Drugstores get a bad rap for being more expensive than their big-box competitors. But they can offer significant savings when you know what to buy and how to maximize your dollars.
Knowing how to coupon at Walgreens will give you the biggest savings — and ultimately free stuff! At Walgreens, you can earn Register Rewards and Walgreens Cash when you’re a myWalgreens member. You’ll definitely want to sign up for myWalgreens — that’s the only way to snag the deals we’re about to show you.
When you total up your earnings from myWalgreens, cashback rewards from rebate apps like Ibotta, and savings from a sale and a coupon, you’ll see why choosing to shop at Walgreens is worth it.
Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app or text HACKS to 57299 for more money-saving tips, deals, and coupons.
1. Get free toothpaste, mouthwash, and toothbrushes once a month at Walgreens.
At least once a month, you can find all sorts of toothpaste, mouthwash, and toothbrushes at stock-up prices. When we say stock-up prices, that just means it’s worth adding to your cart.
We see deals on Crest, Oral-B, and Colgate products every couple of weeks, and they often pop up in our Walgreens deals under $1 roundup. Look for these items on sale or in a store promotion like “Buy 2, get a $4 Register Reward.” (Register Rewards are issued like a receipt, but they’re as good as cash at Walgreens.) Paired with a Walgreens coupon, you’ll walk out of Walgreens with free oral care products! Check it out:
2. Skip Walgreens brand paper and grab Scott toilet paper and paper towels for pennies per square foot.
You can find Scott toilet paper and paper towels for a stock-up price of $0.01 per sq. ft. at Walgreens at least once a month — sometimes more often than that. Walgreens has the most frequent and reliable stock-up deals on Scott toilet paper, based on our research.
We calculate the price of paper products by the square foot because roll size is so unreliable — and sometimes misleading.
You’ll see deals on Scott toilet paper and paper towels every couple of months at Walgreens, so there’s no reason to buy the Walgreens store brand. Look for BOGO promotions or a sale price. Pair those with a Walgreens digital coupon and you’re getting cheap toilet paper.
3. Find rare Walgreens Squishmallows hiding in the shelves — and use your Walgreens Cash on them.
Remember hunting for Beanie Babies? Well, Squishmallows are the new hot thing. They’re plush toys with incredibly soft fabric and marshmallow-like stuffing. They come in tons of characters and sizes, with some exclusive just to certain retailers.
Buying Walgreens Squishmallows is totally a thing. Because the demand for Squishmallows is so high right now, you might not always see them in stores. But if you do stumble across one that you like, be sure to grab it. You never know when you’ll see it again.
We haven’t seen Walgreens Squishmallows go on sale yet, but you can always use your myWalgreens Cash toward your purchase. We’ve also seen holiday-exclusive Squishmallows go on clearance, but that’s only if they didn’t get scooped up during the first drop.
Related: We have all the tips you need to know to find rare Squishmallows.
4. Garnier is the best shampoo to buy at Walgreens (especially when you can get it for free).
What’s the best deal on shampoo at Walgreens? Garnier, because roughly once a month, Walgreens offers stock-up-worthy savings on Garnier products. These deals typically includes a Register Rewards or Walgreens Cash promotion.
For example, you can combine an extremely high-value coupon along with a Register Reward or Walgreens Cash offer, like this:
5. The best Walgreens makeup deals are on Rimmel, L’Oreal, Maybelline, and CoverGirl products.
It’s totally okay to skip the pricey makeup stores like Ulta and Sephora. Walgreens carries some of the best mascara for your buck. Some beauty influencers even say they prefer drugstore mascara over the higher-end brands.
At least once a month, the best Walgreens makeup brands like Rimmel, L’Oreal, Maybelline, and CoverGirl are on sale for buy one get one 50% off. Plus, there are always manufacturer coupons to pair with the sale to make each item super cheap or even free.
If you’re struggling to find them on sale, makeup at Walgreens often goes on clearance throughout the year. You can combine clearance prices with BOGO 50% off promotions and coupons, also earning rewards. This advantage is exclusive to Walgreens; no other drugstore lets you stack clearance items with BOGO deals!
6. Stock up on laundry detergent for less than $2 an item.
Walgreens is a great place to grab laundry detergent. The best part is many different brands are available throughout the month.
You can find Arm & Hammer on sale with buy one get two free deals that make them $1.99 each. And these sales don’t require any coupons either. I love the buy one get two free deals because you can even opt for Walgreens curbside pickup on them.
If you prefer Tide, it’s one of those products that go on sale every month, sometimes twice times a month. But just because they’re on sale doesn’t mean it’s time to stock up.
Between Walgreens Cash, manufacturer coupons, and P&G rebates, you’ll definitely be able to score a great deal. We’ve even seen Tide Pods go as low as $2 a pack when stacking all the ways Walgreens lets you save.
TIP: If you’re in need of Tide and it’s not on sale at Walgreens, check CVS. They put it on sale just as often as Walgreens.
7. Bic disposable razor deals at Walgreens happen a few times a month.
Walgreens has the lowest and most frequent deals on Bic disposable razors. Look for high-value Bic coupons you can stack with a sale at Walgreens. We see Bic deals that reach the $0.99 per package stock-up price a few times a month. Don’t be surprised if you walk out of Walgreens with a few packs for free when you combine a sale, manufacturer coupon, and Walgreens Cash.
8. Use Walgreens Photo coupons to get free picture prints.
Once or twice a month, Walgreens offers a free 8×10 photo print (reg. $3.99) or five free 4×6 photo prints (reg. $1.65). You can count on deals around the holidays, too.
You’ll need to go online and order prints using a Walgreens photo coupon code that’s good only during the promotion. In order to avoid paying for shipping, opt for free same-day store pickup. We have all the Walgreens photo hacks, too.
9. Walgreens’ deals on Pampers diapers often beat the warehouse stores.
You can find a Walgreens Pampers deal a couple of times a month. Of those deals, at least once a month it’ll be a stock-up-worthy price point if you combine offers and discounts.
For example, if you have a Pampers coupon, a Register Reward, and an Ibotta rebate, you could pay only $3.50 for a $9 pack of diapers.
Another strategy is to take advantage of a Walgreens Cash Booster promotion like “Spend $30, Receive $5 in Walgreens Cash.” Buy enough to reach the $30 minimum spend, add in a Pampers coupon, and you can easily come in under stock-up prices.
10. Hallmark greeting cards go for $0.30 – $0.70 each a few times a year at Walgreens.
That’s right, I’m not talking about a card from the $0.99 section. I’m talking actual Hallmark!
A few times a year, you can score Hallmark greeting cards for less than $0.30 – $0.70 each at Walgreens.
Look for cards priced 2/$4 and then use a coupon like “$2 off when you buy two” when it’s available as a digital load-to-card coupon inside the Walgreens app. I always stock up on cards so whenever a birthday or holiday pops up, I have the card already.
And now for the items you definitely shouldn’t buy at Walgreens…
Unless your Walgreens Cash is burning a hole in your pocket, or you have HSA/FSA funds you need to use up, these are the items I would skip on buying at Walgreens:
Walgreens Face Mask
Face masks are the product we never knew we’d be buying by the case pre-2020. Walgreens is typically one of the few stores that’ll keep face masks in stock, but you can buy them cheaper on Amazon. We’ve seen KN95 masks go for just $0.40 on Amazon.
Walgreens Humidifier
Walgreens does carry a variety of humidifiers, with one being as low as $17.99, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best place to buy one. I’ve found that the same brand of humidifiers is cheaper at other retailers like Amazon or Walmart. Since they’re not the best-priced item, I would pass on buying your humidifier from Walgreens.