Walgreens Couponing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Stacking Coupons & Saving Big

Welcome to your step-by-step guide to couponing at Walgreens! If you’re new to couponing or just new to Walgreens, this guide will walk you through everything: understanding Walgreens’ coupon policy, using the Walgreens app, maximizing your myWalgreens rewards and Register Rewards, and finding the best coupons. We’ll also dive into coupon stacking – how to combine manufacturer coupons, Walgreens store coupons, digital offers, and Register Rewards in one transaction for huge savings. By the end, you’ll know how to plan a successful Walgreens shopping trip, stack multiple deals (with real examples from March 2025), organize your coupons, and roll your rewards from week to week. Let’s get started!

Understanding Walgreens’ Coupon Policy (The Basics)

Before you start couponing, it’s important to know Walgreens’ coupon rules. Walgreens encourages coupon use, but they have specific guidelines to ensure everything runs smoothly. Here are the key points in simple terms:

• One Coupon per Item (Manufacturer + Store): For each item you buy, you can use one manufacturer coupon (paper or digital) and any Walgreens store coupon(s) applicable to that item. This means you can “stack” a manufacturer coupon with a Walgreens coupon on the same product, but you generally cannot use two manufacturer coupons on one item.

• Item Count vs. Coupons: The total number of manufacturer coupons you use (this includes paper coupons, digital manufacturer coupons, and Register Rewards, since RRs are manufacturer coupons) cannot exceed the number of items in your transaction. In other words, you need at least as many products as you have manufacturer coupons. If you have more coupons than items, consider adding a small “filler” item (like a $0.50 candy) so each manufacturer coupon has an item to attach to.

• No Expired or Competitor Coupons: Walgreens will not accept expired coupons (they expire at midnight on the expiration date) and will not accept coupons from other stores. Also, coupons must be clear and scannable (no blurry photocopies). Always check dates and ensure your coupons are legitimate.

• Limit on Identical Coupons: You can use up to four identical coupons per household per day (unless the coupon itself says a lower limit). So if you have, say, five copies of the same $1.00 off cereal coupon, Walgreens will only let you use four in one day.

• No Overages: Walgreens doesn’t allow the value of coupons to exceed the price of the item. You can’t get cash back if a coupon is worth more than the item. For example, if an item is $3 and you have a $5 coupon for it, the system will likely reduce it to $3 or it will not be accepted – you won’t get the extra $2. The total value of all coupons can’t be more than your pre-tax total, so you can’t have a negative balance due. (Sales tax, if applicable, is still owed on the full price in most states.)

• BOGO (Buy One Get One) Coupon Rules: If Walgreens has a BOGO sale (e.g., buy one, get one free) and you also have a BOGO manufacturer coupon, you can use the coupon but you cannot get both items free. The policy is one BOGO coupon per BOGO deal. Essentially, one item will be free from the sale and the coupon will make the other item free – so you’ll get both free, but you needed to actually purchase one as required. You also can’t apply a coupon to an item that’s already free in a sale.

• Register Rewards count as Manufacturer Coupons: We’ll cover Register Rewards in detail later, but keep in mind these are considered manufacturer coupons by Walgreens. Using an RR is like using a manufacturer coupon for $ off your next purchase. This means RRs follow the same rule: the number of RRs + other manufacturer coupons can’t exceed your number of items.

• No Coupon Stacking Across Online Codes: If you shop on Walgreens.com, you usually can’t stack multiple promo codes for the same item (e.g., two different percent-off codes on one product). In-store, though, you can stack different types (manufacturer + store) on a single item as described.

Understanding these basics will help you avoid most coupon pitfalls at Walgreens. Next, let’s talk about the Walgreens loyalty program, because it’s a big part of how you save.

myWalgreens Rewards (Walgreens Cash) – How It Works

myWalgreens is Walgreens’ free loyalty program. If you haven’t already, sign up for a myWalgreens account (you can do this online, in the app, or in-store). Being a member gives you access to sale prices, lets you earn “Walgreens Cash” rewards on purchases, and use digital coupons.

What is Walgreens Cash? It’s a cash rewards currency (formerly Balance Rewards points) that you earn on qualifying purchases. You typically earn 1% back in Walgreens Cash on most items, and 5% back on Walgreens-branded products

For example, if you buy a $10 item, you’ll get $0.10 in Walgreens Cash (which is like 10¢ you can use on a future purchase). Sometimes, there are promotions that give higher amounts of Walgreens Cash for buying specific items or reaching a spending threshold (e.g., “Spend $20 on beauty products, get $5 Walgreens Cash”).

