Working at a New Store!

I'm very excited to be working at a different store. I needed a change of some kind as I've been a bit frustrated of late. The long drives were killing me! Seriously, when you worry over $.10/gal increase in gas is going to throw off your budget big time you know there's a problem. Well I've been keeping a close eye on those prices around here and they've been going up. YIKES!

The drive isn't anything special but it takes less than half time to get there. It's wonderful! Not having to drive 50 minutes to a hour is fantastic! We'll see how I like it two or three months down the road, but for now it's a little piece of heaven.

This store also has a lower volume. I'd say my 'old' store did about 2.5x as much front store business and 2x the scripts at least. I actually kind of like it. I need something a little bit more slowed down of late as I feel like I'm wearing out. (Over 9 years in a supper busy store is tiring after a while! That's why I enjoyed my 6 months on night shift.) I'm still working a few days at the 'old' store a week because there aren't enough hours. That's all right, perhaps once the new year begins I can find another store that is also closer to pick up the other days if the hour budget doesn't increase.

Today I made my first purchase at the 'new' store. ^_^ I was going to get a Schick Hydro as well, but they (we? which do I use now?) were out of the shaving cream.



I bought:
3 Mentos 15ct @ $1.79 each = $5.37
3 Mentos 15ct $0.00 (BOGO Sale!)
Nuetrogena Triple Moisture $7.49
Total Before Coupons: $12.86

6 $1/1 Mentos 15ct+
Total After Coupons: $6.86

Received:
$8 EB Nuetrogena
~These did not print. Went back to the shelf and rechecked the product I grabbed. I grabbed the one that had been signed. Brought the sign up to the register and the cashier looked it over and forced printed the extra bucks. Now I'm wondering looking through the blogs again if the incorrect Nuetrogena was signed. *sighs* Ah well.
Net: $1.14 profit (+ $.25 green bag tag scan)

Oh! Be on the look out for a coupon to print at the bottom of your receipt for a free pack of the new Extra Dessert Delights gum! I got mine on Monday! (Old store only got in two flavors on Monday, new store hasn't gotten them in yet.)

Who Am I?

I've realized I don't have very good description for myself. I should make a better one. I'm going to take this slow, because I am not exactly sure where to begin. Let's start with something typical shall we?

-Where do I work?
This blog is certainly not my main job. Far from it. I started it to get a better of idea of where I am on my saving, deal shopping, get out of debt journey. I confess that I work at CVS. (Perhaps not the most typical, but a very important question given the nature of this blog.)

-If you work at CVS, why do you shop at Rite Aid?
Have you seen the shopping trips I've posted? I make money (in actual cash) and get free product by shopping Rite Aid. I don't think I will be stopping any time soon, unless they ditch the Single Check Rebate program. Honestly I wish CVS had something like that, but from a business stand point I understand why they don't.

-As a CVS employee don't you get a discount? Why don't you put that information in with your shopping trip details?
I do, but I'm not going to go into specifics about it. I'm not sure exactly how ethical it is to be posting about my employee discount. It's one of those 'secrets' that everyone knows about. Employees generally get employee discounts at the places that sell goods to the 'public.'
In addition I don't think it is a good idea to be posting/bragging (I realize in a way posting my deals is bragging) about an employee discount is not fair. My neighbor can't get the discount unless they work at CVS. My uncle, grandmother, best friend, even my Sweetheart (because we are not technically married) etc cannot get a discount unless they are employed by CVS.
Yes, this means I have to recalculate all the dollar amounts on CVS deals if my discount effects it.

-Does your Sweetheart have a CVS card? (Since he can't use the discount.)
NO! He's not a big shopper, which means I would have to do it. As an employee I am only allowed my employee card. It would mean big trouble if I were to use a regular CVS card. Not going to do it.

-Do you know the sales in advance?
Yes, but only by the sale fliers that are delivered to the store. I don't order the Ad ten or twelve weeks out. I know it gets order way in advance, but I don't know how far exactly because I don't order it.

-Could you post the CVS Ads on your blog?
Absolutely not. Ethics my dear friends, ethics. If you want to see ad previews go to I ♥ CVS to see what Erica has found. I will gladly point you in the direction of information, just can't give it out myself.
Technically I think it would be okay if I did post it. I worked at a store once that would hand out the following weeks flier if a customer asked for it. Currently I don't work at a store that does. We will however allow customers to return items they bought the day or two before that hadn't been on sale to re-ring at the sale price. I think that detail is left up to store managers.

Hoping to get another one of these up soon.