FREE at CVS

Here are 2 great opportunities at CVS this week:

Schick Hydro $8.97
Extra Care Bucks $4.00
$5/1 6/12 SS coupon
Final Price: $.03 Money Maker (limit one per ECB card)

Gillette Body Wash $4.00
Extra Care Bucks $4.00
BOGO Gillette Body Wash 6/6 PG
Final Price: 2 FREE with ECB

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Old Spice Body Wash $4.00
Extra Care Bucks $4.00
BOGO Old Spice Body Wash 6/6 PG
Final Price 2 FREE with ECB

Vitamins and Supplements!

This is a great time to be stocking up on vitamins and supplements!

• This week Rainbow Foods has their Nature's Bounty Your Life Multi Vitamins on sale BOGO. This is a new women's vitamin. Price is $10.79. Use (2) $3/1 coupons from SS 6/6 or (2) $2/1 from Grocery Game 1 Get these for as little as $2.40/each. Most of the Nature's Bounty supplements are BOGO this week as well.
• This week Rainbow Foods also has Sundown Naturals Children's Vitamins BOGO. This is for the Marvel Hero's Gummy vitamins. Use (2) $1/1 coupons from Grocery Game 1 to get these for as little as $1.85/each. This is assuming that you are shopping on Sat. and doubling your coupons.
• Next week (6/13-6/19) CVS has Nature Made Vitamins and supplements on sale BOGO limit 6. Use (2) $3/1 coupons from SS 6/6 or (2) $2/1 coupons form Grocery Game 1 to make this a great deal. These vitamins/supplements start at $4.29.

FREEBIE at CVS

I first tried this new product last summer when I was camping with the Girl Scouts. Either the mosquitoes weren't very bad, or this worked really well! I have also used this clipped to my camping chair on the soccer field. There were so many great coupons out that you could really try it for free, which is the best way to try new products!

CVS has the personal clip-on device on sale this week for $7.99. The refill packs are on sale for $.2.99. On the CVS website there is a $3 coupon for the purchase of one clip on mosquito repellent product at CVS. You can print 2 of these coupons.

Here are your choices:

• Purchase 2 of the clip-on devices using 2 of the $3 coupons. OOP $10+tax
• Purchase 2 of the refill packs $5.98 OOP only a portion of the tax
• Purchase one clip-on device and one refill OOP $5+tax

Now. . . I went to the CVS in Eden Prairie today. They had the Off display in 3 different places. The first place I looked was next to the sunscreen. The refills that I wanted were out. I found a second display on the endcap. It was nicely stocked. A third location was a few aisles back where these items seemed to be displayed with other miscellaneous items. So. . . the moral of the story is that if you don't find these items in the first location you look, keep looking!

CVS Pricematches

I stopped by my local CVS today and was surprised when I read the digital sign out front. It said that CVS will match any competitor's ad price AND will accept any competitor's coupons. This put CVS in line with Target and WalMart.

My Strategy
When I see an item that I think is a great deal, I intentionally go to a pricematching competitor to get the item. My thought is that there is a good chance that the product will be gone at the store that has the sale. To avoid this possibility, I will go to a pricematching store and work my deal there.
Be sure to always bring the ad with you when you pricematch. Be sure to be familiar with the store's pricematching policy also. That way you know what the corporate policy is and you can defend your transaction if need be.

Dove Men+Care Money Maker at CVS

Dove Men+Care
Sale Price $5.49
Use the $1.25 Manu. coupon in today's RedPlum
You Pay $4.24
ECB $5.49

You make $1.25
This is a great situation to consider purchasing this for the local foodshelf or homeless shelter. Get it for FREE, make a little bit on it and pass the blessing forward.
A great deal for all!

CVS Deals 1/24-1/30

CVS Deals for Week of 1/24-1/30

Remember that you can purchase a CVS reusable bag tag that can be scanned one time daily for a $1 ECB with every 4th scan.

