Don't Pay Retail Prices Part 2--$1.95 CVS Haul

In February, I shared several examples of why and how I almost never pay retail prices for my beauty items, in the post Don't Pay Retail Prices. Today's installment is another small example, focused on combining resources for saving such as sales, coupons, and customer loyalty rewards. 
*I paid for these products with my own money. I am not affiliated with nor compensated by any of the brands mentioned in this post.*

I bought Essie Stroke of Brilliance, Neutrogena Pure & Free Sunscreen, and Sally Hansen Tint + Moisture Balm for a total of $1.95 after tax.

My original subtotal before tax at full retail CVS pricing would have been $27.77. The price for the Sally Hansen is the same in other stores, the price for the Essie is about 29 cents cheaper in most places, and the price for the Neutrogena is about $1.50~2.00 cheaper elsewhere. So even if I had been shopping at a less expensive store, my subtotal would still have been about $26.00.

The sunscreen was on sale for $7.99, down from $14.49. I had a CVS coupon for $4.00 off of a $20.00 purchase. I had received two ExtraBucks rewards, which are basically store credit, from the CVS ExtraCare customer loyalty program which gives you 2% back on purchases and $5.00 ExtraBucks when you accumulate 10 filled prescriptions (if you link everything, easy to do online). One was for $1.50 for my regular purchases and one was for $5.00 for my beauty purchases, (which you get once you have cumulatively spent $50.00 on beauty items if you're signed up for their ExtraCare Beauty Club). As you can see below, that brought my subtotal to only $0.77! So although my final total was $1.95, I was paying less for the actual products than for the sales tax.

That's how you make a beauty product purchase that doesn't worry your husband. He gave me a high-five on this one, as a matter of fact.

*I paid for these products with my own money. I am not affiliated with nor compensated by any of the brands mentioned in this post.*