP reward for Kotex, $2 SCR for Tylenol (total received: $9)
Total cost after rewards: 36 cents + tax

Also, some of the products might be part of an SCR promotion to Buy $25 or $50 worth of certain products and get a Rite Aid gift card. The SCR web site will keep track of your eligible purchases, so you’ll be able to see how much more you need to buy to get the gift card and decide if the expense is worth it.

Let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to answer!

Meet Chief Family Officer's New Drugstore Game Padawan: Hayden from California

Thank you to everyone who applied to be the next Drugstore Game padawan. It was even tougher to make a selection this time around, but I had to. And I hope that everyone who wasn't selected will still find this series helpful.

I'm happy to introduce our new Drugstore Game Padawan, Hayden. I asked him to tell us a little about himself, and here's what he said:

My name is Hayden and I’m 18, male, and a high school senior. I plan to attend college this fall and will likely move out of my house this year or the next. I have taken on the responsibility of purchasing various household products for my family because my parents feel that finding ways to save money in the future is not only practicable but necessary.

I simply couldn't pass up the chance to help someone so young develop smart shopping habits!

Like me, Hayden lives in Southern California and has good access to all three major drugstores. He doesn't have a big coupon stash, but has ready access to printable coupons. We'll be back soon with his first transactions!

Drugstore Game Padawan Update: Last words from Nicole

If you're just tuning in, I'm mentoring Nicole in The Drugstore Game. If you've always wanted to play but weren't sure how to get started, follow along with Nicole as she becomes a Drugstore Game Master. You can read all of the posts in this series here, in reverse chronological order. Please read my Drugstore Game Primer and Common Sense with Money's FAQ to get an overview of the Drugstore Game and definitions.

I had an absolute blast working with Nicole, and I'm so impressed at how she caught on to The Drugstore Game so quickly. She's graduated to Drugstore Game Master status, and I'll be introducing our new Padawan very soon. But before we say good-bye to Nicole, I asked her to share a few tips she picked up. Here's what she had to say:

1. Shop early in the week. It's no fun to have an AWESOME transaction planned, only to have that transaction AND an alternate foiled by the other TDGers out there.

2. Be brand flexible. I know that there are some things out there that we won't budge on--for us, it's our contact solution. For others, it's toilet paper, or toothpaste. The key to really succeeding at TDG is allowing yourself to try new products. After all, if you're not paying for them, what's the harm in it.

3. Check out the deals that are available ahead of time. There are great resources out there--blogs that publish coupon lists ahead of time, I Heart Wags and I Heart CVS. [CFO note: And I Heart Rite Aid.]

To anyone that is just getting started, start small. My first transactions were bitty--Moneymakers that gave me 2 RR's, but from those 2 RR's, you can grow an entire week of deals, if you plan things right.

Other than that, have fun with what you're doing! Even if you have to change a transaction in the store, seeing the difference in what your OOP [out of pocket] cost should have been, and what it actually was is amazing.

Thanks again, Nicole - and continued Happy Shopping!

Drugstore Game Padawan Update: The Important of a Price Book

If you're just tuning in, I'm mentoring Nicole in The Drugstore Game. If you've always wanted to play but weren't sure how to get started, follow along with Nicole as she becomes a Drugstore Game Master. You can read all of the posts in this series here, in reverse chronological order. Please read my Drugstore Game Primer and Common Sense with Money's FAQ to get an overview of the Drugstore Game and definitions.

A price book is simply a list of the price per unit of items you use regularly. For instance, my price book has an entry for trash bags, and shows that last May, I bought a box of 45 bags at Pavilions for $5.99, using a $1 off coupon during a "get a $10 catalina coupon for a future purchase when you buy $30 of qualifying products" promotion. So after the $10 catalina, which was basically a 33% off discount, the box of trash bags was $4.01. After the $1 coupon, I paid $3.01 for 45 bags, or 6.7 cents per bag.

