Enough complaining, back to shopping

Some where along the way I left out a Lifesaver / Razor deal. 10 bags free, 2 razors free paid $0.56 oop. I found the bag tonight but didn't want to take another picture. I still have 2 more "transactions" to do but since talking to DM, don't know if I want to go empty handed. Hopefully I'll get an email back. A user of Refund Cents shared a scanned copy of the policy that was sent to her on CVS letterhead but it doesn't print well for me. Moving on....

Walgreens sent out a $5 off $20 purchase coupon last night. I didn't have a lot of time to pull my deals together in order to hit several Wags on my way home from work, so I had to settle for 1 deal - which turned into 2! I also went to Wal-Mart to use up some coupons and check if inventory had been replaced.
Wal-Mart
15 Kotex @ 1.00 each - 1.00 coupon = free
3 South Beach drink @ 2.00 - 2.00 IP coupon = free
6 Well Patch @ .97 - 1.00 = .03 overage
1 scrubbie thin @ .97
1 Diet Mt. Dew @ 1.38 (ridiculous price to pay, but it was HOT and I was thirsty!)

Total BC 29.17 AC + tax 3.79
I did mention to cashier that I really didn't have a bleeding disorder, was stocking up for pretween DD. I think I might use some to make these fancy duds: Maxi Pad Slippers

Wags trip:

1st deal was the Gazelle Vacuum. I had read about this on the Walgreens website and it had decent reviews. I have a Dyson canister that I love, but at times, it is a pain to put together and impossible to convince DD to use frequently. I also have a Swiffer vac that I loved when I first got it, but the battery has died considerably and I don't use it at all. Walgreens has a $20 rebate on this item and although I wasn't really considering it for $80.00, I came across it in the clearance rack, listed for 49.99. I thought after rebate, $30 sounded pretty good. However, when I went to buy it, using the 5 off 20 coupon, the friendly cashier said it was ringing up 19.99 and coupon wouldn't work- how horrible!!... I tossed the .50 kitten calendar up on counter and all was well. I spent 16.57 but will get back 20 + 2 on rebate. Profit 5.43.
All the other stuff I bought in 2nd transaction.
10 Pringles @ 0.61 (I bought some fat free and light versions - not totally bad) after coupons and RR. One actually rung up wrong and I didn't get the RR but called store and will get refund of 2.39 and 3 RR.
2 Tuf garbage bags B1G1 @ 4.99. Will get 5 + .50 rebate
2 Bioinfusion hair stuff @ 5.99 each, will get 11.98 + 1.20 rebate
4 Hershey Bliss @ .75 each, but will get 5 + .50 rebate (are you seeing a pattern?)
2 Dog bones @ 2.00 My dogs have been bored and I swear I haven't seen them in 3 days!
1 Olay Regenerist Thermal face kit on clearance. Full price it was 27.99. Clearance price is 6.99. I used $3 coupon. You can do the math. Cheap face lift.

Total of two transactions:

BC $72.74 (after $81 clearance markdown)
- $25.90 coupons,
+ 3.53 tax
- 3.29 refund
- 2.70 (I didn't get the 3 RR, so she gave me .30 for the 9 correct Pringles)
- 41.98 Walgreens ES rebate
- 4.20 10% bonus ES rebate
= -$1.80 ... Profit. Period. End of calculation.

If there were any doubt....

I let my happy behind (as mentioned in previous post) get the better of me and pretty much had this baby wrapped up! I got a message from the DM on my voice mail yesterday. I called him back today, so sure that he was going to apologize and confirm what Customer Care had already told me. Nope. Not even close. I did not expect that and all of my "imagined" conversations had not even gone there, so to speak. He said that I had to buy something to get the free item and buy using a coupon "as payment" I wasn't really buying it and they couldn't let me get something for free. I tossed a few scenarios at him, explaining my understanding of a coupon. I asked about a 4 dollar bottle of shampoo that if I had a $3.99 coupon, I could use that and pay $0.01 but (using a coupon for the purchase) but a coupon that states B1G1 free, maximum value 2.29, I couldn't use to get the free bag - no he said. I said if the coupon stated save $2.19 (current price of lifesavers here) I could use it and get 2 bags free. I don't know if he answered that or if he did, I don't recall... he just said that the stores I had used them at should not have, and that they were trying to please the customer. I finally asked, so if I buy 1 @ 2.19, use this coupon I should get one from CVS and one from manufacturer? Again, no direct response that was clear cut. He said just in our conversation, coupons are so open to interpretation. I agree but mentioned that what he was saying was in direct conflict of what I was already told by Customer Care per there book that they were using. The lady on phone Monday night had several scenarios that she was reading from, then said, well that isn't the exact scenario... read another one... until she found the correct one. He didn't have a good answer for using a coupon on a sale item when I mentioned Michelle's excuse. He said I would be better off using my B1G1 free when it wasn't on sale... huh?!?! In the end, I tried to explain to him that it wasn't so much about getting to use my coupon but that I would have preferred a better, more professional response from Michelle as I had from Adam when I called back. I got off the phone, frustrated and promptly wrote cvs.com and asked for specific clarification. The more I thought about it, the more I felt he was taking up for the employees and not the consumer and that really irks me. As I mentioned to a friend at work, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that there is even a romantic connection between Michelle and the DM, after seeing his picture hanging at the "good" store. That is probably stretching it. So I have spent the last few hours scouring the internet to find the true meaning of what the verbage on coupons mean. I have found good interpretations to try and explain to ignorant cashiers, managers, district managers.... purchase is a item, transaction is entire group, but I want something more definite. I kept looking at my poor Lifesaver coupon and its "Limit one coupon per purchase." sentence. How do I prove that a single item is a purchase.... I checked a CVS receipt. It has a transaction number up top (good to use for transaction proof) and # items at bottom - not clear enough though for purchase. Finally it dawned on me. I dug an empty wrapper out of my trash and took the following picture - note the proof of purchase. Think it'll work?!? I sure do!

