There are gobs of bloggers that post their weekly scenarios. If you google "cvs deals" or "cvs scenarios" you'll find more than enough. Keeping the Kingdom First has a fun little challenge every week, good for beginners. This is where I started, but there are tons of resources!
You'll need to get an Extra Care card at CVS - all your purchases are linked to this, and that's how you earn the Extra Bucks. I had a handful of ECB's from previous weeks, so I used them to pay for most of my purchases, and only paid $3.27 out of pocket (OOP). I did this in 3 transactions so I could "roll" my ECB's to pay for the next one.
Transaction #1 -
Children's Advil - $5.79
-$1 off coupon here
-I used $4.50 in ECB's that I already had, so I paid .29¢, but if you don't have any ECB's, you'll pay $4.79 OOP and earn $5.79 ECB - just made $1!!
Transaction #2 -
Pampers - $8.88
Colgate - $2.99
-used $2/$10 here (page 30)
-$1.50 Pampers coupon
-$2 off Q I got from the dentist for the toothpaste
-$5.79 ECB from transaction #1
-$2 ECB
Paid $1.21 with tax
Get back $2 ECB from toothpaste
Transaction #3 -
Dawn - 88¢
2 Covergirl foundations - $7.99 buy one get one free
Balmex - 6.29
CVS Ibproufen tabs - $3.49
-used another $2/$10
-50¢ off Dawn Q
-$1 off Balmex Q
-$3.49 off CVS med - the first time you use your card in August, you'll get a coupon for a free product...this was mine
-$7.99 BOGO free Covergirl Q
-$4 ECB's from previous transactions
Pay $1.77 OOP, get back $2 ECB's from Balmex
I'm still learning, so these may not be the best way to work the deals, but it's fun anyways. Here are some of the "professional" CVS'ers on my blogroll:
The Centsible Sawyer
Money Saving Mom
Frugonomics 101
That should get you started! It's a little overwhelming at first, but start out with the $5 challenge and see where that takes you. Lemme know if I can help!
Money Saving Mom
Frugonomics 101
That should get you started! It's a little overwhelming at first, but start out with the $5 challenge and see where that takes you. Lemme know if I can help!
3 comments:
Ok Erin!! Thanks for sharing this with me. I'm blown away. I LOVE deal shopping and feel like a pretty frugal person. My husband often gets aggravated at work b/c we are so frugal. We are constantly looking for deals if not free stuff. We rarely eat out and price match anything we can but this CVS thing is wicked awesome. We have one really close by...so I accept this challenge and I'm gonna give it a try. Still gotta figure out how it all works..but i have time on my hands right! So my next question is... you can use manufacture coupons on top of their deals and still get ECB? Teach me! oh oh.. another ? have you shopped anywhere that turns their noses up or flat refuses to accept internet coupons that you've printed out vs. the ones you get from the sUnday paper? I don't get the paper so I never get coupons.
Yup, you can use a manufacture coupon with a CVS coupon. That's what I did with the Advil - I used the $1 MQ and had a CVS coupon for $1.50 off any pain reliever. The Cover Girl deal worked the same way - the BOGO coupon was in Sunday's paper, and CVS has them BOGO this week. I read a lot of people had problems working that deal, but my cashier was cool and she was excited and said she was going to do it too :)
As far as internet printable coupons, I have never had a problem, but I think it varies by store. The cashier at Publix the other day went to check to make sure she could take them (she did).
I subscribe to the Sunday paper, and last week I bought 2 more, just to get the inserts :) I think it is worth it. I paid $3 for papers, and if I do that make up deal two more times, I will have 6 things of foundation for the cost of the papers! Some weeks are better than others as far as coupons, but overall, I think it's worth it. Plus, not all the Q's are available online.
Check out the CVS forum on afullcup.com....lots of helpful info there too.
Erin, hello! Thank you so much for the mention. I really appreciate it. I am really passionate about helping others learn the ropes of CVSing. I am glad to see you think the $5 Challenge is helpful.
Keep on bloggin'!
Blessings,
Alyssa
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