This day started off like any other Saturday. Ok, actually my morning was better than usual for a Saturday! I started off with a workout and then tried to clean the bathroom. That’s when I remembered that I needed some Drain-o.
So, I decided to make a quick run to the CVS down the street. That’s when I remembered that we received Extra Care Bucks (or ECB’s) from our last CVS shopping trip.
For those of you who don’t know what ECB’s are (I didn’t until a few weeks ago), here is a quick description. ECB’s are basically store credits at CVS and are as good as cash. Each week CVS will identify certain items that, when purchased, give you a predetermined amount of ECB’s. For instance, this week if you buy certain CVS brand pain relievers for $3.99, you get $3 in ECB’s – they print out with your receipt.
Last week we spent $38 at CVS and received $20 in ECB’s. So my plan was to use some of our ECB’s to pay for the Drain-o. However, this week CVS has earmarked certain items that will give you ECB’s when you purchase them. So my plan was to buy a few of these items along with my Drain-o, so we could get more ECB’s.
Once I walked into CVS I remembered the coupons kiosk near the door. Scan your CVS card at this kiosk and it will spit out a few coupons for you to use! I got a coupon for $4 of off a $20 purchase.
So, armed with this new coupon and my ECB’s, I collected all the items that we decided to purchase to get more ECB’s – the total was $18. I quickly went up and down the isles to find $2 more to spend so I could get $4 off of my order. I even called my wife to see if we needed anything else! She was a little shocked that our order didn’t come up to $20, and she asked me an important question: “Did you get the Drain-o?” 
In all of my zeal to get ECB’s and become a better shopper, I forgot to buy the ONE ITEM that I drove to the store to buy!!! 
Ok, so I avoided a near crisis – buying an item that I didn’t really need AND didn’t even give us ECB’s – and went to checkout. For all of the items in the picture above, I paid $2.90. They include:
1 CVS brand Liquid Drain Opener – $4.99
2 Mitchum Deoderant – $2.99 each or $5.98
2 Colgate Total Advance – $2.99 each or $5.98
2 Powerbar Energy Bars – $0.99 each or $1.98
1 CVS brand Acetaminophen (Tylenol) – $3.99
The total of these items is $22.92
I then used $17 in ECB’s from our last shopping trip and the $4/$20 coupon that I just received at the kiosk. This means that my bill was reduced from $22.92 to $1.92!!! $0.98 in tax brought my total for the day to $2.90. I actually still had $3.00 in ECB’s, but that would have meant a credit of $0.10 – since I didn’t know how CVS handles this situation, and I wasted spent enough time in the store, I decided to keep my $3.00.
What you don’t see from this receipt is that I also earned another $11 in Extra Care Bucks AND another $4/$20 coupon!
This was my first experience using ECB’s, and I think that I did well overall (except for almost forgetting the main item I went to the store for) – especially since I didn’t even clip any coupons. If this continues, I may have a surplus in my budget for groceries!
Please be sure to leave your shopping tips and suggestions below.
Visit our coupon and deals page with includes great grocery deals from Amazon.com and a coupon database to help make your shopping easier: http://knsfinancial.com/coupons-and-deals/
Also read about someone was was able to eat well for $1/day here: http://knsfinancial.com/can-you-eat-well-for-1-a-day/
© 2010, Khaleef Crumbley. All rights reserved.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
OK, you have motivated me to try this. I don’t do coupons much but I think I might be able to handle this strategy, it doesn’t seem too tough. Wish me luck! (I even took notes)
I’m glad you feel motivated! Don’t forget to use the Coupon Database (it makes using coupons so simple). Read this for a few tips: http://knsfinancial.com/cvs-paid-us-to-shop/
I hope this all works out for you! I’m a little humbled that you actually took notes from what I did (especially in this article)!
I have a CVS less than a mile from my house and I am the coupon queen there…Sometimes I go there and my order comes to per say $35 after they deduct my extra bucks and coupons the order came down to $7 and then got $9 back in more extra bucks on my recipt…I am such an avid coupon clipper and proud of it
It’s like I get a high knowing I saved so much money…As strange as that may sound.
That’s great! I think I may need to contact you before my next shopping trip. I’m just getting into couponing on this level. After we get the hang of CVS we plan on adding Walgreens to the list.
I know exactly what you mean about getting a “high” from saving money – it’s not strange at all!