I cashed out for my first Gather card, a $10 CVS gift card. I am keeping track of how far it goes. I was hoping to get at least $100 in retail price--but I surpassed that in Chapter 5, so now I will just hope to make it last as long as possible.
I will use coupons, rain checks, sales and any extra bucks (instant CVS store rebates--show up as coupons on the bottom of the receipt) that I earn on purchases from this card. So here is today's trip. The CVS card goes shopping.
Today's Beginning Balance: $6.88 gc and $3.99, 3.99 and 3.00 in extra bucks (June 7) TOTAL $17.86
ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
Sale Retail
Price Price Item
$14.99 79.99 Bayer contour meter (get $5.00 extra
bucks)
7.99 11.99 Fusion Razor (get $4.00 ecbs)
2.99 2.99 Lumene daily
4.99 4.99 Zantrex Energy shot**(get $4.99
ecbs)
2.69 5.38 2) Sweet N' Low
2.50 3.99 Honey Maid Grahams**
.40 .40 Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers
3.00 5.18 Gold Emblem Juice**
2.50 4.49 Special K**
$ 42.05 119.40 Sub-total before tax
**Used rainchecks
Paid with:
CVS Coupon: CVSq
Manufacturer's Coupon: mq Extra Buck: ECB
Gift Card: gc
$14.99 contour mq
4.00 fusion mq
5.00 lumene cvsq
1.00 special k mq
1.00 honeymade mq
5.00 cvsq ($5 off $30)
3.99 ecbs
3.99 ecbs
3.00 ecbs
$41.97 total
$42.05 less above qs of $41.97 = $.08 plus tax (which is on the amount of the manufacturers' coupons) $1.10
Gift Card used: $1.18
New Balance: $5.70 gc, $5.00, $4.00, $4.99 extra bucks:
Total left to spend: $19.69
Total Retail Purchased so far: $338.88
From using coupons I have more total available to spend now then when I started this week.
Can you tell this is my hobby? I love it. It gives me lots of necessary items for free and I even have leftovers to donate often. I actually have started a gather group so others can share their experiences and/or learn how to get the savings for themselves.
To see the other trips click on the links for each "total trip."
$32.33 in retail products, balance $9.20 gc and $3.99 extra buck: Total left: $13.19
$19.16 in retail products, balance $8.92 gc and $2, $2.89 extra bucks Total left: $13.81
$4.29 in retail products, balance $8.85 gc and $2 and $2.89 extra bucks
Total left: $13.74
$4.99 in retail products, balance $8.75 gc and $4.99 extra bucks
Total left: $13.74
Total trip 5: $102.64 in retail products, balance $7.57 gc and $5.00 & 2.00 in extra bucks Total left: $14.57 Total Retail so far: $163.41
Total Trip 6: $13.47 in retail products, balance $7.30 gc and $5.00 & 2.00 in extra bucks Total left: $ 14.30
Total Trip 7: $ 42.60 in retail products, balance $6.88 gc and $3.99, 3.99, & 3.00 in extra bucks. Total left $17.86
Total Retail so far: $219.48
Learn all about CVS shopping: CVS 101 Tutorial Series and visit CVS Extra Bucks Make Cents for current information.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 43
You're doing awesome! Makes me wish there was a CVS around here.
I would soooo miss it if it wasn't here. Maybe you'll get one.
Wow, I couldn't believe it when I saw this post in my feed just now. That card is still going? Awesome!
Yeah, it's still going. I gave it a break last week--nothing great on sale.
You certainly appear to have the market cornered on the ability to maximize savings at CVS.
I am hoping others can learn, if they want to, by looking at the details.
wow, great deals!!
You are so amazing with this. I thought that I was pretty good at coupons, but I bow to you. I also wisht ath CVS was closer.
Let's see, my two last trips to Ralph's grocery store-
Trip #1 Total was $61.21 and I paid $14.51 after coupons and deals
Trip #2 Total was $57.23 and I paid $22 after coupons and deals.
I wish you had one closer, too, they are great. Grocery stores are much harder! You did great those last two trips. I'll have to watch some of my receipts to check my percentages. I get 20 coupons doubled up to .99 so that helps a lot, and once in a while triples. I do mail in rebates, but hate to!
that is great!