Earning Walgreens Cash: Promotions in the weekly ad or store signage will tell you if an item offers Walgreens Cash. For instance, a deal might say “Buy 4, get $4 Walgreens Cash” for a certain brand, or “Spend $25, get $5 Walgreens Cash”. There’s no limit per account on how much Walgreens Cash you can earn, and if a deal says “buy 2, get $3 Walgreens Cash,” buying 4 in one transaction will generally earn you $6 Walgreens Cash (you’ll get the reward twice). Just note: if the deal is “Spend $X, get $Y Walgreens Cash,” that is a threshold deal – you need to meet the minimum spend (after any Walgreens store coupons or discounts, but before manufacturer coupons). We’ll explain that in the stacking section, but basically manufacturer coupons don’t reduce your spending total for earning Walgreens Cash, but Walgreens store coupons do. Keep your subtotal above the required amount after any store coupons to earn the reward.

Redeeming Walgreens Cash: You can redeem Walgreens Cash once you have at least $1 in your balance (redemptions are typically available in $1, $2, $3, $4, $5 increments and then larger amounts up to $50). At checkout, the pin-pad or cashier will ask if you want to use your Walgreens Cash. You can choose how much to apply, and the amount will be deducted from your total. You’ll usually need to enter your ZIP code or some confirmation for security, then voila – free money applied! Just remember, you cannot earn Walgreens Cash on the portion of a purchase you paid with Walgreens Cash. For example, if you have a “Spend $20, get $5 Walgreens Cash” deal and you use $10 in Walgreens Cash to pay, you’ve effectively only spent $10 out-of-pocket, so you won’t earn that $5 reward (unless your total was actually $30 and after redeeming $10 you still spent $20). Tip for beginners: For “spend” deals that give Walgreens Cash, try not to use Walgreens Cash to pay – or if you do, make sure your subtotal is high enough to still meet the spend requirement after redeeming rewards.

Expiration: Walgreens Cash rewards expire 1 year after they are earned, as long as your account stays active. An account is considered inactive if you don’t use it at all for 6 months, in which case your rewards might expire sooner. So just use your account periodically (which you likely will if you’re couponing weekly!).

You can track your Walgreens Cash balance in the Walgreens app, online, or look at the bottom of your Walgreens receipt. Now, let’s explore another key reward system: Register Rewards.

Register Rewards Explained (Catalina Coupons)

In addition to Walgreens Cash, Walgreens also offers Register Rewards (RRs) – these are the little coupons that print from the Catalina machine next to the register when you buy qualifying items. They often say things like “$5 off your next purchase” and have an expiration date (usually ~1–2 weeks from print). Here’s what you need to know:

• What are RRs? Register Rewards are essentially manufacturer coupon vouchers printed as a reward for buying certain products. For example, a promo might be “Buy 2 Colgate toothpastes, get a $5 RR.” When you buy those items, a coupon for $5 off your next Walgreens purchase will print. These are not tied to your account – they’re physical coupons. They can be used on your next transaction in-store (Register Rewards cannot be earned or used in online pickup orders; they are in-store only).

• How to use RRs: You use them just like a coupon. Hand them to the cashier on your next purchase, and the value (e.g., $5) will be deducted from your total. RRs can be used on almost anything, but they do have some exclusions – typically things like alcohol, tobacco, stamps, gift cards, and prescriptions (the RR itself will list any exclusions). Always check the fine print. If the RR says “Manufacturer Coupon” at the top (most do), remember it counts as a manufacturer coupon toward the item count rule.

• Limit: one RR per deal per transaction. You cannot buy multiples of the same RR deal in one transaction and expect multiple RRs to print. Walgreens’ system will only print one Register Reward per offer per transaction. For example, if the promo is “Buy 2 Tresemme, get $4 RR” and you buy 4 Tresemme in one transaction (qualifying for the deal twice), you will still get only one $4 RR, not two. If you want two RRs, you’d have to do a second transaction.

• Don’t use an RR to pay for the same deal again. This is crucial: If you use a Register Reward earned from a specific deal to buy the same deal again, the new RR will not print. This is Walgreens’ way of preventing rolling the exact same deal infinitely. For example, suppose Transaction #1 gives you a $5 RR for buying Colgate. If you use that $5 RR in Transaction #2 to buy the same Colgate deal again, you won’t get another $5 RR in transaction #2. Solution: Use your RR on different products or deals. For instance, use the Colgate $5 RR to pay for shampoo that gives a different reward, or on general items. If you really want to do the Colgate deal twice, do them in separate transactions and do not use the first transaction’s Colgate RR to pay for the second Colgate purchase. You could, however, use Walgreens Cash or other coupons on the second one and still get the RR.

• “Rolling” RRs exception: Occasionally (rarely), Walgreens glitches allow RRs to roll on the same deal (meaning you could use a RR and still get a new one), but this is unpredictable and usually temporary. As a beginner, it’s safest to assume RRs won’t roll on identical deals – plan to use your RR on different items to keep earning new rewards.