That price is now my target price for trash bags, and since I bought approximately twelve boxes last May, I’ve only bought trash bags since then if they cost less than 6.7 cents per bag. (Which has only happened twice.)

I’ve previously written a more detailed explanation about price books, and reiterated their importance. But I’m not sure that I can emphasize the value of a price book enough.

This week’s Drugstore Game Padawan planning is a good example. Nicole has expressed interest in the Fiber One and Revlon deals. The Fiber One deal is for a double pack of bars: buy a bonus pack for $6.99 and get $3 ECBs. The Revlon deal is buy $15 worth of cosmetics and get $7 ECBs.
Both deals will cost money, because there’s no $/$$ coupon, like the $5 off $20 purchase coupon that was available for a short time last week. So then the question becomes, are the items worth the money?

The only way to know for sure if something is a great deal is by keeping a price book.

I know, based on past experience, that it’s possible to get Fiber One bars for $1 or less per box of 5 at the grocery store, by combining sales and coupons. The picture of the bars in the ad is fuzzy, but it looks like two boxes of 5 bars for a total "cost" of $3.99. There was a 40 cents/1 coupon in the 1/3 GM, which would bring the cost down to $3.59, or $1.80 per box.

If Nicole wants those bars right away, and there isn’t a better sale going on right now, then she may want to spend $1.80 per box. But, knowing that a better deal may be right around the corner, she may decide to wait.

Unfortunately, I can’t help her with the Revlon deal because I don’t know much about makeup. I have no idea if the deal is a good one or not, or if there are often better sales.

And that’s something everyone has to deal with when they first start playing The Drugstore Game or pursuing any kind of deal regularly. It’s impossible to know if a price is low without comparing it to another price. And the only way to know more than one price is to look around.

I created my first price book in 2001, and after I had my target prices memorized, I abandoned it. Two years ago, when prices on many items were rising, I went back to basics and started a new price book (click through to see how I minimized the work).

It may take some time to create a price book, but you’ll save a lot of money by having one.

Note: An anonymous commenter kindly pointed out that the Target web site has a manufacturer's coupon for $1/1 Almay, to go with the scenario I posted yesterday. And Adrienne, who works at CVS, kindly reported that the Bonus ECB UPC code only has to be scanned once during the promo period - but get it scanned as soon as possible, because the bonus will not be applied retroactively.

Meet CFO's Drugstore Game Padawan: Nicole

Update: If you're joining this series in progress, be sure to also read my Drugstore Game Primer and Common Sense with Money's FAQ so that you can understanding the abbreviations and terminology used in the subsequent posts.

Last week, I asked for someone to become my Drugstore Game Padawan, and I got some really fantastic applications. It was incredibly hard to choose, but I'd like to introduce you to Nicole. I asked her to write up a little introduction, to give some context to what we'll be doing in the coming weeks, and here's what she had to say:

I'm Nicole, a newlywed student living in East Central Iowa. Just before my husband and I got married, we decided that I would be going to school full-time, and working part-timeish. This was a HUGE cut in our total income, but I became determined to not let my studies impact us financially. Also around this time, we took a major look at our finances, and decided to go with the Avalanche approach to paying off our debt. It was at this point that I turned to couponing.

I've got a pretty good handle on how to deal with the grocery shopping end of it, despite our limited selection of stores. I am ALWAYS in awe of the people that have mastered The Drugstore Game, and when the opportunity came up to be CFO's Padawan, I jumped at the chance. I work very close to a Walgreens, and go to school near CVS. I look forward to learning The Drugstore Game, as it will allow me to shop for things that we need/want, and settle a bit of my urge to go shopping, even when we're working towards some large financial goals. Currently, I'm shopping for myself, my husband, 3 dogs, and 3 cats. Since we have a smaller family(the pets are a pretty consistent expense), I wanted to see how The Drugstore Game could apply for us. We don't have a lot of the kid related expenses that families do, but I still want to save us as much money as possible. I'm excited to see where this goes. :)

Thanks, Nicole - I'm really looking forward to working with you!

