Store Incentive Program Information

CVS:  http://www.cvs.com

CVS Extra Care Card:

CVS has a loyalty card called an Extra Care Card that you use every time you shop there.  There are some sale items that will only scan at the sale price if you use your card. You also earn 2% back on all your purchases. CVS Extra Care cards are FREE and limited to one per person. You can pick one up the next time you are in a CVS or you can sign up for one online and have it mailed to you. If you get one at the store make sure to register it online. CVS occasionally sends emails with printable coupons for card-holders.

Extra Care Bucks -ECBs:

Extra Care Bucks, aka ECBs, are like CVS money or instant rebates. When you buy an item advertised as earning extra bucks you will pay for the item and then the ECBs will print at the bottom of your receipt. You cut these off and keep them like cash. Then the next time you buy something at CVS you can use your ECBs to pay for it.

Example:
In the ad: Buy Chips at $4 and receive $2 ECBS.
Buy Chips – pay $4
Receive $2 ECBs on receipt
Next visit – Buy Diapers $8.99
give the cashier your $2 ECBs
Now pay $6.99
The best way to maximize your ECBs is to “roll” them. Buy something that earns ECBs then use those ECBs to buy something else that earns ECBs. This way you make an initial cash purchase and then use CVS money for all future purchases. Now, don’t waste ECBs! You cannot use a $10 ecb on an $8 purchase and keep the $2. Your purchase must be equal to or greater than (before tax) the ECB amount. You will not get cash back and your ECBs will not be carried over. ECBs can be used on anything in the store except the usual exclusions (Prescriptions, tobacco, stamps, etc.).  I generally have several different transactions at one time.  I use my ECB’s at that time, unless I don’t have time to do multiple transactions.  It takes a bit, but in the end, I’m saving money and getting things for free.

Quarterly ECBs:

In addition to the weekly ECBs that you earn for buying advertised products, you earn quarterly ECBs. CVS gives 2% back on all your purchases! So, every 3 months you will get an ECB for 2% of what you spent at CVS that quarter. If you spend $100 in one quarter then you will get a $2 ECB. Occasionally CVS issues Triple ECB coupons. You scan it once and it will triple your quarterly earnings from that point until the quarter is over. So, once you scan it you will start earning 6% back on all your purchases. The triple ECB coupon is not for the Weekly ECBs that you earn.

Weekly Deals:

Every week CVS puts out a circular with deals that are good for one week. There are regular sale items and there are ECB deals. ECB deals usually are the ones you want to look at for saving money. Though there are some good non-ECB deals too! With ECB deals you have the opportunity to maximize your savings! For one deal you can use a manufacturer’s coupon, a CVS coupon AND earn ECBs!

Example:
Deal in Ad: Buy Colgate Toothpaste at $2.99 and earn $2 ecbs
You have a $1 off Colgate Toothpaste coupon that you got when you scanned your CVS card
You also have a $1 off Colgate Toothpaste coupon that you printed off the Internet.
So, buy Colgate Toothpaste at $2.99
use $1 CVS coupon
use $1 Manu. coupon
Pay 99¢
Earn $2 ecbs…a $1.01 profit!

Monthly Deals:

Each month CVS puts out an Extra Value Book with ECB deals that are good all month long. Some of these deals are featured in the weekly ads. Make sure to pay attention to the limits. If it is limit one in the monthly ad and is featured in the weekly ad at limit one that means it is limit one for the whole month. You don’t get to buy it when it is in the weekly ad and then buy it again later in the month. You will only get ECBs for the first one you purchase.

Certain Stores…Good information

	Kroger	Save A Lot	CVS	Walgreens	RiteAid	WalMart
Accept Coupons (Manufacturer’s or In Store)	Manu. Coupons	Yes	Both	Both	Both	Manu. Coupons
Double Coupons	Up to 60 cents	No	No	No	No	No
Triple Coupons	No	No	No	No	No	No
Accept Competitor’s Coupons	No	No	No	No	No	No
Store Incentives	Kroger Card	No	Extra Care Card	Register Rewards	RX Savings Card	No
Rain Check Policy	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Price Matching	No	No	No	No	No	Yes



On A Mission

Okay, so the savings bug has hit me in a massive way!  Started small and I’m working on saving more and more.  We have big plans of being debt free.

We have first, started using cash only for grocery, gas, misc. items and entertainment.  We have  set amount that we put into 5 different envelopes.  Going to the store, with only cash, has really made me stick to my grocery list.  We have also been putting money into our savings account (never have done that LOL).

We’ve also figured out how much we need to save, weekly, for our once a year big bills.  We keep separate, in 3 other envelopes, for our property taxes, Christmas and insurances.   That way, when we have these big payment bills come up, we are strapped for the money.  It is there.  For Christmas, I’ve been buying things for my kids, when I catch them on sale.  It has been so nice, knowing, that Christmas isn’t going to be a stressful time for me.

For our misc. items….that is anything BUT food.  when I catch things on sale (a good sale, using a coupon), I stockpile them.  I have begun shopping at more than Walmart.  I’ve been shopping at RiteAid, Walgreens and CVS.  Shopping at Kroger has helped, not only financially, but it saves us more money on gas when you earn a certain amount of points.

I make a very detailed list on Thursday night (Friday is grocery day).  I do a detailed inventory of my pantry and I plan my menus around what I have.  We buy our beef/pork/chicken in bulk, so meat is never really an issue for us.  Out of 7 days, I cook 5 of those days (Wed, we eat at church and Sun, is leftover/fend for yourself day).

Here are some links that are completely free and helps you find the best deals (as well as lots of freebies):

http://www.couponmom.com

http://www.couponsavingmom.com

I’ll post more links as I find them…gotta love saving money!

Too Young To Date?

Certainly makes you think………..

You are looking at………..

BOO………THE LITTLE BOY, WHO JUST ASKED JESUS INTO HIS HEART!

It was the most precious prayer…..He asked God to allow His Son to come and live in Him, by means of the Holy Spirit.  Actually, he wanted God to “think about it.”  LOl…………The angels and this household are praising God for this wonderful gift and the knowledge that the child, He gave to us as a gift, now has Christ dwelling in him!  Jehovah Roi, The God Who Sees, saw an amazing thing, tonight!  Praise Him!

One Word….

GORGEOUS!

Window Cleaner

Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don’t clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows. Be sure to follow the recipe, because using too strong a solution of vinegar will etch the glass and eventually cloud it.

Tub and Tile Cleaner:

For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

Stickers on walls:

Our children covered the inside of their room doors with stickers. Now they are grown, but the stickers remained. To remove, sponge vinegar over them several times, and wait 15 minutes, then rub off the stickers. This also works for price tags (stickers) on tools, etc.