.
Each week, BeCentsAble hosts the CentsAble Shopper Show & Tell, where you can read about the great deals and shopping trips everyone had during the week. I thought it was about time I joined in :)
I don't have pictures because our camera uploads to Marc's computer, not mine. (That's why I don't take many pictures in general.) But I had two CVS trips and Walgreens trips this week.
During the first CVS trip, I picked up three boxes of CVS Rapid Release Gelcaps, which are free after ECBs ($3.99 each). I used a $3 off $10 purchase. I also picked up one of the Mennen Speed Stick 24/7 deodorants, which was free after ECBs (also $3.99). I used a $1 coupon on that. I also bought a newspaper. I had a $5 ECB, so my total out of pocket including tax was a little over $9. I ended up with an $11.97 ECB and a $3.99 ECB.
Then I went to Walgreens armed with coupons, but they were out of stock on some items, so I ended up only using one 7-day coupon from the weekly circular: 3 Scotch bubble mailers for $1, with a limit of 6. I bought the biggest (and most expensive) mailers that I could with the coupon. The coupon wouldn't scan, but I was patient and the manager was able to override the problem. So I got 6 10x13 bubble mailers for $2 plus tax - a savings of $11.14. I've already used three of the envelopes to send some packages!
My final trip was back to CVS, where I was thwarted by the ExtraCare card scanner at the front of the store being out of order. I always get a $3 off $10 CVS brand purchase, which I'd been counting on for my purchase of two more Rapid Release Gelcaps and CVS brand sanitary pads (which I actually like even more than Always brand, go figure). Without the coupon, the deal wouldn't be a money maker so I skipped it. I only bought two things: Alavert, which was on sale for $6.99, and a package of CVS brand small plastic cups (which the boys will use). I used a $4 Alavert coupon and the $3.99 ECB from my purchase earlier in the week. My total out of pocket was a little over $2 and I got a $4 ECB back.
The thing I'm learning as I play The Drugstore Game is to take advantage of as money makers as possible, so that I can roll over my ECBs and still buy things that I need (like the cups). It's really counterintuitive to buy things that I don't need, but I'm giving them away to friends or as donations.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
CentsAble Shopper Show & Tell: My CVS & Walgreens deals this week
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Damn. I am just... speechless with awe.
ReplyDeleteYou are one badass value-shopper.
What does "rolling over ECBs" mean, exactly? Is it using ECBs to buy other items that generate ECBs? And is this done because the ECBs expire and you want to keep them going, as it were?
ReplyDelete@Manager Mom - Aw, that's sweet of you to say but my shopping skills pale in comparison to the pros. Check out Money Saving Mom to see what I mean!
ReplyDelete@Dayna - Great question. It's so good that I'll be answering it in a separate blog post soon, but you do have the gist of it. It's also less to do with expiration dates and more to do with increasing the value.