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Home » CLOSED: Guest Post and Giveaway: How I Simplify my CVS Trip

CLOSED: Guest Post and Giveaway: How I Simplify my CVS Trip

August 24th, 2009 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

A Note to my Readers:  My Mom once described coupons as those ‘pretty papers she threw away with the newspaper.”  That is, until I introduced her to shopping at CVS.  Now she and I giggle over the phone about our latest ECB deal and check up with each other on Sundays to be sure we remembered to pick up the paper.  She’s hooked.

So I asked her if she would write a guest post about the unique and fun method she uses to organize her next trip to CVS.  She graciously agreed.

If you are a CVS newbie or even a veteran, this method is a great way to simplify your next CVS shopping trip.  Check it out and then enter her giveaway!

“If I can’t see something, it doesn’t exist.”

–Nancy Hill

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I get overwhelmed in the presence of confusion, so you can imagine how overwhelmed I felt when I started my CVS adventure.  Picture this: with my hands full of coupons I’m trying to push my cart at the same time that I’m leafing through a 14-page CVS flyer and watching my stack of ECBs flutter to the floor.

Then, let’s see, is it the 4.0 oz., 4.2 oz. or the 4.6 oz. size? Is it the MaxFresh or the MaxWhite?  The Sensitive or the Advanced Whitening?  And when will I ever learn that Colgate is spelled C-O-L-G-A-T-E and Crest is spelled C-R-E-S-T?

Do you relate?  I thought so.

I am a visual learner. I can’t make neat piles like some of my organized friends do, because if I can’t see something, it doesn’t exist.  I finally came up with a shopping tool that works perfectly for me.

At the $1 Store, I found a 4×6 photo album (in which I would never put my photos); you know the type, with the top-loading slip-in sleeves.  It’s flimsy and flexible and fits perfectly in my purse. I decorated the cover of it, including, of course, the words Cha-Ching!

These are the steps I now take each week:

–When I get the latest CVS flyer, I go through each page with delicious anticipation and use a Sharpie to put fat black circles around everything that looks interesting.  (I try to get two flyers because I cut out the little ads with the colorful little pictures of the products.  Sometimes the ads are back-to-back, so a second flyer solves this little problem.)

–Then I pull up www.chachingonashoestring.com to study the current deals Kaley has  cooked up for me.

–Now I’m ready to cut out the pictures and product descriptions and slip them into my beautiful Cha-ching binder, one deal per sleeve.  Then I find my manufacturer coupons, any printed coupons or rainchecks and slip them behind the product picture.

cvs-book

For example, currently in one sleeve in my album I have a cut-out with Hellman’s 2/$4.00. Behind that I have a manufacturer coupon for  60 cents and a printed coupon for $1.00 off.  Since they ran out of Hellman’s when this deal was running, I got a raincheck so that is also slipped in behind the picture.

IT’S ALL THERE!!  I CAN SEE IT!!  IT’S SO SLEEK, SO SHINY!! I AM NOT OVERWHELMED!!

I do this for all the specials I plan to take advantage of.  There are still some sleeves empty at the end of the album; these are important because this last step was stressful for me before.

When I find the product on the shelf and put it in my cart, I leave that picture in the sleeve but pull out the coupons and slip them in the designated sleeve in the back next to the ECBs from past transactions. (I leave the pictures so when I get my receipt I go over the list of ECBs and compare them to my pictures. Several times they have failed to give me all my ECBs-gasp!)

Are you still with me? Don’t quit yet! I find the next product, drop it in my cart and pull out the coupons from behind the picture and put it in the same sleeve as the previous coupons. All the coupons I am going to need are in that one pocket ready to be pulled out and slapped on the counter.  Rainchecks should be in a third sleeve at the back of the album.

Now when I sashay up to the counter, I’m all ready and organized. 1) If I need rainchecks or if I’m using one, I start with those. 2) Then I put the rest of my products on the counter and let the clerk ring them up. 3) I pull out all my coupons from the one sleeve for her to deduct. So easy!  4) Finally I pull out the ECBs from their shiny home and watch the price shrink. Cha-ching!  Cha-ching!  Cha-ching!

If you think this is a tool that would work for you also, I have created three Cha-Ching! albums as a gift for the readers of this blog….

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So what do you have to  do to enter?  So glad you asked!

