*This post is the follow-up to THIS POST on the basics of the Rite-Aid system.*
Now that you know all the lingo and have a basic knowledge of how shopping at Rite-Aid works & have signed up for your Wellness card, it's time to figure out what to buy when you go to the store.
What you are going to buy depends on these things...
1. What do you need/want to buy?
2. What are the deals this week?
3. What coupons do you have?
So you need to find some "Deal Blogs" to follow and consult.
"Deal Blogs" are those that post on what the upcoming sales are at a particular store. They are informational, cut and dried. Ok, some chat it up also but you are there for the info. Don't Read This;It's Boring! may mention specific deals now and again but I am NOT a Deal Blogger.
By following these blogs you can find out what is going on sale in future weeks as well as what is happening in the current week.
Deal bloggers will also do "coupon match-ups" for that store. This is a list of currently available coupons(both ManuQs and IPQs)that match up with a sale item. By matching the sales price with a coupon you can increase your savings when you buy that item.
These blogs are also where you can find out about hidden deals at the stores.
Many of these blogs will also give you actual "Deal Scenarios". These are actual lists of specific items to buy, what coupons/sales to use and what premiums(RRs, ECBs, +Ups, Catalinas, etc.)you will receive and how much out of pocket you will be after that specific transaction.
Deal Blogs
Finding Deal Blogs online is quite easy. Just google or use whatever search engine you prefer, and search under "deal blogs" or "drugstore blogs","drugstore deals", etc. For grocery store deals, google that specific term. Find a group of blogs and read them for awhile until you find the ones that give out the best information for you. If there is a store, there is bound to be a blog out there that follows it.
For the larger chains, you will find more Deal Blogs devoted to them, because, well, they are so large.lol
Some deal blogs follow more than one store. You will have to wade through many posts to find the Store Specific posts you need on those blogs.
When you find a few Deal Blogs that give you the information you want/need, go subscribe to them so you automatically get their posts sent to your email or into your Google Reader. This will assure that you don't forget to check their blogs for deal information you need and miss some gem.
Personally I like to follow Deal Blogs within my regional area whenever possible.
For Rite-Aid I consult I "Heart" Rite-Aid as Erica is very knowledgeable about all things Rite-Aid.
But I also follow Anne at Coupons Deals and More and Shannon at For The Mommas. Anne is in the Buffalo NY area and Shannon is outside of Philly. I don't have a Rite-Aid Deal Blogger in my specific area but those 2 are in what I consider my region and they are both cover the Rite-Aid stuff well.
Why follow regional deal bloggers? Sometimes Qs are regional, so you want someone who is matching up the Qs that YOUR area receives, in the denomination that you get. There is nothing worse than finding a great deal scenario only to find that your area of the country did not receive a vital Q you need to complete that transaction cheaply. There's nothing worse than planning out a scenario and then finding that you either didn't get that Q or that the one you got was not $2 but .50¢. 8-(
I also like to consult Building Up Da Benjamins. She is over in the San Diego CA area. 2 reasons I follow her....1-I like her style. 2-The southern CA area Rite-Aid deals begin on the Thursday before they begin in all other parts of the country on Sunday. So if something isn't working or there is a hidden deal to find, the bloggers/shoppers in this area will find out about it at the store and report back before the sales week even starts here.
Many folks read the Rite-Aid message board over at Slick Deals or at the 2 major Couponing Sites--A Full Cup and Hot Coupon World. These are huge sites and can be intimidating to new coupon users. I'd suggest you explore one of them to begin with and once you have a routine going, branch out and read the others.
There are tons of Deal Bloggers so go find a few that you enjoy reading and start getting up to speed on Rite-Aid deals.
As always if anyone has any questions about Rite-Aid or couponing or deal finding in general, feel free to leave a comment or email me privately if you prefer. If you have suggestions of things that have helped you find the deals, please feel free to share that with us all as well.
Sluggy
Now that you know all the lingo and have a basic knowledge of how shopping at Rite-Aid works & have signed up for your Wellness card, it's time to figure out what to buy when you go to the store.
What you are going to buy depends on these things...
1. What do you need/want to buy?
2. What are the deals this week?
3. What coupons do you have?
So you need to find some "Deal Blogs" to follow and consult.
"Deal Blogs" are those that post on what the upcoming sales are at a particular store. They are informational, cut and dried. Ok, some chat it up also but you are there for the info. Don't Read This;It's Boring! may mention specific deals now and again but I am NOT a Deal Blogger.
By following these blogs you can find out what is going on sale in future weeks as well as what is happening in the current week.
