CVS Deals and Transaction Scenarios 9/5 - 9/11

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.

Pull out those SoBe coupons that you've been saving/earning and get ready to pay CVS the first of many visits this week.

Also, make sure that you don't have any ECBs that will be expiring this week. If you do, make sure that you use them! (Most CVS will allow you to use expired ECBs as long as they are only a few days expired.)


WEEKLY PURCHASES

Day 1 / Purchase #1

 6  12 SoBe Water B1G1 $1.69/1 = $5.07/6 $10.14/12
-  3  6 B1G1 free coupon Printable (play the game) = FREE
(NOTE: There is a limit of 6 per transaction. Some CVS will allow you to purchase another 6 in a separate transaction right away. Some will require that you make a separate visit to purchase another 6.)
(NOTE: OHHH, I just learned that when it says "limit 6" that since this is a B1G1 deal that means "limit 6 sets!!" So, buy 12 SoBe's in each transaction!)

2 Stride Shift or Trident Layers gum (pg. 5) 9 to 14 ct. $0.99/1 = $1.98/2
- FREE Stride Shift Gum wyb any Stride Gum, exp. 10-31-10 (SS 05/16/10) = $0.99/2 OOP
[or $1/2 Trident Layers Gum Printable]
- $0.99 ECB (Limit 1) = FREE

1 Schick Hydro 3 or 5 Razor (pg. 14) 1 ct. $8.97/1
- $5/1 Schick Hydro Razor, exp. 9-30-10 (SS 08/08/10) = $3.97/1 OOP
(**NOTE: Keep your eyes open for peelie coupons on the razors for free Schick Hydro shaving cream wyb razor. Obviously if you find one, add the shaving cream to your purchase.**)
- $4 ECB (Limit 1) = MAKE $0.03

Total before coupons = $21.09 + tax (??)
- $16.13 (in MFC)
- $5 ECB (2 $2.50 ECBs from Crest) from 2 weeks ago
Total OOP $0 + tax
(Remember to scan Green Bag Tag! - Scan #2)
Earn $0.99 ECB for Gum
Earn $4 ECB for Schick


Day 2 / Purchase #2 [This is only a good deal if you can get a $3/$15 CRT coupon to print from the red coupon machine or if you have a $4/$20 email CVS coupon (see pg. 4 of ad).]

4 Wisk Laundry Detergent (pg. 7) B1G1 26-32 loads ($8.49/1) = $16.98/4
[NOTE: Do a price scan on these. Some are ringing up at $8.99/1 (red bottle?) and some at the price above (blue bottle?). Also, remember that clearanced Wisk will not count for the B1G1 deal. You may see some shelf tags for clearanced Wisk - do a price scan anyway because much of it is still ringing up at $8.49-$8.99 which means it will work for the B1G1 sale.]
- 4 $3/1 WISK Laundry Detergent, exp. 9-26-10 (RP 08/29/10) = $4.98/4

12 SoBe Water B1G1 $1.69/1 = $10.14/12
- 6 B1G1 free coupon Printable (play the game) = FREE

Total before coupons = $27.12 + tax
- $3/$15 CVS CRT coupon (for example)
- $22.14 (in MFC)
- $2 ECB (Listerine) from 2 weeks ago (If you have a $4/$20 coupon then you'll only need a $1 ECB)
Total OOP $0 + tax
(Remember to scan Green Bag Tag! - Scan #3)


Purchase #3 and following:
Go back as often as you like to finish "buying" your FREE SoBe drinks.    : )
Remember to get your Green Bag Tag scanned each day.

 
So, I'll end the week with (1) $2 ECBs for Listerine, (1) $2.50 ECB for Crest, and (1) ECB for Green Bag Tag from 2 weeks ago. I'll still have my $6.99 ECB (Phillips) from last week. And this week I'll earn (1)$0.99 ECB for Gum and (1) $4 ECB for Schick. I'll have paid nothing OOP (ie. not used my gift card). Total sale value of products $48.21.