Basic things about CVS shopping

I don’t know about where you live but there are CVS stores all over the place around here.  Up until a few weeks ago I visited my CVS store only to fill prescriptions as needed.  I was a member of their rewards program (called Extra Care Plan) but only used it when I filled a prescription.  Recently I found a great website (Frugal Coupon Living) that opened my eyes to the great savings that I was missing out on.  Since then I have been a regular visitor of my local CVS store and I have saved a lot of money on items that I was previously buying at full price.  Here are some easy steps that you can take to start saving right away.

1) Sign up for the Extra Care Plan.  It’s super easy to do and absolutely free.  Then make sure you always have your card with you when you shop because many of the sale prices are only good with your Extra Care card.  (the cashier can also look your account up by your phone number in case you forget to take your card along).  Their program is very easy to use and they are always very clear in the ad if there is a limit to the number of items you can purchase.

2) Learn how to not only take advantage of the sales but also to use their Extra Care Bucks to your advantage.  Each week in the sales ad there will be a select number of products that when you purchase you can receive Extra Care Bucks to use on your next purchase.  When you combine sales with coupons you can often end up getting many products for FREE or with very little out of pocket.  The Extra Care Bucks print out at the bottom of your receipt and work like cash on your next visit.  Often coupons will print out as well ( I often receive a $4 off a $20 purchase coupon on my receipt- which can be combined with the ECBs to maximize savings.  (CVS also has a monthly sales ad that has a lot of items that you can earn ECBs with.)

3) In addition to earning ECBs on items on sale you also receive a dollar ECB with every 2 prescriptions that you fill.  Also you receive 2% back on your quarterly spending 4 times a year.

4) Start enjoying the savings!  Each week I will post a compilation of sale items and coupons that match them to help you choose your purchases.  If there are several things that I want to purchase I will often visit a couple of times each week so that I am getting ECBs back each time and using them on the next visit so that I can maximize my savings.  If time doesn’t allow for this just buy what you would benefit from and then take the ECBs back the next week and use towards that weeks savings.

*ECBs cannot be used for alcohol, tobacco, prescriptions, and some other similar purchases.

Feel free to email if you have any questions