As Nicole said, she works near a Walgreens so it's easy for her to go there. She's planning to stop by tomorrow to do the following transaction to get her feet wet:

1 Thermacare Pain Relief 1ct $2.49
- $1/1 printable coupon

Pay $1.49 plus tax, get back a $2.50 Register Reward

I also asked Nicole to take a look around the store and see if they have any good clearance sales going on, since some blogs are reporting a few good finds. We'll keep you updated on how it goes!

Chief Family Officer Wants to Help YOU Master The Drugstore Game

Earlier today, I said that The Drugstore Game is my favorite way to save money – and that’s because I genuinely think it’s fun to be able to go into a store, pay $5, and leave with 10 shopping bags and coupons that will reduce the cost of my next purchase. Even after two years, I still can’t believe I get paid to buy things that I used to pay good money for without a second thought.

But I know that getting started in The Drugstore Game can be intimidating. That’s why I’m looking for one CFO reader who wants some help getting started. My hope is that by publishing our email exchanges, we’ll be able to answer those questions that everyone has when they’re not quite sure how to start.

Before you send me an email explaining why you need the help, let me lay out the requirements. To qualify for consideration as my Padawan,* you must:

• Have weekly access to at least two of the following three drugstores: CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid.
• Commit to acquiring at least one copy of the coupon inserts from Sunday’s newspaper every week, whether it’s by purchasing a paper or getting them from a friend or some other means.
• Be able to print coupons from major sites like Coupons.com, SmartSource, and RedPlum.
• Have read The Drugstore Game Primer, as well as Common Sense with Money’s FAQ.
• Be willing to have our email exchanges published here at CFO, to help other readers. (Your name will remain private, if you wish.)
  

I’m not quite sure how this will work, since it’s never been done before. But my vision is, we’ll communicate via email, and I’ll help you get organized and figure out scenarios that you can do every week based on what your needs are. I’ll publish our email exchanges so that other readers can follow along. Of course, I make no promises regarding what you’ll learn, what you’ll be able to buy, what you’ll spend, or what you’ll save. But if my own experience is any indication, you’ll have fun saving money on things you and your family need.

So . . . if you meet all of the requirements above and are interested in mastering The Drugstore Game, fill out this form by 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 9.

*Padawan = Jedi Apprentice (my boys are obsessed with Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate and/or referral links, and may refer to items that were sent to me for review. However, all opinions are my own. You can read Chief Family Officer's full disclaimer and disclosure policy here.

Ways to Make & Save Money #1: Play The Drugstore Game

You can read the rest of the Ways to Make & Save Money series here.

I wouldn't call The Drugstore Game the most important way I'm going to save money this year, but it may be my favorite way. I've been playing The Drugstore Game for almost two years now, and it's absolutely transformed the way I shop. I can't believe how much I used to pay for every day items like shampoo, toothpaste, and toilet paper. These days, I have a list of items that I will only buy if they end up being free, and I have much lower target prices on other everyday items, like toilet paper, tissue, and dental floss.

If you're new to The Drugstore Game, read my Drugstore Game Primer first. (Even if you've played the game for a while, you may want to read it again as I updated it for this post.)

I play The Drugstore Game at the three big chains: Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid. I'm fortunate, because all three chains are pretty ubiquitous in the Los Angeles area, so it's quite easy for me to shop at all three stores each week (though I rarely do that anymore).

Here are the items I only buy if they are free:

Toothpaste
Adult toothbrushes (I've found it more difficult to get the kind of toothbrushes my kids use for free)
Mouthwash
Deodorant
Non-dandruff Shampoo
Conditioner
Razors
Sanitary pads
Pantyliners
Lip balm

We are not brand-loyal when it comes to any of the above items, so I buy them when they are free and add them to my stockpile. Not being brand-loyal makes life a lot cheaper!

