Ramblings-n-Writings

Occasionally I come across a post where people wonder if CVS is all that it’s cracked up to be. The same is true for Walgreens and Rite Aid. Since I don’t shop at Walgreens or Rite Aid, I can’t speak for those, but I can speak for CVS. Jump down in the post for my analysis of our spending at CVS and Krogers so far this year…

Here’s what we purchased this week: (None of these items were necessities, but the products (minus the candy) are all things that we use. With rising prices, I want to get them while they’re cheap!)

1 ClearCare twin pack contact solution (14.99); 1 Skintimate Shave Gel 7 oz (1.88, used as filler); 1 Aquafresh toothpaste (2.99); 4 Diet Coke 12 packs (3.00 each); 1 Venus Embrace razor (9.99); 1 Snickers King Size (88 cents, filler).

I started out with no ECBs, so I purchased the Diet Coke and toothpaste first using a $3 off $15 coupon. That transaction generated $5.99 in ECBs. Next I purchased the ClearCare using another $3/15 coupon and the $5.99 ECBs. The ClearCare generated $3 ECBs which I used along with another $3/15 to purchase the razor, shaving gel, and candy bar. There were also some miscellaneous coupons thrown in there.

All total I spent roughly $18 out of pocket and saved $35.47 using coupons and ECBs – not bad for starting with no ECBs. I have $3 to use next time.

So, is CVS really worth the effort? Here’s a tally of how we’ve done so far this year (excluding the above trip).

From January to mid-May, we purchased 106 items at CVS. (Note: We began CVS-ing in late November but became serious about it in late December. So, the number of items is representative of our initial stocking up on toiletries etc.)

January – May 2008
Out-of-pocket (actual cash handed to the cashier): $105.63
Number of items: 106
Avg. cost per item: $1
Amount saved (total of coupons and only ECBs used*): $326.55
Total value of purchased items: $432.18
Percent saved: 75%

*For the amount saved, I only count my ECBs when I use them. Some count their ECBs when earned and again when used. To me, that isn’t a true reflection of the savings.

I honestly don’t think it is possible to beat CVS. I know I can’t purchase our everyday toiletries for $1 at Wal-Mart on a regular basis. It just doesn’t happen.

In addition to the monetary value of CVS, there’s also a time factor that has to be figured in. On average, I spend 15-20 minutes cutting and organizing coupons (depends on how many coupons, which in W.Va. tends to be very few at times). If I know for sure in advance that I’ll be going to CVS, I spend about 30-45 minutes planning my CVS and Kroger trips. Otherwise I usually “wing it” and plan my trip while hubby is driving. Total that time and you have about an hour spent couponing and planning.

Another factor is gas and travel time. We live a fair distance (35-40 miles) from CVS and Kroger so it costs about $10 in gas for each trip. However, we don’t get up in the morning and say, “Let’s go to CVS today.” Our trips to CVS and Kroger are always planned in conjunction with other stops in that general direction. In fact, I can’t remember the last time we went out just to go grocery shopping or to CVS. It just doesn’t happen because we don’t feel that it is wise use of our gas or our time.

Update 12/08 – After playing the CVS game fairly regularly from Dec 07-March 08 and then sporadically from April 08-May 08, we were well-stocked and had no need of buying toiletries. Now in Dec 08 our stock is dwindling and I know we need to start visiting CVS again. Just within the past two weeks I had to purchase my Clear Care contact solution and a bottle of hairspray. I opened the last toothpaste yesterday too.

Why am I sharing this? Some people say it takes too much time or CVS is too hard to figure out. But look at what 4 months of my time translated to – 8 months of not having to worry about toiletries. And I still have plenty of deodorant, body wash / soap, other hair care products and razors for a couple of more months. Don’t forget that the 4 months of my time translated into $1 / item too. $1 that lasted a long time, in my opinion!

Here’s a quick recap of our Kroger savings:
January-May 2008 (20 weeks)
Out-of-pocket: $298.17
Number of items: 224
Avg. cost per item: $1.33
Amount saved (using sale items and coupons): $229.72
Total value of purchased items: $527.89
Percent saved: 44%
Cost per week: $14.91

Again, these amounts are reflective of “stocking up” on items. We don’t purchase a lot of meat (we live on a farm that provides most of our beef, pork, milk, eggs and venison) but I have been known to purchase meat (like spare ribs) when it’s a good price ($1/lb or less).

We also don’t shop exclusively at Krogers. If I added in what we’ve spent at Foodland so far this year, I think our food cost per week would be about $18 for two of us.

