Turkey Day at CVS

• She is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food (and other things) from afar
• She looketh well to the ways of her household

$3.63 net OOP

Turkey Day or no Turkey Day, the siren call of CVS hit me today. We are in small town North Carolina visiting some of my husband's family for a couple of days, but small town or no, they have a decent CVS. Like all CVS stores, their "Black Friday" deals start on Thursday, so on the way from the hotel to dinner with the in-laws, I managed a quick stop. I grabbed a coupon or two from my binder and headed into the store, and this is what I got:

1 Colgate 360 toothbrush, $3.49, on sale for $2.99, this generates a $2 ECB (Extra Care Buck), making this $.99 after ECB ( I had a coupon for a certain type of 360 toothbrush that I hoped to use that would have made this free, but they were out of that particular kind)

2 Colgate Total Advanced toothpastes, $3.89, on sale for $2.88 each, these each generate a $2 ECB, making them $.88 each after ECB

1 Vaseline Sheer Infusion, $7.99, less $1.50 internet printed coupon; this generates a $7.99 ECB, making this a $1.50 moneymaker after ECB

1 Phillips universal remote, $12.99, on sale $6.99, this generates a $6.99 ECB, making this free after ECB

1 Phillips ear buds, $9.99, on sale $6.99, this generates a $6.99 ECB, making this free after ECB

Total: Pre-sale total $44.62, sale discount $11.52, coupon $1.50, I paid $31.60 and received $27.97 in ECBs to spend next time, making this a net OOP of $3.63

I didn't realize that the toothbrush deal is limit 2, so I plan to go back tomorrow and buy another toothbrush; there's also a Herbal Essences deal going, $2.99 each, they generate a $2 ECB, limit 3 on this deal--I have a B1G1 coupon that I forgot to bring into the store--I can get two, pay $2.99 and get $4 in ECBs back, or get three, pay $5.98 and get $6 back. It will depend on what products they have available whether I try for 2 or 3. Another possibility is the St Ives body wash, on sale $3.99, it generates a $3 ECB, so I may do a combination of these.

I was in a hurry and had my husband with me today, so I didn't want to take the time to do multiple transactions, but it would have been easy to have bought just a couple of the ECB items, rolling those ECBs to pay for the next, etc., to end up with less carry-over ECBs, but much less OOP (out of pocket) as well. Just remember not to try to roll ECBs from the same manufacturer, sometimes the new one won't print.

An easy one to try would be this:

Transaction one: Buy 2 Herbal Essences, use B1G1 coupon, plus one of the $1.59 candy bars that are free after ECB--pay pay $4.58, get $5.59 in ECBs

Transaction two: Buy Phillips universal remote or ear buds, $6.99; use $5.59 in ECBs from above, plus $1.40 cash, receive $6.99 in ECBs

Transaction three: Buy Vaseline sheer illusion, use $1.50 coupon, plus $.89 free-after-ECB candy bar, $7.38--use $6.99 ECB from above plus $.39 cash, receive $7.99 + .89 in ECBs

Or you can start with the largest item and roll "down", grouping smaller items together. Whatever you do, don't stress about not doing the scenarios "right"--there is no "right" or "wrong"--the point is to buy the items that are useful to your family or to someone else, using as little "real money" as you can. It helps me to think of as a game--the Drugstore Game-some weeks I gain points, some weeks, I lose points, but it all evens up in end with a big old win--for me, and for my family!

What good deals are getting this weekend?

This post is linked to CVS Black Friday at Keeping the Kingdom First

Until next time...