CVS Shopping Trip
Transaction #1
2 Venus Disposable Razors – $11.49 each
Used 20% coupon from the 5/12 CVS ad (took off $4.93)
And used Buy One Get One Free coupon from the 4/14 RedPlum insert (took off $11.49)
And used $5 ECBs from last week’s shopping tripPaid $2.88 out of pocket (total with tax), Received $3 ECBs for buying 2 Venus products
Transaction #2
2 M&M’s bonus size – $2.50 each
Used $2/2 CVS scanner coupon
And used $1.50/2 coupon from the 4/28 RedPlum insert2 Kellogg’s Cereals – $1.77 each
Used 2 $0.75/1 printableUsed $3 ECBs from Transaction #1
Paid $1.16 out of pocket (total with tax)
Total before coupons and ECBs: $31.52
Total with tax after coupons and ECBs: $4.04
Reader Interactions
Money Saving Mom® Comment Policy
We love comments from readers, so chime in with your thoughts below! We do our best to keep this blog upbeat and encouraging, so please keep your comments cordial and kind. Read more information on our comment policy.
Annie says
I don’t play the drugstore game, but I’ve always wondered–when you do two transactions, do you literally make two physical trips to the store? Or does the cashier let you do one transaction, then turn right around and do the second one? How does that work??
Jessica says
If you ask nicely to do more than one transaction they always say yes! I haven’t done the drugstore thing in a long time. I’m not sure if there is a limit.
Sarah H says
I had an awesome CVS trip this week, too! I got 4 boxes of Cars fruit snacks (my son’s favorite), Lorna Doone cookies (my husband’s favorite), and two bags of M&M’s. After coupons, it came to $10 even and I had a $10 ecb from a few weeks ago – paid $0 out of pocket!
Christie says
Oh ok, so you all get charged tax on your pre-coupon total. That and the manual 20% explains it.
Laurie @PassionatePennyPincher.com says
Love seeing Gretchen’s trips ~ and the deals next week look even more exciting! 🙂
Claudia Matei says
For a second I thought I was on Facebook and I looked for the “like” button. LOL
I like this!!
K says
Now that’s the way to work deals!
Christie says
The numbers on these deals aren’t adding up for me. What am I missing?
Crystal says
What’s not adding up for you? Let us know and I’ll try to help clarify!
Christie says
Razors: 11.49+11.49-4.93-11.49 = 6.56 – 5 ecb = 1.56 no where near 2.88
The 20% didn’t take off 4.93. I only get a max value of 20% to be $4.60. If you take the 20% after the ECBs (which is how they normally do % off passes), that would be $3.60 off, making the pre-tax total $2.89.
Trans #2: $5 for M&Ms – 2-1.5 = $1.5, Cereal 1.77 – .75 = 1.02 x2 =2.04
total = 3.54 – $3 ecb = $.54 pretax
I am so confused
Crystal says
It’s the tax that’s confusing, I believe. I’ll have Gretchen come on and share her tax amounts so that it makes more sense.
Christie says
Ok, I typed this up once and it didn’t go through apparently, so let me try this again…
Trans #1: if you take the discounts listed and add it all up it doesn’t make sense
11.49+11.49-4.93-11.49 -5 = $1.56, well under the $2.88 listed
I also figure the max value for the 20% being 4.60 (22.98x.2), not 4.93.
Even then you’re still at $1.89 oop. The 20% or BOGO (or both) have to have taken off different amounts than listed.
Trans#2: M&Ms 5-2-1.5 = $1.50; Cereal 1.77 – .75 = 1.02 x2 = $2.04
Total $3.54 – $3 ECB = $.54, less than half of the $1.16 listed
Christie says
lol.. so NOW it shows up
Gretchen says
Tax for transaction #2 was $0.62. My subtotal was $0.54 + tax ($0.62) = $1.16.
Hopefully that makes sense now. 🙂
Gretchen says
Christie,
My 20% off coupon would not scan so the cashier actually used the calculator on her phone to figure out what was 20% of my total. She used the 20% off coupon before any other coupons/ECBs and took the 20% off of the tax total. (She did call the manager over and he oversaw all of this.)
$11.49 x 2 = $22.98 + 7.3% tax ($1.67) = $24.65
Minus 20%
Total taken off was $4.93.
Then she took off $11.49 for the Buy One Get One Free coupon and then used the $5 ECBs.
My subtotal was $1.56. For some reason the tax was $1.32 and now looking at my receipt, I have no idea why tax was that much (tax is 7.3% here). So the total was $2.88.
Julie C says
Way to go, Gretchen! Nice deals! 🙂