Friday

CVS shopping trip-4/24






Today I made my way to CVS on my way home after I had been hearing about some great deals. Here is what I bought:

1 Dove exfoliator
$3,49 -sale
-$3.75 IP coupon
-final cost: free

1 Edge infuse shave gel
-$2.89
-$2.89 ECBs
-final cost: free after ECBs

2 CVS brand Vitamin D 1,000 IU, 240 count
-$11.49 each
-B1G1
-$2 CVS coupon from coupon kiosk
-2, $1 coupons
-final cost:$7.49

-2 L'Oreal eye shadows
-$4.49 each
-B1G1
-2, $1 coupons
-final cost: $2.49

-1 Adidas deo
$2.50 clearance
-$1 MQ


-Final cost: 1.50, $2 ECBs, .50 profit!

-I also had two ECBs, one for $2 and one for $3.49

Total OOP: 8.38

ECBs: $2, $2.48
Total savings: 37.85

**For those of you who don't know, 1000IUs (international units) for Vit D is really a huge amount in terms of IUs. That is the total requirement that I need to take every day. Most bottles are 400IUs, so this should last me a long time!






What coupons are available in my state?

Am I the only one who loves getting the Sunday newspaper? I love to look at all of the ads. Recently, though, it is the coupons that I've become extremely excited about. However, if you read my coupon lingo post here, then you might have seen the acronym YMMV or your mileage may vary. Coupon inserts do vary by state, and sometimes this can be frustrating. This is why I am suggesting that you all check out one of my favorite tools and web-sites to do this. It is called Couponmom.com. To look at a grocery coupon database based on where you live, click here. You may need to sign up in order to access the site, but it is free and there are absolutely no obligations. That way, you can see the face value of your coupons as well as whether or not your insert had a coupon you were looking for. Check it out!

CVS Store Guide

CVS may be intimidating to those of you who don’t know how to follow their store guidelines. I promise that after you get familiar with how they operate, you will never look back. CVS is similar to Walgreens, but they have their own set of rules and quirky terms to follow.

The very first thing you need to do before you save oodles of money at CVS is to sign up for an Extra Care membership. You can simply do that by going into the store and filling out a form that takes no longer than 5 minutes. You will be able to score some sweet deals instantly. Or, you could sign up
here. I must warn you that if you sign up online, it could take up to two weeks to get your ECB card via mail.

Here is how CVS's Extra Care program works:
Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) are similar to RRs offered at Walgreens. ECBs are like money that you can spend in CVS on whatever you'd like. ECBs always print out at the end of your receipt. They key to making sure that you get your ECBs is to make sure you have the cashier scan your red card (it doesn't matter if it is at the beginning or end of the transaction).

**Every three months CVS does something really awesome with all of your purchases either from in the store or online. You get 2% cash back! You will earn 2% cash back on every purchase in store and online. These rewards will print off at the end of your receipt just like your ECBs.

**Another way to earn free ECBs is through their pharmacy. For every two you buy at CVS, you earn one ECB. Pretty awesome!

Much like RRs at Walgreens, certain items will be advertised as free after your ECBs. Forr instance, if a certain toothpaste is priced at $2.99, but CVS's ad says that they are offering $2.99 EBBs, then the product would be essentially free. As referenced above, your ECBs will print out at the bottom of your receipt.
*One area that CVS is different from Walgreens is right here. Where Walgreens doesn't have a limit on the number of times you can purchase an item and get a RR, CVS is different. CVS will often have a limit on the number of times you can purchase an item. That way, you cannot keep rolling your ECBs in the same way that you can at Walgreens).

***Please note that CVS does have the same coupon policy as Walgreens. You can use a MQ and an in-store coupon at the same time.

*Another quirky thing specific to CVS is that most stores have a machine (or a coupon kiosk) that you can print off additional CVS store coupons just by scanning your card! Be on the lookout for that!

Also, always always hand over your coupons in this order, especially if you have a special coupon like a $5/20 coupon (which they can periodically send random coupons like this if you are signed up for their e-mail). If you do not, then you will not get as much money off of your order.

First give them the $5/20 coupon manufacturer and additional store coupons.
Then give all your CVS coupons
Then hand over any MQ

Last give your ECBs

Walgreens Store Guide

Walgreens and couponing can be scary until you learn the ins and outs of the store. If you’re like me, you want to maximize your coupons and get the most you can for your money!

Walgreens-specific words:
EasySaver Rebate (ESR) – ESR is a Monthly Rebate program through Walgreens only. Every month, Walgreens has a booklet filled with items that you can purchase and then get rebates for purchasing their items. I hear that this may be ending sometime next month (May 2009), but I will keep you posted!

Instant Value Coupon (IVC) - a Walgreens only, coupon that can be found in the EasySaver Rebate catalog referenced above. These coupons can only be used within the month that the ESR catalog is valid for.