7/28 Made the phone call to CVS....

I was really tied up at work today... not literally tied up of course, but so busy that the morning got away from me. I called the unfriendly store about 3 p.m. and the phone was answered by none other than "Michelle". I asked politely to speak to a manager and she proceeded to ask what SHE could do to help me. I then asked for Karen as I had seen Karen's smiling face as I strutted out of the store yesterday. Michelle promptly said that she (Karen) had just left for the day and was there anything that she could help me with.

I had talked to CVS employee Adam yesterday, who is apparently above Michelle in rank (he was called to the phone when I asked to speak to the store manager) I explained the problem that occurred with Michelle and asked for clarification. He was very polite but ADMITTED that he wasn't brushed up on the coupon rules and to speak with Karen, the top dog store manager today. Honesty goes a long way! I'd had rather been told that the cashier wasn't sure, Michelle wasn't sure, no one knew diddly squat about how to use a little piece of paper that wasn't money to pay for something, but that they would find out the answer and take my number, follow up, etc... Make me a happy shopper who wants to return to their little store. Obviously that didn't happen. I felt like I was a smooth criminal.

I suspect that Adam passed the fact that I called in regards to the problem with Michelle. I know I would have given a heads up if someone was upset with one of my co-workers... Anyway, either Michelle has an air of superiority about her when she speaks on the phone, or she was keyed into the fact that I would be calling back. I won't say she was entirely impolite, but not overtly friendly either. I'm sure she is a nice girl but boy she ticked me off yesterday and was sour sounding today. I promptly hung up and called 1-800-Shop-CVS. Glad I did! I spoke with a really nice lady who confirmed that both items should be mine for the taking if I had a B1G1 coupon, that indeed I could use a coupon on a sale item and that it clearly sounded like the employees needed to be trained. She would pass along the info to the District Manager and would I like a follow up call from the man himself??! Of course I said! I reiterated my disappointment and EMBARRASSMENT of being treated as an imbecile who was trying to pull something over on CVS. Even the rep on the phone said that the employees don't see it as "fair" when someone walks out without paying for something but that the Manufacturer of the product pays retail price + handling. I can't wait to speak with DM and let him know that there are in fact several wonderful CVS stores in his area and expected the same from this one.


Now, should I strut my happy behind back into that store and purchase my Lifesavers from Michelle her Highness or go on my merry way??? To be decided....

7/27/08 CVSin'

My ECB supply has dwindled so I decided I would go ahead and do the Lifesaver deal that is all the talk this week, even though I already have countless bags of them. If nothing else, they will be good to send for class parties at DD school! I have exactly 23 B1G1 coupons and thought I would drive to 4 stores and get no more than 10 per store and leave some for others. I then could access two additional stores this week on my way home from work. At the first store I had no problems. I got 10 bags with many more left, 2 razors using $4.00 coupon and 1 paper. OOP 2.26 Earned 5 ecb.
On to second store, repeated leaving out newspaper. Our paper here gets very few coupons. I get a copy just in case there is something I need and to judge if I want to buy additional copies, otherwise I just get inserts elsewhere! No problems to be had, other than the pesky issue with this coupon not wanting to scan. I even threw in some Orange Mint variety hoping it would tag to those and not beep. OOP 1.13 Earned 5 ecb.
Third store - tried same transaction. Presented coupons and the cashier told me that I could only use one, since it says, "Limit one coupon per purchase." She didn't agree with me that 1 purchase is 2 bags. I said fine, I'll make 5 purchases. She gave me a dirty look and called for manager. Manager asked if I was using any CVS coupons because I would not be able to use them with the lifesavers and razors...??!? I said no.... she then started reading the coupon and said that I couldn't use it because it states, "No other coupon or offer may be used in conjunction with this coupon, yada yada yada...." And since they were "on sale" at CVS I couldn't use the coupon. I then asked her if she was implying I can't use a coupon on sale items, to which she said yes. I said, I have used this coupon this morning at another location and they didn't have a problem with it. She said the other store was not reading the coupons then. I left my stuff on the counter and said I was so glad that they were so proficient at reading and I would be calling corporate. It isn't so much about getting the free stuff but for her and the cashier to act like I was trying to scam them and then the audacity of her stating that CVS will not take a coupon on a sale item is ridiculous. I left cursing myself that my battery in phone was not charged and mad that she got to me!! I went to the last CVS and while doing the same purchase minus razors because they were already out, asked the cashier about coupons on sale items. I know the answer, was just curious. Dang Lifesaver worked 1st time then on 2nd it said that it was over the amount.... She called over someone else and then they got to looking and said I couldn't use them because I have to "buy" one bag. I said I was buying them with the coupon... no go. I would have left with nothing, but needed milk. I'm calling the 3rd and 4th manager tomorrow. We'll see what happens!
Total
$64.75 BC $7.58 AC Used 1 ecb, $6.58 oop. Got back 10 ecb. Profit of $2.42!!

