Wow, there was a great tip earlier tonight by one of our readers, Michael. He commented on another post that the clearance Gillette Mach3 8 ct cartridges were counting towards this week’s Extra Care Bucks deal. I decided to go out and try the deal, because I remembered that one of my stores had these on clearance. And guess what? The ECB printed, plus I had credit towards doing the deal a second time…the limit is actually TWO!
Here’s what I bought, along with the coupons used:
TRANSACTION #1
TWO GILLETTE MACH3 TURBO CARTRIDGE 8 CT, on clearance $6.24 (regular price $24.99)
ONE GILLETTE MACH3 TURBO RAZOR STARTER, regular price $11.99
ONE GILLETTE MACH3 RAZOR STARTER, regular price $10.99
Get $10 Extra Bucks when you buy $30 of Gillette Shaving Items (the limit is actually TWO)
Used two $4/1 Gillette Cartridge 8 ct or larger coupon, 2/17 RP newspaper insert
and used two $10/1 Gillette Mach3 Razor when you buy Gillette Cartridge, 1/27 P&G newspaper insert
Price at Register: $7.46, but earned $10 Extra Bucks
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $2.54 MONEYMAKER!
TRANSACTION #2
ONE GILLETTE MACH3 POWER CARTRIDGE 8 CT, on clearance $6.99 (regular price $27.99)
ONE GILLETTE SENSOR DISPOSABLE RAZORS, regular price $9.99
ONE GILLETTE SIMPLY VENUS DISPOSABLE RAZORS, regular price $8.29
Get $10 Extra Bucks when you buy $30 of Gillette Shaving Items (the limit is actually TWO)
Used one $4/1 Gillette Cartridge 8 ct or larger coupon, 2/17 RP newspaper insert
and used one BOGO Gillette Disposable Razors coupon, 2/3 RP newspaper insert (autodeducted $11.99)
Price at Register: $9.28, but earned $10 Extra Bucks
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $0.72 MONEYMAKER!
FYI – My store had the Oral-B clearance deal I wrote about earlier today, except the shelves were bare. The tags were still up for $1.12 items. Also, the packaging for the Power razors said that they work with all Mach3 razors, so you don’t have to buy a special one to use them if you have any Mach3 starter.
Total Retail Value of All Merchandise: $119.23
Net Price Paid for Everything: $3.26 PROFIT!
Savings Rate (excluding tax): 102.7%
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Well I’m glad to have helped out a little with all the help this site has given me.
Thanks!
wow, that is awesome! I love CVS! Unfortunately, i was on a cruise using my coupons savings (hehe) so I dont have the right coupons. All y’all Rock!
I love CVS (and Publix) too. Walgreens…bleh…even though I shop there.
I feel the same way! Publix and CVS are very pleasant and cooperative experiences in my area. Wags…bleh….rarely shop there.
And I still love target. Even though they sorta ruined all the good deals with the coupon limits and the dollars vaules on the coupons. Beats the heck out of wallyworld any day!
I was at another site and I asked if I could use the $4/1 cartridge coupon and the $10/1 razer when you buy the cartridge and I was accused of committing coupon fraud. I ended up not using both coupons together because I didn’t want to get in trouble. Now I am more confused. Are we allowed to use both coupons together or not?
First, whether or not you can use both on a deal like this will depend on the store. CVS registers will allow it, but it will be at your store’s discretion.
Second, “coupon fraud” is a specific thing and the terminology is often misused. Attempting to use a coupon in a way that is not abundantly clear on the coupon is not fraud. There are many other things that qualify as fraud, but this is not it.
This usage is more of a question of ethics. If you really believe that the manufacturer worded the coupon in such a way that you couldn’t use both coupons, yet you still used them and the register allowed it, then that would be unethical. Personally I don’t feel that is the case here.
I am sure some will disagree.
Josie, most couponers know that a “buy x when you buy y” type coupon actually attaches to both items or how would the computer/company ever be able to track what is being purchased..so yes, you couldnt use both of the above coupons because they are both manufacturer’s…now, while ive followed steve’s site for quite some time and actually visit here at least once a day, he has shown a worrying tendency to “double dip” on manufactuerer’s coupons with the common excuse being “the cashier allowed it/pushed it through”..thats kinda disingenuous because when a cashier is being ignorant of store/coupon policies, we cry foul, but when they ignore those same guidelines to our benefit, we smile and let it pass
Marcus, I must respectfully disagree.
