CVS Deals and Transaction Scenarios 8/15 - 8/22

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

I know, I know . . . this is Debbie's post this week (and she did a GREAT job). I'm not really going to change anything. : ) I just wanted to add a couple more coupons and some of my comments. . . (however redundant, oversimplified, or just annoying they may be). : ) You have to remember, I just got back from vacation and I feel like I have to get back into the swing of things. - Erin

Purchase #1 (I know that I used some of my ECBs over this past week's vacation, so my plan for the week is to simply use up all the remaining ECB's from previous weeks. That way at the end of this week I'll only have the new ECBs - the one's I earn this week - to carry over to next week. If you do the same, then we'll all be on the same page again - that is . . . for those of you who are actually following my CVS posts that closely!)

1-Zegerid OTC 14 ct (pg 13) $9.99
-$4.00 MFC All You Aug (All You Magazine can be purchased at Walmart.)
[or $3/1 Zegerid OTC Printable] (Of course, if you use these other coupons your OOP cost will be $1.99]
[or $3/1 Zegerid OTC, exp. 8-15-10 (SS 07/18/10)]
[or $3/1 Zegerid OTC, exp. 9-30-10 (SS 08/15/10)]
-$5.00 ECB (from John Freida last week) I personally plan on using a $1 ECB from the Green Bag Tag too - so mine will be $0 OOP.
=$.99 OOP
Don't forget to scan your Green Bag Tag! Let's just call this Scan #1.
earn $7.00 in ECB

Purchase #2

1-Blink Tears (pg 14) $7.99
-$1.50 MFC Printable
[or $1/1 Blink Tears or Gel Tears Eye Drops, exp. 9-30 (RP 8/15/10)]
earn $7.99 ECBs (Limit 1)

1-Glide Clinical Protection floss 38.2 yards (pg 1) $3.49
-$.25 MFC $100 PG coupon book
[or $1/1 Glide Floss, exp. 8-31-10 (P&G 08/01/10)] ** better coupon **
Or you can also get Crest Clinical Gum Protection toothpaste and use the coupon below
[or $1/1 Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel, exp. 8-31-10 (P&G 08/01/10)]
earn $2.50 ECBs (Limit 2)

1-Purex Complete Laundry Sheets (pg 5) $5.99
-$3.00 MFC RP 8/15
earn $2 ECBs (Limit 1)

2-Sobe Water B1G1 free (back cover)
-B1G1 free coupon Printable; Printable
(Remember that a B1G1 coupon with a B1G1 sale = 2 FREE)
(Also, with the second link, you can play once per day. Then print each coupon twice!)

2-Pilot EasyTouch Pens 2 pk (pg 7) $1.00/1 = $2.00/2
-(2) $1.00 MFC Printable
It looks like the print limit on this coupon has been reached.

Lindsay Olives 6 oz (pg 3) $1.00
-$1.00 MFC RP 5/2 (I couldn't find this coupon so it might be regional)
[or $1/2 Lindsay Olives Product, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 04/18/10)]
[or $1/2 Lindsay Olive Product, exp. 3-31-11 (Family Circle, Sept. ’10)]

Total before coupons $19.47
-$6.75 in coupons
-$9.99 ECB (from Ducolax last week)=$2.73 OOP
Don't forget to scan your Green Bag Tag! Scan #2 - You must complete Purchase #1 and #2 on separate days in order to get 2 scans.
earn $7.99 ECB Blink
earn $2.00 ECB Purex
earn $2.50 ECB Glide

So, I'll end the week with the 3 ECBs above and the ECB from the first purchase (saving them for next week). I'll have spent any extra ECBs I already had on things I wanted and on bringing my extra OOP to $0.

OH, and here is another deal you might as well pick up if you have the coupons:
2 Right Guard or Dry Idea (pg. 11) B1G1 ($2.49+/1) = $2.49/2
- B1G1 Right Guard or Dry Idea, exp. 8-31-10 (RP 07/25/10) = FREE