7/26 Walgreens Double Dip Day

I was convinced I did not need to, or for that matter want to do any shopping today. I changed my mind.

Action scrubber 5.49 - $2.75 IP coupon - 1.50 ES rebate (+0.15 bonus) - 5.49 TMF rebate = -$4.40 - aka profit!

2 foils -used up my last 2 Q's. Wags price was $0.89 - .75 = 0.14 each

2 Loreal Hair dye = 9.99 each (19.98) - 10 MQ - 9 ES Q (5 off 2 for July and 2 off 1 (x2) for Aug) = $0.98 for both.
2 Dove chocolate 2 for $6 - 3 MQ - 1 ES = $2 for both but the cat machine spit out a $1 RR courtesy of Dove. So $0.50 each afte the cat. I also got a cat for $5 off Clairol Natural Instincts Haircolor.

Final tally: BC $34.85 AC+tax $8.33(oop) - 1 RR - 1.65 ESR - 5.49 Rebate = $0.19

7/25/08 Walmart Cherry Picking

I spent several days perusing the deals to be had at Walmart, my least favorite store to shop, I decided to hit them up after a change of plans freed up my evening. I had a general idea of prices from other areas of the country but was really surprised how "expensive" some of the things were. Just not as cheap as I had hoped, but I still saved close to 70% off the bill, whereas in the past, I haven't had many deals that were more than 50% saved.

BC 86.69, AC + tax 27.42. Used gc from bike win that I took back a few weeks ago.

5 YoPlus @ 1.23 each
4 Juicy Juice @ 1.76 each (for DD school lunches)
3 Farmland products all about 1.00 each.
3 Pickles @ .46 each
3 South Beach pizza @ .72 each
4 Single serve pie slices @ 1.01 for 2 pieces per box
2 Gold Bond free + overage
2 John Frieda mousse free + overage
4 Pert shampoo free + overage. (Years ago when this first came out, I hated it. Now that it is repackaged and remarketed, I have tried it and was surprised. It is good for DD who sometimes over conditions her tweenage, oily hair.)
5 Bertolli sauce with the box thanks to the suggestion offered on the Cherry Picker blog. I've found some great blogs lately and have been utilizing the google reader to keep up with them. I'm having so much fun reading about other peoples shopping trips along with getting great tips and deal suggestions.
1 Thomas Bagel free - used coupon that I had one from Kraft. They took the full $4 off 2.68 price!
10 Kotex pads. I have 26 or so more coupons to use before 8/3/08. I'm stocking for the tween mentioned above!

46 items 46 coupons, great cashier who made sure that each coupon scanned. Went over the $40 limit and CSM had to approve but I was expecting that. Other than long lines and congestion while trying to find my stuff, it was a good experience. I was only disappointed that I didn't find all of the things I was looking for, but I'll try again since I'll be there frequently next week buying Kotex.

CVS 7/24/08

I stopped by CVS near my workplace and finished using my L'oreal coupons. I had some printable B1G1 Trident coupons to use with the B1G1 sale that earns $1 ecb. I bought 2 Skor bars as I was 2 short for the free Hershey bar wyb 10 but for some reason, these did not get included in the count tally. 1 is missing....

Cashier could not get the Trident to work, so she ended up voiding off 2 instead of keying the Q. In the end, I bought 1 got 3 free, but only got the 1 ecb. I've got so much gum, I don't think I'll do any more since the coupon isn't scanning easily.
BC $13.05 AC 2.32 + .70 tax. Used 3 ecb, paid oop $0.02. I got back 1 ecb. Net cost $2.02.