The wording would be very clear if the coupon in question attached to both items. It would be “$10 off the purchase of an X and a Y.”
Instead the manufacturer has chosen to word the coupon so that there are only coupon savings applied one item: “Buy item X, get $10 off item Y.”
If the manufacturer wants to clearly limit a coupon, they should write it that way. My first example is the proper way to do that.
well, the rule ive always been told to live by in my couponing life is “go by the wording” and in cases like “buy x get y” coupons, if the manufacturer wanted to give you, say, $2.00 off a certain product then they would have authorized a coupon that said “$2.00 off x”, but since they authorize coupons such as the “buy x get y” they obviously intend the coupon to cover both…i mean you cant just substitute any product into the equation so there are limitations, therefore the coupon has to “attach” so that the system can verify that youre buying eligible products…i’m not saying youre doing it with malicious intent, once again im a daily visitor and i’ll continue to visit, but sometimes we get so excited for deals we try to ignore the more problematic details
sorry for the double post, i just thought of something while i was surfing…using youre example above about couponing wording, if you were to use a BOGO coupon on a certain product then you could turn around and use another manufacturer’s coupon on the item youre actually paying for, even another BOGO to get both free…i mean most BOGO coupons state “buy x, get y free” so by your logic the discount is only being applied/”attached” to the free item and youre still free to add a discount to the other item
Conceivably, yes. I did not suggest that there aren’t weaknesses in my argument, just like there are weaknesses in the argument that takes the absolute polar opposite position (which I mentioned.)
My approach on this particular issue is that everyone should make their own call and I respect the other viewpoints. This coupon scenario is probably one of the grayest we will see, while many of the others are black and white.
Now if someone says they bought 13 refills in one trip and used 13 P&G cartridge coupons, I’ll have a problem with that. Or if you use a Fiber One coupon to buy Cheerios, I’ll have a problem with that too. But not all of these issues are black and white like those ones.
I decided to wait to approve these comments until I had some time to thoughtfully reply. I hope you don’t think I was avoiding them.
I think the burden is on the coupon-writer to make the terms as explicit as possible. When they write coupons with problematic wording like these, they relinquish control to the store to interpret and make judgments on acceptance. Do I think it is wrong to interpret in the most favorable way? No, but I also think P&G knows what is going on, yet they still word things in ways that leave a ton of leeway. The language I suggested leaves no doubt that one can not use the two coupons together, but P&G chose to use different language. $10/2 Starter & Cartridge would have been extremely clear.
Absence of such obvious language leaves a big gaping hole for interpretation. There’s only one party that can be blamed for that, because they created the gaping hole.
Even though we disagree, I do appreciate the civility.
no prob…i love a good debate but abhor a shouting-match…:)
Yeah me too…and we’ve had a few of those before. It’s been a while.
i i personally feel that in order to get $10 I MUST buy the cartridge otherwise I dont qualify for the $10 MQ – therefor I feel that it attaches BOTH items items to the one coupon you must buy this to get that. I wont judge the fact some may still feel that is right for them to also on top of that use the $4 off the catridge – I will only use one $10 when i buy x and y item. The register may accept any coupon but if we are unsure or feel that the coupon is written one way, then just do what you may feel comfortable with.
Thank for all you do Steve and I love your site -
I agree with you Steve! Especially if the register scans and accepts them no problem!
Thank you for agreeing with me. I think I’d stop short of whether or not it should matter if they scan or not. Just because a coupon scans that doesn’t mean that it is ok. We should just make sure that we don’t use a coupon in a way that it conflicts with the actual wording on the coupon. That’s all.
Steve-just wanted to add my 2 cents to this debate. Since I have been couponing for several years, I have seen the wording on coupons change drastically for the worse, for example J&J coupons limiting to one coupon per person and 4 coupons of any kind for the same product or Sundown limiting ALL of their coupons to one per person or Unilever limiting ALL of their coupons to 2 per customer. Just like that wording has changed, P&G wording has changed. Where the wording used to be limit one coupon per purchase, the wording now says limit one coupon per purchase of products and quantities specified, which means ONE coupon per the products and quantities stated on the coupon———so if the coupon says save $10 on this wyb that, both those products are specified so you could only use the one coupon.