Here is how you can enter this 72 hour giveaway:

  1. Subscribe to our feed by e-mail or in a reader and leave a  comment telling us you did so.  (Yep–it’s free!) If you are already a subscriber, leave a comment letting us know. 
  2. We’ve joined Twitter! Get an additional entry by following us on Twitter and leaving a comment letting us know you are a follower.
  3. If you tweet or blog about this giveaway, add an additional comment for each to receive extra entries in the contest.

This giveaway ends at 8:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, August 27 2009. We’ll use Random.org to select the three winning comments. Winners will be notified by email and listed on this site.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: CVS

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Comments

  1. Pat Campbell says

    August 25th, 2009 at 12:14 am

    I already subscribe by e-mail and I’m going to try to make a book if I don’t win one. I think I will make one for Rite Aid and Walgreens. I love how she wrote how she had a hard time at first. Eveyone acts like it should be a breeze but I know alot of people get confused! I ‘m happy to know we can get better at this!! Happy Couponing! Pat

  2. Allison says

    August 24th, 2009 at 11:24 pm

    That is a great way to organize your coupons for any store. And it would definitely fit in anyone’s purse or diaper bag. Thanks for sharing.

  3. JACLYN M says

    August 24th, 2009 at 11:08 pm

    IM A SUBSCRIBER THIS IS A GREAT POST.I LIKE HOW YOU GET ORGANIZE TO GO TO CVS .I MISS SOME DEALS BECAUSE I M SO UNORGANIZED.SO PLEASE HELP.

  4. Connie R. says

    August 24th, 2009 at 10:52 pm

    I subscribe. Love the post with the visuals. I too am a visual person and will be converting to your method. Thanks!

  5. Caroline says

    August 24th, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    I’m a subscriber.

  6. sandy berry says

    August 24th, 2009 at 10:18 pm

    i loved your mom’s description of her method ( i love her too) its a great idea. i already subscribe and excitedly go to my e-mail daily. thanks again

  7. Kelli says

    August 24th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    And I just tweeted about the giveaway @ twitter.com/kelliblossom

  8. Kelli says

    August 24th, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    I am now also following you on twitter!!!

  9. Kelli says

    August 24th, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    I am a loyal subscriber!!!

  10. Kelli says

    August 24th, 2009 at 9:25 pm

    OMG….I HAVE to win this!!! It is so freakin’ cute 🙂 Love it…..

  11. Mrs. H says

    August 24th, 2009 at 8:09 pm

    I now follow you on Twitter (hmommy)

  12. Mrs. H says

    August 24th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    Great idea! I am so ready to dive into this CVS game!
    I am an email subscriber.
    Thanks!

  13. Bev says

    August 24th, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    What a great idea to collect coupons,receipts,rainchecks etc.I am new to this coupon savings and this is a great organizationl tool.Thanks a lot!

  14. Garilyn says

    August 24th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    I’m a follower on Twitter!

  15. Garilyn says

    August 24th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    I subscribe. I loved the tutorial!

  16. ALLISON says

    August 24th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    OH MY GOSH!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SITE.

    I ALSO AM A VISUAL LEARNER AND HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING AS YOU HAVE. YOU CAN BET IF I DON’T WIN ONE OF YOUR ALBUMS, I WILL BE HITTING THE DOLLAR STORE THIS WEEKEND TO BUY ONE!!

    THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL COLUMN,

    ALLIE

  17. Dy says

    August 24th, 2009 at 7:17 pm

    This is such a good idea…..I am new to the CVS game….and I am overwhelmed….I also figure we are in the same “age bracket” perhaps of 50ish and it seems I am fumbling with all my “stuff” when I am at the drug store trying to “compute” deals…..your photo album would help my sanity stay “organized” LOL….I so want to learn to do this ! thanks…..I sashay too!!!!!!

  18. Faye says

    August 24th, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    WOW! What a wonderful idea! I’ve tried the binder, but those little slots of baseball card holders are way too small for most coupons. I tried envelopes for each store, and have a mess in my purse. This is great! I’m going to the dollar store now and..watch out CVS, I’m dangerous when I’m organized:)

  19. Alexia Miller says

    August 24th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    subscriber!

  20. Gail says

    August 24th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    Ok, I am totally impressed. This is another great idea which leaves me wondering “Why did I think of that?” GREAT IDEA!

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