Frugal Forum December 31, 2012

Many stores have reward programs that give you bonuses when you shop. If you are planning on buying anything in a store that has a reward program sign up for it. You will be amazed how many surprises that they will send you in your email. Let’s start with CVS. If you are a beginner drugstore shopper this is the best store to start with. CVS has rewards that are called extracare bucks which you get on specific items using your extracare card that you can sign up for at the register. Check out their flyer for items giving you extracare bucks when you purchase them. For example: Oral-B Pulsar toothpaste on sale for $5.99 receive $2 extracare bucks plus you can use your 75 cents Sunday paper coupon making the final price $3.24 after extracare bucks. Your extracare bucks will print out at the end of the register tape while each one has an expiration date CVS will still accept them after that date. This is why I say it is a good store to start with so you do not lose any of your rewards while you are learning how it works. When you enter CVS make sure you scan your extracare card at the red kiosk located right in front of the store. When you do this it will give you bonus store coupons many times making items free. One tip is scan your card twice or at least until the kiosks says you have no more coupons. When you get home go to www.cvs.com and register your extracare card online. This is an additional way to get coupons and savings sent to your email. Become a wellness member at RiteAid to start getting UPs rewards on specific products. Sign up with a cashier then activate your card online to receive access to coupons that can be loaded right on your card. Your +UPs rewards are loading on your card so when you make a purchase the +UPs rewards will automatically come off your total. Being a wellness member can also get your additional benefits like 10% off shopping pass, free magazines, 20% off the entire store for a year plus many more. Check out www.riteaid.com to see point system for your wellness rewards. Walgreens has a card called Balance rewards. Just ask your cashier for a card and activate it online. If you have a AARP card you can link your memberships and use your AARP membership card to receive rewards. AARP members receive 5,000 points when they spend $25 in a single purchase. You can redeem your points when you acquire 5,000 points which equal $5 or you can accumulate them for additional savings. You can earn points by buying certain products that offer a point value or even filling a prescription at Walgreens will give you 500 points using your card. Points expire 36 months from the day you earn them, but they expire sooner if you don’t have any account activity for 6 months. Walgreens also offers a program called Walk with Walgreens giving you 10 points for every mile your walk when you join that program. Through 2/14, whenever you spend at least $30 on participating beauty products in-store at Walgreens (using your Balance Rewards card), you’ll be able to score a FREE sample box filled with beauty products AND coupons! After making a qualifying purchase, you’ll get a printout at checkout with a PIN code. All of these programs can be monitored online making sure that your points don’t expire before you use them.

Here are a few more reward programs I would recommend to join:

Victoria Secrets Pink Nation: Right now join to receive coupon for free pink panty ($10.50 value) with any pink purchase. www.pinknation.com

JCP Rewards: Sign up with your email and register your jcp credit card or up to three credit/debit to earn reward points that can add up to $10 jcp reward. www.jcprewards.com

BigLots Buzz Club Rewards: Even though they do not accept coupons Big Lots can save you money. Sign up for their reward card and get access to VIP shopping discounts, store coupons, and much more. https://www.biglots.com/rewards/join

Dick’s Sporting Goods: Sign up for a SCORE card to earn points when purchasing sporting gear. You will receive $10 for every 300 points accumulated. You get 1 point for each $1 purchased. You also will receive coupons exclusive to members. https://www.mydickssportinggoods.com/Benefits.aspx

Help Deploy 1,000,000 Slim Jims to the troops. Just write a message of encouragement to the troops and they will send them your note plus a Slim Jim. http://www.slimjim.com/troops.jsp

Text the word Pandora to the number 727272 on your cell phone to receive a code good for a FREE DVD rental at Redbox kiosks. Code expires 1/8/12

Buy any Glade Expressions Product at Kroger  between 12/31/12 and 1/27/13 and save $1.00 on a future order with catalina.

CVS Deals:

Spend $30 on participating P&G items to receive $10 extrabucks reward.

One scenario-

Buy Dawn soap 99 cents use 25 cents Sunday coupon, buy two Pantene shampoo or conditioners for $7 use $3 Sunday paper coupon, buy Tide detergent $5.44 use $1.50 Sunday paper coupon, buy two Gillette body wash $7 use $1 Sunday paper coupon and buy two Head and Shoulder shampoo $10 use $2 Sunday paper coupon pay $22.68 receive $10 extracare bucks making all eight items only $1.59 each after extracare bucks.

Spend $10 receive $5 extracare bucks when you purchase Crest Rinse, Crest toothpaste or Glide Floss match with $1.50 Crest rinse Sunday paper coupon and 50 cents Crest toothpaste Sunday paper coupon.

Buy any Crest 3D White Intensive Professional Effects whitening strips receive $10 extracare bucks plus send in for $10 mail in rebate located in Sunday paper coupon inserts.

Rite Aid Deals:

Purchase two Pantene shampoo or conditioner for $7 use $3 Sunday paper coupon receive $2 +UPs rewards.

Vicks Nature Fusion $6.99 use $1.50 Sunday paper coupon receive $1 +UPs rewards

Buy two Secret Expressions for $8 use $2 Sunday paper coupon receive $2 +UPs rewards

Durcacell Coppertop Batteries $12.97 use $1 in store flyer coupon plus 75 cents Sunday paper coupon receive $2 +UPs rewards

Earn up to $50 in +UPs reward when you purchase products with dollar sign icon throughout the store now through January 26^th. Check out website for more details.

Walgreens Deals:

Olay Smooth Finish Facial and Select skin care products $22.99 use $3 Sunday paper coupon and receive 3,000 wellness points ($3 value)

Purchase two Aussie or Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner for $5 use $1 Sunday paper coupon and receive 1,000 wellness points ($1 value)

Clairol Nice ‘N Easy Foam Hair Color $7.99 use $2 Sunday paper coupon and receive 1,000 wellness points ($1 value)

Fru-Gal Tip:

Many of your coupons are going to expire January 31, 2012. Now is the time to go through your coupon binder and clean it out. Start the new year with a binder all ready to save.