This is a simple guide to getting the best deals when shopping at CVS. We all know buying household items at a pharmacy traditionally isn’t the cheapest option, but with the right coupon and rewards strategy, it can be!
And sometimes it’s the easiest… if you’re already in the store for medicine, why not scoop up the rest of your shopping list? Read on for some pro tips on how to maximize your dollar at CVS. (If you’re more of a Walgreens person, check out our guide on that here!)
This is where it all starts for savings at CVS. Signing up for an ExtraCare Card is totally free and the deals you can get out of it are amazing. This is a loyalty card that earns 2% back on all purchases (in addition to unlocking coupons, more on that later), so you want to make sure you’re scanning it every time you shop at CVS.
If you happen to forget your Extra Care Card, don’t fret. You can also enter the phone number associated with your account at checkout to earn rewards.
So how do you score one of these cards? Easy! You can pick one up at checkout or you can sign up for one online and have it mailed to you. If you get one in-store, make sure to register it online when you get home. And don’t forget the CVS app! It’s never been easier to use coupons — no more cutting out little bits of paper just to lose them before you get to use them. Just pull up the coupons on your phone and scan at check-out. Text “App” to CVS-APP (287-277) to download now!
Now that you have your ExtraCare Card, let’s talk about how you can use it to save tons of money on everyday items on your list!
When you go into CVS the first thing you should do is go to the red coupon scanners at the front of the store and scan your ExtraCare Card. It will print CVS Store Coupons which can be used in addition to any manufacturer’s coupons you may have. CVS allows the use of one CVS coupon (the store is giving the discount) and one manufacturer coupon (the manufacturer is giving the discount and will reimburse the store) per item.
ExtraCare Bucks, aka ECBs, are like CVS money or instant rebates. When you buy an item advertised as earning ECBs, you will pay for the item and then the ECBs will print at the very bottom of your receipt. You cut these off and keep them like cash. Then the next time you buy something at CVS you can use your ECBs to pay for it.
Example:
The best way to maximize your ECBs is to “roll” them. Buy something that earns ECBs then use those ECBs to buy something else that earns ECBs. This way you make an initial cash purchase and then use CVS money for all future purchases. ECBs can be used on anything in the store except the usual exclusions (Prescriptions, tobacco, stamps, etc.).
One important note is that an ECB is only good for one use. You cannot use a $10 ECB on an $8 purchase and keep the $2. Your purchase (before tax) must be equal to or greater than the ECB amount. You will not get cash back and your ECBs will not be carried over.
Take careful note of the expiration date on your ECBs, too! They usually expire within 30 days, but some deals are even shorter-lived.
This is where that 2% back on all purchases comes in. In addition to the instant ECBs that you get printed out on your receipts, you will also receive quarterly ECBs through your ExtraCare Card! As an ExtraCare Cardholder, you will get an ECB for 2% of what you spent at CVS each quarter, or every three months.
For example, if you spend $100 at CVS over the course of three months (and scanned your card for each purchase), then you will get a $2 ECB at the end of those three months.
To sweeten the deal even further, CVS occasionally issues Triple ECB coupons. You scan it once and it will triple your quarterly earnings from that point until the quarter is over. So, once you scan it you will start earning 6% back on all your purchases! Definitely keep an eye out for these babies.
Every week CVS puts out a circular (print, online and in the app!) with deals that are good for one week. There are regular sale items and there are ECB deals. ECB deals are the real money-savers. For one ECB deal, you can use a manufacturer’s coupon, a CVS coupon AND earn ECBs!
Example:
So, even if you don’t use Colgate toothpaste, it is still worth it to do this deal because you now have $1 more than you had before to use on something that you need. You can always donate your freebies!
But, before you get too carried away, remember that ECB deals always have limits so read the fine print. 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 ECBs for the first one you purchase.
There are also some ECB deals that require you to buy multiple items. 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 occasionally sends out $/$$ coupons. They are typically $4/$20, $5/$30, or $10/$50. That means if you buy $20 worth of merchandise (price BEFORE manufacturer’s coupons!) then you can use the coupon to get $4 off your total. You can use one per order and you can use all other coupons and ECBs in addition.
When shopping at CVS it is best to give your coupons in this order:
This way there is no confusion over whether your total meets the $/$$ requirements and you also can make sure your total is high enough to use your ECBs effectively.
If you have any additional CVS shopping tips, feel free to share!
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let me first apologize for asking redundant questions......lets say i go to the red box machine on sunday, scan my card and get some crts. if i come back on tuesday and scan my card again, will I get more and/or different crts or did i get all I'm going to get for that week when I scanned it on sunday? i ask because I heard another vlogger say "keep scanning your card until it says no more crt's at the bottom of your tape", well I've never seen that message. I scan my card on sunday and it goes from printing a few crts to printing my "sent to card" stuff. when I go back on Tuesday and scan again, it doesn't print any crts, it just prints my "scan to card" summary again and nothing else. I'm also having issues with my crts. so many times i won't even get the ones i hear people say should be "printing for everyone". it is so frustrating! any help with this would be really great!
