Here is the information you need to start couponing at CVS. Before I started couponing, I had only been to a CVS if it was late at night or I needed something on a holiday-and I paid WAY TOOO MUCH for what I needed! I never imagined that it would be come one of my favorite stores to get stuff for FREE!!
Here are the steps to take to get started at CVS-
Get an Extra Care Card
CVS requires you to have an Extra Care Card to take advantage of their sale prices and deals that give you Extra Bucks in return. You can carry the credit card size card, or you can use the key chain version. I carry the keychain version myself. Also, if you forget your card (or drive your husband’s or wife’s car) you can use your phone number and that will work too.
I also suggest getting a separate Extra Care card for your spouse (if you have one) with their own phone number and info. Then when there are limits on certain items, you can just use their card or phone number to do it twice.
Scan Your Extra Care Card at the Coupon Machine
When you go into CVS you will see the ‘magic’ coupon machine! You scan your CVS card under it like you would do a price check. Then coupons come out the side of it! They are pretty much different everyday!! Sometimes they are for $$ off your purchase, or specific items.
When you get one of these coupons, if you have a manufacturers coupon you can use BOTH for the same item!
Take Advantage of the Extra Bucks System
Extra Bucks are rewards that print on the bottom of your receipt after you purchase certain items. Extra Bucks are like having a gift card at CVS. You can use them towards your NEXT purchase! Now, that does NOT mean that you have to leave and come back another day to use them. You can use them immediately. Many times I buy something, get my Extra Bucks, and then my next purchase is ready to use them on. I simply tell the cashier “I have 2 transactions today”. I have never had any issues doing that.
Once you get Extra Bucks, you use them to buy other items that will give you Extra Bucks, and then you keep repeating this process every week, and you end up with LOTS of stuff, for hardly any money out of your pocket!
You cannot use your Extra Bucks on someone else’s account (that is allowed with Rite Aid’s +Up Rewards). The Extra Bucks will have your name and Extra Care card number on them.
Purchase Sale Items That Give You Extra Bucks
This is an example of how to get things for Free. Now when you read the ad, it says ‘like getting it for free’ And you may think-If I am paying money, then it is not free-so it is not really true. Well, now as a couponer you can learn the system of actually making this true for yourself!
Oral B Toothbrush $6.00
Use your $3 off coupon
Pay $3 and get $3 Extra Bucks Back
=FREE
**now technically you had to pay so it isn’t ‘free’
BUT, if you do this transaction again-
Oral B Toothbrush $6.00
Use your $3 off coupon
Use your $3 Extra Care Bucks from Transaction #1 (give your EXTRA BUCKS FIRST)
PAY $0
=FREE (really!)
Then you have $3 Extra Bucks to buy something else to earn Extra Bucks again-and so on, and so on…..
The goal is to only pay for a full transaction ONE TIME! So the more money you can initially spend, the more Extra Bucks you can start ‘playing with’.
I started out spending $10-$20 my first couple weeks shopping at CVS, now I have so many Extra Bucks that I only spend my money for the tax!
If you can only start with a little bit, then the best thing to do is buy one item at a time and keep ‘rolling’ your Extra Bucks onto the next item. This will make it so you have to do multiple transactions. When you have more Extra Bucks, you may only have to go through the line once or twice.
Be Nice to th Cashiers and Managers
There were times that I had issues with a few cashiers early on because they were not very knowledgeable about the coupon policy. They even accused me of photocopying coupons a couple of times because I had so many. I have NEVER done that-that is WRONG! So, I called the corporate office each time this happened. They weren’t really happy about that, and I could tell that made it worse, but I kept shopping there and kept being polite, and after having to go to the manger each time and corporate. They know me there, and are VERY nice now. Once they see that you are a nice person, aren’t very demanding, and really are there to help their store, they will ike you.
A store that is not ‘coupon friendly’ has most likely not had many ‘friendly couponers’ shop there! You can make the difference!
CVS Coupon Policy
CVS does not have their Coupon Policy online. They say that is because they have the right to change it at any time.
Here is the Corporate Office Phone Number for CVS: 1-888-607-4287
Buy One Get One Free Sales and Coupons
These are my favorite! If you have any Buy One Get One Free Coupons, watch for a Buy One Get One Free Sale!
This means you get BOTH ITEMS FREE! This is the issue I had to call CVS corporate about more than once. They should have this corected now!
Here is how it works
Sobe Life Water $1.69 Buy One Get One Free!
Use Sobe Life Water Buy One Get One Free Coupon
=2 for free!
Here is how that works out-
The CVS sale is Buy One Get one free-you buy one, CVS buys one
Coupon-you buy one, the manufacturer buys one-
With the sale, CVS buys one, the manufacturer buys the other! You get both FREE! (This is true at all stores)
Tips
**If you start getting the hang of shopping at CVS and are pretty good calculating your totals after coupons and Extra Bucks try this.
When the EXTRA BUCKS are scanned they take the total down, and also take tax off of the purchase. So ALWAYS give your Extra Bucks FIRST!
If you can calculate how many Extra Bucks you need to go with your coupons to cover your purchase, then the Extra Bucks will cover your tax, and your coupons give SECOND and they will take off the total of the item.
**If you have a coupon for a FREE item, DO NOT scan your club card before they start ringing you up!
Let them scan your items first, then your club card.
Why?
Here is an example of what I did-
I bought 2 boxes of Cocoa Krispies cereal
I had a coupon for FREE M&Ms when you buy 2 boxes of Krispies Cereal
When the coupon scanned for the M&Ms the cashier took off $2.99 off the total of my purchase for the M&Ms.
The M&Ms were actually on sale for $1.97, so I made $1 off my purchase, plus got to use my cereal coupons!
When a friend of mine checked out after me, she let her card get scanned FIRST. Then when she used her M&M coupon, they only took $1.97 off.
Is that cheating? NO. CVS will get reimbursed for the amount that they deduct from your total. It is just for your benefit to have the higher amount deducted. Just make sure your total will not go below $0!
If you have any more questions about how to shop at CVS, let me know!! Diana@pantryoverflow.com