Deal bloggers will also do "coupon match-ups" for that store. This is a list of currently available coupons(both ManuQs and IPQs)that match up with a sale item. By matching the sales price with a coupon you can increase your savings when you buy that item.
These blogs are also where you can find out about hidden deals at the stores.
Many of these blogs will also give you actual "Deal Scenarios". These are actual lists of specific items to buy, what coupons/sales to use and what premiums(RRs, ECBs, +Ups, Catalinas, etc.)you will receive and how much out of pocket you will be after that specific transaction.
Deal Blogs
Finding Deal Blogs online is quite easy. Just google or use whatever search engine you prefer, and search under "deal blogs" or "drugstore blogs","drugstore deals", etc. For grocery store deals, google that specific term. Find a group of blogs and read them for awhile until you find the ones that give out the best information for you. If there is a store, there is bound to be a blog out there that follows it.
For the larger chains, you will find more Deal Blogs devoted to them, because, well, they are so large.lol
Some deal blogs follow more than one store. You will have to wade through many posts to find the Store Specific posts you need on those blogs.
When you find a few Deal Blogs that give you the information you want/need, go subscribe to them so you automatically get their posts sent to your email or into your Google Reader. This will assure that you don't forget to check their blogs for deal information you need and miss some gem.
Personally I like to follow Deal Blogs within my regional area whenever possible.
For Rite-Aid I consult I "Heart" Rite-Aid as Erica is very knowledgeable about all things Rite-Aid.
But I also follow Anne at Coupons Deals and More and Shannon at For The Mommas. Anne is in the Buffalo NY area and Shannon is outside of Philly. I don't have a Rite-Aid Deal Blogger in my specific area but those 2 are in what I consider my region and they are both cover the Rite-Aid stuff well.
Why follow regional deal bloggers? Sometimes Qs are regional, so you want someone who is matching up the Qs that YOUR area receives, in the denomination that you get. There is nothing worse than finding a great deal scenario only to find that your area of the country did not receive a vital Q you need to complete that transaction cheaply. There's nothing worse than planning out a scenario and then finding that you either didn't get that Q or that the one you got was not $2 but .50¢. 8-(
I also like to consult Building Up Da Benjamins. She is over in the San Diego CA area. 2 reasons I follow her....1-I like her style. 2-The southern CA area Rite-Aid deals begin on the Thursday before they begin in all other parts of the country on Sunday. So if something isn't working or there is a hidden deal to find, the bloggers/shoppers in this area will find out about it at the store and report back before the sales week even starts here.
Many folks read the Rite-Aid message board over at Slick Deals or at the 2 major Couponing Sites--A Full Cup and Hot Coupon World. These are huge sites and can be intimidating to new coupon users. I'd suggest you explore one of them to begin with and once you have a routine going, branch out and read the others.
There are tons of Deal Bloggers so go find a few that you enjoy reading and start getting up to speed on Rite-Aid deals.
As always if anyone has any questions about Rite-Aid or couponing or deal finding in general, feel free to leave a comment or email me privately if you prefer. If you have suggestions of things that have helped you find the deals, please feel free to share that with us all as well.
Sluggy
Thanks for the links. I'm always on the look out for something new to read. I figure even if I pick up one or two tips a month that will help the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteNothing but love for ya!
You're kidding me!!! I thought you figured all those scenarios yourself! I figured you sat home at night and worked it all out with your calculator and when in and walked out with money...
ReplyDeleteYou got anything for Walgreens?
SonyaAnn--You might do better following the CVS or Wags deal blogs really. But I loves ya right back!!
ReplyDeleteMcVal--Actually, I DO do all my own scenarios! I use the deal blogs more for the coupon match-ups & just for a heads up on what is coming down the pike. They will also let you know about a IPQ weeks ahead of when you need it, so you make sure it's printed before they run out of 'em and in your arsenal. Usually their scenarios aren't things I am interested in or only work if you have a bazillion of a certain Q and I rarely use a clipping service....unless it's smoking hot deal like the Finish one that happens once a yr, or the bacon deal I got 2 yrs. back. I have a calculator surgically attached to my left hand don't ya know!lolol
Wags....I'd use Erica's I 'heart' Wags for general info. I was heavy into Wags 2 yrs. ago and was a Wags scenario wiz for awhile. Not these days tho, sorry. Find an Iowa Wags deal blogger...I'm sure there are some!
Thanks for mentioning some blogs I haven't checked out yet - I'm going to start reading them!
ReplyDeleteWhile I totally heart Erica for RA and CVS, I admit that on Saturdays, I usually look forward to Hip2Save's Rite Aid match-up. Not only does she come up with her own great deal scenarios, but she has some followers who also post even better deal scenarios in the comments.
Off to check out Building Up Da Benjamins!