I have so many people tell me that the things they need to buy don't have coupons when they need them, so they end up paying full price for many items anyway.  I thought I would provide an example of how I got something I needed, but didn't have a coupon for.  I ended up getting what I needed plus making a little under $12 just by thinking outside the box and using a couple other deals to my advantage.

On Tuesday, I desperately needed some Motrin for my little girl because she was running  a fever and we had just ran out.  Of course, I didn't want to pay for it, though!  :)  I looked online and there were no coupons or good sales, but I did have a $5 ECB to CVS.  Sure, I could have just used the $5 ECB and walked out with some free Motrin and had no ECB's remaining.  But, instead here is what I did:

NOTE: You can see the details to these great CVS deals HERE and HERE.

Transaction 1:

1 Dulcolax Balance, $9.99
Used $5/1 coupon from All You magazine
Used $5 ECB
TOTAL DUE: $.36, GOT BACK $9.99 ECB

Transaction 2:

1 Schick Hydro Razor, $8.97
1 CVS Children's Ibuprofen, $4.99
1 bag of Skittles (for my cooperative son!), $.89
Used $5/1 razor from 8/8/10 SS
Used $9.99 ECB
Total Due: $.69, GOT BACK $4 ECB

PLUS, I submitted for the Schick Hydro rebate ($8.97 coming back via mail) and the Dulcolax Balance rebate ($5 coming back by mail) mentioned HERE.  So, when you take into account that I now have $1 less in ECB's remaning and paid tax of $1.05 and have $13.97 coming back by mail, I was actually paid $11.92 to buy the Dulcolax, razor, Ibuprofen, and Skittles!