Welcome to CVS shopping! I've become quite the enthusiast. It did take me a while to figure things out, as well as my own personal limits and rules. If you have questions about the ethics of CVS shopping or any points of disagreement, I think you will quickly find out that Crystal is serious about her comments moderation policy, and no dissent is tolerated over there. I'm planning on hosting an ethical discussion at Wise Bread, though, when I have time for a proper post. Personally, I never buy things I can't use at CVS. Giving them to charity is nonsensical. If they are free in the first place, that's not charity, because the person who needs them can also get them for free from the store. Plus, some of the "moneymaker" items are extremely limited in quantity, and often they fly off the shelves as soon as they are put out. I can't imagine buying a blood glucose monitor just to get the extracare bucks, when someone who really has diabetes would probably be very excited to find the same item on sale with such a lucrative promotion attached to it. It's sort of like stealing extra care bucks from the poor, if you think about it.

Nonetheless, I have gotten some pretty great deals based only on items my family actually uses. Last week, I got two jars of hellman's mayonnaise, two boxes of green tea, two canisters of sun maid raisins, a small pack of stayfree pads, and eight tubes of toothpaste for $2.23, with $15 ECB returned to me. Go CVS!

By the way, individual CVS stores vary in their policies. It is not corporate policy as far as I know to restrict the use of manufacturers/store coupons on clearance items, but you may need to buy an additional item with your "overage" or the cashier may need to adjust your coupon amount so that your balance is not less than 0. It has not been my experience that there is any trickery in the system. I have often felt that way about other stores' coupon promotions--squinting at a dizzying array of products and packages trying to find the one item that is on sale, buying the wrong one anyway, waiting in line half an hour at customer service to return it. Ugh. But CVS seems almost idiot proof. They often put prominent signs up in the aisles directing you to ECB deals, and of late there is even special packaging that has the deal promotion printed right on it, and if you do make a mistake, you can check your receipt and fix it later, like Carrie did. I even had one experience where the ECB did not print out for a purchase I made, and the store manager came out and did some fancy stuff on the cash register to make it print. (He actually returned one of my items and then sold it to me again.)

Catherine Shaffer

Wise Bread Contributor