For those of you who are new to Rite Aid shopping, I found this helpful article (thanks SlickDeals) that should help answer some of your questions. I made some updates and adjustments to the article for our area. Before you read all this which might make your head spin let me just say that Rite Aid is great and actually quite easy. You buy items that there are rebates for that month, with a coupon when possible and end up getting back the money you spent and sometimes making a profit. Again, the bloggers will spell out the best deals for you weekly and list the coupons that can be used.
Rite Aid FAQ and General InformationQ: What is a SCR?
A: SCR stands for Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid’s monthly rewards/rebate program. Just register
online and you can immediately start participating. Each month Rite Aid publishes a booklet that highlights the monthly deals—this information is also available on their website:
https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/Q: When do I submit my rebate?
A: Throughout the month as you make purchases, enter your register information on the website, or keep an envelope for mail submissions. At the end of the month, request your rebate by clicking the “request rebate” button. DO NOT request the rebate if you are planning to make any more rebate purchases that month, as you are only allowed one submission per month.
Q: I want to get two of the same item—will I get two rebates back?
A: Check the limitations for that item. Most of the SCR rebates are limited to one item per household.
Q: I submitted my receipt but I don’t see my rebates?
A: It typically takes 48 hours for a rebate to show up in your “Detailed Status” after you have submitted it, although sometimes it may be a little faster. If you have waited 48 hours and your status for that receipt still says “The following receipts are waiting for data from the store,” then something could be wrong (e.g. you bought the wrong item, or you bought it during the wrong dates). Double-check your purchase and then call the hot line for assistance: 1-888-213-9920 (8 AM - 7PM EST).
Q: An item is listed as FREE after SCR—can I use a coupon?
A: If you have a coupon for an item that is free after rebate (FAR) then definitely use it. You will get the full purchase price back, even if you used a coupon, thereby making a profit. Some items are free only AFTER SCR and a coupon, but the ad will usually be clear about this.
Q: Does Rite Aid take Internet printable coupons?
A: They used to not but recently they have changed their policy to accept them. However, sometimes they do limit how many you can use in a transaction so if I have a ton of IPs I usually try to split them up between transactions to avoid any problem.
Q: Does RA have store coupons like CVS and Walgreen's? If so, can you combine them with manufacturer’s coupons (MFC’s)?
A: RA does produce its own coupons and releases them either in the weekly flyer or in a separate pamphlet/booklet. However, they don’t necessarily work like other drugstore coupons. For example, YMMV (your mileage may vary) on combining them with MFC’s because they all typically say “manufacturer’s coupon” on them. However, in weekly ads, you may find small call-out boxes next to the RA coupon that say, “Look for additional coupons in your Sunday paper,” implying that they can be combined. It can be helpful to keep one of these examples in your coupon binder as ammunition against cashiers that want to reject your combination coupon purchase. Additionally, RA coupons almost always state, “limit 1 per customer.” Thus it is very YMMV on using two or more in a single purchase. While the register will accept them, the cashier might not. They do NOT work like a Walgreen's coupon where you only need one to get the reduced price for every item you are buying.
Q: Can I use a coupon if it is worth more than the item purchased?
A: The short answer is that, yes, you should be able to do this. The RA registers are reportedly set up to allow a manual input of the coupon amount (e.g. to enter a $1 off MFC as .99 if you're buying $1 toothpaste). However, not all cashiers are trained to do this. If you have trouble with a cashier, don't be afraid to ask for the manager because it is perfectly OK for you to use that coupon. For at least some RA's, if you have purchase balance over the coupon amount, the full amount of the coupon will scan through the register and the "overage" will come off your balance. YMMV on this, depending on the register and cashier's observational powers.
Q: There is an offer that says "Get a gift card with a $20 purchase." Is this before or after coupons?
A: Before coupon amounts are used to determine if you have met the required threshold to earn that gift card. In special circumstances, you can even use items that generate individual rebates toward that threshold AND the before rebate/before coupon price is used toward the total. For example, if there were a combined rebate for $25 back on $50 in Proctor & Gamble purchases and an individual offer for free Crest after $2.99 SCR, these MAY overlap so that you spend $1.99 on Crest after a MFC, get $2.99 back on the individual rebate, and a $2.99 credit toward the larger deal.
Q: Rite Aid has an item on sale for Buy One, Get One Free. Can I use coupons on both items? Can I use a B1G1 coupon to get both for free?
A: Another YMMV. You should be able to use two coupons with a B1G1. I have never had a problem with them accepting the B1G1 coupon on a B1G1 sale making both items free.
Q: If a rebate requires buying multiple items do you have to buy them all in one purchase (e.g. I need 3 mouthwashes and can only find 1 or 2 at each store)?
A: No, you may purchase these in separate transactions and enter each receipt separately. The website will combine them and let you know when you've purchased enough to earn the rebate.
Q: Can I combine the SCR with a manufacturer's rebate and get both?
A: Sometimes you can double/triple dip on a manufacturer's rebate if RA has one as well. You can submit online for the RA rebate and keep your receipt to submit for a manufacturer's rebate. Triple dip comes into play when there is also a coupon out for the product.
Q: Can I buy my items at anytime in the month?
A: Pay attention to the rebate dates--they are critical. Many of the rebates are valid for just a week and not the entire month. Also, the month doesn't begin and end neatly on the 1st and 30th/31st. Often a new SCR cycle straddles a couple of months.
I went into Rite Aid this morning in hopes of taking advantage of their deal on Huggies this week. They never have a huge stock of diapers and so they tend to get cleaned out fast but I was happy to see that they still had some size 4 & 5 Snug & Dry diapers. Yeah! So here is what I did:
I got all of the above for $21.80 OOP and I will get back $50.92 in rebates. That makes this trips' total a profit of $29.12 with savings of $27 in coupons.
