The Frugal Files: Using Store Reward Programs to Maximize Savings

April Fool’s! Ha! Bet you were expecting the Frugalicious Diva and one of her fabulous money-saving blog posts, right? Well, in honor of April Fool’s Day, we decided to do what we call a “flip-flop” week. We have switched days for this week but will still maintain the topic of the day. I usually write about self-love and empowerment on my Fearless Fridays column but what many readers don’t know about me is that I am also a big couponer. I spend hours weekly, looking for coupons, cutting coupons and comparing coupons with circulars. I have been known to get things from free and have my own stockpile going on at home. So the Frugalicious Diva asked me to share some of my saving tips with all of you and she will share some of her positivity this week on my Fearless Fridays column.

One of the ways I get things for little to nothing is by utilizing reward programs at stores. Reward programs are loyalty programs where the sole goal is to reward and encourage loyal buying behavior with a customer. Stores like CVS and Rite Aid offer reward programs where you earn reward dollars per item that are good towards your next purchase.

Signing up for a reward program is super easy. You can sign up at the register in-store or online on the store’s website. Most stores will give you a card, which you give to the cashier to scan every time you make a purchase. That way your purchase is recorded on your account.

When you sign up for a reward program, the most important piece of information that you will give the store is your email address. Your email address is important because it is directly linked to your reward card so you can access your account on the store’s website and see where you are in terms of purchases towards a reward. With that said, here are 2 great reward program tips regarding emails:

Tip #1: Create an email address on Gmail or Yahoo that is dedicated to just being used for reward programs and couponing. That way your coupons and reward program-related emails are all in one place and not scattered within your main email inbox, which can become confusing and overwhelming if you get a lot of emails.

Tip #2: Sign up for emails for your favorite store. You can do this directly on their website. You will be notified of sales and coupons that are only available to online subscribers. Also, many times you will get a coupon for signing up. For example, when you sign up for CVS emails online, you automatically are sent a “$4 off a purchase of $20 or more” coupon to use on your next purchase.

Now you’re signed up! What to do next? Become familiar with the reward program at the store you will be shopping at. It is important to know the name of the reward program, the type of rewards earned and the store’s coupon and reward policy. Here’s a few to start you off:

CVS: Their rewards are called Extra Care Bucks (ECBs). ECBs are like money and all ECBs earned in a purchase are good towards your next purchase. $1ECB = $1 off your next purchase. Always be mindful of ECB limits, which are shown in fine print under the item in the circular. Most of the time, there is a limit of 1 ECB reward per item per customer. ECBs print out at the bottom of the receipt. You also earn 2% back in ECBs on all purchases during a certain seasonal time period. CVS also has their own coupon machine, where you scan your card and the machine spits out CVS coupons that can be stacked with manufacturer coupons. Keep scanning your card until the machine tells you it has no more coupons for you that day. I usually get about 2-3 scans.

CVS Tip: Make sure to sign up for CVS’ Beauty Club on the website. For every $50 you spend, you earn $5ECBs. Trick is, they count the $50 from the regular price. So even when you get any beauty item for free via ECBs, sales and coupons, you will get the value of the regular price of that item added towards your Beauty Club total. I hit my $50 almost every week and don’t pay that much out of pocket! Also, next time you’re in CVS, look for their Green Tag. This is a bag tag that you buy for 99 cents and every visit, you bring it in, hooked to a reusable shopping bag, have it scanned and on the 4th visit, you earn $1ECB. This is a great way to help the environment, use your own bag and earn some ECBs.

Rite Aid: They have two ways to earn rewards; +Up rewards and Single Check Rebates. +Up rewards are the same as ECBs. With Single Check Rewards (see picture at right), you have to enter in your information from your receipt online and you will be sent the amount of the rebate in the form of a check in the mail.

Rite Aid Tip: You can get store coupons (which can be stacked with manufacturer coupons) through their Ad Perks website. Basically, you watch a 2-minute video on a product and afterwards, you get a coupon, which you can print out and use in-store. Also, in their circular, be on the lookout for store coupons as well.

Walgreens: Their reward program is called Register Rewards and it works like CVS and Rite Aid, where you can earn register rewards on an item. However, you don’t need a rewards card in Walgreens to take advantage of Register Rewards. You just buy the item in question and the reward prints out with the receipt (see pic on left).

Walgreens Tip: Every month they come out with a coupon book, full of store coupons that you can stack with manufacturer coupons. The coupons expire at the end of the month and the books are usually located at the front of the store next to the circulars or just ask the cashier for one.

Final tips…Plan your shopping trip beforehand! The first thing I do is scan the circular and see what items have rewards attached to them. I then see if I have coupons for those items. Once that is done, I build my shopping list in an Excel spreadsheet with formulas that calculate my savings and totals. I also break my purchases up into 2-3 smaller separate ones so I can apply the rewards I receive on the first purchase to the next and so on. I plan my shopping trip in advance this way so I know what I am getting free on which purchase.

I hope this helps you to better understand how you can use reward programs to get free stuff. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I would be more than happy to answer them as best as I can. Now let’s shop!

The Frugal Files: How to Survive Seven Days without Spending

Hey frugal folks!!

We’re here another week hoping you’ll join the Frugalicious Diva in a Frugal diet of sorts. You know I’m the Challenge Queen and it’s good to stretch our thinking and confront our habits periodically. It’s always easy to say you’ll join this and take on that, but sometimes we don’t do well because we don’t know how to do it.

This week's focus is ZERO SPENDING, for the last few days of January; a good way to end the first month, discipline ourselves to combat instant gratification and best of all, save money.