Way to go. I am so impressed!
This really inspires me! I did go yesterday and spent 30 cents out of pocket, and my husband was amazed--he'd be floored by your shopping trips!
Great job, Brittney. Isn't it fun? That is why I started this so others can get an idea of what can be done and how.
It is fun, and challenging...my stepmom (She's Sheila the hapless housewife on here) is the one that got me started at CVS after I went on a trip with her. My husband is an impulse shopper, but he is really impressed with my new shopping habits.
Very impressive! If my math is right, they paid YOU $2.01 to shop with them today! Sweet!
That's the best part, you know, you can actually end up with more to spend--problem is that tax:( When I use a CVS q there is not tax, just manufacturers qs--that's why I need the gift cards mostly.
Tax is what I'm using my card for too! I wish we could use the ECBs to offset the tax!
Do your extra bucks take off tax? Like if you use a 4.99 ecbs on a 4.99 item is it free? It is here. If it does, I have heard if you give your extra bucks FIRST and then manufactuer coupons it will take the subtotal lower because it takes the taxable amount down and then the manufacturer coupons even take off for the tax--subtotal can be negative. I have tried it and it seems to work--you pay less out of pocket. BUT you have to be careful to figure and if it is too close you don't want to take the chance or the total comes out negative and you have to buy something to cover it. Does this make sense???
If we all did this CVS might go out of business! Thank god we are all not as good as you!LOL
LOL Bub actually my manager says it helps. The manufacturers pay for their coupon amount and the extra bucks are actually, if I understand it correctly, paid back to cvs by the manufacturers for the product you get it on--like a mail in rebate, but it is thru CVS. My manager tries to tell others what we do and how to do it the best she can.
That is supposed to say "but" not "bub".
Now you are just rubbing it in!
No, no, no, I want others to learn to be able to do it. I know, you don't have a CVS:( But maybe you will get one. Do you have walgreens?
Just teasing. There is a Walgreen's an hour from here. Hasn't been any great deals as of late.
That really is fantastic!
I am so jealous of people with a CVS...they should buy out Hartig.
Awesome job. I don't think you'll ever hit 0.00
I do shop at Walgreens at times, but right now its K-mart time.
You are truly the CVS Champ!! Way to go!
Thanks for posting to Grocery Deals!
You guys realize you are giving me a challenge here!! I feel obligated to keep this going as long as possible--now if the deals will just cooperate at CVS.
Great job!
Fantastic job CLR . heaven knows If I tried to do that I would probably do something stupid to ruin the whole deal lol
Lori, you know how they say you learn from your mistakes? What does that tell you about my CVS shopping?? I made tons and often did "something stupid to ruin the whole deal" and that is why I can do this now. I still mess up sometimes.
A wonderful job at saving!
You have done very well, Horray for you. I am attempting my first try today. One step at a time.
CVSing is DEFINITELY "one step at a time." I have often had one step forward two steps back there, too. I hope you do well and enjoy it.
WOW - I am so impressed. You got this all figured out.:)
We have CVS and Walgreens at every corner in my neighborhood and I've never even tried the CVS bucks thing for some reason I'm challenged with that - I just don't understand it.
I'm gonna check out your group and just try to learn from the master:)
Rose, it is a whole new way of thinking. You buy what you get extra bucks on and save those and buy more things the next week with them that you get extra bucks on and so on and so on. You put little out of pocket cash with them and you get tons of stuff. sometimes, like the monitor above, I get things I can't use--but it helps me "roll" my extra buck so it doesn't expire and I can donate it so it helps someone else.
There is a section of posts on the home page of the group that is like a beginner's guide: CVS 101. If you read thru those you will be at least a little familiar with how this works.
And by the way, I am jealous--a CVS at every corner:( I have one 7 minutes away and two about 25 to 30 minutes. But the closest is really small and they all know me and the manager will order stuff so it is there for me so it is great.
Welcome aboard and ask any questions if I can help I will.
That's great! We are just now getting CVS here
If you like to save money and don't mind using coupons and taking some time to figure deals you can get a lot of stuff really cheap or free at CVS.
That is so cool!