Finding this deal was a total fluke. I was pulling out inserts so my roommate could cut some coupons for our Publix trip tomorrow and I stumbled on a high value $4/1 Olay Luscious Embrace or Silk Whimsy bar soap wyb any Olay product (excludes trial size) coupon in the 12/11 RP newspaper insert. I remembered that the Olay products are B1G1 50% off this week because my roommate was eyeing some expensive Olay body wash last time we were in Walgreens.
So I decided to do a little price check on Walgreens.com and found the items to be listed at $4.99 and part of the B1G1 50% off sale. I decided to do a little experiment. First, I didn’t know if the coupon would attach to both items if I bought two bars. Usually when it is worded “when you buy” (wyb) it doesn’t. The other potential issue was the possible beep because the items after sale price adjustments would be less than the value of the coupons. I decided that I would buy a small filler to make sure the total stayed above zero.
Then I went to Walgreens and tried the deal. Guess what? It worked!
Here’s how I did the deal:
FOUR OLAY LUSCIOUS EMBRACE BAR SOAP 2-PACK, $5.29 regular price = $21.16
ONE SMALL PIECE OF CANDY = $0.25
PRECOUPON TOTAL = $21.41
Used four $4/1 Olay Luscious Embrace or Silk Whimsy Bar Soap when you buy any Olay product (excludes trial sizes) 12/11 RP newspaper insert – DEDUCTED $16
Buy one, get one 50% on personal care items including Olay bar soap deducted $2.65 for every two purchased – DEDUCTED $5.30
NET PRICE: $0.11 (plus $1.13 sales tax)
*** Excluding the piece of candy to absorb overage, the Olay had a total of $0.14 of overage, or $0.07 for every two packs.
Had this coupon been written “$4 off one Olay Luscious Embrace or Silk Whimsy Bar Soap and any other Olay product,” it would have attached to two items; however this coupon was not worded that way, nor was it coded that way. It will not beep unless you do not have other products to absorb the overage.
These deals can be a little tricky, because your coupons can not exceed the price of the items BEFORE the buy one, get one 50% off discount is applied. It is okay if they exceed the discounted price, so long as you have other items to absorb the overage. The transaction will not beep.
Keep in mind that if you find a price lower than the $5.29 I found in my store, you may need to add a slightly more expensive item to absorb your overage, lest you have a pesky beep that makes everything fall apart 
I’ve got 2 of these coupons; will it still work? I’m not the math genius you are
Yes! You need to buy them in even numbers to get the max value from the deal, but two will work. Just make sure you add a cheap item to your order to soak up the small amount of overage on your subtotal.
You rock and I love your site! I went today and bought 2 of the Olay’s, 2 of the Secret deoderants, 2 of the Studio nail polish remover and a box of Mike and Ike’s (to absorb the overage–I woulda gotten something cheaper, but I had a craving). I only spent, with tax, $2.18! YAY. I also saved at Publix, with your suggestions for the Gas-x and vitamins. Saved $102 and only spent $6.35, including a free whole chicken from an Earth Fare coupon! Keep posting deals so I don’t forget to add the moneymakers in my transactions. And btw, my Publix upped the price of their KY to $4.09 each.
I saw that my store didn’t have $2.99 K-Y and the $2.39 Pulsars have turned into $5.99 Pulsars – in the last 48 hours (I bought some on Thursday night!) Glad I have enough battery-operated toothbrushes for a year or two
I’m a little confused…shouldn’t there be eight Olay products or only 2 coupons used if it says that wording??? I would love to do this deal but I want to make sure I understand it first!!! BTW, I went to Walgreens earlier and spent $2.00 and saved $184.00 thanks to your website!!!!!! And, spent $.16 on 4 HUGE bottles of Pantene Shampoo at CVS and got back $2.00 ECB!!!!!
No, you do not have to buy eight items to use four coupons if you do this deal correctly. The coupon is not $4 off of two Olay products; rather, it is $4 off of one specific olay product when you buy any one other olay product. Save $4 on Product A (if you buy product B.) Then you turn it around and use a coupon to save $4 off of Product B (when you buy Product A.) You would need to buy eight products if the coupon read Save $4 off of two Olay products including one Olay Luscious Embrace Bar Soap. Instead, the coupon only offers a discount on one of the products. It even uses the words $4 off ONE.
A good example of an equivalent deal is this Publix deal that many bloggers wrote about:
http://www.couponaholic.net/2011/12/wow-two-welchs-64-oz-100-grape-juice-one-22-oz-welchs-jellyjam-for-1-total-at-publix-1226-1231/
There was a manufacturer coupon for one free Welch’s Jelly or Jam when you buy two Welch’s Grape Juice 64 oz. There were also $1/1 manufacturer coupons on the Grape Juice itself, yet it was acceptable and blogged about universally that you could use manufacturer coupons on the “when you buy” items. If the coupon were to limit you to just the one coupon, it would be worded differently.
“When you buy” coupons are different, and almost always DO NOT attach to the items other than the actual item that is discounted. That is why this coupon does not beep, and it is also why it is not fraudulent to do the deal in this way. That’s not to say that all cashiers will allow it; some might feel like it is questionable, and I’d probably let it go if they didn’t want to take it…but I had a cashier read the coupon today and tell me how sharp of an idea this was — totally getting the difference between “$4 off of one…when you buy” and “$4 off of two” or “$4 off of ‘this’ and ‘that’”
Hope that clears things up
I just bought 2 and a bag of mints and paid .47 cents!!!! Thank you for the clarification. I wish they had more.
you’re welcome, jazzmyn!