• Store RRs vs. Manufacturer RRs: Lately Walgreens has introduced some RRs that say “Store Coupon” at the top. These are still Catalina coupons, but they behave slightly differently. A “Store” RR will reduce your subtotal for spend-based promos (similar to a Walgreens store coupon), and you may need to spend over the threshold by the value of the store RR to qualify for a reward. For example, if you have a $5 Store RR and you’re doing a “Spend $20 get $5 Walgreens Cash” deal, you need your total to be $20 + $5 = $25, because using that coupon will drop it to $20 effectively. Manufacturer RRs (the majority of them) do not count against your spending total – they’re treated like cash you paid, so you don’t have to spend extra when using them on a spend deal. Always check the top of the RR; if it says “Store Coupon,” keep the threshold rule in mind. If it says “Manufacturer,” it won’t affect spend calculations. Either type still counts as a coupon for the item count rule.

• Expiration: Register Rewards typically expire in about two weeks or less. In fact, some promotional RRs have been known to expire in just 6–7 days, especially some that are brand-specific. Always note the expiration date and plan to use them before they expire – nothing hurts more than letting free money go to waste! A good habit is to put the expiration date in your calendar or keep the RRs in an envelope sorted by date.

Important: Because RRs are physical, if one fails to print for a deal you earned, politely tell the cashier or a manager. They may offer Walgreens Cash in equivalent value as a substitute if the Catalina machine malfunctioned, or you can contact Catalina’s support online. However, in most cases if you bought the right items at the right time, the RR should print.

Using the Walgreens App & Digital Coupons

The Walgreens mobile app (or the Walgreens.com website) is a powerful tool for couponers. Through the app, you can access Paperless Coupons – digital manufacturer and store coupons that you “clip” to your myWalgreens account. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Finding Digital Coupons: In the app or on Walgreens.com, navigate to the “Coupons” or “Savings” section. You’ll find a list of available manufacturer coupons (with values like $2 off Tide, $3/2 Colgate, etc.) and Walgreens store coupons (often listed as “with MyWalgreens” offers, like $1 off Walgreens brand vitamins or monthly IVC coupons). You can search by product name or filter by category. Simply tap “Clip” to add a coupon to your account. You can also find digital coupons by viewing the Weekly Ad online – many sale items will have a “Clip to Card” coupon right from the ad page.

• Using Digital Coupons in Store: Make sure you’re signed up with myWalgreens and have your account linked to your phone number. When you shop in store, enter your phone number at checkout, or let the cashier scan your myWalgreens card or app barcode. The system will automatically apply any clipped digital coupons that match your purchases. The coupons come off after the cashier hits total. You usually see them listed on the receipt under each item or at the bottom as e-coupons.

• Types of Digital Coupons: Most digital coupons in the Walgreens app are manufacturer coupons (they cannot be combined with a paper manufacturer coupon on the same item – it’s one or the other). Walgreens also provides some “Only for You” exclusive coupons (based on your shopping habits) and multicolor “Walgreens” coupons which are the digital versions of the monthly store coupons or in-ad coupons. The app doesn’t always distinctly label store vs. manufacturer, but a clue is: if it has a picture of a product and a value off, it’s likely manufacturer. If it says “with myWalgreens” or has a Walgreens logo and is found in the Monthly Savings Book, that’s a store coupon (also called an IVC – Instant Value Coupon). For example, a coupon in the app that takes $1.25 off Scott toilet paper (monthly coupon) is a Walgreens store coupon. You can stack that with a manufacturer coupon for Scott.

• Clip Early and Watch Limits: Some high-value digital coupons are one-time use and disappear after redemption. Also, Walgreens sometimes limits you to a certain number of total clipped coupons (e.g., you might see a warning if you have an unusually large number clipped). Clip the coupons you know you’ll use. If you change your mind, you can “unclip” a coupon in the app, but be careful – once unclipped, you usually can’t re-clip it later.

• Walgreens Cash Boosters: In the app, under “Coupons” you’ll often find booster coupons like “Earn $5 Walgreens Cash when you spend $20” or “10% back in Walgreens Cash on $20 purchase”. These are digital coupons you must clip, and they will stack on top of other deals. For beginners, it’s worth clipping these “spend boosters” when available, but remember the rule: you have to meet the spend threshold after any store coupons and you typically shouldn’t pay with Walgreens Cash if you want to earn these boosters (or at least only pay with Walgreens Cash on the amount above the threshold).

• Using the App for Planning: The Walgreens app lets you create a shopping list. As you browse coupons or the weekly ad, you can add items to your list. This can help you keep track of what coupons to use on which items. The weekly ad section also often highlights which items produce Register Rewards or Walgreens Cash, helping you plan your transactions.

• Online Promo Codes: Occasionally, Walgreens has online-only promo codes (like “TAKE20” for 20% off regular priced items, or free shipping codes). These can be entered at checkout on Walgreens.com or in the app for ship-to-home or pickup orders. They can stack with manufacturer coupons, but you usually can use only one promo code per order online (unless they apply to different categories).

