CVS 3/31 and the Beauty of Stockpiling

So, recently I uploaded a photo to my facebook with a deal Andrew and I got at CVS on Easter. This sale is still running until 4/6 and the coupons I used are (mostly) still available. If you do not have a CVS card, I would highly recommend you get one. I just got over $4 in Extra Bucks just for shopping (it's 2% back on everything, except government funded things like Medicaid, Medicare, etc--and no, I did not ACTUALLY spend over $200 to earn $4.50--it takes your pre-coupon totals--score! Also, CVS had a coupon printer machine in the front of the store where they print you CVS coupons--these coupons combine with manufacturer coupons (sweet!) so definitely get a card or remember to use the one you already have!)

Since I linked the photo, I did not want to re-post it but here is the breakdown of our two transactions (I will also explain why many times you need to do multiple transactions in a store)--

Transaction One:

-Clear brand Shampoo-FREE (value 6.99 each-we got 2) (FREE this week because CVS coupon machine prints out a "4.99" value coupon off of any Clear brand shampoo--we got two because Andrew has a separate card--yes, you can sign up for multiple cards in your household, but this is the one he had from home)--Andrew just rang up his at a different register really fast, only one was on my card

-Almay Mascara and Almay eyeliner- 5.98 combined for 2 (on sale for 5.99 each, used a $5 off any 2-print this coupon from Coupons.com)  Any time you print from this site, there is a max of two prints allowed on any computer. I have a desktop and a laptop so I can usually print 4 altogether. Occasionally, some coupons have a max of one allowed per computer-bummer.)
        -This week, CVS offers a special when you buy 2 Almay products, you get $3 Extra Bucks back for a future purchase)--so, our total was 5.98 with $3 back, on makeup I actually use and love (limit 1 reward per card)

-Oral B complete action power toothbrush- on sale for 5.99 each (value 6.99 for brush and 9.99 for refill) and when you buy one Oral B power item you get $2 back in Extra Bucks, we bought two items, so $4 back (limit 2 rewards, so we hit the max on my card)- We used two $3 off any Oral B power product (from the Procter and Gamble insert this week, 3/31) so paid 2.99 each and got $2 back each

-Palmer's Cocoa Butter Stick (I am so excited since these are perfect for the car and chapped lips) - 3.79 each but CVS sale was Buy One, get one 1/2 off so 3.79 for one, and 1.89 for the second. I used 2, $2 off 1 Palmer's product coupons (I peeled these off a lotion in Walmart...they are called Peelies and kind of like the grail of coupon world. Yes, you can take these off and use them somewhere else..you just need a watchful eye and don't take like, all of them off every product you know?) So, 1.79 for the first item and .89 for the second :)

-CVS brand Vitamin Pops--on clearance for $2.49, I had received a $3 off any vitamin purchase from the CVS machine, so this gave me overage of .51 towards my order (bonus!)---Yes, this does happen and yes, it is completely legit! The CVS coupon just took $3 off my total for buying a vitamin product, and since the product I bought was not $3, it gave me extra money!

Also, I had a coupon for $5 off any $30 purchase at CVS (remember how cool that machine thing is? Yeah, this printed from that too---and sometimes they will email them or you can usually get them at the CVS website)---No, I did not actually spend $30, but my pre-coupon total was over $30 and that is all that mattered :)

So, my total before coupons (but using sale prices) was: $38.56 but the price I paid was $7.10 with all of those coupons and I used a $4 Extra Bucks reward I had from previous weeks--even without those, ~$10 out of pocket is pretty awesome and I received $7 back for the Almay and Oral B!

Transaction #2:

This is why you need to ring up in different orders sometimes. I used the $7 from the first order to pay for this second order.

-Crest Pro-Health mouthwash (the BIG bottle)- on sale for 4.49 each, used two, $1.50 off one coupons so that made them $2.99 each and when you buy one, you get $2 back in Extra Bucks (or $4 back in my case for buying two)

That left me about a dollar left on my Extra Bucks total from the first transaction, and since they are not like giftcards--the money has to be spent or anything left is lost. I threw in some candy to cover the one dollar, and of course I found a candy on sale and one I could use coupons on:

-Dove singles bars- 1.19 for one, and if you buy a second, it was .25. I used two, .50 off 1 coupons (from a  peelie pad in Dollar General a long time ago!) so I paid .44 for two (they are currently in my freezer!)
    -The cashier at first told me that since my pre-tax total was under $7, it would forfeit like 8 cents and I told him that was ok, but it took the whole $7 off anyway (therefore taking some off of my taxes!) so we were left with about 50 cents in tax or so.

Our total would have been $10.42 before coupons and Extra Bucks, and we only paid tax on that total! AND, we got $4 back towards our next purchase in Bucks (I am currently holding these in my big binder for next time--maybe later this week!)

I know I mentioned stockpiling and all I can say when someone asks is "why not?"--If you have the space, and something like mouthwash (which, everyone should be using twice a day, right?) can be bought FOR FREE or super super cheap, why not get it? I checked the dates, and it does not expire until May of NEXT year..so, instead of running out and being forced to pay the then-selling price (not on sale is OVER $6 a bottle!), go ahead and get it now. Stockpiling has such a bad connotation---I consider buying one or two to have on hand a 'stockpile', while I know you're all thinking about the TV show "Hoarders". Don't get that crazy lol. Also, lotion and toothbrushes do NOT go bad...so, if I can pay little to nothing for them, I will. And who doesn't like having cheap or free makeup on hand to try out or give away or keep a spare bag in their car (like I do when I am running behind).

Next up, very successful trip to Food Lion on April 1 :)