Finally... CVS!

I have been a little jealous of those friends and family members who live near to the CVS Store. Our closest one is just over an hour away. Though, I had been just itching to cash in on all the great deals I spied on the web, it was just not worth the travel in gas monies to do so. On Thursday, though, a dear friend of mine suggested I meet her for lunch in Waterville. Since, I was planning on going there anyway, I just HAD to stop in to sign up for a card and see if I could find any deals for me. I did!

I needed printer ink. Usually, I spend about $40 on ink at Staples. But, CVS had the ink I use for $36 for a combo pack. This was great at $4 less than what I spend at Staples. It got even better with the $10RR when you buy two ink cartridges. I considered buying two and stocking up. Then, I noticed single ink cartridges for $19.00 each. Buying them individually would cost me $38, which would seem to cost more, but check out the math.

Combo pack price $36.
Purchase 2 packs= $72, less $10rr= $62 (or $31 ea pack; $15.50 ea ink)

Individual pack duo $38, less $10rr= $28 (or $14 ea ink)

Transaction #1
Purchased 2 single ink cartridges $38.00, earned $10RR= $28 net transaction

Transaction #2
Purchased 2 Dove Shampoos & 2 Dove Conditioners $4.79 each, earn $5RR when you spend $15. I had two B1G1 Dove coupons which were expiring this week and I wanted to stock up on some, so I had been looking for a sale. What a FIND!

4 Dove Shampoos/Conditioners= $19.16 + .88cent Sunkist (filler)= $21.09 w/tax
less two B1G1 coupons= $11.51
less $10RR from transaction #1= $1.51 cash, earned $5RR

Since CVS is so far for me to travel each week, I decided to use the RRs and take advantage of the .88 cent 2 liters and stock up, but the limit was five per customer. My daughter was with me and wanted her "special" shampoo (Suave for Kids). It was on sale, too and I happened to have a coupon, so I agreed.

Transaction #3
2 Suave 2-in-1 Shampoos for kids $1.99 ea
- less $1/2= $2.98
3 Sunkist 2 liters .88 cent ea= $2.79
Total $6.06 w/tax.
Used $5RR and $1.06 cash

All told, for about the same price as I would have purchased my ink for at home, I was able to buy:
1 Black HP Ink
1 Color HP Ink
2 Dove Shampoos
2 Dove Conditioners
2 Suave 2-in-1 Kids Shampoo
3 2 liter Sunkists

I am very please with my trip and my first experience at CVS. And, I am looking forward to the next chance I will have to get to Waterville again.

♥ Sonja

Coupon/Sale Match Ups: Walgreens, Tozier's Market, CVS

Hi Friends ♥

After a very refreshing week away with my handsome husband, Sean, visiting his family in North Carolina, I am back in the swing of things. I had been hoping to have some time to post while away, but there is just never enough time, is there??? Here are the match ups for next week's sales, beginning Sunday, March 27 through April 2, 2011. Happy Savings!

Walgreens:

Colgate Total Advanced or Gum Defense Toothpaste, 4 oz $3.00
Buy 2, Receive $4.00 Register Reward, Limit 1
Pay:  $4.00, Receive $4.00 Register Reward
Final Price:  Free

Edge Shave Cream or Gel, 6 or 7 oz $2.00
Buy 2, Receive $2.00 Register Reward, Limit 1
Use (2) two $0.55/1 Edge Shave Gel, SS 3/20 insert
Pay:  $2.90, Receive $2.00 RRFinal Price:  $0.45 each

Final Price:

Butterball Chicken Broth, 14.5oz sale 2/$1.00

Dove Products, 4/$15, earn $5 RR= 4/$10

Use (4) four

Final Price:

Garnier Products, 4/$14, earn $4 RR= 4/$10

Use: (4) four $1/1 Sunday insert coupons

Final Price: $1.50 each

Speedstick or Lady Speedstick Deodorant, Sale $1.99

Use (1) $1/1 Sunday insert coupon

Pay .99 cents, Receive $1 RR

Final Price: FREE

CVS:

Mars single egg, 1 oz $0.50
$1.00/2 Mars Easter Product from RP 3/20
Final Price: FREE