Tip: Always double-check that your digital coupons are clipped before you shop. If a digital coupon doesn’t work at checkout, ensure you bought the exact correct item (size, variety, quantity) the coupon requires – the app usually specifies the details. If it still doesn’t apply and you were correct, a friendly cashier or manager might manually deduct the amount, but policy-wise they aren’t obligated to if the system doesn’t recognize it. Generally, though, digital coupons at Walgreens work pretty well.

Best Sources of Coupons (Manufacturer & Store)

To maximize savings, you’ll want a steady supply of coupons. Here are the best sources for finding Walgreens coupons and manufacturer coupons to use at Walgreens:

• Walgreens Weekly Ad and App: Every week Walgreens releases a Weekly Ad (viewable online or in-store as a print ad). In it, you’ll find sale items and often Walgreens store coupons (like “clip to card” coupons or barcodes in the ad for items). Also check the Walgreens Monthly Savings Book (sometimes called the IVC book). This used to be a booklet in stores; now these monthly store coupons are available to clip in the app or at the Walgreens website under “Coupons”. They are labeled by month (e.g., “Walgreens, March” in coupon matchups). These store coupons can be used all month long and they can be stacked with manufacturer coupons on the same items

  . Always clip any monthly coupons for items you might buy.

• Sunday Newspaper Inserts: Traditional couponers get a lot of paper coupons from the Sunday newspaper. Inserts like SmartSource, Save (formerly RedPlum), and P&G BrandSaver contain manufacturer coupons that can be used at Walgreens. You can buy the Sunday paper or only the inserts through clipping services, but as a beginner you might start with just one or two papers a week if the coupons inside appeal to you.

• Coupons.com and Other Printable Sites: Coupons.com is one of the largest sources of printable manufacturer coupons online

  . You can print coupons (usually you’re allowed two prints per coupon per device) and use them at Walgreens. Other printable coupon sites include SmartSource.com and Brands’ websites (for example, Colgate’s site might have a printable coupon if you sign up, etc.). Always ensure printables scan clearly and are not photocopied – each printable has a unique code.

• Manufacturer Websites & Emails: Sign up for newsletters or accounts with brands you love. Companies like P&G (pggoodeveryday.com), Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, etc., often offer high-value printable coupons or mail coupons to you. They might also have rebate programs.

• Digital Rebate Apps: While not “coupons” in the traditional sense, apps like Ibotta, Checkout51, and Fetch Rewards give you cash back for purchases (Ibotta even has some Walgreens-specific cash-back offers that you can stack with coupons). For instance, you might buy a shampoo at Walgreens using coupons and then get an extra $1 back from Ibotta. It’s worth checking these apps for any offer before you shop; it’s like another layer of savings. We won’t deep-dive here, but keep them in mind.

• Couponing Blogs and Communities: Websites such as The Krazy Coupon Lady (KCL), Wild for Wags, Living Rich With Coupons, and forums like Reddit’s r/couponing or Facebook coupon groups can be gold mines for finding deals. They often do the work of matching coupons to current Walgreens sales for you (“matchups”). For example, a blog might highlight a deal: “Colgate toothpaste on sale $4, use $3/2 digital coupon, pay $5 get $5 RR – free after reward!” They also share unadvertised deals and tips. As a beginner, following a reputable Walgreens matchup list each week can really accelerate your learning. Walgreens can be quirky, so reading others’ scenarios helps.

• Walgreens Email & Mail: Sometimes Walgreens will email coupons (like “$5 off $20 purchase” store coupons) or even mail coupon booklets to your home. Keep an eye on those — they can often be stacked with manufacturer coupons too. These are less frequent, but worth using when you get them.

Organizing Your Coupons: With coupons coming from various sources, it’s key to organize them so you can find and use them before they expire. Many couponers use a binder filled with baseball card sleeves, sorting coupons by category (e.g., baby, beverages, cleaning supplies) or by aisle. Others use an accordion file or simple coupon envelope system, or even just a folder for each week’s inserts. There’s no wrong way – do what makes sense to you. One approach is to clip only the coupons you know you’ll use and file them, and keep the rest of the insert intact by date (so if a matchup later calls for a coupon you didn’t clip, you can find it by insert date). Also keep a small envelope for each planned transaction – put the coupons you plan to use on that transaction in the envelope, along with a small note of the deal (this helps at checkout so you hand over the right coupons).

Now that you have your coupons, let’s talk about the fun part: stacking coupons for maximum savings.

Stacking Coupons at Walgreens (How to Combine Deals)

“Stacking” means using multiple savings on the same item(s). Walgreens is one of the best stores for stacking because you can use different types of discounts together. The ultimate stack at Walgreens might look like this: sale price + Walgreens store coupon + manufacturer coupon + rewards back (Walgreens Cash or RR). Here’s how stacking works:

• Manufacturer + Walgreens Coupon = Stack: As mentioned, Walgreens allows one manufacturer coupon and one Walgreens store coupon per item (unless either coupon’s fine print prohibits it, which is rare). For example, if Pantene shampoo is $4 and Walgreens has a store coupon for $1 off Pantene (making it $3), and you have a manufacturer coupon for $3 off 2 Pantene, you can buy 2 shampoos. The Walgreens coupon will take off $1 from each (total $2 off), and the manufacturer coupon will take off $3. You’ll get $5 off in coupons on those two bottles.

