Trippin' At CVS

Yesterday I made out like a bandit at CVS.

While browsing online in the morning, I caught the online circular, which advertised these deals:

Buy 1 Maybelline Mineral Power Liquid Foundation at $8.99, Get $8.99 ECBs (Limit 1) Free after ECBs

Buy 1 Complete Multi-Purpose Solution (12 oz.) at $8.99, Get $8.99 ECBs (Limit 1) Free after ECBs

Buy 1 Right Guard Professional Strength Deodorant (solid 1.8 oz. or aerosol 6 oz.) at $7.99, Get $7 ECBs (Limit 5) $0.99 after ECBs

Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health Whitening Toothpaste (4.2 oz.) at $3.49, Get $3.49 ECBs (Limit 2)

Tim had just mentioned how he was running out of contact solution, so I decided to act. Usually when I get to CVS it's on a Tuesday or a Thursday, and all the good merchandise has been picked over. Of course, the free items are out of stock by that time.

So this time I went early on Sunday morning around 10:20 a.m. Armed with a $1 ECB and a .75 coupon for the toothpaste.

Here's what I bought:

*1 Maybelline Mineral Powder Liquid Foundation (I use one bottle foundation for under the eyes and on blemishes and my current one needed to be thrown out)

*2 bottles of the contact solution

*2 cans of the aerosol deodorant

*2 tubes of the toothpaste

*500 pack of generic CVS cotton swabs for $3.19

My total was $55 and I got $47 back in Extra Care Bucks. With the store card, customers can use ECBs like cash for everything except alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, prescriptions and a few other items. In the store, I also snagged a coupon to get a $25 gift card with a transferred prescription. I do have one, so next time I refill it I'll just bring it back to CVS from Target (where I got a $30 gift card for transferring it to that store).

Currently I have about $45 in Target cards and $47 in CVS ECBs. Hopefully in a few weeks, I'll also have that $25 CVS gift card. That's more than $100 to spend at the two stores. I'm trying to think of staples, things that I need, to spend this money on. Holiday gifts? Groceries? Household items? I am moving in a few weeks and could use a new trash can, closet organizers, cleaning supplies, and dinnerware -- as right now I'm using my room mate's dishes.

Over the next few weeks I'm definitely going to be scouring the ads for ECB deals on stuff I really need and for great sales at Target to use the gift cards on. Any suggestions?