Dulcolax Balance: $10.99
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
$3.00 off (SS 12/13)
Submit for $5 rebate
Final Price: Free plus money-maker

Ivory Soap 3 pack: $0.99
$1.00 off (PG 12/27)
Final Price: Free

Dove Ultimate Deodorant: 2 for $7.00
Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)
$2 off 1 printable here (IE) or here (FF) (use 2)
Final Price: $0.50 each

Crest or Oral B toothpaste or Indicator Toothbrush: $1.99
Get $1 ECB (Limit 1)
$0.75/1 or $0.50/1 off Crest (PG 1/17)
Final Price: $0.24

Palmolive: $0.99
$1.00 off 2 or $0.25 off 1 (SS 1/3)
Final Price: $0.49

Thanks Becentsable!

$5.50 off Huggies at Target

Here's a great deal if you have kids in diapers. Target now has a $3.00 off one package of Huggies Pure & Natural Diapers. You can use this with the $2.50 off coupon at Coupons.com to get $5.50 off!

Next week CVS will be having a HOT deal on Huggies Diapers so make sure to print all those Huggies coupons now so you are ready!

Thanks Becentsable!

Local Pharmacy Choices

I spent most of my afternoon gathering information on local pharmacies. I learned a few things that I didn't know which is always good. I have compiled a list of what you should know about the local pharmacy choices and included it below. People who regularly fill perscriptions should really think about who will receive their pharmacy dollars. Choose wisely and you might find yourself coming out ahead or at least be aware of what your options are.

There are 10 pharmacies in my local area. They are listed here. Let me know if you think I have left one out. I'd be happy to add it if I have overlooked any.

• Walgreens ~ Soon we will have 3 Walgreen's in our community. Walgreens will not pricematch a competitor's price or accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon. Occasionally a Catalina coupon will be generated for a giftcard with a transferred prescription but it is rare in my experience. They do not make these coupons available in their weekly circular or on their website. Walgreens prides itself on customer service and being open 24 hours a day. The local Walgreen's do have drive-up service which is convenient. I have been told by other pharmacies that Walgreen's tends to be the highest priced option in our community.
• CVS ~ There is one CVS in our community. CVS will pricematch depending upon the situation. They will not pricematch on the $4 generic items or if they will lose money on the deal. Bring in verification of the competitor's price and CVS will call the pharmacy for further verification. CVS will accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon and on occasion will have one of their own available either in their ad or online. CVS is not a 24-hour pharmacy but it does have a drive-thru.
• Cub Foods ~ Cub Foods has a pharmacy just inside the front door. They will pricematch a competitor's price if it is a local pharmacy with pricing that can be verified. They will not accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon. Cub Foods used to offer these coupons in their weekly ads or have offers including a hot meal with a prescription. They haven't done this for about the last 6 months.
• Rainbow Foods ~ Rainbow Foods has a pharmacy inside the grocery store. They will pricematch on a case by case basis depending upon the situation. They will not pricematch if it means they will lose money. This is the exception. Rainbow will not accept competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupons but they often have one of their own in their weekly ad. Look towards the back of the ad in the lower right or left corner. Their coupons range from $10-$25 dollars. Rainbow Foods will either pricematch or allow the use of their own pharmacy coupon, but not both. You will receive a Script Saver for each transaction at the Rainbow pharmacy. Read the requirements on these as they specify how many you need to collect in order to receive a $10 giftcard for groceries.
• Target ~ Target will pricematch a competitor's price if it is within a 5-mile radius of the store. They will call the competing pharmacy for price verification. Target will not accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon but they often have one of their own in their weekly ad. Generally it is for $10. Right now Target has a $10 pharmacy giftcard coupon on their website. It is good until 1/31 and you can print up to 2 of them per computer. There currently is a coupon in the 1/17 Target ad as well.
• Walmart ~ Walmart will not pricematch. They say it's up to their manager to decide if an item can be pricematched or not. I am not confident that this would fly at the local Walmart. There are several other choices of pharmacies that will be competitive, so you might want to stick with those options. They will not accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon either.
• Costco ~ You can use the Costco pharmacy even if you are not a member. Just tell the attendant at the door that you are going to the pharmacy. Costco will not pricematch. They will not accept a competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupon either as they only take their own coupons. Costco tends to be the lowest priced pharmacy in the community. You can check a prescription price simply by going to the Costco website, click on pharmacy and find the link for drug prices. This is a great feature! Now, Costco will not take checks from non-members. Your choice for payment is cash, or AMEX. As a non-member you are not allowed to purchase anything in the warehouse other than the prescription.
• Byerlys ~ Byerlys has the Prairie Stone Pharmacy inside the store. This pharmacy does pricematch as long as they don't lose money on the deal. They say their prices are in line with Target pharmacy prices. Prairie Stone will not take competitor's pharmacy giftcard coupons. However, they do have an interesting loyalty program. for every 5 perscriptions filled at Prairie Stone you will receive 10% off your next grocery order. While this isn't great, it's more than some of the others offer.