GUM soft picks, 15 ct. $1.51 Buy 1 Get 1 Free
$0.55/1 – GUM Go-Between Proxabrush Cleansers or Soft Picks – (betweentheethcleaning.com)
Final Price: $0.21 each when you buy 2

Skintimate moisturizing cream shave or gel, 6-10 oz $3.49
Buy 1, Receive $2.50 Extra Bucks, Limit 1
$0.55/1 Skintimate Shave Gel from SS 3/27
Pay $2.94, Receive $2.50 Extra Bucks
Final Price: $0.44

Colgate manual single toothbrush, $2.99
Buy 1, Receive $2.00 Extra Bucks, Limit 2
Use $1.00/1 Colgate Manual Toothbrush from SS 3/27
Pay $1.99, Receive $2.00 Extra Bucks
Final Price: $0.01 Moneymaker

Halls Cough drops, 30 ct. $1.87
Buy 1, Receive $1.00 Extra Bucks, Limit 2
$0.75/1 Halls Cough Drops from SS 3/27
Pay $1.53, Receive $1.00 Extra Buck
Final Price: $0.12

Physicians Formula Cosmetics, prices starting at $5.99
Buy 1, Receive $7.00 Extra Bucks, Limit 1
$1.00/1 Physicians Formula product from SS 2/27
Pay $4.99, Receive $7.00 Extra Bucks
Final Price: $2.01 Moneymaker

Tozier’s Market

10 for 10 Sale Items Mix and Match

Starkist Solid White Tuna 5oz can

Hunt’s Manwich Sauce 15.5oz can

Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles 12-16oz pkg

Wishbone Salad Dressing 8oz bottle

Palmolive Dish Liquid 10oz bottle

Airwick Air Fresheners 8oz can

Hershey’s Milkshake or Chocolate Milk 12 oz bottle

Fancy Feast Cat Treats 2oz. bag

Bar S Jumbo Meat or Turkey Franks 16oz pack

Bar S Sliced Bologna or Cotto Salami 12 oz pack

Did you friends find any coupon/sale match ups???

♥ Sonja ♥

Walgreen's Mega Shopping Trip Today

19 Motrin PM (20 ct)

10 Colgate Toothpastes

3 Baby Magic Lotions

3 Baby Magic Shampoo/Body Washes

16 single Bars of soap (necessary fillers)

3 Gillette Venus Pro Razors

2 Cover Girl Naturals Foundation

2 CG Naturals Lipstick

1 CG Pressed Powder

1 CG Concealer

1 Old Spice Deodorant

1 Old Spice Body Wash

4 Gallons Water

1 Clorox Beach

Total Retail Price- $269.12

Out of Pocket- $20.13

Register Rewards Earned- $15

      (plus $18 in Motrin coupons)

Total Net Cost $5.13,

      not considering the Catalina coupons

Over all, I was really pleased with my trip to Walgreen’s today. Since I had ordered what I wanted to purchase, in advance, I had no trouble buying exactly what I wanted to for my family. And, the ever friendly Assistant Manager helped me perform 32 separate transactions.

That’s right.Thirty-Two… with a smile… and much patience. She even, pointed out ways to save more out of pocket money. (She discovered the soaps on clearance.)

I am happy with my adventure shopping, but as I reviewed my receipt, there was some room for improvement on my part.

For instance, I was trying to figure out the best way to use the Cover Girl buy one, get one ½ off sale, with a $1.00 manufacturer’s coupon, and a coupon for a FREE CG Natural lip stick (retail $7.49), when you buy a CG Natural foundation (retail $12.99). Complicated.

1st attempt:

CG foundation ($12.99 less $1/1 coupon),

CG lipstick ($7.49, Free w/coupon)

Concealer ($7.99, less $4.00 from 50% off sale)

Less $4.00 rr from Venus Razors= $11.99+ tax

2^nd attempt:

CG foundation ($12.99 less $1/1 coupon),

CG lipstick ($7.49, Free w/coupon)

CG Powder ($5.99, less $3.00 from 50% off sale)

Less $4.00 rr from Venus Razors= $10.99+ tax

This was not the result I was looking for, either. It was good- nearly 1/2 off, but I was certain I could do better.

