Walgreen's Shopping 6/27 and FRUSTRATIONS!

Off I went this afternoon for my  normal weekly shopping at Walgreen's.  I had my list ready as usual.  Also as usual, a coupon that was supposed to be out, must not have been in our paper.  I was looking for the Dentyne coupon that was supposed to be in the paper 2 Sunday's ago.  I got 2 copies of the paper that Sunday, but no Dentyne coupon that I could find, and one set of the inserts I hadn't cut yet.  I hate when this happens.

Here is what I ended up getting today:
Blistex Smoothie lip balm 3-pack--on sale for $2.99, got back $3 in register rewards.
AirPlus Aloe Socks--free (see my note below)
2-Twizzler packages, on sale for 2 for $4 with $2 back in register rewards
2-Dixie Plates on sale 2 for $5, used just one .50 coupon that I had--got back $1 in register rewards.
Package of Shrek mrshamallow treats on clearance for .75

I used my $5 and $4.50 register rewards from last week's shopping.

Notes:
I bought the Twizzlers for the kids to have to snack on while we are at camp....the Dixie plates because it's BBQ season and I, honestly, hate to do dishes.


I have had several weeks in a row of frustration free shopping at Walgreen's (minus them never having the $2 vitamins with the $2 RR)  This week seemed to be full of frustrations.
First of all, I asked about the Act II mini bag of popcorn that is advertised for $1 a box.  I had a .40 coupon and figured I would buy it since we are out.  No....I'm told my store doesn't even carry it since there isn't a marker on the shelf for it.
Secondly I ask them about the Airplus socks.  "oh, we have some over here, but we only got 4 pairs on the truck"  There was just one pair left so I grabbed them quick.
Thirdly, I get to the register and the cashier tells me that the register rewards are not printing out for the socks.  So, she can price modify them to 1 cent, then price one of my other items down 1 cent to make up for the $3 RR I'm not going to get.  I decide to go ahead with that.  After all, that made them totally free, not even any sales tax on them.
But, fourthly.....doing that with the socks made it so that I couldn't use my last RR of $2 since they can't be used to cover any of the sales tax.  After all coupons it came to $2.57 and the tax part was .83.

So.....I spent $2.57 out of pocket and got back a total of $6 in register rewards for next time....and I still have the other $2 RR that I wasn't able to use that has to be used by next Sunday.

Regardless of everything, I'm happy with what I got, and what I spent.  I just find it so frustrating how many times you can't find what they have advertised.....or if you don't shop in the day the ad comes out they run out of the product because they got very few in on the truck.

We have no Rite Aid or CVS here, so Walgreen's has to be my coupon deal shopping place.  We didn't even have a Walgreen's until  about 5 years ago.  I didn't get into doing the monthly rebate booklet until just a few months before they ended that and went to the register rewards program.
Rumor has it that they are going to be starting a new rewards program and doing away with the RR's.....does anyone have any info on if it's true, or what it will be all about.

I have found that I love the RR's better than the monthly rebate book.  With the rebate book I only shopped once a month, then had to wait about that amount of time for the refunds to be added to my Walgreen's gift card.  With register rewards, the reward is instant....I can even turn around and go do more shopping while I'm still at the store like so many do.

Enough rambling.......I hope to get some feedback on all of this.
Here's to a great rest of this day,