CVS is one of my favorite places to shop! It takes a little time to learn how, but once you get the hang of CVSing, it will be a breeze! Below are the steps on how to save the most money at CVS!
1) Get an Extra Care Card.
You can do this in the store at the front counter or online. It is quicker to get your card in the store since they will give you one immediately and you can begin using it right away. If you get your card in the store, make sure to sign it up online when you get home so you can start receiving money saving coupons.
2) Understand what ECBs are.
ECBs stand for Extra Care Bucks. They are basically an instant rebate that prints out on your receipt in the form of a coupon. You can use your ECBs towards your next transaction. Don’t lose your ECBs because they are like cash!
ECBs have expiration dates. Pay attention to the dates! If you let them expire, you are throwing away money.
If an item is free after ECBs it works like this: You will pay for the item at the register and when your receipt prints out, ECBs will print out totaling that item’s price.
Once you accumulate ECBs, put them towards other items that total your ECB amount. This will minimize your out of pocket spending. Preferably, put your ECBs towards purchases that will yield more ECBs. That way you can roll them from one transaction to the next further minimizing out of pocket spending!
3) Understand how to maximize multiple transactions.
Multiple transactions are sometimes a necessity to avoid spending too much money out of pocket.
For example: If you have $10 ECBs in your wallet to use and you want to buy $10.00 in Dove products (giving you $5 ECBs when you purchase $10 worth featured in the weekly ad) and $5 worth in nail polish, split your transaction into two. In your first transaction, buy the Dove products. Use your $10 ECBs, pay only tax and receive $5 ECBs back. THEN, in your second transaction, buy the $5 nail polish you need, give your $5 ECBs that you just earned, pay only tax. Having two transactions just saved you $5.00. You could have bought the Dove and nail polish together but you would have used your $10 ECBs and spent $5.00 out of pocket. Instead, you broke your transaction into two and paid only tax on both transactions!
4) Use your coupons!
CVS is very coupon friendly. They will allow you to use a CVS store coupon and a manufacturer coupon and ECBs on just one item!
5) Scan your Extra Care Card at the red coupon center.
The coupon center is a red kiosks you can swipe your CVS card. When you swipe your card, CVS store coupons will print out! You should scan your card every time you visit CVS.
6) Know what order to hand your coupons over.
Hand over any $/$$ ($4 OFF $20 ect.) coupons first, then store and manufacturer coupons, then ECBs and then your cash.
7) Keep checking my site regularly.
Every week I will post the highlights of CVS sales and scenarios. These posts will help you with your purchases and match up any coupons with the sales from the weekly ad. Throughout the week I will also post any additional deals I learn of.
8) Have fun!
Once you start reaping the benefits of shopping at CVS and seeing all the money you have saved, you won't be able to stop yourself from laughing all the way to the bank!
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