Tips for Successful and Efficient Vanilla Reload Shopping in New York City

This is a guest post from The Miles Professor, who also took me (I did think I was the only one…) out and about on a fantastic tour of the city to share her tips and tricks for locating Vanilla Reloads in one of the most competitive environments we know.

New York is a competitive city and competition for Vanilla Reloads is fierce. At most CVS locations, they’re gone within a day of being put out on the racks. Through the first week of #milemadness, I’ve been keeping to a simple, efficient strategy of doing what I do best: buying Vanilla Reloads. With enthusiastic friends and family who love good deals, we are left with plenty of Bluebirds with unused space that I am happy to take into my “Bluebird entourage.” Being the proud holder of a drugstore bonus credit card, I find this to be the most efficient way to collect points… one quick stop, a few minutes on the computer and you’re done.

I’ve been able to procure plenty of Vanilla Reloads this week, usually going only 2-3 blocks out of my way on my walk home from work. But what the secret to finding them?

Many people make the mistake of visiting a CVS location, not seeing any Vanilla Reloads, and assuming that place doesn’t carry them. But of course, that’s not always the case. They simply get delivered and then they’re gone. If you visit on the wrong day, you just won’t see them. We end up having two problems:

• Figuring out which CVS locations carry Vanilla Reloads.
• Figuring out when go to those locations to buy the Vanilla Reloads.

Going every day to every store is not the solution either. In truth, buying Vanilla Reloads in New York is as much about social engineering as it is about having the right credit cards and Bluebird space. So here are a few tips to make your Vanilla Reload CVS trips more efficient:

Network with the right people

When just getting started, scouring every CVS becomes a completely insurmountable task. You gain a lot by networking with those in the know… or simply following the right people. We New Yorkers share a Vanilla Reload “comraderie” and, with the right connections, you can get in on the intel yourself:

Some bloggers will occasionally write posts: NYC Vanilla Reloads Fully Stocked at this Location tipping off people to Vanilla Reloads. This post announced the presence of Vanilla Reloads in a certain store and offered to give up the location to anyone who emailed him. Of course, it’s likely they sold out pretty quickly after that… but, on the off-chance you’re in the area, you may as well ask.

Know where to find the Vanilla Reloads in the store

Are you looking on the rack and can’t find them? You may be looking in the wrong place! Again, networking with the right people and knowing where to look can make the difference between earning those drugstore bonus points and leaving empty-handed:

Know the delivery schedule

This is where the social engineering aspect of buying Vanilla Reloads really comes in. Most CVS locations don’t get Vanilla Reloads at random… they are delivered on certain days. And someone in that CVS knows the delivery schedule! If Vanilla Reloads get delivered on Thursday, they’ll likely be gone by Saturday night. But if you come Friday morning (or possibly evening), you’ll likely hit the jackpot. I am friendly with the managers of “my local CVS” locations and know exactly when they get their boxes of Vanilla Reloads in. That ensures I come on the right day and no time is wasted.

Turn hangouts with friends into Vanilla Reload walks

While this may not technically help you find Vanilla Reloads any faster, it does make shopping for them more efficient by mixing it in with other life activities. When Points Summary was in New York on his stopover to Puerto Rico, we decided to meet up and hang out. But we didn’t grab a drink as most friends would. We took a long walk through the city in search of Vanilla Reloads. Yes, rather than hanging out at a bar, we walked multiple miles, enjoyed the fresh air, got some good exercise and even made money! Similarly, Saverocity’s own Matt and I bonded on my Vanilla Reload loop last fall… we talked travel, exchanged ideas and, of course, earned points!

There you have it. Vanilla Reloads bringing family and friends together!