General Pharmacy Guidelines

Consider some of these things when you need to fill a prescription.

• When filling a prescription it is common for people to call and ask for a quote from the pharmacy. Don't hesitate to do this so that you can gather the necessary information needed to make the best choice. Ask the pharmacy if they will accept a call from a local competitor to verify the price.
• Ask the pharmicist if there happens to be a rebate on the prescription you are filling. With some diabeties medications and other drugs there often are rebates you can take advantage of.
• Watch the local Target, Rainbow Foods, Cub Foods and CVS for pharmacy giftcard coupons.
• Read the fine print on these giftcard coupons. They will specify that they are valid with a "new or transferred prescription" or with just a "transferred" prescription. Some pharmacies pay attention to these guidelines and adhere to them while others will give you a giftcard with any prescription. See what works for you.

Let me know if this is useful information for you. Also let me know if there are pharmacies that I have overlooked. Thanks!

CVS Pharmacy Accepts Competitor's Coupons

I stopped by my local CVS Pharmacy today to visit with the pharmacist for a few minutes. I was told that they WILL honor a competitor's prescription gift card coupon IF you have a new or transferred prescription. One follower says that she was given a $25 CVS gift card when she brought in a $10 competitor's coupon. Keep this in mind when you are choosing the best pharmacy for your prescriptions.

CVS Holiday Catalog

CVS has a FREE 84 page holiday catalog available at the check-out. It's full of colorful pages displaying all of the holiday merchandise available. It's divided into 3 sections: Gifts & Goodies, Decor & More, and Primp & Pamper. There are some Extra Care Buck deals featured in the Primp & Pamper section.
An added bonus is that there is a coupon inside the catalog for $4 ECBs when you spend $20. This coupon and all of the deals in the catalog expire on 12/25.

Black Friday Sales NOW!

Get ready, get set, SHOP!
Black Friday, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, is still a few weeks away, but don’t tell that to the nation’s top retailers. Stores hungry for your dollars now are offering big sales and sneak peaks long before the turkey hits the table this Thanksgiving. Check out bargains you can cash in on―starting today!

There's a lot of great information here, so be sure to read on. It's fun to watch the large retailers position themselves to be a leg up on their competitors. The deals just keep getting better and better for the rest of us!

Sears
Enjoy the excitement of Black Friday every Friday at 5 p.m. through Saturday mornings at Sears. The sales campaign called “Black Friday Now” will feature weekly big deals through Christmas. The company will also be offering doorbuster bargains each Saturday at 7 a.m through noon.

Here are a few products you can score this week:

*50 percent off a 302-piece craftsman tools set
*$79.99 (reg. $259.99) diamond stud earrings
*50 percent off all DieHard workboots (reg. $75)
*$399.99 closeout on ProForma XP elliptical machine (reg. $699.99)
*$174.19 (reg. $259.99) 7 ½ ft. Wakefield Christmas tree with 700 Never Out Christmas lights

According to analysts, next weeks deals could include a 42” Zenith plasma TV for only $499.

