The key to CVS is to learn the system. If you learn this system, I promise you will see this store in a whole new light. You will never again see this as an overpriced drug store that you pass on your way to a better deal. You will know that this is a goldmine of a store that not everyone knows about or understands. (Although, on a week of a great deal, it will seem like everyone knows about this store. This is one of the main reasons I don’t shop CVS much anymore. I just don’t have time to be running all over town these days only to find out that the stores are sold out already. Because they sometimes have trouble keeping stock, you will want to make sure to utilize rain checks!)
THINGS TO NOTE:
- Does not double coupons.
- Has a store card. DO NOT shop here without it….shhhh! Keep it to yourselves my friends and just get one SOON!
- Extra Care Bucks and Extra Care Coupons print at the bottom of your receipt.
- Make very sure you keep these in a safe place as it is money (in a less obvious form)!
- Make sure you also watch the expiration date. Some stores will honor these for a limited period of time beyond expiration so if you happen to find yourself in such a situation, ask your local store – don’t just throw them out.
- If you are a family that chooses to have more than 1 card (we don’t), you need to know that Extra Care Bucks and Extra Care coupons are tied to each specific card. You can mix and match to get better deals.
- If you ever run into an issue where your Extra Care Bucks are not ringing up for anything more than your ECC (Extra Care Coupon), you need to have the cashier re-scan your card. MOST do not know this, but I have heard that it re-sets the system and allows your Extra Care Bucks to scan as they should.
- You will always have to pay tax on your items (if necessary). Make sure you use your Extra Care Bucks in order from those that will expire first and then highest to lowest in denomination. This is because one you hit the point of tax, you will not be allowed to use anymore. If you are $9 away from this mark and you only have 1-$10 Extra Care Bucks left, you will not be allowed to use this and have more OOP expense. (Some cashiers may pass it through, but they shouldn’t.)
- Some stores now have a coupon generator instore. You can scan your card and coupons will print! Love these things!
- You can pay $1.00 and get a GreenBagTag. Hang this tag from your reusable shopping bags and you will get $1.00 Extra Care Buck every 4th trip. These are good once per day, per household.
- Another way to earn extra care bucks is simply by your totals. Each quarter, extra care bucks are awarded based on your overall purchases from the period prior.
- Manufacturer, store coupons and extra care bucks can (AND SHOULD BE) stacked for the best out of pocket scenarios!
- WARNING: This store can be addicting!
Let me show you a sample deal so you get the idea. In the beginning (first time or two), you will pay regular price (minus your coupons of course). After this though, you will have your Extra Care Buckss and be ready to play the game!
TRANSACTION #1
YOUR PURCHASE:
Oral B toothbrush – $2.99
Excedrin Gel Tabs – $3.99
Loreal cleanser – $7.99
Colgate toothpaste – $2.50
YOUR COUPONS:
-$1.00 Oral B toothbrush
-$2.00 Excedrin Gel Tabs
-$2.00 Loreal
-$1.00 Colgate
OUT OF POCKET (OOP) AFTER COUPONS:
$11.47
EXTRA CARE BUCKS RECEIVED ON TRANSACTION:
$2.00 ECB ORAL B
$3.99 ECB Excedrin
$5.00 ECB Loreal
$2.00 ECB Colgate
=12.99 TOTAL ECB BACK
You can see how on this deal, by utilizing the right coupons with the right sale you have paid less OOP than the Extra Care Bucks you received back. You are already doing great here…but this is not where it ends. This is just the first step! You now have Extra Care Bucks and it’s at this point that you can start playing the game.
Let’s take these Extra Care Bucks and go back to CVS for our second trip. Let’s see what kind of deal we might be able to work out. REMEMBER…we want to “ROLL” those Extra Care Bucks so that they continue to work for us for a very long time to come.
TRANSACTION #2
YOUR NEXT PURCHASE
2 Colgate – Buy One, Get One FREE at $2.29
Loreal Advanced Revitalift – $11.99
Tums -$5.79
YOUR COUPONS:
-$1.50 Colgate
-$1.50 Colgate
-$2.00 Loreal
-$1.00 Tums
AFTER COUPONS / BEFORE EXTRA CARE BUCKS:
$14.07
Now, subtract those Extra Care Bucks from above…
-12.99 Extra Care Bucks
=$1.08 OOP!
EXTRA CARE BUCKS RECEIVED ON TRANSACTION:
$11.99 Loreal
$3.00 Tums
So, you have now used your original $12.99 Extra Care Buckss, paid ONLY $1.08 for this purchase and then got back another $14.99 for your next visit!
Every time will not work out perfectly and there will be fluctuations in your Extra Care Bucks. When shopping CVS, I was never without, but at times would use mine for other items that wouldn’t be giving them back. I am ok with this, but never allow myself to run out.
- Hand over any CVS $$ off $$ coupons
- This way you are still over the necessary $20 (or whatever) total to use the coupon (assuming the coupon is for $5 / $20 purchase). If you use your other coupons first, your total will fall below the $20 mark making this coupon invalid for this sale.
- Hand over manufacturer coupons
- Hand over CVS store coupons
- Hand over Extra Care Bucks. Start with those that are to expire first starting with the highest value, working down.
- If your total balance (excluding tax) is $11 and you have Extra Care Bucks for $7.00, $5.00, $3.00, $1.00:
- If you start with the $1 then the $3 then the $5, you total OOP is $2.00 PLUS tax.
- If you start with $7, $3, $1, then your total OOP will only be the TAX due.
Note that I have not shopped CVS in some time because of the issue of being sold out of things so quickly and I simply don’t have the time anymore to bounce from store to store. If you note something above that has changed or updated, please feel free to let us know!
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I don’t know if all stores allow it, but if my total (before tax) is a few cents less than ECB, say it’s $1.98 and I want to use $2. ECB, they allow it, I lose my .02, but don’t have to buy something quickly that I don’t want/need.
I have been shopping at the one in Clifton (on Ludlow) while my daughter is in class, and they have told me they get their “truck” on Wed., so less “out of stock”. I do also want to note that the mgr there is EXTREMELY cpn friendly! The mgr. of the store nearer my home told me he starts putting up the next week’s prices Sat., so get both weeks deals that day! Just recently I’ve also found to ask, sometimes items not shelved yet, but have!
BTW, if you are foing to shop CVS regularly, it pays to sign up for their e-mail. They do send cpns -$5 off $15 or $5 off $20 etc. I USED to think “I’ll never spend that much” in one trip, but as Becky pointed out, give them this cpn FIRST, and it comes off your total BEFORE cpns, so not as high as it sounds on a “good sale week”.
They even sent me a survey to earn ECB recently, but still sent me $2. ECB e
even though I didn’t “qualify” for the survey!!
Thank you so much for posting this! I have been wanting to shop at CVS but wasn’t sure how it all worked. I recently had a new prescription filled there and had a coupon to get a free $25 gift card with the prescription. So, I can now start shopping there with coupons and little, if not zero, out of pocket!
new to this but love the diapers coupons
great deal diapers at cvs $7
It may be worth it to ask about this: My CVS accepts both a clipped manufacturer coupon AND coupons for the same items printed from the internet. The cashier said that, yes, they are both technically manufacturer coupons, but the system will accept them both since they have different barcodes.