How To Be a Drugstore Superhero

This article was produced in partnership with Walgreens. Learn more about the Walgreens App at Walgreens.com.

Who is the Drugstore Superhero? This mysterious and adventurous figure, fighting for health and family, is feared by germs and headaches, hunger and dirt. This tireless hero is known only as “dad,” and alway has the right tool for the problem at hand. His resourcefulness has long been a mystery — until now.

A trip to the drugstore often feels like a battle between forces of good (the stocked aisles) and evil (the needs back at home). When a parent learns how to navigate the multitude of rows and piles of products with tantrum-ready toddler in tow, it’s only right that a feeling of heroism emerges.

So how do the rest of us mere mortal parents get to this point? It all starts with your phone. The Walgreens App is your launchpad for finding savings, the items you need, printing photos, getting prescriptions filled, and even booking an appointment with a nearby doctor.

Before you’re even in the store, the Walgreens App sets you up for a quick shopping trip filled with easy ways to save. Find paperless coupons for everything on your list with a quick search, and clip them to your Balance® Rewards account with a tap. You can also skim the Weekly Ad offerings right from your phone to see if your needs and the deals align. The coupons and offers you clip will apply automatically when you use Balance® Rewards at checkout.

Other pre-store prep includes squaring away things like prescriptions and photos, so they’re ready at the store when you are. Before you run out the door, just use the app to scan your prescription bottle, and Walgreens will take care of the rest. Same goes for photos – choose your favorites from your phone, Facebook or Instagram to print, and they’ll be ready at the store for Same Day Pickup.

Once you’re at the store, the Walgreens App makes it easy to keep on saving. Just scan items as you shop to find and clip matching coupons to your Balance ® Rewards account. Speaking of, make sure to check your Balance® Rewards account in the app. Every time you enter your Balance® Rewards account info at checkout, you’ll earn points you can redeem for savings on future shopping trips. If you’re a regular Walgreens shopper, you might even have a reward waiting for you already.

With app in hand, here are your villains to vanquish — and the tools you need to get it done.

The Enemy: The Common Cold

Your Tools: Puffs Facial Tissue, Neti Pot Soft Tip Kit, Aleve All Day Long Strong Pain Reliever, Tylenol Cold + Flu, Vick’s Nyquil Cold & Flu Nighttime Relief, Chloraseptic Max Sore Throat Lozenges, Gatorade, Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution

Pro Tip: Always check the ingredients list for cold and flu medicines. Often, they contain the same active ingredients in varying doses, meaning if you take multiple medications, you could be overdoing it with certain ingredients.

The Enemy: Hygiene Is Lacking

Your Tools: Gillette CustomPlus 3 Disposable Razors, Dial Gold Body Wash, Crest Plus Scope Classic Mouthwash, Axe Antiperspirant Deodorant Stick for Men, Tic Tac Mints, Aveno Active Naturals Moisturizing Bar Soap for Dry Skin, Oral-B Pro 1000 Electric rechargeable Toothbrush Powered by Braun, Tweezerman Combo Clipper Set Stainless Steel

Pro Tip: Studies show that the rotation-oscillation element of electric toothbrushes offers superior plaque removal to the manual kind. Yes, they are more expensive — but so are fillings.

The Enemy: Disrupted Potty Training

Your Tools: Huggies Pull-Ups Night-Time Training Pants for Girls, Pampers Stages Sensitive Baby Wipes, Dreft 2X Ultra HE Detergent, Fresh Sacks Scented Disposable Bags, GoodNites Tru-Fit Bedwetting Underwear for Boys, Pampers Easy Ups Training Underwear, Cottonelle Ultra CleanCare Toilet Paper

Pro Tip: Never scold a child who regresses with potty training. Setbacks are to be expected and are a normal part of the process. Stow an extra pull-up and change of underwear in your bag for times when accidents happen.

The Enemy: A Dirty House

Your Tools: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Powder, Hefty Cinch Sak Large Trash-Garbage Drawstring Bags, Murphy Original Wood Cleaner Concentrated, Libman Nitty Gritty Roller Mop, Scotch-Brite Scrub Sponges, Windex Glass Cleaner, Nice! Paper Towels, Palmolive Dish Soap

Pro Tip: For best results cleaning your wood floors, dampen, but don’t drench, the mop head. Excess water can damage and possibly warp the wood, so it’s better to under- than over-wet the mop. Also, always use wood-floor cleaner, not a generic or tile cleaner, as these may be too abrasive for wood.

The Enemy: Snack Attack

Your Tools: 20-ounce sodas, Babe Ruth Fun Size Candy Bars, Haagen-Dazs Pralines & Cream Ice Cream, Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted, Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal Variety Pack, Nescafe Taster’s Choice Instant Coffee French Roast, DiGiorno Rising Crust Frozen Pepperoni Pizza, Eggo Frozen Waffles

Pro Tip: Food items are one of the best places to look for weekly deals at the drugstore. While some canned goods have a longer shelf life, milk, yogurt, and other perishables will frequently be discounted as the expiration date nears, so check the store’s app for weekly coupons. Seasonal snacks, like Halloween candy or Valentine’s Day chocolates, will also go on sale near or after the holiday.