Drugstore Trip 1/8
I decided to brave the cold this morning, and with coupons and list (and a diaper bag, baby and dawdling toddler in tow), try my hand at drugstore couponing again.
Although I didn’t get everything I wanted, I got some things on sale. Here’s some of the items that I got this week. Sorry there’s no pictures, my camera battery was dead.
2 pkgs Stayfree pads: $0.29 after 3/1 BOGO coupon and in-store coupon
1 Revlon Eye Shadow: -$.01 overage with $2.00/off coupon and in-store coupon
Desitin: $1.99 after online coupon
2 pkgs Christmas after sales candy: $0.24
Tax: $0.83
Total: $3.34
2 Oust Sanitizers: $3.99 with 1/3 BOGO Coupon, earned $6 ECB
1 Palmolive Dish Soap $0.96
Tax: $0.63
Total: $5.58
ECBs earned: $6.00
Check out Common Sense with Money for more drugstore deals.
50 Free CVS Prints
I picked up my 50 free prints from CVS this week and didn’t pay one dime for taxes or shipping. CVS is running a special where new photo customers get 20 free prints for signing up and an additional 30 free prints for linking their CVS card to their account.
I am so excited because now we have photos to put in the picture frame Tim bought me for Christmas and have photos to send to grandparents too.
CVS Ups and Downs
I have to admit I haven’t been to CVS much this past month because of the holidays and lukewarm sales. So earlier this week I was frustrated with myself because I let $4.00 in ECBs expire. I also didn’t pay as much attention to the limit on certain products and so I bought more than I would receive ECBs for. So I was a little disappointed with myself, but I still knew overall that I’ve saved a lot at CVS and received a lot for free so I can’t complain.
Yet because of a few specials I found this week I am now excited for CVS again. I saw that they were running a special for $.15 4 x 6 photos. So I log on and put in my extracare card and since I’m new to the site they give me 50 free 4 x 6s. I still have yet to pick these up and might have to pay a $1.50 service charge, but that’s still only $.03 per photo. I was really excited because now I have pictures to put in the beautiful picture frame Tim gave me for Christmas and some pictures to send to grandparents.
Another deal I scored this week was getting 4 packs of Stayfree pads and some children’s bandaids for $7.05 and receiving $10 in ECB. Here’s the break-down
Buy $20 in select Johnson & Johnson products, receive $10 ECB
- Bought 4 packs Stayfree $4.50/ ea and 1 package bandaids for $3.00 (also in J & J sale)
- Used 1 $4 off $20 CVS coupon (I get these frequently by scanning my CVS card when I walk in the store)
- Used 2 B1G1 coupons 1-4 for Stayfree
- Used $2 ECBs I had
- Total after taxes $7.07 and received $10 ECB in return
Cheap/Free Garnier Fructis Hair Products
Walgreen and CVS are running a deal on Garnier shampoo, conditioner and styling products this week.
At CVS you buy one product for $2.99. receive $2.00 ECB. Limit 1. Pair this with a $1 off coupon from the 1-4 paper and it’ll be free. Garnier frequently has coupons in the paper and there are six out right now good on either shampoo/conditioner or a styling product. Go here for specific inserts.
At Walgreens Garnier is on sale for $2.99. Pair it with a 2.00 coupon from their easy saver catalog and a manufacturer’s $1.00 coupon for free product. There isn’t a limit as far as I know but the popular types of shampoo were out when I went yesterday.
From both of these deals I am stocked up on shampoo and hair products for awhile. Since I rarely use hair products the hair spray, mouse and styling gel should last me a while and I won’t need to buy shampoo for a few months.
Don’t Forget to Scour After Christmas Sales
If like my family, you are just starting off and don’t have a lot of Christmas supplies, today is the perfect day to search for bargains on wrapping paper, decorations and perhaps even presents for next Christmas.
Because of holiday traveling I haven’t been able to go to the store yet, but I’m hoping to hit up CVS today after we get our car’s alignment fixed.
I’m planning on CVS having Christmas bargains because I went there a day or two after Halloween this fall and I got a nice wreath, dishtowels and lots of candy for 90% off and only spent a few dollars total. I learned that you can get some steals after the holidays. I also learned to beware of storing chocolate in the cupboard above the fridge because it melts, re-melts and eventually grows mold in less than two months.
If our car gets fixed in a reasonable time and I make it to the store I’ll be sure to add some pictures of my finds.
CVS & Walgreens
Every week you can save big bucks shopping at CVS and/or Walgreens and utilizing their savings programs. With the snowy/chilly weather we’ve been having lately I haven’t gone shopping this week, but when I do I’ll share my savings.
Here and here are the CVS deals for the week. It’s not the best week but you can still snag some cheap toothpaste and deodorant. And if you’re running low on cereal check out the General Mills deal. I did a little peek at the future ads and next week (12/21-12/27) there are some great ECB deals including “37 free items Sunday and Monday”.
Here are the savings for Walgreens including some overage (money you make from utilizing coupons and deals) for Russel Chocolates, and some free deodorant and Progresso soup after coupons. There is also a more complex money-maker here for Olay Regenerist Cleansers.
Stocking Up CVS Trip
I have recently discovered the bargain of CVS. They have a program called ECBs where you pay for an item up front and then a coupon (ECB) will print out that you can use as cash on your next transaction. They had some good deals this week so I dropped by twice today (it’s less than 1 mile from my house) on my errands to take advantage of the savings!
I’m not as good as other CVSers, but you can combine coupons with their deals too and really save. Also, I don’t believe in buying something free just because I can, it has to be something we will use.
CVS will also have great deals going on and Thursday through Saturday offer a lot of things free after ECBS. Go here for more Black Friday details.
1st Trip
Complete Contact Solution 12 oz $8.99
Tax $0.42
Paid with $3.00 CVS ECBs from previous trip
Total out of pocket:
$6.41
ECBS earned $8.99
2nd Trip
Viva 8 pk paper towels $7.49
Dial 3 pk soap $1.99
Tax: $.03
Total $9.51
Paid with $8.99 CVS ECBs
Total out of pocket:
$.052
ECBS earned: $3.00
Overall I spent $6.93 and earned $3.00 ECBs.
