How do you Walgreens pros get a very low OOP?

[MelInKansas]

I am discovering WAG has some GREAT deals and I'd love to add it to my couponing repertoire. I have even lurked on this forum and seen how the regular WAG shoppers just find freebies or good deal items to roll their RR into each week and then get more for the next week. Is that the secret to low OOP? You also have to get lucky (or do you plan ahead for it) having RR that will be approximately the right amount to buy things. (the price is right, as close to the value as possible WITHOUT going over).

I suppose it helps that the sneak peeks for WAG seem to come out a lot earlier than other stores. I have started getting email about them now that I've been looking at their ad regularly.

Experts, please share your tips!

[SFShopper]

Some of the things that I do now ~ and I've only been doing Wags for about a year now...

1) Always look @ the preview ads. They sometimes can be like 3+ weeks out.

2) If I know of an upcoming week that has a FARR(s) that I want, I'll always save some RR's from the prior week to have RRs to begin the new sale. ie this week - I wanted Salon Pas (5.99 & receive 6 RR) and had a 10 RR from last week. This week - I also looked @ what else was FARR and had MM potential. Oscilloimum (can't spell it ) is a 2 MM with Q + there is a 2 IP (PDF) on their site - soooo, unlimited rolling between Salon Pas and OScilloxxx, if I wanted too - well, this is IF the store has stock. As well, in checking different Wags forum sites - discovered that the Omega (9.99; 10 RR) had/has a $3/1 MQ inside the box... more MM potential.

In going from Oscilloxxx to Salon Pas - I'm forced to find $3.01 of filler every-time (about $1.30 ish OOP)... BUT when go from Salon Pas to Oscilloxxx, arghh - my oop is 2.xx each time ~ tax always kills me here in the land of 9.5% sales tax

3) I've watched Wags staff with their RR's and uh, am always shocked that they always have their RR's go dead ~ they buy what's FARR and use the RR to get what they want, effectively having the RR die. I kinda view RR's as funny money and just need to float (roll) some every so often.

4) You always need a cheapie filler... I've learned to always look @ the ad for the cheapie item on sale, as it'll most likely be my filler for that week. I don't like @ .39, .50, .69 items the same anymore

[mfilas76]

This week, I used the reynolds and wax paper as fillers. I think that I must have gone to WAGS about 6 times this week...lol. So, I've got quite a bit of foil and paper!

[petergabrielfan]

Melissa, also keep in mind that some of us will NEVER have $.03 OOP scenarios. My state is a pre-coupon tax state, so I have to pay tax, which always blows my low OOP. I've found I've cut way back on Wagging just because I was paying a bunch of tax for items I really didn't want or need (Celsius tea or Pill Glide spray, anyone??).

[karenann33]

Melissa, also keep in mind that some of us will NEVER have $.03 OOP scenarios. My state is a pre-coupon tax state, so I have to pay tax, which always blows my low OOP. I've found I've cut way back on Wagging just because I was paying a bunch of tax for items I really didn't want or need (Celsius tea or Pill Glide spray, anyone??).

Same here. The tax makes it not worth it unless it's something you really would use.

[MelInKansas]

Melissa, also keep in mind that some of us will NEVER have $.03 OOP scenarios. My state is a pre-coupon tax state, so I have to pay tax, which always blows my low OOP. I've found I've cut way back on Wagging just because I was paying a bunch of tax for items I really didn't want or need (Celsius tea or Pill Glide spray, anyone??).

This is the case here. Getting the great moneymaker with the Omega Factor 3, but I have to pay $0.86 tax on each box (and realistically about $2 OOP because I'm not that good ) But that's still way cheaper than the other Fish Oil vitamins I have bought (generally I pay $1.50 a bottle for those with the best coupon deal I've found) and my husband has to take them every day.

It takes a LOT of thinking to figure it all out!

[MelInKansas]

SFShopper - I've been going back and forth from SalonPas and Omega Factor 3, it's the same deal, with the SalonPas I can get a $0.90 OOP but with the Omega Factor 3 it's close to $2 because the subtotal is $1 + filler + sales tax. But still, $3 isn't too bad for the SalonPas, Omega Factor 3, and $3 in free stuff (I got two cases of bottled water, some Tilex, cookies so far)

[CW&M Mom]

Drive to Missouri

LOL

I probably do as good as you.

[TerryTerrific]

A low OOP (Out Of Pocket) is nice, do not get me wrong.

I do not think that it is a good idea to attempt to always get a low OOP.

It can easily lead to Walgreens burnout.

+

More emphasis should be on purchasing items that you need instead of want.

I ‘red flag’ anything that can go bad (expire).

It is no fun purchasing something and then having to toss it out because it goes bad.

+

Terence in Brook Park, oHIo

[MelInKansas]

Drive to Missouri

LOL

I probably do as good as you.

Nebraska is closer to me (no idea about their sales tax), though I end up in/near Missouri pretty regularly but those are the stores with the new rewards card system so that always confuses me too. They get SOME of the RR deals, but not all of them. Some of them just end up as points on the rewards card.

When I was growing up in the KC area but on the Kansas side, we would always buy gas in Missouri because the taxes on gas were lower so it would be $0.10 a gallon less, at least.