Smart Shopping Sunday: Pt. 2

We're going to start off today with CVS. They are my preferred drugstore over Walgreens. I don't know why it is, but it seems locally my Walgreens have trouble understanding how coupons work. Being that I have 3 kids in tow more often than not, I don't have time for schooling employees, so CVS is just nicer for me. So here we go...

I'm going to be using typical acronyms, so if you don't know them, just read up on them here. Don't worry if you don't have these manufacturer coupons. You can order some here and here.

CVS

Nabisco Crackers (Triscuit, Wheat Thins, or Ritz)
Sale Price: 5/$10
ECB: $3 (wyb 5) (Limit 1)
Use: (5) $1/1 mfr q (1/24 SS)
Final Cost After Coupons: $5, or $1 each
Final Cost After Coupons & ECBs: $2, or $0.40 each




Gillette Fusion Razor
Sale Price: $8.99
ECB: $4 (Limit 1)
Use: (1) $4/1 mfr q (2/7 PG)
Final Cost After Coupon: $4.99
Final Cost After Coupon & ECB: $0.99

Listerine, Reach Floss, or Reach Toothbrush
Sale Price: $3.99
ECB: $2 (Limit 2)
Use: (1) BOGO mfr q (1/3 RP) and (1) $1/1 mfr q (floss, 1/3 RP; toothbrush, 10/18 RP)
Final Cost After Coupons: Varies - See transaction example below


While there are for sure more deals than this, I wanted to keep it simple so I could do an example of how I would do these deals for any beginners out there. As always, there are actually a few variables, but here's how I see things.

Deal #1
(5) Boxes of various Nabisco crackers @ $10.00
(1) Gillette Razor @ $8.99
(2) Reach Dental Flosses @ $7.98

Use these coupons:
(5) $1/1 Nabisco mfr q
(1) $4/1 Gillette mfr q
(1) BOGO free Reach mfr q
(1) $1/1 Reach mfr q

Total before coupons = $26.97
Total after coupons, Out of pocket = $12.98
ECBs earned for next transaction = $11

You can look at this 2 ways: That after ECBs and coupons your net cost for everything was just $1.98. Or you can count that $11 in ECB towards the savings of the next transaction you use them in. They are used like cash and great to have! Here's another way to do this broken into smaller transactions.

Deal #2
Transaction 1
(5) Boxes of various Nabisco crackers

Use these coupons:
(5) $1/1 Nabisco mfr q

Total before coupons = $10.00
Total after coupons, OOP = $5.00
ECB earned = $3

Transaction 2
(2) Reach flosses (or toothbrushes)

Use these coupons:
(1) BOGO free Reach mfr q
(1) $1/1 Reach mfr q
$3 ECB from Transaction 1

Total before coupons = $7.98
Total after coupons, OOP = $0.00 + tax (the $3 ECB may be adjusted down to $2.99, this is ok)
ECB earned = $4


Transaction 3
(1) Gillette Fusion Razor


Use these coupons:
$4/1 Gillette mfr q
$4 ECB earned from Transaction 2

Total before coupons = $8.99
Total after coupons = $0.99
ECBs earned = $4

So at the end of these 3 smaller transactions you end up spending just $6.00 OOP and walking away with $4 ECB for your next deal. Deal #2 is the better way to go if you want to keep your actual spending lower. But there is nothing wrong with Deal #1 either. Remember: ECBs print at the end of your CVS receipt, don't throw them away!!