So, I stopped into Rite Aid on my way home from work, just to see if they had a better sale happening. I thought I had found it. Rite Aid had, what I thought was the same buy one, get one 50% off sale. Unfortunately, it was only on face and eye products, so my purchases did not qualify- which I discovered after I paid at the register. I should have taken my own sage (and modest) advice and just returned the items and saved the coupons, but I like the cashiers and managers at that particular store so much, that I didn’t. That was a mistake.

3^rd attempt:

CG foundation ($13.99 less $1/1 coupon)

CG lipstick ($7.49, Free w/coupon)

Price $12.99 + tax

A costly reminder of a rule I know full well: Do not purchase something for more than you were planning on spending. A return is not the worst offense in the world. For couponing to work and be useful to your family, you cannot buy things you don’t need for a price that is not best price you can get. I should have just returned the items, collected my coupons and walked away, knowing that I had already purchased these things for $3 less earlier in the day, and gotten more! Lesson learned.

But, I am determined, if nothing else. I knew Walgreens had the sale I was looking for. I just had to figure out the best way to use it. So, when I picked up my daughter from work, I revisited my Belfast Walgreens store.

4^th attempt:

CG foundation ($12.99 less $1/1 coupon),

CG lipstick ($7.49, Free w/coupon)

Clearance bar of Soap (.37 cents- filler)

Less $3.75 from 50% off sale)

Less $3.00 rr from Baby Magic= $5.63+ tax

 Cha Ching!!! This was the sale I was looking for! I have one more set of coupons and may repeat this transaction once again. I realize, I have already bought 4 foundations, 4 lipsticks, 1 concealer, & 1 powder, but there is a difference between buying unneeded items and stocking up on items you will use when they are at their lowest price. There are 3 girlies in my home who will use this. I will pay $5.63 now, instead of $20.48 later and save my husband's wallet 75%.

Sonja ♥

$26 in Products, Spend only .20 cents, Using 6 RRs?

My Plan: On Sunday, I am heading to Rite Aid

 to Purchase:

     3- BK Bagged Snacks,

     3-Lays Stax,

     3- Combos Bagged Snacks,

     3- TGIF Bagged Snacks,

     and 4 Nivea Lip Care Chapsticks

and Spend a Total of .20 Cents Cash

Transaction 1:

Buy 3- BK bagged snacks & 3- Lays Stax, Cost $6.00

Pay with 3- $2 Register Rewards = FREE

Earn 6- $1 Register Rewards

Transaction 2:

Buy 3- Combos snacks & 3- TGIF snacks, Cost $6.00

Pay with 6- $1 Register Rewards = FREE

Earn 6- $1 Register Rewards

Transaction 3:

Buy 4- Nivea Lip Care Chapsticks, Cost $4.20

Pay with two- $2/2 Nivea coupons and .20 cents

Total Cost .20 Cents

I will post pictures and let you know if this works as I am hoping it will.


Sonja ♥

Buy $114.06 in Products, Pay $6.06 Cash, Earn $29.94 RRs

I special ordered my products today at Walgreens.

My Plan: On Thursday of next week, I am going to put this plan into action. I hope I calculated everything correctly! I will keep you posted ♥

Purchase $114.06 in products, spend $6.06 in cash,

and earn $29.94 in Register Rewards

for a PROFIT of $23.94.

Transactions 1-10:

Purchase 2 bottles of Motrin PM, total $6.30 w/tax

Pay with 1- $6.00/2 coupon and .30 cents cash,

Earn $3.00 Register Reward.

Cost $3.00 cash, Earns 10- $30.00 (profit $27.00)

Transactions 11-21:

Purchase 1 Colgate Toothpaste, total $3.15 w/tax

Pay with $3 Motrin RR and .15 cents cash,

Earn $3.00 Register Reward.

Cost $1.50 cash, Earn 10- $3.00 (profit $25.50)

Transactions 22:

Purchase 3 Baby Magic Lotions, 3 Baby Magic Bath Soaps, and

1  Altoids Mint, total $19.56 w/tax

Pay with 6- $3 Colgate Register Rewards and $1.56 Cash,

Earn 6- $2.99 Register Rewards

Cost $1.56 cash, Earn 6- $2.99 (profit $23.94)

Total Cash Spent= $6.06

Total RRs Earned= 6- $2.99 & 4- $3.00 = $29.94