CVS Shopping- My Way

Typically, when you read most blogs about the best way to shop CVS, it includes rolling ECBs for each purchase. I don't follow this on most occasions. I use ECB as coupons on things that we need to purchase to lower our overall spending. Today, I ended up make 2 separate trips to CVS but am very pleased with the results.

First trip- Entire family was with me. I purchased 6 boxes of Pop tarts ($2.00 each with 2 $1/3 coupons), 3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal ($2.50 each with $1/3 coupon) and 1 Hershey's candy ($0.67). My thoughts were  that this would trigger my 5 ECB for groceries and the $0.67 ECB for candy. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a coupon for $5 off 15, the only downside it expired on Wednesday. I decided to use this coupon later in the week after I could decide the best use. I spent $17 out of pocket for this trip.

Second Trip- As I was making Rotel to freeze, I realized that I need more freezer bags so I decided to go back to CVS tonight to use my coupon for these.  Haley drove me this trip. I ended up purchasing 1 2L Dr Pepper (Haley's request), 1 bag of twirlers candy (Matt's request), 1 box of Pop tarts, 3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal ($2.50 each with $1/3 coupon) and 2 CVS brand freezer bags ($2.99 for one and $1.49 for second).  Total out of pocket $7.76 and earned another 5 ECB for groceries.

In reality, had I just ran out to a grocery store or Walmart, I would have spent the same $8 on 2 boxes of freezer bags. So by using ECBs as coupons and the extra coupon they gave me I was able to stock up on Pop Tarts and Cereal as well as purchase the freezer bags that I needed tonight. I will hold on to my ECBs to see what is on sale or what we need in the next couple of weeks.