CVS is one of my favorite stores. While their everyday shelf prices are a little higher than you’ll see at other drug stores, their deals and sales are fantastic! CVS is one of the most coupon friendly stores that I’ve every shopped at and that makes life MUCH easier as a couponer. Let’s start from the beginning!
The first thing that you’ll need at CVS is an Extra Care Card. This will allow you to participate in all sales and promotions. Your card is connected to you specifically and all limits will apply to the card that you use. After you have your card, all of these will come into play:
Red Instant Coupon Machine – this is the large red machine that you will see in one or several areas of your store. It serves as a price scanner, but if you scan your Extra Care Card just like you would scan a price, a bunch of coupons will print out! These CAN be stacked with any other coupon without restriction.
The best thing about this scanner is that you can scan over and over until it tells you that there are no coupons left for you. I highly recommend doing that as sometimes you’ll get something different on your second or third scan. These coupons are tied to your Extra Care Card, so you can’t give them to anyone else. Most coupons expire two weeks from the date of your scan, but you’ll want to check your coupons to be sure.
When you get these coupons, you’ll want to hand your coupons over to the cashier in this order: Red Instant Coupon Machine coupons first, manufacturer’s coupons second, Extra Care Bucks last. If you are asked for your Extra Care Bucks first, ask the cashier if you can give them last because you don’t know how much you’ll owe after all of the other coupons are applied.
Extra Care Bucks (ECB) – these are coupons that print out on your receipt at the end of participating purchases and are good on future purchases. There is no limit to the number of ECB that you can apply to your next order.
CVS runs promotions that will give you $5 ECB for purchasing two participating products or $10 ECB for purchasing $30 in participating products, etc. Deals change every week and you can see them in the weekly ad circular (in addition to the CVS coupon matchups that I do here every week!) There are also monthly ECB deals that are unadvertised, but you will usually find them active across the nation.
Extra Care Bucks deals have limits (i.e. limit 2, limit 6) so you will need to be aware of what they are for any specific deal. That being said, sometimes the stated limits in the ad are incorrect. You may see something advertised as a limit of 1, but when you make your purchase you will see that your receipt states you have another deal that you can do. Trust your receipt! It is the final say in how many of each deal that you can do.
The other excellent thing about Extra Care Bucks promotions is that they work on the 98% rule. What this means is that for some deals you only have to spend 98% of the stated total to get your ECB reward. For example, you see a deal where you’ll get a $5 ECB for purchasing $15 in a particular product. Here is how you could work that deal:
Buy 3 of the particular product $4.99 each ($14.97)
Use 3 $1 coupons for product
Pay $11.97, Get $5 ECB
Final Price: 3/$6.97 ($2.32 each)
So even though we didn’t reach the $15 threshold, your total is within 98% of what you needed (which would be anything $14.66 or higher) so you will get your ECB after checkout. To be clear, this works with most threshold deals. We’ve seen deals more recently that say Buy $15, Get $5 ECB OR Buy $30, Get $10 ECB. When you see that there are two (or more) options in the same deal, the 98% rule won’t work.
Extra Care Beauty Club – This is a club that everyone should join – man or woman. Anyone who has joined the Extra Care Beauty Club will receive bonuses just for being a member! Most important to us, you’ll get a free $3 ECB on your birthday and $5 ECB back on every $50 in Beauty Club product purchases. It is free to join and your Extra Care card will keep track of any purchases you’ve made. Participating products include Cosmetics, Fragrances, Hair Accessories, Hair Appliances, Hair Care, Hair Color, Healthy Skin Care and Skin Care. Since you never know if you’ll be doing a deal on lotion or shampoo, it’s well worth your energy to join!! You’ll likely find yourself getting random $5 ECB rewards from the Red Instant Coupon Machine a few times per year. That’s free money!
CVS Rain Checks – Another thing to note about CVS is that they will give you rain checks without question (if shelves are bare or there aren’t enough products on the shelf) AND rain checks never expire. Let me be clear – they NEVER expire. Have your coupons expired? Hang onto the rain check and do the deal when you find a new coupon! A little short on cash? Hold onto the rain check until it’s better timing! They never expire!
Buy One, Get One Free Sales – You may use two coupons during a B1G1 sale at CVS. One is applied to the first product and the second is applied to the free product.
Expired Coupons – CVS will accept expired ECB. They will not accept expired manufacturer’s coupons or Red Instant Coupon Machine coupons.
*October 2015 Update – CVS periodically offers $/$$ coupons to their customers by email. CVS has now updated their policy so that you must redeem this coupon AFTER coupons. That being said, if you have a $4 off $20 purchase coupon, your total after coupons must still be $20 in order to use it.
Ready to shop at CVS?? Find all the deals here!
Alli is a Chicago based wife and mother of two children. She has turned money-saving into a game and enjoys searching out the best deals to help you save money! Alli shares her insight, tips and up-to-the-minute deals for local and national retailers and brands. Her hope is that you will play the game and learn to save money at the same time!