CVS Basics

1.The most important thing to do when you decide to start saving @ CVS is the Extra Care Card. The Extra Care Card (pictured above) is a part of their loyalty program that most stores offer. The card comes in a 3 piece set, one card is the size of a credit card while the other (2) are key tags. You can sign up one of 2 ways at a CVS location or online at CVS. I prefer the in store method because you receive your card then and there and don't have to wait 7-10 business days for Snail mail to bring it :) We have a few other steps before I would suggest going on a spending spree right then so if you can do step 1,2 and go home for step 3 and further :)

2. Okay so you have an Extra Care Card now what?? Walk over to the CVS scanner.. Don't know what it looks like?? Well look right above this Step #2 :) This machine is normally always at the front of the store near an end cap. If you still can't find it and you think people are looking strangely in your direction ask someone... A sales associate or even a loyal CVS shopper. Okay now that you have made it to your destination now :) Your probably wondering why on earth am I standing at a price scanner?? I have nothing to scan... Well you remember that how you just got an Extra Care Card from Step #1?? Well l@@k at the back .. That's right there's a Bar code! Scan IT :) The scanner has just made a funny sound... Kinda like a printer?? and it says coupons printing :) There should be some coupons to the right of the machine!! Your First set of CVS coupons!!

Let me introduce you to my friend in disguise "Magic Coupon machine"

3. Register your card with your name, address, phone and email. They will normally after registering your card email you an incentive to shop with them right away like $5 off $20!! Check your emails ever so often because they send out more of these coupons and others depending on your spending and the last time you received a coupon through email :)

4. Plan out your first trip. Every week I am going to make it our mission to bring you the best deals for CVS so that you get the best bang for your buck or change :) So keep your eye out for upcoming deals so that on your first trip we can have that ball rolling where you hopefully will only pay OOP tax for the rest of your CVS adventures because CVS will be paying you to shop with ECB's :)

Here's to having some Down Low

ECB'S or Extra Care Bucks are what prints at the bottom of your receipt when you purchase a particular item at CVS items change every week or month depending on CVS.. ECB'S are like cold hard cash :) @ CVS. Some items are free after ECB'S or will be free or really cheap if you use a coupon. These are what we want to start with. Once you earn ECB'S you can use them to buy more things that earn you ECB'S so you will just continue to get things for free by what we call "ROLLING." ECB'S have limits as to how many you can earn in a time frame and looking @ the CVS ad will help discover the limit. You don't want to pay for something you thought you were gonna get ECB'S on and then you don't... That wouldn't be fun ..... You can use your ECB'S right away u can make one transaction and turn around and use the ECB'S u got for that transaction for the next :) ECBS do have an expiration date normally a month after they were issued to you!! So you want to make sure u keep using your ECB'S to get free items after ECB'S, or close to free after ECB'S then you are doing what I called "Rolling" earlier :) Every time u get a new ECB the expiration date is farther away.

How to get the most out of ECBS?? General rules of Thumb!!!

1. You can always use one Manufacturer coupon per item even on a BOGO sale what does that mean?? Well it means you can use (two) $ off coupons because you are getting two items. The even sweeter deal is if CVS is offering a BOGO sale on a item that you have a BOGO coupon for you get BOTH items FREE!!! The only reason this works is because no matter what the manufacture is paying for one of those items when the coupon is sent in from CVS.
2. 
   You can save even more by using CVS coupons! For example: U received a $/$ CVS coupon either by email or the Magic Coupon machine.. say it was $5/$20. You make sure your total comes to at least 20.00 before tax and coupons...

Schick Quatro is on sale 8.99 receive $4.00 ECB * Limit 2* M&M 2/$1.00 receive 1.00 ECB *Limit 2* Pencil (filler item) .25

I will buy (2) razor's, (4) bags of M&M's and (1) pencil to reach my total of 20.23!! I will hand over my Extra care Card and then my 5/20 coupon making my total 15.23 now I give over my (2) coupons for 4.00 off 1 razor that matches the sale 7.23 Now I hand over my (4) 1.00 off coupons for the M&M's 3.23!! Okay so after tax I will be spending 3.46 (if my math is right) and I will be receiving $10 in ECB'S ** In retrospect making money to shop CVS :)**

After much trial and error, reading and re-reading blogs and forums the same method on how to figure OOP came to this.....

Taxable Item Total:
minus CVS B1G1 Sale
CVS Q’s
ECB’s Used
= NEW Taxable Total
(x's) Tax Rate
minus Manufacture coupons
= Total OOP

Another Big tidbit as it gets closer to 1 am is to do this... ALWAYS use coupons in this order to get the most out of your ECB's and less OOP:

1. $/$$ or other CVS coupon's
2. ECBs **the exact amount you needlook above to c how to figure out ur OOP**
3. Manufacture coupons
4. If you happen to go negative throw in a filler item
   

Bag Tags are a great way to earn some ECB'S too!! Every 4th time you scan this tag you will earn $1 ECB :) Make sure if you have a tag you get a bag they are both .99!! What a deal :)