New Walgreens Rewards Program Will Replace Balance Rewards & Beauty Enthusiast

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Walgreens is giving its rewards program a complete overhaul!

Walgreens’ popular Balance Rewards program is being discontinued to make room for myWalgreens – the drug store’s new rewards program. Although the new myWalgreens rewards program isn’t live yet, you can sign up for it here beginning on November 5th.


Woman holding Walgreens balance rewards card on keychain

There’s no word yet on the future of Register Rewards, but the company has confirmed that Balance Rewards points are soon to be a thing of the past.

The new program is designed to make tracking easier! Instead of 10 points for every $1 spent, myWalgreens members will soon earn “Walgreens Cash”. On most purchases, you’ll earn a 1% Walgreens Cash reward (same value as Balance Reward points), with 5% back offered on Walgreens-branded products. You’ll also have the opportunity to unlock bonus rewards on sale items and even earn health bonuses!

It looks like the new program will not require a card so you can enjoy contact-free shopping. An email address will be required to sign up.


makeup at Walgreens

Walgreen’s popular Beauty Enthusiast program, which earned customers 10% back on beauty, skin, and hair care purchases, was also discontinued on October 31. It appears that beauty rewards will now be rolled into the myWalgreens program, earning 1% back in Walgreens Cash (or 5% back on Walgreens-branded beauty items).

Customers can also expect to receive personalized deals on beauty products, invites to beauty sampling events at your local Walgreens cosmetics department, and more under the new myWalgreens program.


Walgreens Balance Rewards changes

Here’s how to keep your earned Balance Reward Points…

Even though your current Balance Rewards points will soon be obsolete, they can be rolled over into the new rewards program. Please note that this will not happen automatically, though.

You must opt in to the new myWalgreens rewards program by January 31, 2021, or you will lose your Balance Rewards points. Registration goes live on November 5th so make sure to visit myWalgreens.com then to sign up for the new rewards program and get all those points transferred.

Got questions about the myWalgreens store loyalty program? Although not all of the details have been released yet, you can head on over here to read more and find the answers to some frequently asked questions.


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Comments 28

  1. MrsA

    Just curious what Walgreen’s policy on points is. I logged in to sign up for the new program and saw that I had forfeited all of my points due to inactivity in the last 6 months. I would have used my points if I knew they would get forfeited. I hadn’t shopped much at Walgreens during the pandemic.

    • Luv2save2

      It took me forever to reach the $50 goal in the Beauty Program. When I finally reached it, they deleted the points saying I didn’t reach it by a certain timeline.

    • Julie

      I have received many emails to let me know when my points were expiring, however, in the past, the points expired the day BEFORE they said.

  2. tiredday

    I belong to so many rewards programs, i can’t keep track of all the program changes. I don’t shop much with Walgreens as they are more expensive without any deals. I can’t justify going into a Walgreens for just one deal. Like a free bottle of soda but i have to jump through hoops…. not worth it. Maybe it’s the pandemic weighing on me but I’m too tired and busy to deal with complicated. Not going to join this.

  3. Lisa

    Thanks for sharing but I’m gonna post the preverbal “uggggggg.” Didn’t they just change their rewards program like a year or two ago? So frustrating. Like tiredday, I just cannot keep up with the nuances of the rewards program. I haven’t even figured out Kohl’s “new and improved” program.

    • Kat

      Reading through the new rewards program, it sounds like Walgreens finally figured out they were losing customers over the inefficient program and overhauled it to model after CVS. It sounds very similar to the CVS rewards and since I stopped shopping at Walgreens over their not so helpful rewards program, I’ve been a CVS convert. Hopefully they make it worth the effort of taking them back like an exboyfriend.

      • Sharon

        It’s worse than ever and you lose your rewards pts accumulated when you switch( 2nd time many 1000’s of points lost). Stay away!

  4. JD827

    A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

    Walgreens balance reward programs was by far more lucrative than CVS. I regularly racked up $50 to $100 worth at a time that I could spend anyway I liked and that’s not unusual at all among users that followed WAGS specific couponing sites and leveraged points boosters. It had very distinct rules that you had to follow and know backwards, forwards and sideways but it wasn’t impossible or all that difficult. The rules were posted on Walgreens web site for all to read. Trying to follow CVS rules in a Walgreens environment was what frustrated people. Walgreens changed their rewards system a few years and publicly stated that only a small percentage of their customers regularly used the balance rewards system. They returned to it when they realized that small percentage using balance rewards heavily also represented the heavy spenders at Walgreens. It hurt their bottom line and they returned to a modified version of the old balance reward system. So no a CVS system isn’t impressive to me at all but I will wait and see.