It's also important to remember that if you can wait for a sale, one will eventually come along. Of course, if it's stressing you out to be running out of something, then by all means, go out and buy the cheapest item you can find. But if you can wait, do. A great sale may be just around the corner.

As I prepared my budget a few weeks ago, I realized just what an impact The Drugstore Game has had on our spending. I spend no more than a third of what I used to spend on toiletries, paper goods, and other household items. Since our consumption of these items is just going to increase as the kids get bigger, it's more important than ever for me to shop smart and keep my stockpile stocked!

Previously:

• The Drugstore Game vs. The Warehouse Club: The Hard Numbers: a great guest post by Mercedes of Common Sense with Money
• Why buy the store brand when you can get a name brand for free?
• Simplifying the Drugstore Game
• Drugstore Game Burnout
• The Drugstore Game Burnout - Revisited

Make a free "Economy Survival Kit"

If you play The Drugstore Game, you probably have enough of a stockpile of everyday items that you wouldn't have to shop for years for certain things, like toothpaste and shampoo. And if you're like me, you've wanted to share the items with friends and family, but the items often seem too random.

VacationLover at Hot Coupon World has the answer: the Economy Survival Kit. She's assembled a beautiful basket with a card that ties everything together. It starts:

In this basket you’ll find everything
you need to beat the economy blues!

Toothbrush/Toothpaste . . . Because the economy has left a bad taste in your mouth.
Household Cleaners . . . because SOMEONE has to clean up this mess!
Pain Relievers . . . to dull the pain in your wallet.

You'll have to click through to her post to read the rest of her clever phrases.

If you accumulate extras through The Drugstore Game, how do you share them?

Image credit: VacationLover at Hot Coupon World.

Why buy the store brand when you can get a name brand for free?

Free Money Finance wrote today about Americans finally "getting a clue" that store brands are generally as good as name brands, and a lot cheaper to boot. The example given was of a woman who bought the CVS brand of facial scrub instead of the name brand, and was pleasantly surprised that she couldn't tell the difference.

Now I know those of you who also play The Drugstore Game are probably laughing, just like I was. Because what the woman doesn't realize is that she could be getting the name brand version for free. Especially since she's shopping at CVS, where a combination of coupons and ECBs gets me almost all of my toiletries for free. In fact, the only toiletry I haven't been able to find for free in the last three months is Dove body wash (my preferred shower soap because I know it won't irritate my pemphigoid gestationis-afflicted skin). And even then I paid at most $3 for two bottles at Rite Aid after the sale price and coupons.

I certainly have nothing against store brands, and there are many store brand items throughout my house. And other than toilet paper and paper towels, I think I've found every generic item I've tried to be acceptable, at least for the price.

But just because something is generic does not mean it's the cheapest. This is especially true if you play The Drugstore Game. If your goal is to save money and spend less, then you should always make the most of the resources available to you, including coupons, sales, store rewards programs, and your calculator. (Why do you need your calculator? For your price book.)

What's the best or favorite thing that you've gotten for free in The Drugstore Game?

Simplifying The Drugstore Game

I've been overwhelmed at work lately, sometimes to the point of tears. And I have to admit that in some ways, not playing The Drugstore Game would reduce the amount of stress I am experiencing - in other words, I could reduce stress by buying whatever I want whenever I want without much consideration of the cost. But that would just stress me out in other ways, since I hate wasting money and knowing that I was overpaying would drive me nuts.

And then there's the fact that playing The Drugstore Game makes me happy - and you can't put a price on happiness. I love planning my transactions and figuring out how to save the most money. Once I've figured out my transactions, I look forward to going to the store for days, until I can get there. I've been known to toss my bags into the trunk and take my receipt out so I can bask in the glow of my low out-of-pocket cost before I drive away.

