For my frugal friends

For all my friends who love a bargain and to complement my friend Amanda's blog who is always posting her found deals, I want to share the wonder that is CVS. Where have I been? I've had an Extra Care Card for years and have never paid attn. to it other than knowing it allowed me to get the advertised sale price on items.

Well, I recently learned the system....and now I'm on my way to never paying for toiletries!

Basically, if you don't have an Extra Care Card, go by CVS and sign up and get one on the spot. You are then in their computer system. Each time you shop, give them your card to swipe. It records your purchases and for starters, you get 2% cash back on annual purchases as well as the advertised in-store specials. You also get 1 Extra Care Buck placed in your account for every 2 prescriptions you get at CVS.

This great system requires that you spend a little more up front (I spent $43 tonight), but after that you will be well on your way to paying nothing for toiletries, etc.

Here's how to do it...get the CVS flyer in the paper or one in the store. Find the items w/ the red Extra Circle stating how many Extra Care Bucks you receive if you purchase that item. Make your list of items you need that will give Extra Bucks back.

For example, tonight I purchased Cottonelle toilet tissue, Colgate toothpaste, Nature's Valley granola bars, Palmolive Dish soap, Lysol wipes, etc. all because for each of these items purchased, CVS gave me at least $1 back in my account. Most of them earned me $2 per item back in my account, though!

So, after purchasing just 8 items in the store, I have $12 in my account that is like cash!
After you purchase the items, your extra care bucks print out on your receipt (or you can print them out at home 2 days later). You can then bring those printed bucks back to buy items that are offering Extra Care Bucks and pay nothing for them while making more money in your account at the same time!!

Also, regular coupons will often print out w/ your receipt for items to use in store. Or once you sign up, you may get emails from CVS offering a printable coupon for $4 off a total purchase of $20 or more! So the savings just continue.
It's really so great, it makes you wonder when they are going to figure out what a steal it is and stop offering it!

Tonight, which was my first time to do this (so I was spending a little more up front) I still saved $8 additional dollars b/c I had $3 Extra Care Bucks from a previous purchase, a manufacturer's coupon for $1 off the Cottonelle, and a $4 coupon off a $20 purchase.

I know this is a little confusing, it takes a little time to get used to it, but after shopping once I got it. And, the best part is, it didn't take a bunch of extra time! My goal is to NOT give Walmart so much of our monthly budget. I LOATHE that place and and hope to be able to stay far, far away! Every time I come home from shopping there, I complain to Jamie of how I nearly lost my religion in the check out line or left the store completely out of the Spirit or had to go to 2 other stores to get things b/c THEY WERE OUT OF 10 THINGS ON MY LIST...AGAIN!!!

To further explain, if Colgate is on sale for 2.99 with your Extra Care Card at CVS and they give you 2.00 back in Extra Care bucks (it's like you paid 99 cents for the toothpaste) you can ALSO use a manufacturer's coupon that you clipped from the paper (or if one is not in the coupons this week in the paper, google for one and print it at home!) and use that. So, if you have a 50 cent coupon for Colgate, you are only paying 45 cents for toothpaste!

So to sum up...

• I circle the things in the flyer that we need (and not necessarily for this week, but down the road...it's a great way to stock the pantry/bathroom cabinet and not have to shop for things as often...or if you don't need it, give it to someone who does!) that give extra bucks back into my account AND ONLY PURCHASE THESE THINGS.

• I take my Extra Care Bucks (printed on my receipt from previous trips or from the computer) and any other coupons from CVS or clipped from the paper to save even more, and then I shop for things that are giving Extra Care Bucks back this week.

• I pay for the items with my printed Bucks and accumulate more bucks in my account... and maybe hand over only a couple of dollars in cash!

**Note...Extra Care Bucks do have an expiration date...so don't let them accumulate too long. I believe they expire about one month after they are issued/printed out at the register.

Happy Shopping/Saving!