CVS 101

CVS
• Can use store and manufacturer coupon together
• Extra Care Bucks are a coupon that prints at the end of the receipt
• Need Extra Care card to get Extra Care Bucks (ECB) or sale prices
• You CAN roll Extra Care Bucks (ECB) on same product
• You don’t have to spend the whole Extra Care Buck coupon, but you lose what you don’t spend
• Limit on how many products that you can get free with Extra Care Bucks (ECB).
• Rainchecks NEVER expire

CVS Coupon Policy:

You are going to want to print this out and keep it with you in case you ever have problems at your store using coupons.  The coupon policy is HERE and a newer policy is HERE.

CVS Extra Care Card:

CVS’s program works with a card called:  Extra Care Card.  The card is free to sign up for and use.  You can sign up for one right at the store or do it online, though it is quicker in the store.    You will need this card every time you shop to get the sale prices and to earn Extra Care Bucks (ECB’s).   With each purchase, you will also earn 2% back in Extra Care Bucks (printed out as ECB’s once a quarter).  You will want to register your card online as they sometimes send out store coupons to you.  There is a limit of 1 card per household.

You will want to make sure that you scan your card each time whether you buy items that will produce ECB’s or not.  Don’t freak if  you forget your card since your card is connected to your phone number.  They can look up your card number by using your phone number.  Now don’t forget your card AND  your phone number…then you have problems.  LOL

Extra Care Coupons:

Now that you have your card, you will want to look for a Red Price Scanner near the front of the store…though you may still have an old gray price scanner.    Once you locate your scanner, you will want to scan your Extra Care Card each time that you go into a CVS store.   Be sure to scan it twice as many times it will print out even more store coupons.  The coupons can be used alone or with a manufacturer coupon.  CVS allows the use of one CVS store coupon  and one manufacturer coupon per item.

Something super important that I want to tell you right off the bat, is that you can not share or borrow ECB’s or CVS store coupons.  Each ECB and CVS Store coupon is connected to your card identity.  This means that if you find ECB’s in the parking lot, pick them up and throw them away.  They do you no good.

Earning Extra Care Bucks -ECBs:

Extra Care Bucks or ECBs, are like CVS money that you can use on most anything in the store.   You earn them when you buy an item that is advertised saying that if you buy that product, you will earn Extra Care Bucks.   When you buy an item advertised as earning extra bucks you will pay for the item and then the ECBs will print at the bottom of your receipt.  The next time you buy something at CVS you can use your Extra Care Bucks to pay for it. Example:

ThermaCare Heat Wraps 1-ct. $2.79, Earn $2.79 in ECBs (Limit 1)
= Pay $2.79 out of pocket and receive $2.79 ECB

Russell Stover Chocolates or Truffles $4.99, Earn $1 in ECBs (Limit 1)
Use $2.79 ECB from above to bring total down
= Pay $2.20 and receive $1 ECB

You will learn to maximize your ECB’s by buying other items that will produce ECB’s, that is called rolling. Buy something that earns ECBs and then use those ECBs to buy something else that earns ECBs as I showed you above. This way you make an initial cash purchase and then use CVS money for all future purchases.

The nice thing about Extra Care Bucks is that you don’t have to have to spend the exact amount or more than to use the ECB (as in Walgreens RR). You can buy something for less, but you would lose the extra amount. They won’t give you cash back

Buy 2 Candy Bars @ .40 each = .80
Pay with the $1 ECB that you earned above = $0 out of pocket
You lost .20 though

The best thing would of been to buy 3 candy bars for $1.20 – $1 ECB = pay .20 for 3 candy bars.

Another nice thing about Extra Care Bucks is that that they are considered like money…not a coupon like Walgreens RR’s. This is awesome because you can add in coupons to use on items that will produce Extra Care Bucks and not have to add in another product so that coupons = items.

ThermaCare Heat Wraps 1-ct. $2.79, Earn $2.79 in ECBs (Limit 1)
- $1/1 ThermaCare Printable Coupon
- $1 Extra Care Buck from above
= pay .79 out of pocket and receive a $2.79 ECB

Another nice deal is using BOGO coupons on items that produce Extra Care Bucks. Example:

Old Spice Fresh Collection or Gillette Odor Shield Deodorant $4, Earn $4 in ECBs (Limit 2)
Buy 2 and use BOGO manufacturer coupon
= Pay just $4, but you will get $8 in Extra Care Bucks (profit of $4!)

Or if the item that is on sale was BOGO you would get both items free

Herbal Essence Hydralicious Shampoo or Conditioner BOGO (reg price for 1 $3.99)
Buy 2 and use a BOGO manufacturer coupon
= FREE (plus tax)

I kind of showed you above how to make money on these deals, but I will show you one without using a Extra Care Buck.

Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Body Lotion $6.99, Earn $6.99 in ECBs (Limit 1)
- $1/1 Eucerin Hand or Body Product Coupon (11/7 RP)
= Pay $5.99 out of pocket and get $6.99 Extra Care Buck’s.
A money maker of $1.

Extra Care Bucks will expire one month from the date that you received them. Some stores will accept expired Extra Care Bucks, but most stores will not. Ask at your store what their policy is about accepting them expired. You can NOT used these at any other store since they are considered a store coupon.

Limit of Extra Care Buck Deals:

In the ad, it will state how many of each deal you can do, if you earn Extra Care Bucks on the item. ECB deals always have limits! Underneath the deal in the ad it will say “Limit x per household.” If it is limit 1 then it means that if you buy more than one then you will only get extra bucks for the first one you purchase.

Though there have been many times that the limit is not what is stated and you will find out at the bottom of your receipt. Look at the bottom of your receipt and next to the item it will state if your limit is reached or not.

There are also some ECB deals that require you to buy multiple items (buy 2 and get $3 Extra Care Bucks). You do not have to buy all the items at one time. You just have to purchase them before the sale period is over. Once you buy all the qualifying items or reach the dollar amount required then your ECBs will print.

CVS Monthly Deals:

There are certain ECB deals that are good all month long, but will still have a limit. At times these deals are advertised once or twice in an ad, but the limit will still be one for the month. If you forgot that you already bought an item and you bought it again and no ECB’s pop out, don’t be afraid to return the item.

CVS $/$$ Store Coupons:

CVS occasionally sends out $/$$ coupons or you will get them at the magical red scanning machine. They are typically $4/$20, $5/$30, or $10/$50. That means if you buy $20 worth of merchandise, then you can use the coupon to get $4 off your total. You would always give the $/$$ before you hand over any other manufacturer coupons. You can only use one of the $/$$ coupons in a transaction.

CVS Coupon Order:

When shopping at CVS it is best to give your coupons in this order:

First use the $ off $$ coupons
Manufacturer Coupons
CVS coupons
and then Extra Care Bucks

You never want to use your Extra Care Bucks  first in case your total is less than what you expected and you don’t want to lose any.