• Add a Sale or Promotion: Sale prices or promos sweeten the stack. If those Pantene were also on sale 2 for $8, then with the coupons above, you’d pay $8 – $2 (store coupons) – $3 (manufacturer) = $3 for 2 bottles. If the sale had a reward (say “buy 2, get $4 Walgreens Cash”), you’d even earn that on top, potentially making it free or a moneymaker.

• Digital + Paper Together: You can mix digital and paper coupons in a transaction. Just remember the rule: they can’t be two manufacturer coupons on one item. But you could use a digital coupon on one item and a paper coupon on another item in the same transaction, no problem. Or use a digital manufacturer coupon and a paper Walgreens store coupon (like an in-ad coupon) together.

• Store Coupon Applies to All Eligible Items: Walgreens store coupons (IVCs) often apply to multiple items. If the store coupon is, say, “$2 off Gillette Shave Gel” (and doesn’t say one per transaction), it will take off $2 for each qualifying item in your transaction. For example, a Walgreens March IVC coupon for $4 off L’Oreal hair color will take off $8 if you buy two boxes

  (because it’s $4 off each). The register will scan the coupon (or your digital will apply) and deduct for each item. This is great for stacking because your store coupon savings multiply on multiple items.

• Register Rewards as Coupons: If you have Register Rewards from previous transactions, you can use them as additional savings (almost like extra high-value manufacturer coupons). Example: You did a deal earlier and got a $5 RR. Now on a new transaction, you have 3 items and a couple of coupons. As long as after those coupons you still have at least one item with no manufacturer coupon attached, you can apply your $5 RR to that transaction for $5 off. This is stacking across transactions (often called “rolling” rewards, which we’ll cover in the next section). Just be mindful not to use an RR on the same deal that generated it, or you lose the new one.

• Walgreens Cash + Spend Deals: If your transaction is earning Walgreens Cash (like “spend $20 get $5 Walgreens Cash”), you can still stack coupons, but be cautious using Walgreens Cash to pay. Manufacturer coupons do not count against you (they actually help you pay less out of pocket while still counting as if you spent that money). Walgreens store coupons do lower your spend total. For example, if you have a $20 spend deal and you use a $5 Walgreens store coupon (like a $5 off $20 purchase email coupon), you now need your total to be at least $25 before that coupon, because after it you’ll be at $20. If you then also use $5 Walgreens Cash to pay, you’d effectively only spend $15 cash, and you wouldn’t earn the $5 reward. So plan to either not use Walgreens Cash on such transactions or only use it on amounts beyond the required spend. A good beginner strategy is don’t use Walgreens Cash on a spend deal; use coupons and pay the rest out of pocket, then you’ll get the Walgreens Cash reward.

• Filler Items for Coupon Attachment: When extreme stacking, you might have a scenario with multiple Register Rewards and coupons. If you have more manufacturer coupons (remember, RRs are manufacturers too) than items, toss in a cheap filler item – something very inexpensive that doesn’t have any coupon on it. Common fillers are $0.39 caramels, a clearance pencil, etc. The filler will “carry” one of your Register Rewards. For example, if you want to use two $4 Register Rewards on a transaction where you’re buying two items and both already have manufacturer coupons, that’s four manufacturer coupons for two items. You could add two filler items (now 4 items total) to safely apply those two RRs. Pro tip: Filler items can sometimes be something useful to you – maybe a piece of candy or a trial-size item. Just ensure it’s not something that interferes with other coupons.

• Stacking Order: The register usually applies store coupons first (they come off as soon as the item is scanned and the cashier scans the store coupon barcode or the IVC from your app). Then manufacturer coupons (paper and digital) apply, then Walgreens Cash redemption if any, and then you earn any new rewards. You don’t have to worry too much about the order as a shopper (the system handles it), but sometimes cashiers prefer to scan store coupons/IVC booklet first, then manufacturers, then hit total.

Let’s bring all this together with real examples so you can see stacking in action!

Example: Stacking Coupons in a Single Transaction

To make this concrete, here’s an example of a stacked deal you could do at Walgreens. This example uses actual March 2025 deals and shows how store coupons, manufacturer coupons, and a sale combine for big savings:

Example – L’Oréal Hair Color Stack:
L’Oréal Excellence Creme hair color is on sale Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off (around $11.99 each regular price). Walgreens also has a store coupon in March for $4 off each L’Oréal Excellence hair color. You also have a manufacturer digital coupon for $2 off L’Oréal hair color.
Scenario: Buy 2 boxes of L’Oréal Excellence hair color.

• Regular prices: $11.99 for the first, $5.99 (half off) for the second.

• Sale subtotal: $17.98 for both.