Hi.. I find your blog very informative. I started couponing a month ago and still learning. I just like the part of the blog that says “To maximize my ecb’s, I have to purchase the equal amount or greater than the ecb I’m using” because that I did not know. I just tend to roll into every transaction as to I don’t get any good crt’s to lower down my oop. So I did a deal yesterday for cosmetics, and the deals was buy 2 Maybelline and get $5 ecb and buy $9 Rimmel get $4 ecb. So I got
1 Rimmel Brow - $4.99
1 Rimmel Liner -$4.79
2 Maybelline -$15.98
Total=$25.76
I used:
2 2/1 Rimmel
2 2/1 Maybelline
$2.00 off cosmetics crt
$5.00 off $15 maybelline cosmetics
$4.00 rolled in ECB
My subtotal came to =$6.76
Tax =$1.61
Total=$8.37
Got back $9 ECB
As to my haul, how did I do so far? Please do comment or give tips on how I can save more or did I do something wrong with this transaction. Please reach out. Thank you..
I have a question. When it comes to the ECB rewards , are they generated in accordance with the final price of the product before taxes or after taxes. Example: Spend $20.00 on certain products to receive $5.00 ECB rewards and the products are $9.99 each. The total purchase price before taxes is $19.98. Once taxes is applied it will reach the $20.00 spending requirement. So would that mean I have to buy three products at $9.99 or would the two be sufficient since once taxes are included I will have reached the required spending amount?
It's officially supposed to be before taxes, but some stores do trigger the ECB when you are just a couple cents shy of the required purchase amount.
CVS coupons are worthless. I am a reward club member - received 25% off everything in store (except sale items). When I checked out, for a $30. order I handed the 25% off coupon, along with other reward coupons (knowing I wouldn't received the 25% off of any reward coupon item). The manager (not cashier) informed me my savings would only be .18 cents and do I really want it....first off yes, what kind of stupid question is that - secondly - if CVS advertises a buy 1 get 1 50% off and you only purchase 1 item, paying full price - the 25% coupon does not apply. Evidently unbeknownst to me every item that I purchased full price was a buy one get one at 50% - he suggested I go get the 50% item which would have increased my purchase to $40 still receiving only .18 off......I will never shop at CVS again. Searched for my receipt so that I could make a copy and send to corporate - lo and behold receipt was not in the bag as he told me.....I am done with CVS - their prices are higher than supermarket pricing - case in point - Claritan D Allergy 24 hour - 15 count tablets- their price 21.49 - local supermarket 18.99; Soft Soap 3.99 - local supermarket 2.89. I now refer to CVS as the Kohls of drugstores - double the fair market value of the product and offer 30% off in coupons - making a generous 20% on the deal......this drug store was located in Audubon, Pennsylvania.
I'm so sorry to hear about your horrible experience with CVS! I've always had a very pleasant couponing experience at CVS. It's my favorite store to get deals at.
Send me couponing 101
Your program is one of the best! Thank you.
Hi there! How many CVS coups can you use on one product? I keep getting these $1 off 2 Dove bar coups and am wondering if I can use them all on one purchase or have to buy as many items as I have CVS coups for.
You have to buy as many items as the coupon specifies. So if you have (5) $1/2 Dove Bar coupons, you'd need to buy 10 products in order to use all the coupons. Does that make sense?
Does anyone know if you can return or exchange items you purchased with ECB's?
Yes you can return or exchange items purchased with ECBs. If you return it they'll give you cash back. I found it strange at first and can see where some folks may try to take advantage of it, but that's how it works!
Happy CVSing.
I heard and have asked AND used the 5/25, 3/15, 10/50 coupons, as long as all requirements were met. Meaning I spent $90 and was able to use all those coupons together, even though it does say cannot combine with another coupon of the same. What manager and cvs customer care said was that since I am not using them all at one on a purchase of only $50, I am meeting the requirements for each CRT and it's ok. This makes sense if you have a %off coupon and MFG coupons that will take your total really low.. since you can only use the %off coupon only once.
First off, thank you, Stephanie, for sharing your knowledge on couponing!!! Question: What is 'CVSCash Card Items'? Note: I am a newbie. : )
Hi Christie! Each week CVS does a CVS Cash Card promotion. If you by a certain dollar amount of those items, you'll get a CVS cash card (basically a gift card to use at CVS). So when an item is marked as a CVS Cash Card Item, that means it is part of that promotion. Hope that helps! Thanks for reading Couponing101.
Thank you, Meagan!