[deniseweber]

We are going thru a bit of a hard time (like everyone else). My husband and I work for the same company in the auto industry. Needless to say, there will be no bonus this year and some have been told no merit raise next year. At this point, we are hoping there will be no layoffs. Also, my kids have had to move back in. So, I have two adult boys (one works part time in retail, almost 40 hours. The other cannot find work in this economy.) My daughter is recently married and is 6 weeks pregnant and she and her husband also live with us.
I have only been couponing since August. I have a stockpile of food and some shampoo as I have mastered Publix thru the help of AFCers. However, what I am in need of is help for Christmas. I am just looking for assistance in deal ideas. If there is any assistance with CVS the great people here can give me, it would be much appreciated. I have not mastered CVS.
THANK YOU AHEAD OF TIME!
Thank you!

[Madmurphy]

Welcome to the world of CVS. You'll want to check out this thread to start with:

http://www.afullcup.com/forums/cvs/1...pping-cvs.html


Next you'll want to find some of the $3/$15 coupons that might be at the pharmacy area in your local stores. Here's a thread describing the coupon: http://www.afullcup.com/forums/cvs/1...5-coupons.html

The easiest way to start shopping with no oop $ is to start a new prescription or transfer a prescription to CVS and use a coupon for a CVS or competitor's GC with new/transfered prescription. That will get you the "seed money" you need to start earning your ECBs.

To earn ECBs, you have to buy products that earn ECBs with purchase. The trick to growing your ECBs is to buy those products using the CVS $/$$ coupons and manufacturer's coupons together. For instance, in this next week, there's a L'Oreal product that's $15.99 that is producing a $15.99 ECB. Use a CVS $3/$15 coupon and a L'Oreal $1.00 manufacturer's coupon and you've grown your ECBs by $4. That's $4 that you now have to buy items that you wouldn't ordinarily have coupons for or items that wouldn't have ECB sales at CVS -- could be anything you want or need for your household.

If you don't have the CVS $/$$ coupons, that's okay. You can still grow your ECBs. I had to do that for many months and it can be done. You just have to be a sharp couponer. And you have to be happy with the $1 or $2 ECB growth per trip instead of the $4 or $5 you might get with the $/$$ coupons. Slow and steady helps you shop a bit wiser. When the ECBs are a bit harder earned, you watch how carefully you plan your deals.

Watch for "Scenario" threads. People will often post these threads to help show the ways they are using coupons to buy items on sale for the week for the least oop. The scenarios should help you get ideas on how you can best put your coupons to work.

And, as always, check out the ad scans and ad matchups for the coming weeks. Those will help you gather your coupons to get ready ahead of time.

If you have any questions be sure to ask. We might not answer them right away but someone usually will answer. If we miss a question, just ask again.

[roygbiv]

Well said Madmurphy!

[newmommy]

pm'd you as it's not a cvs deal