CVS Extra Care Buck Tips

Since I started CVSing I have made a lot of mistakes. These are somethings I try to practice now to keep my spending down and savings up.

• I prefer to make a lot of stops at different CVS stores than annoy the cashiers. (I have 5 stores VERY close and will stop at two or three on my way to Meijer)
• I have also been known to go to CVS several days in a row so as not to annoy the cashiers.
• I try very hard to be friendly and make small talk with the cashiers. They are the ones that can push a coupon though after all.
• I will make extra trips to keep rolling the same $5 in ECBs instead of accumulating high dollar values. So for example I will buy soyjoy one or two at a time because I do not want an ECB worth $6x5boxes or $30. Not only is it difficult to spend $30 at CVS but if I loose $30 I will be devastated.
• I remember that when I buy multiples of the same item like in the soyjoy example CVS will give me one ECB for the value of all the items. 1 $6 soy joy will yeld 6 ECBs. 4 $6 soyjoys will yeld $24 ECBs. My CVSs will not take an ECB for less than the face value so I will have to buy at least $24 dollars of stuff after coupons and before tax to use 24 ECBs.
• When CVSing I think about the best order to make my purchases. For example:

Scenerio 1

2 throat coolers at 9.98 -B1get1 coupon= 4.99 spent yields 9.98ECBs

2 soyjoy boxes at $12-9.98ECBs=2.02 spent yields 12ECBs

Scenerio 1 total spent $7.01 still have 12ECBs to spend

Scenerio 2

1 nasogel at $7.99-$2 coupon= $5.99 spent yields 7.99ECBs

1 box of soyjoy+1 gallon of milk=$6+2.99=8.99-7.99ECBs=$1spent yields 6ECBs

1 box of soyjoy=$6-6ECBs(no tax on food here)=0

2 throat coolers at $9.98-B1get1 coupon 4.99 + 1 gallon of milk at 2.99= $7.98-6ECBs= 1.98 spent yields 9.98 in ECBs

Scenerio 2 total spent is 8.97, ECBs still to spend 9.98 and I had to make twice as many trips but I now have 2 gallons of milk and a nasogel as well so it depends how bad I needed the milk.

• MY CVSs will only use ECBs that are less or equal to the amount of the bill not including the tax and after all the coupons are taken off. They will not give me cash back for ECBs ot issue my new ECBs as change. I have a few things I will buy at CVS to fill out my orders if my total is not high enough.

Here's my list:

Milk at 2.99 a gallon or less

"Green" paper towels at $1 a roll

Johnson's buddie bar soaps when I have $1 off coupons are .19each

CVS baby wipes are very nice and come in travel packs

candy and gum

CVS has nice priced snack packs of nuts, trail mix and whole wheat pretzels

CVS trash bags

Small packs of femine hygiene products

Bandaids

Chapstick