• Walgreens store coupon: -$4 off each box, which deducts $8 in total (since it applies to both items)

  . Now your new subtotal is $9.98.

• Manufacturer digital coupon: -$2 off one box (the coupon applies to one item; assume it attaches to the first box). New subtotal = $7.98.

• You pay $7.98 + tax for both hair dyes (which is about $3.99 each, down from $11.99 each!).

• Rewards earned: You’ll still earn 1% Walgreens Cash on the amount you paid (about $0.08, essentially)

  . If there had been a “buy 2, get $X reward” promo on L’Oréal, you would earn that too – in this case there wasn’t an extra reward, but the savings are already huge.
  Limitations/Notes: The $4 store coupon was an IVC (Walgreens coupon) so it stacked with the $2 manufacturer coupon perfectly – this is allowed since one is store, one is manufacturer. If you had two manufacturer coupons (say one from the newspaper in addition to the digital), you could have used one on each box for another $2 off, but in our scenario we only had one digital. We did not need any filler items since we used 1 manufacturer coupon and had 2 products – item count rule is satisfied.

In this example, you see how Walgreens’ sale + store coupon + manufacturer coupon combined to knock the price way down. Next, let’s look at a bigger example involving multiple transactions and rolling rewards, which is where the real Walgreens magic happens.

Example: A Sample Shopping Trip with Stacked Deals (March 2025)

Now we’ll go through a sample shopping trip step-by-step. This scenario will show you how to stack coupons and rewards across two transactions, using real March 2025 deals, to maximize value. We’ll use Transaction #1 to earn a Register Reward, and Transaction #2 will use that reward along with more coupons to get a bunch of products for very little cost.

Transaction #1: Focus on an item that gives a Register Reward.

• Buy 2 Colgate Toothpastes (4.2 oz varieties) at $4.50 each, total $9.00. These are on sale and the deal is “Buy 2, get $5 Register Rewards”.

• Clip the $3/2 Colgate digital manufacturer coupon from the Walgreens app. This coupon will apply at checkout.

• No Walgreens store coupon applies here (Colgate doesn’t have an IVC this month), so just the manufacturer coupon.

• Pay at the register: $9.00 – $3.00 digital coupon = $6.00 (plus tax). You can pay this $6 with cash or any form; do not use Walgreens Cash to pay here if you have any, just to keep things simple and ensure the Register Reward prints (using Walgreens Cash wouldn’t actually stop an RR from printing because it’s not tied to a spend threshold in this deal, but we’ll save our Walgreens Cash for later).

• Receive: a $5 Register Reward will print for buying 2 Colgate. Check that it printed. This is a manufacturer RR coupon that says something like “$5 off your next purchase, compliments of Colgate”. It usually expires in ~2 weeks (in our imaginary scenario, say it expires 04/14/2025). Great – you spent $6 and got $5 right back, effectively net $1 for 2 toothpastes, but we’re going to roll that $5 into the next transaction.

Transaction #2: Use the $5 RR from Transaction #1 to save on a new set of items, and aim to earn Walgreens Cash this time. We’ll tackle a household essentials deal and stack multiple coupons.

• Walgreens has a promotion: Buy 4 select Scott paper products, get $4 Walgreens Cash

  . Scott 12-packs of toilet paper and 6-roll paper towels are on sale for $5.00 each, and also buy 1, get 1 50% off

  . We’ll get 2 toilet paper and 2 paper towels.

• Grab 2 Scott ComfortPlus 12-pack toilet papers and 2 Scott 6-pack paper towels. At $5 each, before the half-off sale, 4 packs would be $20. With the BOGO50 sale, one of each pair will be 50% off. So the total should come to $15.00 for all four (you pay $5 + $2.50 for one TP pair, and $5 + $2.50 for one PT pair)

• Check for coupons: Walgreens often has a Walgreens store coupon for Scott ($1.25 off) in the monthly book. In March 2025, let’s say there is an IVC coupon for $1.25 off Scott 6-pack or 12-pack. Clip that digital store coupon (or have the cashier scan the booklet). That coupon will take off $1.25 for each pack (store coupons apply per item). Since you have 4 packs, it deducts $5.00 ($1.25 * 4). Now your new subtotal would be $15 – $5 = $10.00.

• Also, check for manufacturer coupons. Perhaps there’s a $0.50 off Scott toilet paper digital and a $0.50 off Scott paper towels digital (manufacturers). Clip those. They will take off $0.50 on one TP and $0.50 on one PT. That’s another $1.00 off. New subtotal about $9.00.

• Now your total for the 4 Scott items is $9.00 (after store and manufacturer coupons). You plan to use your $5 Register Reward from Transaction #1 here as well. Remember the item rule: After coupons, how many manufacturer coupons will we have? We have the two $0.50 digital manufacturer coupons (that’s 2) and the $5 RR (that’s a 3rd manufacturer coupon). We have 4 items, so having 3 manufacturer coupons is fine – no filler needed, because we have 4 items for 3 manu coupons (and the store coupon doesn’t count toward that limit). We’re good to go.

