CVS deals and (more) gas points.

So, I got my butt up at 7:45 this morning to make it to CVS as it opened. The cashier confirmed that I am NOT the only deal seeker in the Slate Belt. In fact, I plowed past a distracted woman in a pick up truck who was suspiciously eyeing up my diaper deal, which was THIRD not first on my list of planned transactions, AND the coupon machine at the front of the store was not cooperating.

It's getting ugly out there, people. Evidently, this CVS has an extreme couponer that's about ten years old, and is better at it then I am, according to the lady at the register. Ten years old. I have an eleven year old that I have to talk down from spending every cents she owns at least six times a week. The same child rolls her eyes every time I try to explain my couponing deals to her.

So, anyway, my heart is thumping in my chest, because, let's face it, CVS trips are largely about ME. This is the only way I can really both buy makeup AND pay the bills, and having grown up unfortunately several years ago, the bills MUST be paid. Maturity is a real drag.

Here's what I did this week:
L'oreal Deal: Buy 15 bucks worth, get 5 extra care bucks. I picked two mascaras and a concealer and used $2 coupons off.
Neutragena: buy two sunscreens and get ten dollars in extra bucks. I chose two sticks that were 8.49 each, and I printed two coupons of the companies website for two dollars off one.
Herbal Essences: Buy two for 3.49 each get two dollars in extra care bucks. Used two one dollar coupons off each.

Paid my bill and stalked the coupon machine. Still not working. At this point I'm totally paranoid that I'm not going to get my diapers(they only had one case!) so I went out of order.

Huggies, Case of 70, on sale for $19.00, buy $25 worth, get $5 bucks back in extra care bucks. I grabbed some wipes which brought the total just to $25, used a 3.50 coupon on the companies website, and paid with my extra bucks from the last purchase, plus two dollars out of pocket.

Still no coupon machine.

Depressed, I completed the last purchase without the mythical John Frieda CVS coupon to stack with the manufacturers coupon I already had. The professional hair color mousse was on sale for $11.99, plus I had a five dollar off coupon, and five dollars in extra care bucks, so it cost me another two dollars. It should have been free, but I really kind of needed it because my sister looked at my hair last week and yelled, you're going gray! And so I spent $35.00 out of pocket, but came home with over $70 worth of product. Of course, if you go by CVS's normal prices, they say it was $100 worth of product. I'm happy.

Also, Giant has some candy bar deals this week, buy 5 get 200 gas points. There were coupons in the paper two weeks ago. If you've got a husband with a vending machine habit, these are a good deal.