Items:
1 Right Guard deodorant, reg. $3.29, sale $2.99
1 L’oreal cleanser cream, reg. $6.99, sale $5.99 (free after ECBs)

Coupons used:
1 Right Guard manu. coupon – $1.00
1 L’Oreal manu. coupon – $1.00
ECBs – $6.00

Out of pocket expenses (including tax) = $1.16
ECBs generated = $7.99 ($2.00 from Right Guard, $5.99 from L’Oreal)

I spent $1.16 cash for $10.28 worth of merchandise and got back $7.99 in ECBs to replace $6.00 ECBs used.

Running Totals
Total merchandise = $523.53
Total out of pocket expenses = $201.90
Total savings = $321.63 (61%)

Post from: Keeping the Castle

It’s a good week to shop at CVS. With the right coupons, some of the deals will end up as moneymakers. Here are my deal scenarios:

Transaction #1

Items:
2 x Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste 4oz., reg. $3.49 each, sale $2.99 x 2 = $5.98
2 x Neutrogena Healthy Volume mascara, reg. $6.49 each, sale $5.99 x 2 = $11.98
1 Covergirl Wetslicks AmazeMint, $5.99

Coupons used:
Covergirl manu. coupon – $1.00
Colgate manu. coupon – $1.00
Colgate manu. printable coupon, available here – $1.50
Neutrogena $3/2 manu. coupon – $3.00
ECBs – $16.98

Out of pocket expenses (including tax) = $0.89
Total Savings (sale + coupons + ECBs) = $29.48
New ECBs generated = $15.99 ($6 for Neutrogena, $4 for Colgate, $5.99 for CoverGirl)

Transaction #2

Items:
6 x Suave body wash, 12oz, reg. $2.79 each, sale $2.00 x 6 = $12.00

Coupons used:
Suave B1G1 manu. coupon – $2.00
Suave $2/3 manu. coupon – $2.00
Suave $1/2 manu. coupon – $1.00
ECBs – $6.49

Out of pocket expenses (including tax) = $0.87
Total savings (sale + coupons + ECBs) = $16.23
New ECBs generated = $4.00

***
For this CVS round, I bought $47.47 worth of merchandise for $1.76! This is one of my best trips to CVS  yet. And I still have more than $20 worth of ECBs to use next time.

Running Totals at CVS:
Total merchandise = $486.64
Total out of pocket expenses = $188.44
Total savings = $298.20 (61%)

image used with permission via CVS Media Library

Post from: Keeping the Castle

What?!? Two CVS posts in a row!!?!

Well, this week’s CVS deals are too good to have to wait till later. It’s a week for making some money with ECBs and coupons, as you can see in my transaction today:

2 Stayfree products, reg. $6.69 each, on sale for 2/$9.00
1 Kotex Lightdays, 16 ct., $1.49
2 Zipfizz energy drinks, $5.99 each, $11.98 for 2

Coupons used:
1 Kotex manufacturer’s coupon – $1.00
Stayfree Buy 1 Get 1 free manufacturer’s coupon – $4.50
ECBs – $5.00

Total merchandise = $26.85
Total out-of-pocket = $12.30
Savings = $14.55
New ECBs generated = $18.47 ($5 for Stayfree, $1.49 for Kotex, $11.98 for Zipfizz)

Money Saving Mom has a list of other possible deal scenarios at CVS this week.

***
If you’re wondering what the Zipfizz is, it’s a dry mixture that is mixed with water. It was the perfect time to try it out for the first time today, which is cooking day. Yeah, I needed that extra energy to cook several dishes. Though I’m not too fond of the taste (Pink Lemonade flavor), it gave a good boost even with just a few sips.

image used with permission via CVS Media Library

Post from: Keeping the Castle

However, at the end of the week, I found we needed some ibuprofen and so I did a quick stop to get the following:

Bandaid Ultra strips, $4.49
Neosporin ointment, $5.79
CVS brand ibuprofen, $7.49
CVS brand acetaminophen, $4.79

Coupons:
Bandaid manufacturer’s coupon – $1.00
Neosporin manufacturer’s coupon – $1.00
CVS coupon ($2.50 off $12.00 CVS brand) – $2.50

Total out of pocket (OOP) = $19.26
New ECBs generated = $5.00

My new running total for CVS is now

Total merchandise = $438.93
Total out of pocket expenses = $186.68
Total savings = $253.25 (58%)

***
I’m hoping that I can do something good with the new $5 I now have. Real CVS pros are able to ‘grow’ the ECBs they have, to essentially get their OOP as low to zero as possible.

Meanwhile, I’ve also been stacking coupons and sales at other stores. Here are some of the good deals I got this past week:

At Walmart:

Glade scented oil plug-ins, $3.97 (bought 2)
Used 2 coupons for $4.00 off, making the plug-ins free!

At my local grocery store:

Dove conditioner, reg. $3.99, on sale for $3.00 (bought 2)
Used 2 coupons for $2.00 off, final price $1.00 each

***

Remember that the key with maximizing savings with coupons is to use them when the product is on sale. This is called ’stacking’ in couponing lingo. Sometimes products end up being free or almost free with this strategy.

Post from: Keeping the Castle