• Pay at register: Hand over the $5 RR. Enter your phone number for the digital coupons. The register will deduct $5 (RR), $1 (two 50¢ digitals), and $5 (the store IVC coupons). On the receipt it might show the IVC as “Walgreens Coupon -$5.00”. Your total due will be $15 – $5 (IVC) – $1 (manufacturers) – $5 (RR) = $4.00 (plus tax). Yes, about $4 for 4 packs of Scott (!). You can use Walgreens Cash to pay this $4 if you want, or pay cash – using Walgreens Cash on a “buy X get Walgreens Cash” deal is okay, it won’t affect earning since it’s a “buy” promo, not “spend” promo.

• Receive: $4.00 Walgreens Cash for buying 4 Scott products

  .(It should show on the receipt and in your app.)

Let’s recap the trip results: You got 2 Colgate toothpastes, 2 big packs of toilet paper, and 2 packs of paper towels. Total out-of-pocket spent was $6 (first transaction) + $4 (second transaction) = $10 (plus maybe ~$1-2 tax). And you still have $4 Walgreens Cash in your account ready to use next time. Essentially, if you count that reward, it’s like you got all those products for $6 net. That’s the power of stacking deals: you combined sales, coupons, a Register Reward, a store coupon, and a Walgreens Cash promo in one seamless plan.

Limitations in this example: We made sure not to use the Colgate RR on another Colgate deal (we used it on Scott, a different deal) to ensure we got our new rewards. We also kept track of item-to-coupon ratio. If, say, there had been an extra manufacturer coupon for Scott and we wanted to use another RR, we might have needed a filler item. Always double-check: in Transaction #2 above, if a digital coupon had unexpectedly not applied (perhaps the coupon was only for one type and you bought a different variety), the item count vs. coupon count could change. If something doesn’t apply, the cashier could hand you back your RR if the system rejected it due to an extra coupon. Then you might add a cheap candy and try applying it again. These issues are rare if you plan carefully, but just be aware.

Planning Your Walgreens Trips (Best Practices)

To coupon successfully at Walgreens, a bit of planning goes a long way:

• Read the Weekly Ad and Matchups: Every week (usually starting on Sunday), Walgreens has new deals. Plan your trip around the best deals that interest you. Use coupon matchup blogs or the Walgreens app’s Weekly Ad feature to see what’s on sale and what coupons might match. For beginners, focus on a few good deals per week rather than trying to do everything. Mark down the deals you want to do, what coupons are needed, and what rewards you should get. This becomes your shopping list.

• Plan Transaction-by-Transaction: If you aim to do multiple transactions (to roll RRs or to do separate spend deals), write out each transaction clearly. For example:

  • Transaction 1: 2 Colgate, use $3/2 digital, pay $6, get $5 RR.

  • Transaction 2: 4 Scott, use IVC, use two 50¢ coupons, use $5 RR from T1, pay ~$4, get $4 Walgreens Cash.

  Having it on paper (or on your phone notes) helps at the store so you don’t confuse which coupons to use when.

• Organize Coupons Beforehand: Pull the paper coupons you’ll need and put them in an envelope sorted by transaction. On each envelope, jot the items you’re buying with those coupons. For digital coupons, double-check they are clipped in your app. (You can even screenshot your clipped coupons list in case of any issues, to show a cashier, but usually it’s not needed.)

• Check Inventory or Have Alternatives: Sometimes a deal item might be out of stock (especially on hot deals). If your store is out of Colgate toothpaste, have a backup plan – maybe you’d do the Crest deal instead if it’s similar. Or ask the store if they have more in the stockroom. You can also order online for pickup for some Walgreens Cash deals if stock is an issue, but remember Register Reward deals won’t print on pickup orders.

• Know the Rules (Review): Before heading out, remind yourself of those key Walgreens rules. If a manager or cashier is unfamiliar with coupon stacking (it happens), you can politely reference the Walgreens coupon policy: it explicitly says one manufacturer and one Walgreens coupon can be used together. Having the Walgreens policy on your phone (from Walgreens’ website) can be helpful if there’s ever a question. Also remember the one RR per offer rule and no rolling on the same deal.

• Time Your Trips: Walgreens promos run weekly, but Walgreens Cash and RR deals often have limits per transaction (one per transaction) but not per account or day. If you want to do repeats of a deal, you can, just in separate purchases. Early in the week, stock is better. If possible, go earlier in the sale week (Sunday or Monday) for popular deals to avoid empty shelves.

• Be Courteous and Calm: Walgreens couponing has a learning curve. Your first few trips might take longer at checkout as you figure out the process. Try going at a non-peak time so you don’t feel rushed. Communicate with the cashier: e.g., “I have some coupons and Walgreens Cash to use, is it okay if we do them in a certain order?” Usually handing over any paper coupons and RRs after your items are scanned is fine. If something doesn’t work, politely ask if they can help figure it out, but be understanding if they are not sure – you might know more about coupon policy than some new employees. In most cases, Walgreens’ system will do everything automatically and it will be smooth!

