CVS Deals and Transaction Scenarios 8/1 to 8/7

I started putting together scenarios in July after talking with a friend who insisted that you could shop at CVS for FREE after an initial $25 investment. If this was true, it would work well with my budget.  : )  So I decided to give it a try.

Step 1: Buy a $25 CVS gift card. (This helps you to see how much of your initial investment money you've spent.) Tip: If you have to actually buy your $25 gift card, buy it from somewhere that gives you rewards for your purchase (your local grocery store perhaps, Upromise, MyPoints). (I'm a member of MyPoints which allows you to earn pts. for looking at advertisements, among other things. It's slow going, but it doesn't cost me any money. I look at one or two a day and wait for my pts. to accumulate. When I have enough I can redeem them for gift cards. So, to jump start my CVS shopping I redeemed some of my pts. for a $25 gift card.)

Step 2: Get a CVS ExtraCare card (ask for one in the store) and a CVS Green Bag Tag. The tags cost about $1. Hook that tag around any reusable shopping bag (it can even be a plastic CVS bag from a previous purchase) and remember to take it with you to CVS. Every time you go in and make a purchase be sure to have the cashier scan your tag. (Your card will only record 1 scan per day.) You will earn $1 ECB every 4th time the tag is scanned.  : )  (Your Green Bag Tag can be used with any CVS ExtraCare card. So the next time you go CVS shopping with a friend, let them use your tag too. Both your card and your friend's card will record one scan.)

Step 3: Clip/gather your coupons and get ready to go shopping. If this is your first trip to CVS you will not have the ECBs to pay for purchase #1. That's okay. This is where you will want to use your $25 gift card to pay for your purchases.

Note: CVS will not accept any internet coupon with a barcode that does NOT scan.

WEEKLY PURCHASES

Check to make sure that you don't have any expiring ECBs! I'm going to assume that you were not able to do the Neutrogena deal last week. Therefore, you should have ECBs for $7.99 (CVS Photobook) + $1 (4th scan - Green Bag Tag).

This week at CVS is just not that great. I don't plan on using ANY of my ECBs, although I do plan on making at least 1 trip to pick up the items that are FREE after coupon. If I end up driving by CVS, I may do the purchase below more than once on several different days. This would give me more Green Bag Tag scans and still keep my OOP at $0.


Day 1 / Purchase #1

2 Scotch Tape (pg. 6) B1G1 $1.99/1 = $1.99/2
- 2 $1/1 Scotch Tape Printable; Printable = FREE
(Note: I'm not sure exactly what Scotch Tape products are at CVS, but you should be able to find a coupon that will make something FREE.)

2 SoBe Lifewater (pg. 3) Thirst Quencher 32 oz. or Lifewater 20 oz. B1G1 ($1.50/1 ??) $1.50/2
- B1G1 SoBe Lifewater Printable; Printable = FREE

Total before coupons = $3.49 + tax (??)
- $3.50 (in MFC)
Total OOP $0 + tax
(Remember to scan Green Bag Tag! - Scan #2)



Total OOP for the week: $0 + tax (using my $25 gift card - won't use it this week either.)
Remaining ECB $7.99 (CVS Photobook) + $1 (4th scan - Green Bag Tag) from last week