Register Reward (RR) – RRs are coupons that print out from a machines near the registers at Walgreens, otherwise known as Catalina machines. If you buy an item that qualifies for a Register Reward, a coupon will print out at the register after you have made a purchase. The amount of the RR will vary per the promotion in the Walgreens ad. You can then use your RR towards future purchase at Walgreens.

The Weekly Ad: This can be found online or in your local walgreens store. Of course, YMMV (click here if you don’t know what that means). A new weekly ad comes out every Sunday. The ad item deals are good from that Sunday until the following Saturday.

The 7-Day Coupon is a Walgreens specific coupon that can be found littered all over the Weekly Ad.


Quirky things to know about Walgreens and their policies:

**Please note Walgreens coupon policy: Walgreens does permit the use of their in-ad coupon (whether it be a 7-day coupon or an Easy Saver Booklet coupon) with a manufacturer coupon.


If a manager or cashier refuses to give you a RR that you should get, or if the machine did not print one, call the Catalina #:1-888-8Coupon

You cannot purchase two of the same items and get two RR’s. You need to do them in separate transactions.

Along the same note: you can use a RR from a Johnson&Johnson product to buy another Johnson&Johnson product. However, please note that doing so will NOT print off another RR for you. The key to “rolling” RR’s is to roll them with different products or brands. Always do separate transactions if you want to do the same Register Reward deal again!

At Walgreens, you cannot have more items that coupons, otherwise the register will beep. This does in clued RRs, as they are recognized by the register as manufacturer coupons. If the register beeps, your coupon to item ratio is off. You can only have one coupon per item purchase.


If you want even better deals, I would make sure to go to Walgreens.com and sign up for their store e-mails. They will send you special deals or promotions along with coupons that they have.

Coupon lingo

Hi,

Have you ever been confused about what different abbreviations and acronyms mean? Below is a list that might help you figure this coupon-lingo out!

AC-After coupons
AR-After rebate

B1G1F, B2G1F- Buy one get one Free, Buy two get one Free
BC-Before Coupons
Blinkie-.A machine that gives coupons, and is distinguished by a red blinking box. It is displayed by the product
CAT-catalina coupon, which is a manufacturer coupon that is printed our at the register after buying something
ECB-Extra Care Bucks, which are used at CVS. Get more info
here
FAR-Free after rebate, meaning the item will be free after a rebate
GC- Gift card
IP-Internet printable
MIR- Mail in rebate
MQ- Manufacturer coupon
OOP- Out of pocket, meaning what your cost is after all coupons
P&G-Proctor & Gamble, one of the Q inserts in the Sunday newspaper
Peelies-are coupons that peel off of a product on the shelf
POP-proof of purchase-could be a receipt, barcode or UPC
Q-Coupon
RR-Register Reward, which is used at Walgreens. Learn more
here

RP-Red Plum, one of the Q inserts in the Sunday newspaper
SS-Smart Source, one of the Q inserts in the Sunday newspaper
Tear pad-coupons located near the product in a pad on a shelf
TMF-try me free, which usually involves a MIR
UPC-universal product code or barcode
WYB-when you buy
YMMV-your mileage may vary, which means that the deal varies by location.


For more info on how to see your state’s coupons, click here

Excited to shop at Walgreens next week

Hi everyone,

Are you as excited as I am for next week at Walgreens? There are definitely some great deals. I can't wait to roll my Register Rewards! Check out the ad
here (thanks, anonymous).

Here are some great deals to look foward to:

Ecotrin Aspirin will be $2 next in next week's WAGS ad. Buy one, and get a $2 RR! Here is the greatest part of all, there is a coupon! Don't forget to use the $2.25 coupon/1 Ecotrin Aspirin
here: Don't wait to print it, because it could be gone. Your final cost out of pocket would be free after the RR and coupon, plus a $2 money maker!

Please note: Since the value of the coupon is more than the product costs, the register might beep. If your chashier won't bring the price down to match, then you might have to buy two for $4 and use the $2.25 coupon. This is still a .25 money maker! :)

Another deal:

Got2b Hair Care products are going to be priced 2/$10. When you buy 2 you'll receive a $5 Register Reward. It gets even better, there is a $2/1 coupons that you can print
from here. Can I tell you that there are no limits on printing!

Here is how the deal would work:
Buy 2 got2b products
=$10
Use 2 $2 coupons
Pay $6
Get back a $5RR
Final cost .50 each!

Do you love Nivea products? Well, their Body Wash for Women will be $4.99. But the best part is you will get a $4.99 Register Reward. As if getting that for free isn't good enough, you can also print a $1 coupon
from here. Final cost will be FREE + a $1 profit!

Finally, a great week at WAGS!

(Thanks,
Hip2Save).