Works for Me Wednesday (CVS disaster)
What? A CVS disaster works for me? Let me tell you what happened.
Last week I decided that I must get in the CVS game. 18 of you lovely ladies gave me your best help in understanding how to play. Most importantly several of you told me not to give up, to give it at least three months.
I bought my first Sunday paper in ages, studied the CVS circular and cut out coupons. I made lists of needed school supplies with prices. I studied blogs dedicated to CVS and memorized your comments. I spent a few hours trying to learn the rules.
The first mishap occurred when I tried to download a national CVS coupon for $3.00 off, in two places. Neither would print. Waited a day, found the link wouldn’t even open. Taking all my "paperwork" and two of the boys, we carefully set out anyway to enter CVS.
We did our shopping and rang up our items. The receipt said there was a problem with my new CVS card. Their were no ECB’s at the bottom of my carefully planned bill. The manager told me to call customer service when I got home. Huh? And tell them what? That I didn’t get $200 for passing go?
Then the manager took me over to show me the red electronic coupon box, but it was out of paper. He wasn’t sure how to change the paper. We had been there for 45 minutes at that point, so I took my items and we left.
Okay, so now I remember why I don’t like to do coupons. It was downright painful. But, I do remember all of you telling me not to give up. So I won’t. Bring your A- game again CVS, in fact bring everything you’ve got. Only one of us is going to win this game, and it won’t be you!
Perseverance and patience will work for me!
Audra Krell 
I had kinda the same experience. I updated my CVS card on-line and got $4 off of $20. I went to the CVS and I bought what I thought would give ECB but I was wrong. I bought the wrong razor. The razors were for our guest that are visiting us.I bought the ones for the free deodorant instead. I did the little red machine which gave me another $4 off. So, I got $8 off and a free deodorant but no ECB, which is what I really wanted for next time. Like you, I will have give another try. Great post.
Wow, how relevant. I just finished cutting coupons and looking over my CVS flyer. I have my list and ready to go. Now I am scared!!!
Don’t give up! The customer service folks on the ECB hotline really are helpful. I bought some stuff, didn’t get my ECBs, had to have everything rerung, then couldn’t get the ECBs for buying more of the items that were rerung later in the month due to the “system” thinking that I bought them twice! (I hope that makes sense!) Anyway, I called the 800 number and they adjusted my account so that I could receive credit (i.e., the ECBs) for the items the next time I shopped.
Keep on keepin’ on girl!
I’m teaching some friends from church how to play AS I LEARN…good times 🙂
When it works, it SO works!
Yes! Do NOT give up! My first CVS experience was a painful one as well. I got charged the wrong price for sale items and then those items did not print the ECB’s like they were supposed to. I ended up having to come back the next day and return and re-ring several things. Lucky for me, my friend works there so she was able to fix everything for me.
But since then, I’ve had AWESOME results! My best ever was the time I came home with $152 worth of stuff for only a $1.00!!! So it’s definitely worth the work!
Best of luck to you! 🙂
sorry to hear about your bad CVS experience. it will get better – i promise! too bad none of your bloggy friends can send you a gift basket full of our CVS surplus stuff.
Oh no! That sounds like a rotten CVS trip. I hope it goes better next time!
Okay I just had to add that last week at CVS I had an evil little moment. The Assistant Manager (I almost abbreviated that just for fun) was my cashier. He wasn’t too interested in my multiple transactions, even though there was no one behind me. Anyway, on the second ticket he said, “That’s $32.47.” I just handed him my coupons and ECB’s, he rolled his eyes and took them off, then very sullenly said, “$6.29” SCORE!! I laughed all the way to the car 😉
I’ve been scared to try the CVS thing. I got the card… but I’m nervous. I’m sure I’ll eventually give it a shot.
Oh no. I have only been doing the CVS thing for a few months but I have been really lucky so far. The store employees have been good about my ECBs and even going so far as to ask me if I know something doesn’t generate ECBs. I picked up the wrong toothpaste once and they let me go back and pick up the right one so I would get the ECBs. My advice is to start small and to bring your Sunday circular ad with you so you can verify you picked up the right items. My store doesn’t always have the ads when I get there and sometimes the ECB items aren’t marked.
Oh, don’t give up! I had a few ‘episodes’ like that when I first got into the CVSing phenomenon. Now it works like a dream and I come away with tremendous bargains!! There is definitely a learning curve. Your next visit will be better!
I’m so happy to hear you won’t give up. You’ll get it, I promise! And it will be worth it!
CVSing can be so useful in getting all sorts of household stuff for very little money, but if you don’t like coupons I am not sure how that would work.. 🙂
I’ve had similar challenges with CVS…I’m too much on and off with it…I need to make a commitment and stick with it, I think!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting at The Happy Ones!
This sounds exactly like the kind of thing that happens to me all the time.
I’ve found I can save just as much – often more – at discount stores than by using coupons. In a perfect world, I could do both easily and without burning a lot of gas.
I’ve had challenges, but the days I’ve had to spend 80 cents out of pocket were worth it! I haven’t been going as much since they haven’t sent me any of my own coupons in a while. But I have some ECBs burning a hole in my wallet!
Think my first comment was eaten by the interweb…
The game is stressful at times, but the one trip with an 80 cent out of pocket total was worth it in the end!!! It’s fun getting the manufacturer’s rebates in the mail too! Especially when you know you didn’t spend any money on the product in the first place!