[mrsfloyd]

A friend of mine is trying to get into couponing, and she receives Food Stamps (EBT) and WIC. I'm wondering if Walgreens accepts EBT and WIC, and if they DO take them, does it affect the deals in any way? It would be so helpful to her if she could sometimes get a few food items and get back RR's that could be spent on non-food items that she needs, too. Any insight or experience is appreciated.

[ambtay79]

my walgreens dont take wic now i have no clue about ebt

[FreebieMama]

A Walgreens that I shop at has a big sign up by the coolers that they do accept EBT. I have no idea about WIC.

[ms_eeyore6380]

Thanks for posting this I've been curious too as my mother has ebt and we were wondering since if you just receive food benefits you aren't supposed to receive cash back and a RR is kinda a form of cash.

[ms_eeyore6380]

Just a fyi most Targets around me accept EBT so if she can't use it at Wags she could always get in on some of the great Target deals.

[march4Him]

Yes, WAGS accepts ebt cards. (Had to swallow our pride & I'm SO glad we did.) I'm still learning the ropes.... Though I've been couponing & doing the deals for nearly 2 yrs, I have only been receiving ebt$ for a couple of months. Though ebt doesn't pay for anything non-food, I have noticed I pay less than normal for my non-food items. I'm guessing it's all of the coupons, food & non-food. 7-day q's do not help. ebt acknowledges the price AFTER the q has been taken off. My WAGS is a fairly new store, so they're still learning too. One of my fav cashiers tried using the ebt card before rr's, hoping it would make my oop lower. Didn't work. Once the ebt is swiped, only cash (credit/debit card) will post.

Hope this helps a little.
Pat

[asaby]

yes to ebt i doit all the time and for sure nooooo for the wic.

[HunneyLove]

My local Wags will take WIC for formula only. No WIC foods for children/adults tho.

[mrsfloyd]

Thanks everyone! I'll pass this info on.

[Msmoneystretcher]

Mines takes ebt & u can get back RRs on the FOOD deals

[brittneychowdhury]

Just wanted to let those who were wondering: Not all Walgreens take EBT cards. I'm in Oklahoma, and if other states are like where I live, it depends on the economic status of the area. For example, my mom works at Walgreens and the location of her Walgreens is in a very high class part of town where people have a lot of money. Her Walgreens doesn't accept EBT cards. However, multiple Walgreens that are by where I live DO accept EBT cards because the area where I live there are all kinds of different economic status(s) (people with little money, middle-class, people with a lot of money, etc.) I would just call ahead and ask.

From personal experience, it can be embarrassing when you go to pay and you are declined because that establishment does not accept EBT cards.

[Snugglebunnyac]

Im not sure if Walgreens accepts WIC. I also agree with PP saying to call ahead and ask. I know my CVS accepts WIC so it's a good question to ask / find out about.

[saskpb]

My Walgreens does take WIC, but only for formula also. The only register that is authorized for WIC is the pharmacy, so ask your pharmacist, you may be surprised!
As for EBT, my store also takes EBT

[TinaWeina]

Originally Posted by march4Him

Yes, WAGS accepts ebt cards. (Had to swallow our pride & I'm SO glad we did.) I'm still learning the ropes.... Though I've been couponing & doing the deals for nearly 2 yrs, I have only been receiving ebt$ for a couple of months. Though ebt doesn't pay for anything non-food, I have noticed I pay less than normal for my non-food items. I'm guessing it's all of the coupons, food & non-food. 7-day q's do not help. ebt acknowledges the price AFTER the q has been taken off. My WAGS is a fairly new store, so they're still learning too. One of my fav cashiers tried using the ebt card before rr's, hoping it would make my oop lower. Didn't work. Once the ebt is swiped, only cash (credit/debit card) will post.

Hope this helps a little.
Pat

I'm not following you. Are you trying to use the EBT card to pay for the food items before the food coupons get scanned so the food coupon discount comes off the non food items?

[WillUBMyKnight]

My local WAGS accepts EBT (Food Stamps) but other WAGS (in the same state) do not. You should check with each store before hand.

Here's what I've learned when using EBT pretty much anywhere...

Always ring up ANY food items SEPERATE if you're going to be using coupons. If the food that you're buying is part of a RR deal, you will still receive your RR for purchasing those items.