Walmart
The retail giant has already started slashing prices and dishing out holiday deals. Including offering 100 toys, from Barbies to action figures, for $10 through the holiday season. Walmart is also selling highly anticipated books for $8.98 and having "two-for-$30" specials on games for the Nintendo Wii.

Come Black Friday you can scoop these items among the deals:
*40” Samsung LCD TV for $798 (reg. $898)
*HP Pavillion desktop for $398 (reg. $498)
*HP Pavilion laptop for $448 (reg. $528)

Target
Like Walmart, Target is offering a "toys for $10" promotion. The retailer is also selling Christmas cards for $15.99 per box and a baby's first Christmas gift set of Baby Einstein DVDs or CDs for $14.99. Target is also featuring daily deals on their site, as well as weekly announcements of Black Friday deals. Sign up for alerts here.

Toys ‘R Us
Toys ‘R Us plans to open 80 temporary stores across the country and is offering layaway on big-ticket items like bikes and doll houses. The toy giant will unveil it’s 2009 Toys 'R Us Big Toy Book on Nov. 1, but here’s a sneak peak at a few of the deals:
*$10 Toys ‘R Us gift card with any purchase of $75 or more
*$10 Toys ‘R Us gift card with the purchase of any iPod valued at $100 or more
*$10 Toys ‘R Us gift card with the purchase of any Disney movies valued at $40 or more
*Free Mini Alive Cub with the purchase of any Alive Cub priced at $59.99
*Free Little Mommy Doctor Set with the purchase of a Little Mommy Baby Ah-Choo doll
*Free SpongeBob SquarePants Ants in the Pants board game with the purchase of select SpongeBob SquarePants board games
*Free Crayola 50th Anniversary 64-count Crayon tin with any Crayola purchase of $19.99 or more
*Free Cars Backpack with any Cars purchase of $25 or more
*Save $100 on the Big Backyard Crestwood Lodge Gym Set
*Save $100 on the Peg Perego Polaris Ranger RZR

Specials are valid from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Thursday, Nov. 26.

Kohls
The department store is giving customers a jump-start on holiday savings with two full days of Power Hour pricing. On Nov. 6 and 7 there will be deals upon deals and stores will be open until midnight. Among the bargains:
Redeem Kohl's Cash (earned when shopping at Kohl's during Oct. 21 to 27)
Redeem Pick-Your-Day savings offer (Kohl's charge card holders can enjoy additional savings on the day of their choice)
Save an extra 20 percent on all toys already 10 to 40 percent off, including Fisher-Price, Playskool, Tonka and more
Nextar 4.3" widescreen GPS system for $89.99 (reg. $299.99)

Kmart
Start working on your holiday budget now to beat the last-minute crunch. Early in the game, Kmart is offering online layaway, in addition to its in-store layaway program to help shoppers pay for holiday gifts over time.

Vistaprint
This year, don’t leave your family holiday cards until the last minute. Take advantage of the great deals going on at Vistaprint and order your holiday cards early. Browse these exclusive deals below and see if you can save this year.
50 percent off 2010 calendars
50 percent off holiday Cards, plus most holiday products
Free shipping on orders over $50, plus up to 90 percent off site-wide!
Up to 50 percent off custom photo gifts- photo books, mugs, tote bags and more

CVS
CVS is offering deals you can pocket online before Black Friday. This week includes discounts on flat irons (save $30), hair dryers (on sale for $19.99), stereo speakers (just $14.99) and a heated massaging back system (on sale for $19.99).

I will be watching the deals for updates and offers. From what the experts say, this should be a great season for getting fabulous deals. We'll see!

Lipton $5 Holiday Rebate

I came across this Lipton $5 Holiday Rebate today while at Cub Foods. Here are the details:

1. Buy three (3) Lipton Iced Tea 16.9 oz 12packs or six (6) Lipton Iced Tea gallon jugs (any flavor) between 11/1-11/30.

2. Save the original dated store-identified cash register receipt(s) from your purchases. Circle the purchases/purchase prices of the participating products on the receipt(s).

