Beware of the coupons

So I finally decided I just couldn't be a passive bystander in this whole money saving scheme and wanted some of the action for myself. With my eight ECBs I had earned on a previous purchase, an Aleve $1 off coupon and a CVS $2 off $10 coupon, I was set. I walked in proud to make my first attempt at CVSing solo, sans Thriftynester, that is, but quickly learned I wasn't quite ready to pull it off.

I purchased Purex laundry detergent, Excendrin pain reliever and Aleve-D Cold and Sinus. The deal, with my coupons, should have cost me just under a $1 as I was going to have to add a 99 cent filler to use my eight ECBs. I was also going to earn about nine ECBs with this transaction.

The deal should have looked like this:

Aleve-D 10 ct.: $3.99 less $1 off coupon = $2.99 (earn three ECB)
Excedrin: $3.99 (earn 3.99 ECB)
Purex: $2.99 (earn one ECB)
Glade air freshener: 99 cents
- CVS $2 off $10 coupon
- eight ECBs from before
For a grand total of 96 cents.

Here's where I went wrong -- the Aleve coupon. There are two different coupons available from Bayer (the maker of Aleve) right now. One is for a dollar off any Aleve product 20 count or larger, and another for a dollar of a Aleve-D Cold and Sinus or Aleve Cold and Headache 10 count. The 10 count Aleve-D was on sale, plus you could earn 3.99 ECB, so, in the end, the Aleve-D would have been free. I printed the wrong coupon, the 20 count or larger one, and not knowing I arrived at the store and purchased the 20 count package. No ECBs, no sale. All I saved was a buck from the dollar coupon, and I ended up paying nearly three times what I would have paid for the 10 pack w/o earning ECBs. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

This is how the deal really went down, or should I say, failed:

Aleve-D 20 ct.: $10.99 less $1 off coupon
Excedrin: $3.99 (earn 3.99 ECB)
Purex: $2.99 (earn one ECB)
Glade air freshener: 99 cents
- CVS $2 off $10 coupon
- eight ECBs from before
Grand total of $6.96. Not what I was planning.

I still saved about $10 on the entire transaction and earned 4.99 ECBs, but instead of walking away with a super deal under a buck, I ended up spending just under seven. It was a lesson learned to be careful of the coupons I print, and to not let the 20 people in line behind me intimidate me and rush the deal. I still walked away saving money, but it could have been oh so better.

Tonight, however, Thriftynester crafted a deal for me at CVS for another package of Aleve-D, this time with the right coupon, and a bottle of Tylenol PM. With the Aleve coupon, a Tylenol PM coupon, CVS $2 off $10 coupon and my 4.99 in ECBs, I spent a whopping 73 cents. It felt good -- like I had been slightly avenged for my gaffe last night. Great savings and another five ECBs... yes, I think I can get into this!

Tonight's deal:
Aleve-D 10 ct.: $3.99 less $1 off coupon (earn three ECB)
Tylenol PM: $6.49 less $2 off coupon (earn two ECB)
- $2 off $10 coupon
- 4.99 ECB
For a grand total of 73 cents! Now that's more like it!