If you are interested in gardening, whether flower or vegetable, jump over to my other blog, Garden Vines.

Would you believe I paid $1.24 for everything above plus a king size Snickers bar and a 20 oz Diet Coke? So how did I do it? First, I started with $12.99 in ECBs (CVS money).

Transaction #1:
6 Post-its (2 each of Super Sticky, Flags, and Markers) – $2.50 (originally $2.79-$3.59)
2 Palmolive dish soap 11 oz. – Buy one get one free – $1.59
Total: $16.59
Coupons: Palmolive 25 cents; CVS $3 off $15; 3M Post-it $3 off 2 (I used 3 of these)
ECBs used: $4
Total oop: 70 cents
ECBs earned: $5

Transaction #2:
2 ALL Free and Clear detergent, 100 oz. – Buy one get one free – $6.49
1 Snickers king size – $1.49
1 Diet Coke, 20 oz. – $1.49
Total: $9.47
ECBs used: $4, $4.99
Total oop: 54 cents
ECBs earned: none

Total amount saved: $36.86 (That means with no coupons and no ECBs, I would’ve paid $38.10.)

Couple of notes about my transactions: I had a 2nd transaction planned with Bounty paper towels and deodorant. However once I got in the store and checked out the paper towels, I really wasn’t interested. From previous deals we have a couple of months of deodorant so the transaction really wasn’t necessary.

I used to use ALL detergent a lot until I switched to Arm & Hammer Essentials (a “green” detergent of baking soda and plant extracts). When I realized the detergent on sale for B1G1 was the 100 oz. bottle, I decided to use up some ECBs. If I had taken the time to go back out to the car, I probably had a coupon or two for ALL that I could’ve used. (The same container of detergent was on sale in K-Mart for $4.99. Mine were $3.24 each but I got them for free!) To keep my out of pocket lower, I added in the Snickers bar and the Diet Coke for my husband.

For more great ideas for deals, visit Money Saving Mom and Centsible Sawyer.

Welcome to another edition of deals from CVS! I started this week with $16.96 in ECB. I did four separate transactions which probably could’ve been combined into 2 in reflection.

Transaction #1:
4 Diet Coke @ 99 cents each
I tried paying with $3.99 ECB but my total was a penny short. So I added a Heath bar for 50 cents.
ECBs used: $3.99
OOP: 49 cents
ECBs earned: none

Transaction #2
1 Speed Stick 24/7 @ $3.99
1 bag Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups @ $3.49
1 bag Hershey’s Miniatures @ Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Total: $7.48
ECBs used: $4.99
OOP: $2.59
ECBs earned: $3.99

Transaction #3
1 Alavert Allergy Med, 18 ct. bonus pack, @ $6.99
1 Softsoap Spa @ $4.99
1 Herbal Essence shampoo @ $4.29
1 Herbal Essence shampoo @ Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Total: $16.27
Coupons used: 75 cents Softsoap Spa; $2 Alavert; $3 off 2 Herbal Essence products; $1 CVS (shows on my receipt but I don’t remember what it was for!!!)
ECBs used: $3.99
OOP: $6.21
ECBs earned: $4.99 Softsoap; $4 Alavert
(I had more ECBs that I could have used to lower my OOP, but I wanted to make sure the Alavert deal was working and didn’t want to lose those ECBs if it wasn’t.)

Transaction #4
1 Hershey’s Kisses Special Dark @ $4.29
1 Hershey’s Kisses Peanut Butter (Delicious!!!!) @ Buy 1 Get 1 Free
1 Alavert Allergy Med, 18 ct. bonus pack, @ $6.99
1 Hershey’s bar (filler)
Total: $10.98
Coupons: $1 CVS Hershey’s Kisses; $2 Alavert
ECBs used: $7.98
OOP: 16 cents
ECBs earned: $4 Alavert

Approx Total Cost of Products: $62; Saved $53.35; Paid $9.45; ECBs left $12.99

On a different note, I found a great deal in Kmart’s clearance aisle. Our new home will have a wood-burning fireplace, and we have none of the tools for tending a fireplace. In Kmart I spotted a log holder – you know the things that you sit on the hearth to hold the logs until you need them? This one was cool because it had a removable carrier to transport the logs in. The clearance price was $6. I figured even if it was “cheaply” made, it was worth $6 until we found something better. When checking out, the cost was $3!!! The original price was $29.99. And as an added bonus, the holder is made of metal and the log carrier part is leather-ish so I know it will last for years!!! All for $3 – woo-hoo!!!!!