Rolling Register Rewards & Walgreens Cash (Advanced Tips)

Once you get comfortable, you can start “rolling” your savings, which means using rewards from one transaction to pay for another, and so on, without breaking the rules:

• Alternate Your Deals: Since you know not to use an RR on the identical deal, plan your transactions in an alternating way. For example, one week you might do a oral care deal (get an RR), and a laundry deal (get Walgreens Cash). You can then use the RR on the laundry deal and use Walgreens Cash (earned) on next week’s oral care deal, etc. Rotate between different product deals to keep rolling.

• Using Walgreens Cash on RR Deals: It’s generally fine to pay with Walgreens Cash on a Register Reward deal if it’s a “buy X get RR” (which most are). Using Walgreens Cash will not prevent the RR from printing because RRs are not tied to your account and not based on spend amount. For instance, in our Transaction #1 above, we could have used $5 Walgreens Cash to pay and still gotten the $5 RR for Colgate, since the deal was buy 2 get RR. (We avoided it just to keep math straightforward.) The only time to be careful is if the RR deal says “spend $X get RR” (rare, but some promos are threshold-based; in those cases, treat it like a spend deal and ensure you spend enough after any store coupons and rewards redemptions).

• Keep Track of Expirations: Write the expiration date on your RRs with a pen, or store them in chronological order. Also note any that say “store coupon” vs “manufacturer” and any category limitations (if it says “off your next personal care purchase,” don’t try to use it on food, for example). Plan to use RRs before they expire, ideally on another deal that gives a reward, so you keep the chain going.

• Small Balances: When using Walgreens Cash to pay, note that you can only redeem in set increments ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, etc.). If your total is $4.50 and you want to use Walgreens Cash, you can use $4 and pay $0.50. You don’t get to use the extra $0.50 in points, they don’t have that increment. So sometimes it’s smart to add a small candy to bump into the next dollar threshold if you want to burn more points.

• Don’t Burn Out on Spend Boosters: Walgreens often gives digital spend boosters (like “get $7 Walgreens Cash when you spend $25”). It’s tempting to always try to use them, but don’t overspend just to hit a booster if the deals aren’t favorable. Sometimes focusing on RR deals or straight coupon deals yields more savings with less out-of-pocket. However, if you can stack a booster with a planned spend deal (like a beauty event or something), go for it. Just remember not to use Walgreens Cash to pay for those unless you compensate as discussed.

• Learn from the Community: If you run into a confusing scenario, chances are someone online has encountered it. Couponing forums and YouTube Walgreens couponers often share their transaction breakdowns weekly. It can be helpful to follow a couple of “coupon influencers” who do Walgreens videos – they point out if a deal is rolling, or if a certain RR is actually a store coupon, etc. Keeping up with these can give you a heads up on quirks (for example, in 2025 some P&G brand RRs started printing as “store coupons” only valid on certain categories – tips like that are shared in the community so you’re not caught off guard).

Final Tips for Success

• Stack Your Savings: Always ask yourself, “Can I stack something else on this deal?” Check for a Walgreens store coupon, check for a manufacturer coupon, see if there’s a rebate, see if a spend booster applies, etc. The more layers you add, the bigger the win, as long as you follow the rules.

• Stay Organized: Keep your coupons and rewards tidy. Maybe have a section in your binder or a small wallet just for “Walgreens RRs” so they don’t get mixed with other store’s coupons. Log into your Walgreens account often to clear out expired clipped coupons and clip new ones.

• Be Patient and Have Fun: Couponing at Walgreens can feel like a game – it’s extremely rewarding when you get a haul for a few bucks. But if something doesn’t work or a coupon doesn’t come off, it’s okay. You can return an item if a coupon didn’t apply and you no longer want it (just note if you return something that earned a Register Reward, they may ask for it back or subtract its value; and if you return something you used a coupon on, you’ll typically get back what you paid, not the coupon’s value). Overall, focus on the big picture of savings. Even 50% off is great – you don’t always have to hit 90% savings.

• Use Beginner-Friendly Deals: Some deals are simpler – like ones that are purely “buy 1, get 1 free” sales or straightforward Walgreens Cash deals on a single item. Don’t be afraid to do those with a coupon even if no reward is involved, if you need the product. Your goal is to save money, not just chase rewards.

• Ask the Staff: If you’re unsure about something, a knowledgeable Walgreens cashier or manager can be a help. Some Walgreens employees are very familiar with couponers and might even offer tips like “you know, if you buy one more of those, you’ll get $X Walgreens Cash.” Build a friendly relationship at your local store if you can.

By following this guide, you’re well on your way to becoming a pro at Walgreens couponing. Start small, stack a couple of coupons, and soon you’ll be doing multi-transaction mega deals with confidence. Happy couponing, and enjoy those savings at Walgreens!

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