A friend gave me $4 in ECBs & $10 cash...plus the phone number tied to her card to spend for her because she could not go. She wanted to be surprised by what I could do so did not give me a specific list of what she wanted.
With these three things in hand, I decided to go by CVS yesterday to see what I could spend the $$ on. After scanning my card at the red coupon box at the front of the store, I walked around. I noticed that if you bought Charmin Basic you'd get $1 ECB back. With the $4 ECB, I'd be spending $.99 and getting back $1. So in my cart the 12 pk of tissue went.
Then I thought, now what am I gonna spend this $1 ECB on when I get it. My friend doesn't want it back. So to the oral care aisle I went. There were 3 Colgate MaxFresh toothpastes ($2.77, get back $2.77 - limit 2) left. I stood there thinking for a minute. I thought to myself "I know I have a coupon for $.75 off any colgate. With the $1 ECB & the $.75 q, I'll only be spending $1.02 for toothpaste. But if I buy that, I'll end up with another $2.77 in ECBs, which I can use to buy another toothpaste." So I grabbed two.
Off to the cashier I went.
Transaction 1...Up goes the TP.
$4.99 sale price
(3.00) CVS ECB
(1.00) CVS ECB
$0.99 Subtotal
$0.07 Tax
$1.06 TOTAL OOP, Got $1 ECB back
Transaction 2...Up goes one Colgate.
$2.77 sale price
(1.00) CVS ECB...I always give the ECB/CVS coupons before the manufacturer coupons
(0.75) Colgate q
$1.02 Subtotal
$0.19 Tax
$1.21 TOTAL OOP, Got $2.77 ECB back
Transaction 3...Up goes 2nd Colgate...had to add in 2 filler items because my total would have been in negative...so I grabbed 2 bags of Cheetos.
$2.77 sale price
$0.33 Cheetos
$0.33 Cheetos
(2.77) CVS ECB...always give the ECB/CVS coupons before the manufacturer coupons
(0.75) Colgate q
(0.09) Subtotal
$0.24 Tax
$0.15 TOTAL OOP, Got $2.77 ECB back
So here I am thinking " I got another $2.77 to spend. I don't want to get anymore ECBs back. I am through. I looked around and decided to spend the $2.77 on more Cheetos for the kiddies snack. So I grabbed $3.00 worth of Cheetos (9 bags).
Transaction 4...Up goes the 9 bags of Cheetos.
$0.33 * 9 = $2.97 sale price
(2.77) CVS ECB
$0.20 Subtotal
$0.21 Tax
$0.41 TOTAL OOP...Out prints my receipt. The cashier says "You got $3 ECB back." I said "WHAT!?' Looked on the back of the chip bag and it says Frito Lay. Dang! Okay! Okay! Now I have $3 to get rid off? Thought for a minute and then noticed the Nestle Pure Life water. Asked cashier if the water was giving ECBs. She said no. I said "Okay, let me grab a few more chips to get my ECBs up to $5.
Transaction 5...Up goes $2.00 worth of Cheetos (6 bags)
$0.33 * 6 = $1.98 sale price (only needed 4 to get the $2 to print, forgot I had already bought 2 in Trans 3)
$1.98 Subtotal
$0.14 Tax
$2.12 TOTAL OOP, Got $2.00 ECB back
Transaction 6...Up goes 2 - 24 packs Nestle Pure Life Water
$3.49 * 2 = $6.98
(3.00) CVS ECB
(2.00) CVS ECB
$1.98 Subtotal
$0.49 Tax
$2.47 TOTAL OOP
TOTAL SPENT OF THE $10 I CAME IN WITH: $7.42
