CVS - A Love/Hate Relationship

For the most part, I love shopping at CVS. I only buy things on sale that we'll use and that I have coupons for. Combine that with the Extra Care Bucks I earn and it saves us a lot of money. Occasionally, there will be a hiccup in my plans that causes some frustration though.

I got the above items for $2.14 which is awesome, but I had to "fight" for a coupon that should have gone through and didn't. Here's the trip as it transpired:

Transaction #1 -
2 Pantene shampoo, 1 Pantene hairspray - $3.33 each and got the hairspray for free with coupon, earned $2 in ECBs
1 Dawn dish detergent - $.99 and used $.50 off coupon
also used $2/$10 coupon and $5 in ECBs
Total cost: $.43

Transaction #2 -
1 Oil of Olay face wash - $5.89 and used $2 off coupon
2 Colgate toothpaste - $2.99 each and used 2 $1 off coupons, earned $4 in ECBs
2 Cover Girl Outlast Lipstick - $9.99 each and it was buy 1, get 1 free...I also had a BOGO coupon (this didn't ring up...more later)
also used $2/$10 coupon and $7.99 in ECBs
Total cost: $8.71

Transaction #3:
2 boxes Corn Pops - 2/$4, used $1/2 coupon
2 boxes Raisin Bran - 2/$4, used $1/2 coupon
1 box Froot Loops, 1 box Apple Jacks - 2/$4, used $1/2 coupon
also used $2/$10 coupon and $4 in ECBs
Total cost: $3.00

Now for the drama of the evening: I realized they didn't take my BOGO coupon for the lipstick on transaction #2 when I got back to the van, so I went back in the store and waited in line (6 people long) so they could make the correction. If it had been a small amount, I wouldn't have bothered, but this coupon was worth $9.99, so it was worth the trip back in the store. At first they weren't going to give me a refund because they said that my total after my other coupons wasn't for that amount, so it was my fault that I didn't give them the coupons in the right order which is why the computer didn't take it. I calmly explained that had I not used my ECBs (which I ALWAYS hand them separately and last, after my other coupons), my total would have been more than $9.99, so the coupon should have worked. They (2 cashiers are working on this now) finally saw my reasoning and handed me a crisp $10 bill. I gave them a penny back so that we would officially be even. They finally figured out that since the coupon was for such a large discount, the first cashier should have done a price over-ride, so it really wasn't my fault and I was able to leave the store on friendly terms.

So after I came home and totaled what I actually spent and saved, I'm definitely back in love with the store.