Besides having the Bayer A1CNow test kits for just $9.99 (normally $25+), CVS also has Bayer's Contour USB blood glucose meter on sale for $9.99 this week (w/CVS card). While that's a good deal, considering it normally runs $74.99, if you use Bayer's $20 off coupon it's free. (the coupon expires 3/31/11)
Now the fact that the coupon is $20, and the actual cost is $9.99, it did cause a slight problem with the pharmacy clerk. Scanning $20 off a $9.99 item didn't compute. I asked her to try entering $9.99 manually and that should work. She ended up calling a manager and for awhile it looked like it wasn't going to work. In fact, at one point I jokingly said "Why don't I just take another and it'll equal $20" and the manager actually went for it. Unfortunately that was the last one in stock. But if that is a typical solution, you might walk away with a second one free. Eventually they just manually entered $9.99 and noted it on the coupon for Bayer.
Besides the fact the Contour USB can plug directly into your computer and transfer your results to your tracking software, this kit also has a surprising amount of extras that a lot of glucose meters leave out. The big plus is they include 25 test strips (about a $30+ bonus), a control solution, wall charger, USB extension cable, Microlet 2 lance and 25 lancets.
When all was said and done I had a Contour USB meter and two A1cNow kits (four tests total) for $19.98 plus tax. A total savings of $114.99.
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DanoMcGarret
Book em!
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 7:31p
Nice to see they're charging a decent price for the meter. I saw a tearpad at the local CVS with a coupon good for 1 free USB Contour (valid up to $74.99) just below the meters.
Dano
anonguy
Loyal Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 7:47p
Usually there are some kind of deals out there for meters (a lot of rebates), and I think Walgreen's had this one for $10 a week or two ago, but this is one of the more expensive ones and, at least at the CVS I went to, they didn't have any Bayer coupons there. But with the cost of strips ($1+ each), companies can afford to give the meters away. That's why this one is interesting in that you get 25 strips to test out.
Type 1 Diabetic for 11 year I'm on a Medtronic mimimed pump I'd like a refund on my life please
numismatist
Senior Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 8:27p
Bear with me on the long post- it's worth it, I hope. My mother-in-law is tested 2x a day. She lives in Bogota, and electronics there are expensive. I research many different home systems, and it seems that the bottom line is that they are ALL too unreliable for any use at all in diagnosis and treatment. However, nearly all are accurate enough to measure any VERY LARGE fluctuations in blood sugar that should send you straight to a physician, which is the only thing they are really good for. If you don't plan on getting help if the thing goes off the chart, don't even bother testing. That being said, I bought two units (in case one crapped out) of the cheapest daily use from OTC Wholesale, and had her physician test them. Believe they were $30 with 100 test strips and 100 lancets included. They are as good (in the sense given above) as the ones you get at chain stores for 4-5x as much. Cut the cost by 80% from around $2k/year for her and her sister down to$ $400 year for both of them. If spending a little more makes you feel a little better, Relion from WalMart got the best rating from Consumer Reports, but I don't know how they did the tests.
icewinsagain
Senior Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 8:31p
numismatist said: Bear with me on the long post- it's worth it, I hope. My mother-in-law is tested 2x a day. She lives in Bogota, and electronics there are expensive. I research many different home systems, and it seems that the bottom line is that they are ALL too unreliable for any use at all in diagnosis and treatment. However, nearly all are accurate enough to measure any VERY LARGE fluctuations in blood sugar that should send you straight to a physician, which is the only thing they are really good for. If you don't plan on getting help if the thing goes off the chart, don't even bother testing. That being said, I bought two units (in case one crapped out) of the cheapest daily use from OTC Wholesale, and had her physician test them. Believe they were $30 with 100 test strips and 100 lancets included. They are as good (in the sense given above) as the ones you get at chain stores for 4-5x as much. Cut the cost by 80% from around $2k/year for her and her sister down to$ $400 year for both of them.