  5. Missy

    I currently have $50.00 in rewards. What I want to know is when I sign up for the new program and they transfer, will it still be $50.00 credit? And, if I wait to sign up until after I spend them (I am in quarantine) will they still be available to use as long as it is by the January deadline?

    • JD827

      A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

      https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/mywalgreens.jsp

      Perhaps spend those points online? Free shipping at $35 with a greater variety than in-store. Look for items marked “rebate” that you can use code JOY15 for 15% off $40 and use digital coupons of course. If you are a senior combine JOY15 with SENIOR20 for 20% off full priced items.

      • Missy

        Thanks so much for the advice and tips. I have not ordered from Walgreens online so will work perfect!

    • Me

      Use your points online. Wait for a % off promotion (now it is 20% but sometimes during Christmas shopping it is 25 – 30% off) and use points. Anything over $35 ships free (even if your balance is 0 from using rewards points). I usually wait for something expensive (i.e. 12 ct. razor blades, a blood pressure monitor) and use the 25% off and points on that.

      • Missy

        Thanks For the advice and tips. I have not ordered from Walgreens online so that will be perfect.

    • Sharon

      They took away my $50+ in rewards and am not getting anywhere with corporate help, they leave the nice clerks helpless

  6. TiredofBeingRippedOff

    Yet another redesign for the purpose of giving the customer less. Customers used to get 100 points ($1 worth of rewards I think) per 30 day prescription, no matter the cost of the prescription. Now it’s apparently going to be 10 points per dollar spent. So on a $2.15 prescription, now I’ll get 20 points, whereas I used to get 100.

    • TiredofBeingRippedOff

      I misspoke. Under the new plan, I’d get 1% of a prescription that cost $2.15 -so about two cents.

      The old program was great for me. I easily racked up a lot of rewards just from prescriptions.

      I haven’t been inside this store since early March. Apparently they want you to sign up for this new program in-store. I’m with the other reader. There’s enough hassle and headaches going on already.

      • Wag insider

        Sign up for the program will be online, in app or in the store. Email address will be requested on sign up but you don’t have to provide until you want to “cash out” points.

  7. Cynthia

    I have to love WAGS because it is the only drug store in my town. While I am not fond of the rewards programs, if you follow sales, you can rack up rewards just like with CVS. I did the shampoo deal that was posted recently and it is all going to be delivered today. All digital coupons used and my cost for 14 bottles of shampoo/conditioner was $28. I am making gift baskets for the women/teen girls in my family for Christmas. Each will get a matching shamp/cond and a few of the stocking stuffers from Ulta from another deal posted here. So. for less than $40, I am able to make 7 gift baskets.

    • JD827

      A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

      The small tins of $1.09 Nivea are b2g1 free with free to store shipping so $2.18 for 3 tins. I’m never without one for my purse. Also the Palmer coconut lip balm is down to $.92 also b2g1 free with free ship to store so $1.84 for 3 lip balms. If you do have any balance rewards points left these would be great add ons to your already lovely gift baskets.

      • Stacy F (Hip2Save Sidekick)

        JD827, you always leave the best comments!! We’re so thankful for you!

        • JD827

          A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

          Oh thank you so much!! It’s mutual. Hip2Save is just the best.

  8. lenin1991

    I hope they keep the Balance Rewards for Healthy Choices part of the program: connect a step counter (fitbit, Apple Health, Google Fit), etc, and get extra points every week.

    • *Angela-Miles*

      Yea thats the only part I use, since I track my workout anyway. Might as well get the points for it. Otherwise I’m a cvs maniac LoL.

  9. Mr.Mike

    Yes Good ole WALGREENS….no notification before deleting your rewards points. When I found out it was 3 days too late. Thanks Walgreens management. OSCO will receive my business.

  10. Karen O

    My local Walgreens is my favorite drugstore however all this jumping through hoops now with their rewards program is alienating me. Over the weekend I got a coupon that said if I spent another $20 I would get to redeem the $6 reward from the coupon I got, so I did. Supposedly the $6 was added to my balance but when I go to use it, it has to be in increments of $5. Then I come in here to check my balance and activity and that dollar is also gone. Too many hoops.

  11. Carlo Prejean

    Very nice post. I absolutely appreciate this site. Keep it up!

  12. Les Adkins

    Why do I have to ask for my rewards every time I make a purchase or pick up a prescription? It seems to me that if you have my phone number already and I use express pay that it would be automatically posted. They already ask to verify address , seems they could verify phone number at same time. If I don’t ask and confirm then I have to go online to get my credit.

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