Real Deal: Loyalty Pays Off

PHILADELPHIA - You probably use a frequent-shopper card at the grocery store but now you can practically use them everywhere you shop!

If you have one or several of those tags on your keychain or in your wallet, it means you're saving cash almost every time you walk up to the register but they aren't just for the grocery store any more. Check out the great money-saving loyalty and membership programs at CVS, Office Depot, Staples, PETCO, AMC, and Regal Cinemas!

CVS's plan gives 2% rebate on every purchase you make and one dollar in what's called 'extra bucks' for every two prescriptions you fill.

At Staples you get 10% back on ink, paper and copy services. Office Depot has a similar 10% rebate offer, plus 1% back on everything else.

If you have pets, PETCO is one place where you definitely want a membership. They offer one free grooming after every eight and will give you one free bag of food for every 10 bags you buy but check to make sure your pet's food qualifies first.

You can sign up for a loyalty program at your local movie theater too! At AMC you earn two points for every movie ticket you buy. 30 points earns you a free movie. At Regal Cinemas, their program is similar, get one point for every dollar spent on tickets. 150 points equals a free movie.

The downside is giving out your personal info; name, address, email. these stores use the cards to keep tabs on how often you shop, what you purchase and what your buying preferences are. that whole big brother thing bothers some people.

The other downside is a keychain or wallet full of cards but there's a solution for that as well. It's called wwwkeyringthing.com. The website lets you consolidate all your key-ring tags, club memberships and discount cards on one card!

All you have to do is enter the barcode number from the cards on your keyring, you can do it online and the best part, it's free!