3. Complete this original mail-in certificate.

4. Mail all of the above, postmarked by 12/7 to (address given)

Now, I have a couple of these original mail-in certificates that I am willing to give away since I cannot find this offer on the internet. Email me at info@grocerytutor.com if you are interested. If you don't live nearby, I'd ask for a $1 donation to my paypal account to cover my postage.

Lipton 12 packs are on sale at CVS next week 11/1-11/7 for $5.99 with ECB's of $2 with the first 12pack. There are some tearpad coupons out there also for this product. Maybe you can find a great deal and get the $5 rebate to boot! Let me know if you need the rebate form.

Get $1 ECB From CVS For Going Green!

This is a generous offer from CVS! Look for these luggage tags at CVS. Attach them to your reusable shopping bag (Grocery Tutor bag :) and have it scanned each time you shop at CVS. Every 4th scan will result in a $1 ECB. This is a nice reward for something that many of us already do. Thanks CVS!

Limit one scan per household per day.

CVS $5 off $25 coupon and FREE flu shots

Click HERE for a $5 off a $25 purchase at CVS. Take a quick Flu IQ test in order to print.

Click HERE for information on FREE flu shots at CVS for the unemployed.

I Scored @ CVS!

Yipee! I did a great job at CVS today! I don't shop there a lot, but on occasion I will go in and get some awesome deals. Here are the details:

I split my order in two.

Order #1
1. Glade Fragrance 10 oz. candle $6.99 $2 off coupon $6.99 ECB
2. (2) Bounce Dryer Bars $3.99 (2) $2.50 off coupons $4 ECB
3. Aquafresh Iso-Active toothpaste $4.99 $1 off coupon $2 ECB
4. Softsoap NutriSerums body Wash $4.99 $1 off coupon $2 ECB

Total out of pocket $17.76
Total ECBs $14.99

Order #2
1. (2) Covergirl Simply Ageless Foundation $15.99 BOGO Free Coupon saved $15.99
2. (2) Glade 2 oz. Soy Candle $3.29 each (2) free candle coupons FREE
3. (2) Loreal Shampoo and Conditioner $6.99 each (2) $2 off coupons

I used $15.99 ECBs on this order AND a $5 off $25 coupon that is linked in a post 2 prior to this one.
Total out of pocket for order #2 $6.71

Totals for CVS Trip:
Spent $24.47 this includes $4.54 in tax
Saved $57.66

That a 70% savings!

CVS Highlights Aug. 30-Sept. 5th

Be sure to read my next posting for a free printable $5/$25 purchase coupon. Also, read to understand how the ECB (Extra Care Bucks) program works.

Glade Fragrance Collection Scented Reed Diffuser or Soy Candle $6.99
Earn $6.99 ECBs
Use $2/1 Printable Coupon OR
Use $3/1 or $2/1 Coupon from All You Mag August/September Issue
Final Price: Free + $3 or $2 Profit!
(limit 1)

Clairol Natural Instincts Loving Care Haircolor $4.99
Earn $2 ECBs
Use $4/1 Coupon from the 8/2 P&G Insert (Exp 8/31!)
Final Price: Free + $1.01 Profit!
(limit 1)

Bounce Dryer Bar or Tide Stain Release $3.99
Earn $1 ECB
Use $2.50/1 Bounce from a Vocalpoint Homemailer OR
Use $1/1 Bounce Coupon from the 8/30 P&G Insert
Use 75¢/1 Stain Release Coupon from the 8/30 P&G Insert OR
Use $1/1 Stain Release Coupon from the 8/16 Smartsource Insert
Final Price: 49¢ - $2.24 ea.
(limit 2)

Dove, Vaseline, Pond's or Degree Products
Spend $15 and Earn $5 ECBs

Scenario:
Buy (6) Dove Deodorant $2.50 ea.
Use (6) $1/1 Coupons from the 6/7 RedPlum Insert
Earn $5 ECB
Final Price: $4, or 67¢ ea.
(limit 1)

Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, Conditioner or Styler $3.49
Earn $1.50 ECBs
Use $1/1 Styler Coupon from the 8/30 P&G Insert
Final Price: 99¢
(limit 1)

