CVS 101: Learn to shop at CVS

“CVS, oh, how  I love thee,
You provide many deals for my family.
From toothpaste and razors, you give us so much,
As long as we are earning Extra Care Bucks!”

Coupon Crazy Mommy

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Yes, it’s true.  I’m in love with CVS.  I spend a lot of time there, so much so, that when I was pregnant with our third son, my water broke in their store. In. The. Store. I wanted to name the baby “ExtraBuck Chuck” but my husband refused. Oh well, I tried.

Now, learning to shop at CVS can be a little confusing. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll find yourself getting most of your health and beauty items for incredibly low prices (and a lot of times for FREE!). An important thing to remember is that the regular prices for most items at CVS are usually more expensive than Target or Walmart, so try to only purchase items that are on sale or a part of an ExtraBuck promotion.

Let me walk you through the steps:

1. Get an ExtraCare Card.  You can sign up online and a card will be mailed to you. I recommend just getting one at your local store, so you can start saving immediately.

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2. Scan your card at the Coupon Center (aka “The Magic Coupon Machine”).  It’s a free-standing kiosk that prints outs unique coupons, which can only be used by you, with your ExtraCare Card.

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3. Start earning ExtraCare Buck (also known as ECBs).  This is the fun part! These are rewards you receive after making certain purchases that print at the bottom of your receipt. They are like cash (some exclusions apply) and can be used to pay for future purchases at CVS. They do have expiration dates, but you usually have a three weeks to redeem.

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Here’s an example of how I earned ECBs, plus used manufacture coupons to make the deal CRAZY good:

~Colgate is on sale for $2.99.

~Plus, I have a manufacture coupon for $.75/1 Colgate Fresh Max.

~I paid $2.24 (after coupon) and received an ECB for $2.

~So, when you take into account the ECB I earned, it’s like I only paid $.24 for a full-sized tube of toothpaste!

Benefits to the ExtraCare program:

  • ~You earn 2% back on in-store or online purchases. These are given out quarterly.
  • ~You earn $1 Extra Buck for every 2 prescriptions purchased.
  • ~You receive valuable coupons from the Coupon Center and via email.
  • ~You earn Extrabucks on products making them cheap or FREE!