Coupon 101: How to Create Scenarios

I get asked when am I going to offer Advanced Classes on how to work the deals to your best advantage and how to create your own scenarios. There are several who follow this blog and buy what I buy every week. However, what I buy is not necessarily what you want to buy that week or what you NEED for the week. So here is how I do my scenarios:

If I have the time in advance of the sale (sometimes a week or so in advanced), I'll visit Iheartcvs.com to see what is going to be in the weekly ad. I also visit hotcouponworld.com to see if anyone has come up with some great coupon match ups for what's going to be on sale.

If I DON'T have the time (which has been the case lately), I wait until Friday morning when Southern Savers posts the CVS deals for the following week.

1. I literally sit down with paper and pencil in hand
2. I write down all the deals FREE after ECBs with the limit next to it (because I'll forget if I don't).
3. I write down how many ECBs I'm carrying over from last week at the top and any $ off $$ coupons CVS released or I received on my CRT (cash register tape)
4. Next I write down any other items on sale that we might need or are a stockpile price

This is sort of what it looks like for this week's sale ad:

CVS 8 + 6 ECB from last week

free after ECB this week:
4 ct Advil PM $.99 - FREE (1)
Complete contact solution $9.99 - FREE (1)
- $1/1 10/25 RP
- $2/1 IPQ - not available anymore
BIC Disposable razors comfort 3 advance or soleil 4 ct $4.99 - $4 ECB (1)

sale:
All Small & Mighty 3.99
- $2/1 12/6 RP = $1.99 each no ecbs

Once all that is written down (because I like to see what I'm doing, hence the scenarios in the first place :) I start the math, literally:

14.00 ECB (from last week)
-9.99 Complete Solution
------
4.01 ECB leftover
+1.00 Complete Solution coupon
------
5.01 ECB leftover
-4.99 BIC
------
.02 ECB leftover
+2.00 BIC coupon
------
2.02 ECB leftover
-.99 Advil PM
------
1.03 ECB leftover
-3.99 laundry detergent
------
-2.97 OOP
+2.00 ALL coupon
=====
-.97 OOP for the first order
receive $9.99 ECB, $.99 ECB, $4 ECB

Double check to make sure there are enough items for the coupons used:
4 items versus 5 coupons, means I'll need to buy a filler item, something cheap under $1 preferably. Usually you can find the caramels at the counter for $.33. If not, go over to the candy aisle to see if there are any "penny" candy on sale.

$.97 OOP + $.33 caramel = $1.30 OOP plus tax

I hope this helps you create your own scenarios.

What kind of items do you buy for filler items?

Thanks!

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