I personally LOVE CVS Extra Care Bucks. So easy to save so much money on all kind of items. Recently Walgreens has started a rewards program as well. So far, I'm not a huge fan. What are your takes?
I'm not familiar with walgreens rewards program but out of the two stores, I definitely prefer walgreens, so I'll have to check it out. CVS has been mediocre for years, but after their terrible handling of my husband's anti-rejection transplant medication, I don't feel comfortable giving them another penny of my money or business.
Rewards programs rarely make or break where I'm planning on shopping. I don't know why, but if I like a store, I stick with it despite if another comparable store has a good rewards program. I guess I'm still of the mind that a rewards program usually just gets you to spend more money. Do you find that's true with the CVS program? Or is it honestly just points for spending money at their store? I'm not familiar with either program yet, but I've just recently moved to the US.
I don't really use either, but a person I live with does. She's been part of the CVS reward program for years and loves it to pieces. She recently began using the Walgreens program and doesn't like it nearly as much. I'm not sure if it's just not as great or if she's incredibly biased.
I use CVS from time to time, but I do have to watch that I'm not overspending to get more extra bucks. In general I like CVS better anyway. The Minute Clinic is great. I actually liked Walgreens more before they started a rewards program. I thought it was better without the cards and points system.
Walgreens? I really like CVS's Extra Care Bucks. Buying whatever you want with them is so satisfying; it's bonus money! I'll look into Walgreens, although i've never even heard of it. If I change my mind, i'll be sure to notify you. I highly doubt that it's any better than CVS's care bucks.
I am a CVS rewards member. I joined it years ago. I only use it occasionally. It doesn't make me buy at CVS any more than usual. There are very few Walgreen stores in my area so I don't belong their rewards program.
I didn't even know that Walgreen's has a rewards system. I have been a fan of Walgreen's for years. I don't live close to a Walgreen's anymore, so I don't shop there nearly as much as I used to. I used to shop in that store at least once a week, and did so religiously for years. When I lived in a bigger city, I shopped at all kinds of Walgreen's all across that particular city. I found it satisfying, in that, no matter if I was in an unfamiliar part of the city, when I went into any Walgreen's, it felt familiar in there. I don't shop Walgreen's as much, because now I live closer to RiteAid, which is more expensive for about the same stuff, if you ask me. CVS, I shop there rarely because they are not close to where I live. Although I have been trying a little bit to make an effort to shop there more because I have a friend who works for a lady who has the CVS rewards plan. My friend always shops at CVS (for her employer and herself). She sings the praises of the CVS bucks. I guess they can come in handy for someone who lives close enough to the store to shop there regularly.
I have to go with CVS as well. I really seem to accrue more with them. The Walgreens never seems to produce anything for me, unless I am doing something wrong. I have really raked in some good deals with CVS. By good deals, I mean free stuff. It never seems to stop rolling either.
Both places have such high prices to begin with, I don't really see the point of using either of their rewards programs.
The Walgreen's program was started too recently for anyone to really judge it. The CVS program is a good one though; they regularly send offers and discounts and $$ off incentives that make shopping with them worth the while. You can also use your card in store to get other offers, but those are generally of little or no use to me.
I don't think I've ever shopped at a Walgreens. I've shopped at CVS before but never really bought enough stuff to use their rewards points. I think every now and then? But I normally just buy gift cards from CVS. The kind you have to fill up with money and then have activated at the register? So those don't fall under the rewards points system.
I've used it. It sucks. I have three issues with it: 1) I have to be a member in order to get most of the price breaks. I know that CVS does this too, but this is such a blatant attempt to jack up membership numbers that it's pathetic. Give the breaks to everyone and let the customer decide whether or not to join the rewards program based upon the merits of the rewards alone. 2) Deceptive advertising. Walgreen's weekly circulars often depict "potential" savings rather than actual savings on items. For example, Walgreen's may offer $2 off a case of Dr. Pepper with 1000 reward points, but, will also add "With a $1-off coupon available in most Sunday papers, you could save $4!". 3) You earn points only on certain products rather than on overall purchase. If you're a retailer, who would you rather reward, the person who spent $50 in your store but bought no eligible merchandise, or the person who just came to your store to buy two bottles of shampoo for the reward points and nothing else?
I prefer CVS's Extra Care program all the way. You save more, and I think you actually get way better deals with it. I've gotten some stuff for next to nothing before, like 0.10c-0.15c. Walgreen's program is just an attempt to counter CVS, but they don't want to actually provide as much value.
I'm not yet familiar with the Walgreens rewards program yet, but I do prefer Walgreens over CVS. I don't shop at these places often but Walgreens has always been more conveniently located. With all the reviews on this, I will definitely look into CVS' rewards program. I do see some things in their ad from time to time, I just don't like hassling with rewards programs since I don't shop there much.
I'm not sure I can be a good judge of this. The main reason being is that I spend more time at CVS then at Walgreens. Has nothing to do with me preferring CVS but everything to do with their location in my area. I have a CVS that is a bout a mile or so from where I live, while the nearest Walgreens is over two miles away. So, needless to say CVS is the store I do business with. I find their rewards program to be decent enough, and perhaps if you do enough shopping there (which I don't any longer) it might start to add up and pay off.
The thing to ask about these rewards programs is: Are you really being rewarded? Are you actually saving money? It seems to me that both CVS and Walgreens wouldn't be offering these reward programs unless there's money to be made. One has to wonder if they're jacking with the prices to begin with in order to offer rewards down the line. Can anyone here tell me that they've actually saved a lot of money using either of these programs?
I have been a fan of CVS' rewards program for over 6 years. Those Extracare Bucks would come in handy when I was a broke college student. I could make $4 stretch with coupons too and would buy cereal and milk. I had dinner for a week. lol
Personally because I have more Walgreens stores around my area than CVS stores I think Walgreens is better for me. No matter what I've stopped to get since Ive enrolled in their rewards program I have gotten a discounted price even if its not marked on the shelf. With CVS I never really had enough points saved up for anything but thats probably because I barely shopped there. I like that with the Walgreens card you can actually get money off of a purchase. Does the CVS card do that?
Interesting theory. The only savings program I've seen work is the one Pathmark offers. Knocks a lot of money off of my weekly grocery bill.
