Friday, October 22, 2021

CVS Tripping

I've decided to get back to serious drugstore shopping again. My goal at the beginning of the year, was to save like it's nobody's business. Of course that plan got derailed due to pandemic & shortages. Sigh. However, I've decided that it's time to kick things back into high gear again. I'm shaking off the pandemic fatigue and getting back to what I do best - shopping & hustling. 

My plan isn't to just save. I want to make more money. I've decided to go back to my old drugstore couponing/shopping ways. Just because we don't need anything, doesn't mean I have to wait until my rewards expire to go shopping. No, I'm going back to shopping every week and selling as much of it as I can. I used to do this many years ago - before that stupid TLC came & ruined things with Extreme couponing. I hate that show!! I hate it, because it's complete BS. That's not how regular couponers shop. Most couponers are just trying to help their families save money - not clear the shelves and buy 100 bottles of Gatorade. That just doesn't happen in the real world.

Anyhoo, I used to buy lots of newspapers back then and hit the drugstores multiple times a week. I resold most of my purchases and our own personal needs were more than met. I know of a couponer who makes $4k profit per year, on her drugstore purchases. That's nothing to sneeze at for just doing something you're already doing. I'd like to make more than that, but I know that it will take way more work. Besides, CVS & RA have limits, so that won't work. There's always Target to add to the mix though. An extra $4k+, would be nice to add to savings. I'm not waiting until the beginning of the year to kick things things off. I'm starting right away. 

I had a 4/20 CRT that was expiring, so I decided to head to CVS. Oy vey, what a disaster. I really need to get my act together. Here's what I got:



2 x Loreal Elvive $8.00

2 x Dove shampoo 8.00

2 x Colgate t/p 7.98

2 x Playtex tampons B1G50% off 9.43

1 x Cotton balls 2.56

Less Loreal Q (3.00)

Less Loreal DQ (1.00)

Less Colgate DQ (2.00)

Less Colgate DQ (0.50)

Less Playtex DQ (3.00)

Less Beauty 360 cotton balls DQ (1.00)

Less EBs (18.00)

Tax : 1.69

OOP $5.39

Earned $10 EB ($5 Colgate, $2 Dove, $3 Loreal). Not sure if I earned enough for another Beauty EB. 

I knew that my total was too high. I especially added the cotton balls, so I could get my total high enough to use my $3 Beauty EB. I didn't want to use only part of the EB and forfeit the rest of it.

It turns out that my $3 Dove DQ didn't deduct. I know I had a Dove Q, because I added it before I went shopping. That thing disappeared into cyberspace. It's just poof, gone!

I also had a $4/2 Colgate DQ. I was beginning to wonder if I'm at WAGS, because CVS doesn't just deduct the smaller amounts first. I'm guessing the $4/2 didn't apply to the Colgate maxfresh (it's all they had of the participating Colgate sale items). 

I also messed up on the Playtex. It's spend $12 get $3 EB. Me : oh yeah, 2 boxes at $6.29 each is over $12. Right! The 2nd box is 50% off. Tell me how an accountant can't do basic math...lol Oh boy!

All in all, not a bad shopping trip, but I could've done much better. If I was a newbie, this would've been a great trip. However, I should know better. I received another $4/20 CRT.

Wags doesn't have an ad preview available yet, so I can't figure out what's good for next week. I'll wait until Sunday to see what new CVS DQs I receive, before making next week's shopping list. I still have $90 to spend at WAGS, so I might as well use it to make extra cash.

I'm not sure about going to RA. I don't have any rewards and their deals haven't been all that great this year. At least not to me. After shopping at CVS & WAGS, the RA deals kinda feels lackluster to me. 

Well, that's my new game plan. Wish me luck.

Tonight was taco night again. DS would eat tacos every day if it was up to him. This morning I cooked my own refried beans, before hitting the road for errands. I pulled some cooked fajita chicken from the freezer, added some toppings and dinner was yummy. This is why I love cooking a large batch of fajita chicken. I shred everything and fill quart size bags to freeze. They're so easy to grab when we want any kind of mexican dish. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

12 comments:

  1. If you look at SlickDeals.Net under community and then at drugstore deals, you can usually see future ads several weeks in advance.
    I did really good at CVS in the past but just can’t get into it right now
    Hope you get the deals all lined up

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rhonda. I've been using Slickdeals since I started couponing over a decade ago. Wags & Target now also have ad previews on their sites, but Wags didn't have anything this week. So strange.

      Delete
  2. I can't wait to see how much you save and earn (by selling the product). I tried a deal at CVS with Pantene shampoo, did not buy enough to get the ECB bucks. And I had a 40% coupon but that would not work on one of the shampoos, I have lots to learn. Lol!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lisa. I've done really well years ago. Hoping I can do even better this time around. I still don't understand how those % off Qs work at CVS. I do love how CVS will stack multiple Qs though, like my Loreal deal.

      When I get home from shopping, I split my items into Keep & Sell piles. Then once a week, I will list everything in my Sell pile. I might have to hit up DG too, especially with that 5/$25 Q on Saturdays.

      Delete
  3. It seems you have a good plan for shopping. Do you ever call customer service when you have coupons that don't deduct?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda. It's not always worth my time to contact CS. I'm self employed & I always factor in my time spent dealing with CS (who sometimes make you wait forever) vs time spent working and earning more than the $2 or $3 Q that didn't apply.

      Delete
  4. I have had way too many problems with Wags, and rite aid so I am very careful with trying to stock up there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually find RA to be really easy. Their rewards programme is very straightforward. WAGS, on the other hand, is a total pita. Can't blame you there.

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  5. I would love to get the deals that you manage to get. I think you did very well on your CVS trip.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jackie. You do very well saving in whatever way you can. That is admirable.

      Delete
  6. Buying to resell is a great way to make extra money. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete

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