I’m Stickin’ it to CVS

In April I broke my boycot on CVS.

Back in 1995, when CVS was Arbor Drugs, I would frequently stop in to pick up stuff. Drugstore kind of stuff. I was a newly married and dirt poor. I worked as a Christian school teacher and Larry was in Seminary. He was working part time at The Franklin Planner store and making even less than I was. Although at the time we thought $8.00 an hour was great! Much better than the $3.35 he was making in college. So money was tight. I learned early on to always check my receipts for mistakes. Arbor Drugs was the reigning champ of overcharging.

One day I went to CVS/Arbor Drugs and picked up some drug store stuff. As a splurge I bought myself a magazine. It was a Taste of Home recipe magazine. As I was walking to my car I noticed they overcharged me again! So I went back in to Customer Service and asked for my dollar back. It was the principle. First the lady gave me a hard time about the price. Then I asked about the scanner law. And she gives me grief about it and makes a big deal about it. She made me feel like I am trying to rip off CVS/Arbor Drugs.

So decided that day that I was done with CVS. They were dead to me. For 12 years I have not stepped one foot into a CVS. And you know they were sorry they lost my business. In fact my love for Target started afted I boycotted CVS. They lost out.

But in April my friend Suzanne started talking about how she was getting free stuff. And you know my motto, “If it is free then it is for me.” I was curious. I like free stuff. So I started reading Money Saving Mom. She had all kinds of information about saving some green. After reading her CVS 101 several times I thought I can do this too. I can get free stuff from CVS and get back at them for all the bad service they gave me years ago.

And now it is a slight addiction. Not only am I fleecing CVS, but also I hit up Target, Wal-mart and Walgreens. Oh, and sometimes Meijer. Not all at the same time or the same day. I am not that crazy yet.

So I no longer pay for stuff like toothpaste, toothbushes, paper towels or cereal. And many other things that I can’t believe I get for free. Or if I do have to pay, it is only a few cents. I can not tell you how much this has helped our budget.

And don’t think that I figured all those great deals out by myself. I just read Money Saving Mom. She does all the work for me. I just have to cut out the coupons.

One bonus that I never expected from my couponing is I feel like I am shopping a lot, which I enjoy, but I am not spending a lot of money.

The other bonus… I get to stick it to CVS.