CVS Coupon Saving

Saving Money at CVS

CVS is a coupon lovers paradise.  In my opinion, it is the easiest store for a beginner.  

The first and most important component of saving money at CVS is to get an Extra Care card.  You can get this card by either signing up on the CVS website or by signing up with the cashier inside the store.  Only one card is allowed per household.

Once you have the Extra Care card in your hand, you hold the key for savings at CVS.  You should make certain that you sign up with cvs.com and register your Extra Care card.  They periodically email special coupons to card holders.

The next thing to know about is the magic coupon machine.  This is a large red machine, normally found near the front counter at all CVS stores.  The reason couponers call this machine magic is because all you have to do is scan your card and it will spit out coupons.  Important note: Scan your card until the machine tells you that no more coupons are available.  Normally you can scan 3 times.  

This is what the coupons will look like that come from the machine.  The best coupons will normally expire quickly, possibly even the same day, so check expiration dates.

EXTRA CARE BUCKS aka ECB's

Extra Care Buck, or as couponers call them, ECB's are at the heart of any real saving at CVS.  These are special offers that CVS offers weekly.  They are CVS's reward for shopping inside their store.  ECB's are basically coupons for $ off if you purchase a specific item.

For Example:  CVS is offering a $2.00 ECB when you purchase Pantene shampoo.  Pantene shampoo costs 2/$6.97.  You purchase and pay $6.97 but when you get your receipt, an ECB for $2.00 will be attached to the receipt.  This $2.00 ECB is like a coupon to purchase any other item in the store (certain items such as prescriptions are excluded).

ECB's can be used during your next visit to the store or can be used the same visit on another purchase.  If the store is not very busy, you can do multiple purchases during the same visit and pay very little out of pocket.  

Using our Pantene shampoo example, let's say that Pantene shampoo has a limit of 2 for the extra care deal.  You buy one and pay $6.97 for the first 2 but for the second 2 you use the $2.00 ECB from the first purchase and you only have to pay $4.97.  So you get four bottles for $11.94.

The best thing about CVS is that you can combine CVS coupons and manufacture coupons.  ECB's are considered as cash and can be used in any combination. 

Now, let's go back to our Pantene scenario.

Using this ad, if you have a manufacturer coupon for $2.00 off two bottles.  We would use the $2.00 of two coupon and we would pay $4.97 but we would get a $2.00 ECB making our total out of pocket cost be $2.97 for two bottles of Pantene shampoo.  Can you beat that?  

Of course you can!  Remember that coupon we got when we scanned our card when we first got in the store?  What did that coupon say?

Let's pull it out and see.

WoW!  We get $2.00 off two shampoo.  Well, lucky us, we just bought two bottles of Pantene shampoo.

Now we can stack this CVS coupon with our Manufacture coupon and here is our final deal.

Two bottle of Pantene on sale 2/$6.97

Use $2.00 off two shampoo CVS coupon from the magic coupon machine

Use manufacture coupon for $2.00 off any 2 Pantene products

Pay $2.97 plus tax

Get $2.00 ECB

Total out of pocket $0.97 plus tax for two bottles of Pantene shampoo.

Now, we are happy couponers.

Until next time, keep looking for those deals.  Be sure to add thriftylivin on Facebook.