If you combine food and other items (non-EBT) and THEN also use Q's, RR's, etc...what will happen is that the coupons you've given will be DEDUCTED FROM THE EBT balance due. Regardless of what the Q's were for. Example:

Milk @ $4.00
Toilet Paper @ $2.00
Toilet Paper Q @ ($1.00)

EBT Balance: $3.00 ($4.00 - $1.00)
OOP Balance: $2.00

[WillUBMyKnight]

Originally Posted by TinaWeina

I'm not following you. Are you trying to use the EBT card to pay for the food items before the food coupons get scanned so the food coupon discount comes off the non food items?

I just posted a different explanation...basically it will deduct the coupon amount from the EBT balance regardless of what the coupon was actually for - because in EBT's eyes, coupons are a form of payment - then you're left with a higher OOP for the non-food items - even though you may have had coupons for the items...

A way around that is to only hand over the food Q's, swipe the EBT card, and then hand over your non-food Q's for the remainder...but (in my experience) it never works...moral of the story? ALWAYS ring up food seperate.

[brittneychowdhury]

Originally Posted by WillUBMyKnight

I just posted a different explanation...basically it will deduct the coupon amount from the EBT balance regardless of what the coupon was actually for - because in EBT's eyes, coupons are a form of payment - then you're left with a higher OOP for the non-food items - even though you may have had coupons for the items...

A way around that is to only hand over the food Q's, swipe the EBT card, and then hand over your non-food Q's for the remainder...but (in my experience) it never works...moral of the story? ALWAYS ring up food seperate.

Not always true. Of course things can be different in each state. I'm in Oklahoma, and for the most part (not always, but usually) after I get home from a shopping trip & I look at my receipt, it will show where the coupon was applied. I buy non-food items&food-items all at once, I use RR, Q's and I use a EBT card (and obviously cash). I've noticed that the register will periodically attach food coupons to food items (which would be correct). And then other times say I had a $1 off Q for some cereal, sometimes it just takes that $1 off what I would end up paying in cash. Not sure why this is. But just wanted to point out that it doesn't always work the way you say, at least not every time in my experience.

[axgreen]

Yes, there is a sign on the front door.

[squirmy85]

I've used ebt when buying food and non food items. i didn't have any qs for the food, but i did for the non food items. and i've never had the coupons i used for non food items applied to the food items. i check my reciepts carefully. i did it at target the other day and i paid in ebt exactly what i should have and paid in cash minus coupons what i should have. i think it depends on the store.... I'm curious is CVs takes wic too, guess i will be making a call shortly to find out. also both wic and ebt tell you to take advantage of using coupons and other promotions to lower your cost. i would assume this goes for cvs wags and riteaid and any other promos going on, by X amount get Y amount back sort of thing... im curious is CVs takes WIC couse we get peanut butter and since it tracks. i could get two of them and get the CVS ecb back. which we desperately need cause we are so broke all the time. most of the money we make goes back into the work place. i.e say we make 800 one week, well 700 of that goes into buying gas and materials for my husbands job. so really we only make a 100 for that week and same for the next. it's quite annoying really, he's paying people 500 - 700 a week and they keep all that. then what we make goes into buying all his helpers lunch and gas and everything else. i tried putting my foot down about it but he doesn't listen. ok sorry for the rant. money is tight and i do what i can to stretch things out.

[ShoppingDivaMI]

In Northern Michigan I have not had problems with Wags and RA accepting EBT and appropriately deducting coupons. The totals look as I expect them too. I earn rewards and rebates on the food items. Esp good at RA as it builds points. I am single so I don't purchase much food though.
I did have a problem once at WAGS. Although I had previously bought Special K protein/weight loss items before and got RR's, last time it wouldn't accept the EBT as payment.
Walmart and Target is where I have issues with Q's and overage deducting from the food total and I now know to separate food and non-food. At Target I almost always have probs with Q's deducting properly! I have just returned to shopping there and keep my transactions small.

[Proudmommy2189]

I'm in Tulsa Oklahoma and all my walgreens take ebt. I try to get food deals that have RR, pay with my ebt card, then do another transaction for non food items and use the RRs from food transaction.