Rite Aid is kicking off its holiday Gift of Savings rebate program.

Most purchases made at a Rite Aid drugstore from Nov. 22 to Dec. 24 qualify for the rebate. The biggest exception is prescriptions and prescription co-pays, but it is pretty easy to earn at least $5 back on the Gift of Savings promotions.

This is what you do: you go to RiteAid.com and set up your account. Then as you shop at Rite Aid during the next few weeks, log in and type the code that is on your receipt into the computer. That’s it. At the end of the rebate period, click on “send my check.” Yes, it really is that simple, and individual products can still qualify for their own rebate offers.

Now for those of you who like scenarios: I currently have a $10 Fall Gift of Savings rebate check and a $3.99 Rite Aid Single Check Rebate in my coupon box. I just haven’t had reason to get anything at Rite Aid since those rebate checks arrived a week or so ago.

But we are at Rite Aid quite a bit. That’s where almost all of our prescriptions are handled and it’s the closest drugstore to where I work.

So here’s what I will do during the next few weeks:

• Check the weekly sales fliers to see what holiday items are on special. For example, in the sales flier for Nov. 22-28, I’m interested in the boxed greeting card sale (buy one get two free), Russell Stover sale (buy one get one free) and the stocking stuffer candies (two for $1). These are typical purchases for me during the Christmas season. Obviously, I need to get my shopping list in order ASAP so I’m buying the amounts I need.
• If there are over-the-counter medications that we need to restock, I check my coupon box and match those to the sales. There are a lot of coupons in circulation right now for vitamins, pain relievers and cold medicines. Families who have access to Flexible Spending Accounts can then photocopy their applicable receipts to follow up on reimbursement procedures, but my family’s FSA funds are depleted for the year.
• Look up the Single Check Rebate catalog on line or at the store to see if there are any other deals I want to take advantage of. I try to keep the current rebate catalog with my weekly fliers. Depending on the final price, I sometimes follow up on the dishwasher soap deals. Families with little ones can also find diapers and infant formula in the November rebate book.
• Use my recently issued rebates and any applicable coupons to pay for those purchases so the out-of-pocket cost is as low as possible.
• Type in my receipts when I get home.
• After the rebate time is done, go to my account and click on “send my check.”

Yes, you can do mail submissions for Rite Aid rebates. But you then have to pay for the stamp and I’ve had a mail-in rebate for another store that was miscalculated. If you are reading a blog, you’ve got access to a computer. Do your rebate filing on line.