Great CVS PG Sale ends today

I Love CVS. Most people think shopping at CVS would be insanely expensive, and it is...unless you know how their deals and ECBs work!

ECBs= Extra Care Bucks. These are printed out for you on your receipt if you buy certain items in their circular that they advertise. For example, they may say buy 1 Colgate toothpaste for $3.79 (and of course, you have a coupon for this :) get $3.79 in ECBs back. Then you can you that $3.79 for your next purchase! Pure cash! ECBs+deals/sales make CVS a cheap place to shop!

Sales at CVS: Usually run something like "Spend $20 on these select products, get $10 in ECBs" So you spend $20 before coupons (and then use lots of coupons to get the price down!!) and THEN you use your ECBs. Lots of times I walk out of CVS paying 60 cents, just in tax, all my items were free because of sales, deals, coupons and ECBs. :)

• TIP: Check the circular for these in the Sunday paper, or go online...or get the new iPhone app that show you the circular in seconds!

Things I have gotten at CVS for free so far: makeup, toothpaste, dish detergant, lysol, body wash, face wash and much more! And all of these were name brand items. It is not uncommon for my total to be $50 and then with coupons and deals get it down to pennies! It is fun watching the cashier's face when they see my totals.

This weeks CVS deal was ok, but definitely not my best. I just needed shampoo and conditioner so I figured I would venture out. What I paid for transaction 1 is less than 2 bottles would normally be so it was worth it for me since everything else was basically free.

Here is how I worked it:


I came to the store with $5 and $3.79 in ECBs from previous deals I did a couple weeks ago. I always work one deal and then another, so I am constantly floating ECBs. I never buy anything without a coupon and ECB.

TIP: Sign up for CVS emails. They will send you 20% off coupons. I actually had a 20% off coupon I should have used for transaction 1, but I tried to use it for transaction 2 and was unable to. I left $2 on the table, but you live and you learn. :)

First Transaction:

• Deal: Spend $10 on Physicians Formula Makeup, get $7 ECB.
• I went to the magic RedBox price checker in CVS and it printed off a $3 off $10 P.F. purchase
• TIP: ALWAYS check the redbox in CVS. It will print out awesome coupons tied to your card, that is how I got this deal.
• I bought eye makeup for $11.29, used the $3 off and then used my $3.79 ECB. Now I could have used my $5 ECB to get my total to 60 cents, but I saved it for the next deal since regardless I would use it.
• I mainly did this deal for the $7 in ECBs, and I wanted to treat myself to expensive makeup I normally would never buy. :)
  
• TOTAL: $4.50+tax, plus I got $7ECB for my next purchase.

Second Transaction:

• Deal: Spend $30 on select PG products, get $10 ECB.
  
• (4) Pantene Pro V Shampoo & Conditioner. Regular price: $4.99 a piece, on sale for 2 for $7.29 I believe. Used (2 coupons) $1 off 2 Pantene coupon in PG ad from last week's newspaper. Paid $4 for 4 after sale and coupon. Saved $16.
• (8) Puffs Kleenex: Regular Price: $2/box, on sale for $1/box. Used: (4 coupons) 50 cents off 2 Kleenex. Paid $6 for 8 boxes, saved $16.
• (3) Dawn Dish Soaps: Regular Price: $2 a bottle, on sale for 94 cents. Used: (3 coupons) for 25 cents off each bottle. Paid $2.13, saved $3.87.
• (1) Charmin Toliet Paper 9 pack: Regular price $7.29, on sale $4.99. Used: 25 cents off coupons in PG circular. Saved $2.05.
• Used: 2 ECBs: $5 (from previous transaction weeks ago) and $7 from Transaction 1.
• TIP: Join the CVS Beauty Club (sign up in store). The makeup and shampoo were a beauty club item. Every $50 you spend on beauty club items, you get $5 in ECBs. You don't have to *spend* $50, this is $50 BEFORE coupons. :) I might *spend $5 but it is $50 worth of product so I still get the ECB. So next time I go into the store I will get $5 in ECB extra.
  

TOTAL: $10.75 plus tax
Saved: $37.49
67 cents an item!!