Surviving CVS, the couponer way

You can really get some amazing deals at CVS and Walgreens, but with all the talks of rewards points or extra care rewards;it can get pretty intimidating. In fact, it can get darn right scary. But there is way to get through the confusion and score some big deals. All while maintaining your couponer composure, ie no shelf clearing and knowing the policies. I have almost shelf cleared and while at the time I was like "meh, they should have been here first" I think back to when I needed something and shelves were bare. Now, I do not do it or rather try not to. Anyways, it is important when shopping at on of these places that you really understand their rewards policies. Is the rewards on one transaction per household? Or is it per day? Or per deal? I have gotten caught up with all of that many times. Right now cvs has great deals for extra care bucks and at CVS I am very comfortable splitting up my transactions to get the most "bang" for my buck. How else could I have gotten free hair dye or $4 Tide? I scrutinize the add and yes, I buy what I need and will use. Or want, chocolate is a good example of that. Take care to dissect the deals. Let me show one way, I do it. 

I like to flip though the ads first and scope out some great deals, I circle the ones that look good. Look for the extra care coupon prompts, see the one above? $5 off any $15 cosmetic purchase, that is what I am excited about. I am going to take advantage of that with the Loreal coupons. 

The Loreal deal is spend $12 get $4 back in rewards. I am going to get $15 worth of Loreal and use some great coupons for some fabulous savings. Since foundations run $10.99 and eyeshadows are about $7.99 or less I will easily meet both requirements. So using my coupons for $3 off the eyeshadow and foundation combined with the $5 off, my out of pocket will be around $11. Then if you take away the $4 it would be like getting it for $7. Now that $4 I am going to turn around and use it towards my next purchase of bounty paper towels ,charmin ,and puffs. It will be just around $20 and after all my coupons it will be $ 3.25 with $5 back, I will then turn around and put that towards diapers. And when I get my milk I will pay $3.79 and after my Tg Lee coupon it will be $2.79 along with getting a dollar back. So my next milk will be $1.79! 

Now, you see the above scenario is me breaking up transactions. This is the best way to use your Ecb(extra care bucks). You use the first transaction's towards the second and so forth. This wil. Ensure your best way to pay less. The best way is to let people go in between your transactions. And there is even more savings when you stack manufacturer coupons with CVS coupons. I have gotten my best deals from CVS.Unlike Walgreens, CVS ECB rolls to the next, meaning you can buy more of the same thing with them. If you do it right you can become a savvy shopper at CVS and get freebies, as well as saving over all. 

What to do with irate cashiers over coupons?

There is nothing pleasant about this, and in many instances it is unavoidable. The best thing is to contact corporate over it.  But, if you are courteous,know the policy, and hand then coupons over a certain way, you may avoid it. In other words in order. Ask them how they would like you to do it? Always hand the Extra Carecard over first, then the store coupons, then the Manus, then finally the ECB. Let the cashier know up front you are doing multiples. It is courteous. 

This will be your step to being a CVS expert. Good luck, and I will post back, more CVS steals and deals, for my savvy shoppers. 

I got all of that and still got $5 back in ECR . Lots of good stuff for $30. I split up my transactions, I used coupons and got a bit of stuff. Hubby wanted candy, well he got it. One thing that made me mad was I told the cashier I was splitting up my order but if she needed to take others should. I between my transactions. The other guy did not here that and said "she can't do that, when we are THIS busy she gets one transaction!" Um hear the whole convo before speaking mr grumpy pants. So, my transactions did not get split up exactly as I wanted. I was a nervous wreck thanks to that jerk. I would have saved more and gotten more rewards. Oh well.