So there's no way I'm sitting on the sidelines of The Drugstore Game just because I have too much work to do. But I've decided to simplify things somewhat to get the most bang for my buck. Here's how:

• I'm going to pass up more deals. As I mentioned last week, I decided to forego the free-after-SCR-and-coupon razor at Rite Aid. It turns out that I also missed out on some free toothpaste. But those are exactly the types of deals I'm going to pass up from now on. I don't need toothpaste, razors, shampoo, conditioner, or toothbrushes. So I'm definitely not making a special trip to get them, even if they are free or a small moneymaker.
• I will make fewer trips. There's a CVS every couple of miles near my house, and I've been known to hit three or four during a particularly hot week. I've also been known to pop into multiple Walgreens stores in a single day or week. But I'm going to cut back on the number of times I go to a store now. In fact, I'll probably visit each store only once a week. I will miss out on some deals, but the added stress, time and effort outweighs the added savings.
• I'm going to limit myself to one transaction per store and absorb slightly higher out of pocket costs. One key to minimizing out of pocket expenses in The Drugstore Game is to break transactions up so as to maximize the use of coupons, particularly where you can "roll" ECBs or Register Rewards into the next transaction. It's also part of the fun of minimizing expenses while maximizes purchases. It takes me a little more time and effort to plan multiple transactions, but the real stress comes from having to be extra organized and know which coupons go with which transaction, and being prepared for the first transaction to not go perfectly, which can throw off the subsequent transactions. By doing only one transaction per store, I'll end up paying a little more out of pocket. But for the time being, the reduced stress, time and effort are worth the added cost.

I still expect to save a lot of money compared to shopping in other stores. This is largely because now that I have a great stockpile of most things that we use, the only deals I chase are the ones for the few things that we do need or will need soon.

The ECB deal on Renu contact lens solution last week at CVS is a good example. Marc and I both wear contacts, and we only have a couple of bottles of solution in our stockpile, which isn't enough to last us through the end of the year. We've also used up all of the funds in our flexible spending account, so anything we spend on contact solution won't be reimbursed. And, contact solution isn't cheap - last I checked, a 12-oz. bottle of Target brand solution was $5.99. After coupons and ECBs, I was able to get one 12-oz. bottle of Renu for $2.49 and two bottles for $2.99. And I hope that this will be enough to keep us going through the next great sale, when I'll stockpile again.

Another benefit of The Drugstore Game is that I don't have to shop every week because of my stockpile. So if things get so crazy at work that I can't make it to a drugstore one week, that's fine.

But I hope that doesn't happen. Not only will I be unhappy from having to work that much, I'll be unhappy about missing my savings high.

Did I miss anything? Share your tips for simplifying The Drugstore Game in the comments!

Guest Post: The Drugstore Game vs. The Warehouse Club: The Hard Numbers

This is a guest post from Mercedes of Common Sense with Money, which is one of my daily reads. Check out her post on how to make money on air fresheners at Walgreens this week. If you like what you see, why not subscribe to her RSS feed?

When I first started watching the household spending, I turned to warehouse clubs to cut back on the cost of every day items. During the last 10 years I have been a member of BJ's, Costco and Sam's. At first I was very excited about the savings, but eventually I started noticing that every time we went shopping to those stores we never left with a bill lower than $125.

Then at the beginning of this year I decided to give using coupons an honest try. When I first started doing this, I kept finding stories of people saving a lot of money by shopping at Walgreens and CVS. At first, I didn't want to believe it since I always thought that buying in bulk was the cheapest way to get certain household items.

But I am a convert and today I want to show you the hard numbers. First, I want to show you some of the things I would have bought at Costco at the end of July and how much I would have spent. Then I want to show you how much I paid for those same things at either Walgreens or CVS.

