SJSinNYC,
It’s true that you have to wait for your rebate from Walgreens. But you only have to spend actual money the first time you do the rebate. Then apply for your rebate online (just enter the receipt info as for Rite Aid, so you have the receipt if you need it for another offer) and get the rebate plus 10% loaded on a gift card. Each month afterwards you have the rebate reloaded on the same card, so there’s no significant outlay afterards. It does take them a while to send the gift card, but it’s usually reloaded within a couple of weeks. And one big advantage over CVS is that the gift cards never expire, and you can use them for prescriptions. I’ve never tried to roll register rewards into gift cards, but I’ve read that it can be done.
Even though my Walgreens doesn’t take printable coupons, CVS does, and so do Acme and Shoprite.
I don’t usually buy from a service, but sometimes I’ll buy an extra copy of the Sunday paper.