I heart Walgreens.

Here is something that I never thought would happen. I am madly in love with a drug store. And not for it's drugs. I have been avoiding Walmart like it is the plague. I have only been 3 times since November. I didn't get any major Christmas gifts there. Only stocking stuffers, which was a couple of DVDs. I have been lucky that an AMAZING grocery store has opened up in walking distance to my house. If it wasn't for trees I would be able to see it. I get all my groceries there. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. sigh. So in love. Did I mention it has a Starbucks in it? I also have a Walgreen's pretty close. Not walking distance but it takes about two minutes to drive to it; four if you get stuck at the light. I don't know what or how my obsession got started but it's pretty hot and heavy.

Actually, I do know. It started with Sissy getting sick and I had to pick her up from daycare. I knew I was running low on diapers and needed some baby fever reducer. Since it was on my way back from the daycare I just ran in. Sissy was passed out and so I put her car seat in the cart and went to the aisle that I needed. So, while I was there, they had this "jingle cash" thing going on. I saw the signs but didn't really know what it was about. Since Sis was asleep, I thought, I could browse around. The store wasn't that big, it wouldn't take long at all. I'm roaming, aisle to aisle. This lady notices my box of Huggies. She comes up to me and tells me about this sale on Walgreens brand diapers. She goes on and on about how her daughter loves them. I ask questions like "how are they on sensitive skin?" things like that. I didn't really want to buy the generic diapers. I know how most feel from working at a daycare, it's like sandpaper. She takes me over to the aisle and we look and she is opening her sale ad and points out that they are buy one get one free. I figured I would humor this lady and buy them. Plus bogo? How can you pass that up? I could take one pack to daycare and keep one at home and it wouldn't be long and they would be all used anyway. If it broke her bottom out I was out eight bucks. Not the end of the world.

THEN, she tells me that if you get six packs then you get 25 dollars in Jingle Cash. Which was like 25 dollars that you could spend at Walgreen's. And I'm not talking like Gymbucks from Gymboree where you have to spend 50 to get the 25. You could pick out 25 dollars worth of goodies and use the coupon and not spend a dime. I am not even joking. So, how it worked was, you spent 25 dollars you got 5 dollars Jingle Cash, 50 dollars you got 10 JC (as in jingle cash, not Jesus Christ), 75 dollars you got 15 JC and 100 dollars you got 20 JC. I didn't really think too much about it. I am notorious for getting things like this and NEVER using them. I just keep roaming. I find myself thinking, "What a fantastic stocking stuffer? Mom would like this. Wendi would love this. Sissy could get this as a gift from Wendi". I ended up spending over 100 dollars. But I got SO much more. I got both girls several toys, lots of candy stocking stuffers, two popcorn tins, lots cleaning supplies, and some beauty supplies for yours truly. Between the sale they were having and the already low prices it was amazing. That is when it started.

John comes home from Alaska for Christmas. The weekend he gets there we are off to Kansas to spend Christmas there. Then it hits us. We didn't buy dirty Santa gifts for his family. Mostly I was putting it off hoping we wouldn't be going to Christmas at his family. I know. I'm horrible. Money was pretty tight at this point. It cost almost 2,000 dollars for his plane ticket, plus it was Christmas. And we don't put anything on credit. All cash money, baby. Then it hits me. I have 25 dollars in Jingle Cash. BAM. Walgreens, go! We ended up getting his bothers popcorn tins, and one of our dirty Santa gifts and some roadies (i.e. snacks for the road) and spent under ten bucks. I mean come on! That like never happens.

I found somethings that I tried that I really, really liked! The diapers were okay. I didn't really like the print that was on them. Petty, I know. But I do get them from time to time. Sis has fairly sensitive skin and they didn't break her out at all. I was impressed. I have several products that I am going to do a review on in later blogs. You will be amazed how much you can save and cut out Walmart trips by shopping at drug stores and grocery stores only. I don't come home with frivolous things that I didn't need just because I walked up on them. That little rollback smiley face isn't there to break my will. We think that I save about 25-45 dollars every trip. Even though the grocery store is priced higher on some things, we save by not bringing home the crap Walmart throws at you. (If you can't tell I am a bit of an impulse buyer.) Not to mention you are spreading your money to multiple companies. I really urge you to go check out your local Walgreens. If you live in a city that has more that one, go to all of them. Not every store carries the same thing. I know when I go back home, I love me some Rite Aid. CVS is great too.

Leave a comment or email me some of your favorite drug store finds!