2010-08-19 -- $1.53

I began with 10.99ECB.

Regular Prices:
13.49 Zegerid OTC (14ct)
4.19 Dry Idea Advanced Dry
4.19 Dry Idea Advanced Dry
3.29 Stacys Pita Chips
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar

33.50 TOTAL Regular Prices

Sale Prices:
9.99 Zegerid OTC (14ct)
4.19 Dry Idea Advanced Dry
0.00 Dry Idea Advanced Dry
3.00 Stacys Pita Chips
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
1.00 Emerald Honey Roasted Nuts (4.5oz)
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.00 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.89 Dove Chocolate Bar
0.00 Dove Chocolate Bar

23.74 TOTAL Sale Prices

Coupons and Discounts Applied:
4.00 STORE Coupon "$4 Off $20+ Purchase"
1.00 STORE Coupon "$1 Off Stacys"
0.50 STORE Coupon "Any Two Dove"
0.50 STORE Coupon "Any Two Dove"
4.19 MANUFACTURER Coupon "Buy 1 Dry Idea, Get 1 Free"
3.00 MANUFACTURER Coupon "Any Zegerid"
9.99 ExtraBuck

23.18 TOTAL Coupons and Discounts

My total came to $0.56, plus an additional $0.97 in tax, for a grand total of $1.53.  In addition, I used 9.99ECB and earned 7.00ECB (for Zegerid), leaving Card2 with a balance of 8.00ECB.

I also screwed up this transaction in two ways.  First, I miscalculated my totals, overlooking the $4.19 BOGO coupon for Dry Idea.  Second, I used a different tactic when playing this time, spending my 9.99ECB first, rather than at the end. I did this to experiment with the "Use Manufacturers Coupons Last" to reduce tax levels.

So, while it was not a total loss, the transaction was more costly than it should have been.  I had three $1 Off Emerald Nut coupons that I couldn't use because my total was so low.  I had thought about tossing in a $3.33 box of Raisin Bran (to start the "3/$10, Get 5.00ECB" deal, but didn't stop to recalculate my plan after finding several items out of stock.  In the end, I left $3 in coupons unused, meaning I could have bought three more dollars worth of merchandise for roughly the same OOP.

Oh well. My ECB total for Card2 would have been roughly the same, so it's not exactly a bad transaction. Just not the optimum.  (Plus, I do still get to use my $1 Emerald Nut coupons later on.)