Costco Purchases:
Charmin toilet paper $19.17 big pack less $2 in store coupon = 17.17 or 23 cents per regular roll
Cascade Advanced Gel $7.99 less $1.50 in store coupons = 6.49 or 5 cents an ounce
Colgate 360 Toothbrushes $11.99 8pk less $5 in store coupon = 6.99 or 87 cents a brush
Colgate Toothpaste $9.88 less $2 in store coupon = 7.88 or 1.97 a tube
Pantene Shampoo $7.99 less $2 in store coupon = 5.99 or 15 cents an ounce
Total Spent: $44.52

But instead I bought these products at either Walgreens or CVS and paid:
Charmin toilet paper (on sale at the end of June): 10 cents per regular roll after ECBs and coupons
Cascade Gel: less than one cent per ounce after Register Rewards
Colgate Toothbrushes: free after ECBs during May
Toothpaste: free every month after coupons, RR and/or ECBs
Two bottles of Pantene shampoo: were free after rebate and coupons at Walgreens
Total spent: $7.30

Sure, playing The Drugstore Game may not offer the convenience of doing your shopping all at once the same way the warehouse clubs do. But at the same time, your wallet doesn't take one big hit every time you shop there. I have also never heard anyone talked about getting paid for shopping at Costco, or making money while shopping there. You also don't have to pay a yearly fee to shop at CVS or Walgreens.

Playing The Drugstore Game also gives you the opportunity to stockpile items for less money spent out of pocket than buying at the warehouse clubs. The best thing about this is that you don't have to play the game forever or with the same intensity. Once you build up a stockpile of the items you need, you can sit back and take a break. During these past eight months, I have been able to save thousands of dollars by shopping at these stores. That has allowed us to maintain not only our standard of living but also increase the amount of money we save for our and our children's future. To me, that is a great achievement considering the current state of our economy.

The Drugstore Game Burnout - Revisited

I might hit Walgreens later this week, especially if a one-day only coupon comes out (those are great for picking up free-after-monthly-rebate items). But otherwise, I'm not seeing anything that makes me want to run out and shop.

We've talked before about burning out on The Drugstore Game by shopping too much, but I don't think what's going on here. I think it's more that I'm well-stocked and none of the sales are calling to me. Thanks to my plays in The Drugstore Game for the last six months, we have no urgent needs. I can wait for the very best deals to come along, and thanks to my price book, I know that the deals I'm seeing this week don't fall in that category. It's worth noting that I realize others probably do see fantastic deals out there - but we all have different needs. For instance, my kids aren't in school yet, so I won't go out of my way for inexpensive or even free school supplies.

While I'm not burned out, I think it's still good for my mental health to take a week off from The Drugstore Game anyway. Instead of sorting coupons and putting together deals, I can cook, write, and play more with the kids.

However, I see that next week at CVS, there are a few things I will probably want to pick up. ;)

My Drugstore Game Philosophy

Now that I've been playing The Drugstore Game for almost six months, I've developed an informal philosophy that I thought would be worth sharing:

• Don't chase every deal. It's hard to resist a great deal, especially at the beginning, but as we've discussed before, chasing every deal can lead to burnout. It's okay to spend a little more money if it means not driving yourself crazy.
• Don't use intentionally misuse coupons. I'm not referring only to obvious misuses like altering a coupon. I mean, don't try to use a coupon on an item it's not intended for. One example is the Dawn 2 for $2 after ECB deal at CVS. Some shoppers were planning to use a $1 off Dawn Simple Pleasures coupon, even though Simple Pleasures was not part of the deal.
• Be kind to the employees. Even if they have a bad attitude. I'm quite lucky, in that I have enough drugstore options that I can avoid the stores that seem to be unfriendly to coupon users. But even so, every once in a while, I'll run into an unpleasant cashier who huffs and puffs about my coupons. I try to be cheerful, even if the cashier isn't. I know I'm not doing anything wrong, so I don't have a problem standing my ground. If a deal didn't quite work, I politely inquire about it (for example, when my ECBs didn't print).
  