This is actually fraud due to the fact that you did not follow the instructions on the coupon! You only bought 4 soaps when it reads get $4 off the soap when you buy one olay product! Come on now, this is what makes it bad for the ones that do right.
Please be careful about your use of the word fraud, especially because your characterization is inaccurate. There is a difference between different types of coupons, and if you read the explanation I posted above to Jazzmyn, you will then understand why the use is legitimate in this circumstance.
Wow, you totally screwed this deal up and stole the from the store!
Not sure if your response was tongue-in-cheek or not, but if it wasn’t, I suggest your read the response to Jazzmyn to understand why the use of this coupon in this circumstance is legit.
I just went and did this deal PLUS I was able to find Secret Smooth Effects Satiny (BOGO 50%) on clearance for $2.58. I paired it with a $2 Any Secret when you buy one Olay Bar, Body Wash or In-Shower Body Lotion. So got 3 (only 3 left) soaps and 2 Secret for $2.38 Total – went thru with no beeps or problems – I was happy. The cashier said I should have used my other $2 off coupon but spaced out and said that was ok – I was stunned by the total – ha! Now thinking I should have!!
Wow – your perfect explanation above must be exactly whey the cashier told me to use my other $2 off Secret coupon because it does say “Save $2 when you buy” – should have listened to the employee – my OOP would have been 38¢
You still did well. Don’t sweat it
First I got excited about possible deal, then I found no $4 coupon in my 12/11 Red Plum. I need to relocate to a better Red Plum area LOL.
I went to get this deal, thanks for the great find
I bought 4 at 4.99 each along with 2 tylenol cold an eos lip balm and a protein bar. I used my 4 $4 coupons, 2 $2 tylenol and had a $10 RR but got the beep so I added a studio 35 polish remover which allowed me to use the 10RR and then they scanned the wags coupon for the polish remover.
Looking at my receipt now my total is .06-
This is a first for me of course my tax was $2.09 so my total OOP was $2.03
Thanks for the awesome deals
BTW I got a breathe right catalina too
)
HI, I just wanted to say you are absolutely awesome!! I read your post and went out and tried this deal, and IT WORKED!! My walgreens had them on sale for 4.99, so subtotal was about 7.49 with .51 overage. I ended up getting a 1.00 box of tissue and with tax paid in total .52 cents! What an awesome feeling! Thank you so much!!!
Blake M.
I’m going to check it out. I have to find 2 more of these coupons. I love this soap it’s awesome!
I will try this too. Thanks Steve for a great tip. Have a good weekend.
you too
Ok I just got back. They only had 3 so I bought only 2. They were 4.99 each. I wasn’t sure how to handle the overage. So I bought 1 muscletech bar.
My OOP was $2.01. Got back 1 $2 RR . Total .01 cent for 2 two pack Lusicous Embrace Bars and 1 Muscletech Bar.
Thanks for the heads up. I will try another WAGS tomorrow.
Wendi
Hi
I just got back from trying this deal. Lucky for me my store had these for 3.99 each. I got 4 and was only able to use three $4.00 coupons but with the 50% percent off it took of the last 3.99. I only had to pay the tax. I have to admit I am not an OLAY fan but my mother loves this stuff. I can’t wait to give these to her and tell her they were all FREE. Steve I love your website. Thank you
You are welcome. Congrats on scoring a great deal
Thanks for sharing your awesome math talent Steve. I know that you work very hard NOT to do anything that is unethical when couponing. I have really LEARNED a lot from your postings and to say that I am actually saving money is an under statement! I am approaching cashiers with so much less stress, just following your blow by blow purchases. Thanks….I love this blog!!!!!
Thanks
Worked like a charm!! Thanks for sharing this awesome deal!!
Thanks! I bought 6 and it worked like a charm.
Hi Steve,
Just got back from doing this deal, worked great!!! Love your site and will be checking it more often, Thanks for all you do and keep it up!!!
Did the deal at wags.Only had four. Worked like a charm. Then stopped at Dollar General and they had four bars (in package) of Olay sheer moisture and age defying at 3 something ea. coupon worked there as well. Love your site, thanks.
The wags deal is over, is there anywhere else i can get this deal? I was wondering what the deal was with this coupon.
Someone just commented that you can get a good deal at Dollar General. Check there and let us know
I dont have a Dollar General, bummer. Im gonna try walmart and hope for the best ill let you know
HELP!! I am not sure what I did wrong with this deal. I went to Walgreens today and saw that the signs for B1G1 50% where still up on the Olay soap, so after reading this post I knew I had clipped these coupons and had them with me. I had two coupons, two soaps, and grabbed a loaf of bread just to soak up the overage. He had to price adjust the second soap because the sign was still up showing this deal. I gave him my coupons, the first scanned and the second declined. ? He said it was because the coupon was more than the second bar of soap, I asked him to just adjust the coupon and he did. I ended up paying $3.00 even .99 plus tax for the soap and $1.49 for the bread. Not what I expected but still a good deal on $10.00 worth of soap.
The price adjust screwed you. When something is B1G1 50% off it rings up full price twice. Then your coupons go through because the coupons are worth less than the soap register price. The register then makes an adjustment for the B1G1 50% off at the very end.
Your problem was that your total was already under $8.00 on the two bars of soap because of the price adjustment. Therefore you could only use one $4.00 coupon. If you or the cashier had realized that was the issue, he could have adjusted the coupon value to make them free, but the little quirk that gives you overage would not have worked.
Still not a bad deal