CVS and conquer

Today my daughter and I rode our bikes to CVS where we spent $15.72. We didn't really get groceries, but when you consider what we bought, it's a pretty cool deal. Some of the items I bought at Target yesterday I should have saved for CVS (Progresso soup was buy one get one at CVS, at $2.19 whereas Target was $1.66 each and the coupon was for four... so the per can cost at CVS before the coupon would have been $1.10, 56 cents cheaper...)

Consumer note: CVS often runs sales for items that have coupons in THAT Sunday's paper. For instance, I received this Sunday's paper and there was a 35 cent coupon for Colgate. CVS had Colgate buy one get one. Using the coupons in this manner prevents the "clip, save, forget" problem. And the deals (compare with my target example) are good.

I usually review all the drugstore circulars before looking at the coupons, and then review the circulars I thought had pertinent deals a second time after clipping.

In this week's coupons AND on sale at CVS: Nature Valley granola bars, Chex mix, Progresso soup, candy, razor blades (I think), and Colgate. Probably other stuff too, but it's been a while since I practiced this.

Coupons, circulars, and stopping at multiple stores only works if you know what you usually pay/ can find stuff at. (Wow, awkward English.)

At Target, I almost bought shampoo. But they wanted $1.92 for the big cheapo bottle of Suave. My motto is if you're going to buy cheap shampoo, you never pay more than a dollar, or $1.29 if you're desperate.

CVS had VO5 on sale for 69 cents.

So, my trip to CVS was about medicine. I needed my iron pills. Ferrous Sulfate. (200 pills for $9.79) Normally I would get these from my small independent pharmacy that I love, but I wanted to walk (or bike) and I knew CVS had other stuff on sale.

How far did my $15.72 go? (I was aiming for $11 because that's what I had in cash, and that would have worked if I got 30 Ferrous pills instead of 200 and since I take 2 a day...)

- Iron pills, 200 in the bottle at $9.79
- 3 bags of candy (sour patch kids, sour patch watermelons, and swedish fish), 8 ounces each. 2/$3.00 minus $2 manufacturer coupon (That's $2.50 for the set or something like 83 cents a bag, but NOT a necessary item, just fun for 'family movie night.' Sure can help the family from being deprived.)
- Colgate whitening 6.4 ounce tubes, buy one get one free, bought 2 at $2.49 minus 35 cent manufacturer coupon (2 big tubes of toothpaste for $2.14, that's $1.07 each)
- 4 bottles of VO5 shampoo/conditioner at 69 cents each.

Then take ALL that and subtract my CVS Extra Bucks of $1.50