• If I'm not satisfied by the store's employees, I can escalate my issue to the corporate level. Find executive information at the Consumerist and A Full Cup.
• Experiment with your coupon organization. I started out with one multi-pocket folder and now I have two. But for the same reasons as Money Saving Mom, I am considering not clipping coupons I'm not sure I'll use and switching to the binder system. (FYI, A Full Cup also has a coupon database where you can look up coupon sources.)
• I only keep as much as I have storage space for. Even if something is a fantastic deal, I don't buy it unless I have space for it. Unless . . .
• I am donating it. I do buy many things I don't need or don't have space for if they are free or almost free and I have someone to give it to.
• I will only play the Drugstore Game if I am having fun. I keep track of my savings in a simple spreadsheet, and I get a real kick out of seeing how much I've saved each month. But if it ever stops being fun, I'll dramatically reduce the amount of time I spend planning my trips and visiting the stores.

So that's my Drugstore Game philosophy. What's yours?

Drugstore Game Burnout

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago over at CFO Reviews that I had gone to CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid in one week, prompting Gina to caution me against doing too much and burning out on The Drugstore Game. She definitely has a point.

The Drugstore Game is a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of work organizing coupons, studying the circulars, and reading deals online. And of course, after everything is planned, you still have to get to the stores. If they don't have what you planned to buy, you have to re-work your deals, get a rain check, or head to a different store.

For me, though, all of this is still loads of fun. It really is a game to see how much I can buy for the smallest amount of money possible. I get a real kick out of it. And as I've mentioned before, time isn't that big an issue with me. I clip and organize coupons while the kids are playing, I skim the deals when I'm on the computer anyway, and I usually hit the drugstores on the way to or from somewhere or when the kids and I need to get out of the house and go somewhere.

One of the many wonderful things about The Drugstore Game is that you can pick and choose how and when you want to play. You can focus on just the one or two stores closest to you, you don't have to go every week, and you can even take a break for a couple of weeks or months if you've built up a nice stash.

The key to avoiding burnout in The Drugstore Game is making it work for you.

Do you agree?

How I paid zero dollars out of pocket at CVS in June

Yesterday, I revealed that I didn't spend any money at CVS out of pocket in June, thanks to gift cards and ECBs. Here's how I did it:

ECBs
The foundation of playing The Drugstore Game at CVS is, of course, ECBs, or ExtraCare Bucks. ECBs are store coupons that print at the end of your receipt when you've purchased qualifying products. For example, in June, Listerine SmartRinse was $3.49 and free after ECBs, meaning you got a $3.49 ECB at the end of your receipt when you purchased a SmartRinse. You could use that ECB on any future purchase.

Coupons
Coupons and ECBs really go hand in hand. Coupons can turn a good ECB deal into a "money maker," meaning that after you take the coupon and ECB into account, you will actually "make" money on the item. In the SmartRinse example above, there were $1 off coupons available, making the purchase price $2.49 with $3.49 in ECBs. You basically "made" $1 that you could spend on anything you wanted at CVS.

Gift cards
Free gift cards are a great way to avoid paying out of pocket at CVS. I've written plenty about MyPoints and how you can redeem points for CVS gift cards. You can also get gift cards with coupons when you fill prescriptions at CVS. Sometimes coupons print at the end of a receipt. Some stores accept competitor coupons, and transferred prescription coupons are generally easy to find (my Rite Aid circular always seems to have one for $30).

Pulling it together
Of course, the real trick to saving money at CVS is using all of the above in combination, along with sale prices. I rely on the sources I've mentioned before to let me know of upcoming sales and to give me scenario ideas. I've also become quite good at figuring out my own deals to buy the things that I want and need. It took me about two to three months to really get the hang of figuring out deals at CVS. I may not have saved as much money as I'm saving now, but I still saved a lot during that time. So don't expect perfection from yourself - just play The Drugstore Game and have a good time with it!