So, how do we do it?

Planning and careful execution is a key to achieving any goal. “Winging it” only creates confusion and lack of focus. So, let’s put together a game plan.

Plan Meals

Since we’re not going to the grocery store, take an inventory of what you have. Ration it out with precision and make do. Plan for breakfast, pack lunches and cook and freeze dinners for the whole family. Experiment with items you don’t normally use; the food that’s always left in the cupboards after all your favorite stuff is gone. In my house, it’s pasta and cornbread, but they will both make a grand entrance this week.

Tips for frugal eating: Suggest everyone drink water before each meal and brush their teeth directly afterward to ward off any unnecessary, excessive hunger pains. Sit at the table and eat as a family, not in front of the television. Look at each other and talk, chew your food and enjoy the flavorful meal while you engage in meaningful conversation. Further distract the family with an activity like board games or trivia. Avoid television, especially commercials. For dessert, give fruit or something that can stretch like jello.

By the way, don’t worry, this challenge doesn't call for you not to pay bills. Those things, because they are necessary, are exempt from this test of willpower. Let’s move on.

Entertainment

I set my budget for entertainment and I exhausted it for the month. It ended with a great time at my Book Club meeting. Great ladies, great book and a hilarious and insightful time!! It’s once monthly and I promise you, that when you plan for it, it's much more fun. How else can you prepare for leisure activities?

If you’re a homebody, then staying home and finding something to do is a great way to save money. No spending, no driving. Many complain of being bored at home, but there are a myriad of domestic things to do. You have your normal reading, housework (tip: use cold water for laundry, as it saves on your heating bill), and family time like games and chatting. However, doing something for yourself will ensure your commitment to doing it again in the future.

Finish a DIY project in your bathroom or bedroom. Write your business plan for that awesome idea you had last year. Have an unusual hobby? Start a blog and interact with others online who share a similar passion. Commit more time to meditation and centering yourself. If you've always wanted to learn how to Samba, grab a video and follow along.

If you tend to get stir crazy, then go ahead and venture out, on foot. Take a walk around your neighborhood and leave your wallet at home. Go chat with your neighbors or watch the ducks at the pond. Head to the Farmer's Market and inquire about growing your own veggies. You'll pick up a great deal of knowledge, but no goods, since you left your purse.

Other places to keep hold of cash include your local library. It not only has books, but music, movies and magazines, events for all ages and it's typically free. Seminars, public speakers, classes (I'm in a 3 week Tai Chi class) and show displays abound if you visit. Museums have free exhibits, good for date and family fun. Does you zoo have "free" days? Do you have a national or local monument? Pack up the kids and go. It's free to see!!

Food and entertainment are two major categories where people spend money and most times they go hand in hand. By taking a different approach to them, you can get through the next seven days without spending money on either. You can do this, I'll be joining you. Feel free to email me at FrugaliciousDiva@yahoo.com what you did daily to save money and focus on you. Stay Frugalicious!! Have a great week!!

Frugalicious Diva

The Frugal Files: Easy Ideas, Breezy Christmas

Happy December to you!!

It's definitely that time of year isn't it? It's snowing, the streets are buzzing and the chimneys are smoking. This is one of my favorite time of the year because it promotes so much family and friends time. All during the year we hustle and bustle for our jobs, and outside people, but the holiday period allows us to come back inside and wine and dine the people closest to us.

I love that there are more home cooked meals shared with more than just immediate family; also that the thinking focus is turned toward someone other than ourselves. We reach out and use our hearts. However, for some, it is still a stressful time. One of the reasons I especially like family geared holiday time is because it is a sometimes difficult time for those who have lost loved ones, thus losing traditions we may have once known.

The good news is that new traditions can start anytime. One of the reasons I find that people find holiday time stressful is because they try to uphold an unrealistic image of themselves, their families and their bank accounts. Over the years I would watch the habits of my family members, as well as my own, once I was old enough to take on my own responsibilities. There were years I found it easily and exercised both good judgment and planning. Other years, it was complicated and hard to manage. Finally, I decided to stop stressing myself out about Christmas and didn't put too much focus on it.

I know many of you took advantage of those great Black Friday "sales" and it is my hope that you were able to get all the gifts you wanted to buy and within your budget. While I know that can be realistic for my truly Frugalicious folks, I know that's idealistic for the masses. It is inevitable that we will spend money, but if we're spending less each time; now that's frugalicious! Here are some other ideas to keep from overspending this holiday:

The Trusty Gift Exchange – Throw everyone's name in a hat and pick one. Set a dollar amount and have the monitor write down a few things that you'd like in that price range. You are then only responsible for buying ONE gift; the person you chose. For added fun and frugaliciousness, agree to only buy gifts from the Goodwill, Salvation Army, Savers or whatever second hand store in your area. This can be a fun way to celebrate the season without throwing your wallet in the fireplace. All those stores benefit someone else too, so you're achieving a community service in your purchase. As far as your family goes, everyone will get a gift, in fact, they get a gift they want!!

Talent Time – If you are an artistic person or have a special knack for baking or working with your hands, this is your calling this Christmas. Give out as many heartfelt gift that you can make. Getting specialized gifts, made with your own hands are sure to make any recipient feel special.

Debt-To-Income Plan – In this plan, you realize you have too much debt and not enough income, so you spend nothing. This idea dares you to say NO to the monetary side of Christmas, while saying YES to the promise of paying off debt; a true gift to your family. Your bonus is that you skip the shopping lines, the fighting in traffic and your money goes to a useful place that just might ensure better Christmases in the future!!

Enjoy your week!!

Frugalicious Diva