AquaFresh Iso-Active Whitening Foaming Tooth Gel $4.99
Earn $3 ECBs
Use $1/1 Printable Coupon
Final Price: 99¢
(limit 1)

Sensodyne Iso-Active Whitening Foaming Gel Toothpaste $4.99
Earn $3 ECBs
Use $1/1 Printable Coupon
Final Price: 99¢
(limit 1)

Planter's Peanuts $3 ea.
Buy 2 and Earn $2 ECBs
Use $1.50/2 Coupon from the 6/28 SS Insert
Final Price: $1.25 ea.
(limit 1)

Welch's Grape Jelly or Skippy Peanut Butter $3 ea.
Buy 2 and Earn $2 ECBs
Use $1/2 Skippy Coupon from the 8/2 RP Insert
Use 75¢ Welch's Jelly Printable Coupon
Final Price: $1.25 - $1.50 ea.
(limit 1)

Gallon Milk $2.49
Earn $1 ECB
Final Price: $1.49
(limit 1)

Softsoap Nutri Serums $4.99
Earn $2 ECBs
Use $1/1 Coupon from the 8/30 SS or All You magazine September issue
Final Price: $1.99
(limit 1)

Bausch & Lomb Renu Contact Solution $7.99
Earn $3 ECBs
Use $2/1 Printable Coupon
Final Price: $2.99
(limit 2)

Gillette Fusion, Venus Embrace, or Spa Razor $8.99
Earn $3 ECBs
Use $2/1 Coupon from the 8/16 RP Insert
Final Cost: $3.99
(limit 1)

Gillette Shampoo $4.39
Earn $1 ECB
Use Free wyb Gillette Fusion Razor Coupon from the 8/2 P&G Insert (Exp 8/31!)

Scenario:
Buy (1) Gillette Fusion Razor $8.99
Buy (1) Gillette Shampoo $4.39
Use $2/1 Coupon from the 8/16 RedPlum Insert
Use Free wyb Gillette Fusion Razor Coupon from the 8/2 P&G Insert
Earn $1 ECB for Shampoo, Earn $3 ECB for Razor
Final Cost: $2.99, or $1.50 ea.!
(limit 1)

Shop CVS? Give It A Try!

CVS has the ExtraCare program. Extra Bucks (also known as ExtraCare Bucks, or ECBs) are coupons that print at the end of your receipt after qualifying purchases. ECBs can be used like cash on future purchases, except you will not change back if you spend less than the total face value. They typically expire about 4 weeks after they are issued. You will need an Extra Care card to participate in this program. You can get one at your store or here. It's easier to pick one up at your local CVS and then you can use it right away. It looks just like a credit/debit card.

First, get a $5 off $25 CVS purchase ($25 is before manufacturer’s coupons and Extra Care Bucks) here. Simply watch the video, take a short survey and print your coupon. Use that alongside this weeks sales and you’ll likely make money at CVS this week. If your store is out of the hottest deals, be sure to request a rain check so you can pick them up next week.

The key to big savings is using coupons and rewards programs together. Websites like www.thegrocerygame.com can help you do this by compiling shopping lists. For instance, let’s say CVS offered a deal of free-after-ECB L’Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Serum. it’s advertised that if you buy one at $11.99, you get $11.99 back in ECBs. But wait! If you use a $2 off $10 purchase coupon that was available online at the same time, and a $3 off L’Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle product coupon from a previous Sunday newspaper, you will only pay $6.99 and still get $11.99 back in ECBs. In other words, you’d “make” $5 to spend at CVS on things you’d be buying anyway, like food or diapers or toilet paper.

The strategy at the check out is to split your order so that you pay for the items with ECB attached separately. That way you can use the ECBs from the first order to help pay for the second order, etc. That way your out-of-pocket cost is much less. Once you get in the hang of how CVS works its ECB program you can look at the CVS weekly circular (which arrives at my house on during the week with the paper) and eyeball the deals based on what you know you have in coupons.