Not loling, your mother needs to be reschooled on how to treat her self if shes type 2 testing 2 times a day I guess is ok im type 1 and test at least 6 times a day
numismatist
Senior Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 8:36p
"Not loling, your mother needs to be reschooled on how to treat her self if shes type 2 testing 2 times a day I guess is ok im type 1 and test at least 6 times a day"
Mother in law has a full time nurse.....the nurse does it on doc's orders.. And she could send us to school. She has a Phd, a law degree, was a high court judge, wrote the last president's campaign platform, and is the former Ambassador to Spain.
icewinsagain
Senior Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 8:41p
numismatist said: "Not loling, your mother needs to be reschooled on how to treat her self if shes type 2 testing 2 times a day I guess is ok im type 1 and test at least 6 times a day"
Mother in law has a full time nurse.....the nurse does it on doc's orders.. And she could send us to school. She has a Phd, a law degree, was a high court judge, wrote the last president's campaign platform, and is the former Ambassador to Spain.
Not starting a war beening Type 1 I learn stuff everyday Don't care how she has lived her life the point is how much longer she will be around testing 2 times a day is not good enuff for anyone that is stuck with it
OP is really lucky. Walgreens managers made so much fuss. I don't think CVS will let u go away unless u have some really flexible managers..
TunaNugget
Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 9:06p
icewinsagain said: numismatist said: "Not loling, your mother needs to be reschooled on how to treat her self if shes type 2 testing 2 times a day I guess is ok im type 1 and test at least 6 times a day"
Mother in law has a full time nurse.....the nurse does it on doc's orders.. And she could send us to school. She has a Phd, a law degree, was a high court judge, wrote the last president's campaign platform, and is the former Ambassador to Spain.
Not starting a war beening Type 1 I learn stuff everyday Don't care how she has lived her life the point is how much longer she will be around testing 2 times a day is not good enuff for anyone that is stuck with it
Type I and non-insulin-dependent II treatments are completely different. I'm sure her testing schedule is fine.
I bought this meter on sale at Walgreens, and was happy to pay the 10 bucks. I bought the two they had in stock, 'cause it's a good deal on just the strips. I use the extra charger for my iPod. But the previous poster was right, these meters are only certified to be correct within 20%, and this one doesn't do any better than that.
anonguy
Loyal Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 9:11p
adroits said: OP is really lucky. Walgreens managers made so much fuss. I don't think CVS will let u go away unless u have some really flexible managers.. Yeah, for awhile I was kind of wishing the price was $19.99 so there wouldn't be a problem (though maybe the penny might foul it up).
For most Type 2 patients, once or twice a day is enough. If they have good control, some just do a morning fast test once or twice a week. But if you are watching post-meal highs, then you will need to do more testing. As someone above said, the Relion at Wal-Mart is about the cheapest out there for strips and a Consumer Reports Best Buy. They run about half what Abbott, Bayer and J&J run. The rich part is, the Relion is made by Abbott and is a clone of their Precision Xtra, yet the Xtra's strips run over twice as much.
TunaNugget
Member
posted: Jan. 3, 2011 @ 9:18p
There was just recently a recall on the Abbott strips:
I was using a box (Precision Xtra) that was recalled, and had another one on the list. If you are using the Relion, here are the affected lot numbers: 45358, 45369, 45377, 45379, 45466, 45504, 45511, 45608, 45613, 45641, 45642, 45644, 45672, 45674, 45675, 45676, 45677, 45721, 45734, 45736, 45739, 45742, 45743, 45789, 45790, 45800, 45801, 45840, 45841, 45849, 45850, 46008, 46009, 46061, 46067, 46069, 46072, 46103, 46105, 46148, 46201, 46202, 46214, 46215, 46232, 46313, 46332, 46336, 46338, 46341, 46368.
The Contour USB meter is in most stores. This week it is $9.99 at CVS. Although the normal price is about $75, you can usually find it on sale at one of the big Drugstore chains. The $20 off coupon mentioned above is good until the end of March, so if you miss the CVS sale you will more than likely have another chance before then to pick one up for little to no money.
muskiemyke
Senior Member
posted: Jan. 5, 2011 @ 9:17p
The link now goes to a $5 off coupon good until the end of the year.
Also, make sure your insurance company covers the strips for this meter. Meter companies basically give away the meters because they make their money on the strips. Most insurance companies only cover certain brands of strips. If yours won't pay for the strips for this meter it becomes a very expensive meter, even if you get it for free.
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