Fair enough. I’m glad we can all politely discuss things today. It’s like we are in college philosophy class again
I rarely shop wags…even less since they switched register types. Their machines are constantly down and they argue the coupons…annoying. My paper didn’t have the p&g insert this weekend
Went to three separate CVS’s, unfortunately none of them had any Razor Cartridges on clearance. Still wasn’t a bad deal doing the 4/1 and the 10/1 on the razor and cartridges with the 10 back.
Good trip Steve! My favorites are Publix & CVS too, Walgreens gets me frustrated. I thought it was just the one closest to me so I tried another and same not so good experience. They refused to allow me to use a M.Q on coffee because it had a (redeemable @ Walmart logo). She even called the manager and said the coupon matches and is a manufacturer, but the manager said they would not accept it! Frustrating! All of my experiences at CVS & Publix are pleasant!
I love Publix and CVS too! I had a bad experience at Walgreens one time when I first started couponing. It was a Saturday afternoon around 4 pm and I was all excited to do some deals and get register rewards for the first time. Come to find out at the register everything had already switched to next weeks sale, and I said its Saturday still and I would like the prices for this weeks sale. They would not do it! So I walked out with nothing and have never been to a Walgreens since! I have been able to find everything I need for my household at CVS over time and they let you shop 2 sales at once on Saturday night. Best of all my CVS is one of the rare few that accepts expired CVS coupons!
Dont forget to save those VENUS receipts too for the Best og Beauty P&G $15 WHEN YOU SPEND $50 rebate
Wow thanks! I completely forgot but I still have mine!
ok lets see im going to do what steve dose lol ok run run run go now to your Kroger they are doing this thing if you buy 4 items from each department you get $4 off of your transaction they are paper towel or napkins, hair care, cleaning products, and dish detergent, and buy the store brand 1 roll of paper towel or napkins 120ct 89cent 1 dish detergent 95 cent 1 VO5 shampoo 79cent 1 bleach 99 cent all 4 items in one transaction and you get $4 of your your transaction so you only pay tax 17 cent i hope this is not just in TN so you guys can get some free stuff too i’v already gone 4 times and if the cashier is nice you can do 2 transaction in one trip oh and its though march 1st.
I would have to FLY – I wouldnt make it running to a Kroger by March 1 ROFL. – Ok, I am sorry it just had to be said. Hope you all laughed!
Just wanted to say thanks for the info! My closest store never has anything labeled properly but after scanning at the red machine it confirmed these wonderful razor prices! Between the razor deal, the poise MM, the vitamin mini MM, and a $10 off $50 coupon it was all I could do to get above FREE! Just love wandering through the store trying to find stuff to suck up overage. Thanks for all you do and for providing the info so quickly – it really makes a difference!
yw
Steve,how do you get the ECB for transaction 2 since the total amount does not add up to $30?
The extra from Transaction #1 counted towards the second deal. I wasn’t even planning a Transaction #2 until my receipt from the first transaction showed that I was already part of the way there.
How did that work for ECB – it says “excludes clearance” in the ad
Sometimes CVS clearance items generate ECBs even if the ad says otherwise. (Sometimes they don’t…we never know until someone tries a deal like that.)
I love this forum, but I feel like I have a lot to learn. Not worried though I am doing A OK so far. I ent to Publix today and got $36 of stuff for 95 cents. The cashier let me use 4 Sundown Qs that gave me overage!
My 1st CVS transaction went fine…my 8ct cartridges were not marked as clearance but when I scanned it on the red machine…wa la…clearance $5.99. So 2 cartridges, and 2 mach 3 turbo razors (11.49 ea) for a total of 34.96. Minus $28 in coupons, leaves a balance of 6.96 plus tax (8%) = 9.76. I got back the $10 EB. So things went as planned.
However my second transaction, like you did above Steve did not print my $10. I questioned it at the register and she showed me that I still needed $8.06 to get the second EBs….luckily I brought an extra B1G1 Gillette coupon so I just did another deal, I used an older $10EB so it actually worked out okay.
But now checking my receipts, my first receipt says I have 25.04 needed for another reward, so if I add up my second transaction..25.47. It should of printed…But on the receipt is shows that I still needed 8.06???? Now I’m really confused. Maybe 1 of the items didn’t register as gillette???
Hmmmm I don’t know. Did they possibly fix the glitch so the clearance didn’t count.
I don’t think it was that… because it took on the first transaction…and I did the second right after. I don’t know.