I heart CVS

It seems everyone wants to save money these days.  Label it the economy, the housing bust, the new practicality.  Whatever the reason, we can't argue that it is trendy. 


Enter the Krazy Coupon Lady.  This woman keeps a blog, of sorts, that lists every deal at every major retailer. She was the subject of a new TV show, Extreme Couponing, on TLC, where $638.64 (retail value) worth of groceries came to a mere $2.64 cents after coupons.  


I have been into couponing for some time. It started when I was expecting baby number three and trying to buy a new house, and wanted to find a way to better budget.  Today, for me, it's not so much about saving the money- it's about reallocating the money.  I can afford this or that, but why pay retail? There is a little game in getting a good deal from the stores and having your cash to spend on other things, like this trip to Paris. 


One of my favorite places to coupon (yes, it's a verb) is CVS.  There are weeks when I walk out with bags of stuff for mere dollars.   Here is what I got this week. 

Two spin toothbrushes ($6 ea), two toothpaste($3.29 ea) and contact solution ($5.99).  My cost?   - 1.50. Yes, NEGATIVE $1.50.  The store actually paid me $1.50 in overage to take this stuff off their shelves. 

 Tide High Efficiency laundry detergent. (Avg retail $7.50, on sale $5.94 ea) My cost?  $11 for three. Let's apply the -1.50 from above and these cost me merely 9.50, or just over three bucks each. Not bad! 

Four Axe body products ($4.50 ea). My cost, $4 for all or $1 ea. 


So, $13.50 for everything (valued over $60 without coupons). Now, the first question I'm often asked is why even bother with the things like body wash? You could save that $4 also.  Well, one, I love a bargain. And, two, sometimes you have to stack coupons in strange ways to maximize value.  For example, I had to buy a certain number of Proctor and Gamble products in order to get my Tide so cheaply. The body wash filled-in the gap.  Plus, I can give it to my brother. He loves that stuff.


This may not be the best example, some weeks are more lucrative than others. Still, it's a fun game knowing I beat the system. It's also retail therapy. I love to shop and I can't spend all my money in high end children's boutiques, much as I would love to. 


So, hop on over to the Krazy Coupon Lady and spend some time there. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the couponing bug too. 


Marie