CVS Guide & Policy

On this page you will find information on how to shop CVS using their rewards system. Make sure to check out the current CVS deals too!

The very first thing you need to do at CVS is to apply for an ExtraCare card. This card is essential if you want to start getting items for FREE and earning rewards. You can sign up for an ExtraCare card at any store.

The next vital step, register your card HERE. You will earn a great coupon just for registering your ExtraCare card, a $4.00 off of $20.00 purchase coupon. CVS will also send occasional coupons via e-mail thereafter.

How do you go about getting items for FREE? CVS has a rewards program called Extra Care Bucks or ECB’s. Basically, ECB’s are like CVS money. Every week there will be items on sale that will generate ECB’s. There are also monthly ECB’s items as well. Usually the monthly ECB items will be featured in one of the weekly ads throughout the month. However, you can purchase the monthly items any time and earn the ECB’s all month long. There are limits to how many times you can earn a certain reward. The limits will be listed in the ad.

Okay, so what now? Many times there are a few items on sale that will be FREE after ECB’s. This means that you will have to pay for the item today, but you will get ECB’s for your NEXT purchase. An example, Bayer Quick Release Crystals $2.00, get $2.00 in ECB’s. I would pay the $2.00 and then save the ECB’s for my next visit.

Can you pair a coupon with an ECB item? YES! This is where things get exciting! Let’s take the Bayer example above. I used a -$1.00 manufactures coupon on the Bayer. This made my out of pocket $1.00 and earning $2 ECB’s. That is what we call a moneymaker! Now to make this scenario even better, I could have paid for the out of pocket costs with ECB’s that I had from previous weeks. We will talk about rolling ECB’s in a moment.

You can also use CVS coupons in conjunction with a manufactures coupon. This is called stacking. Many times you will get a CVS coupon on the bottom of your receipt. Or you can get CVS coupons at the scanner; a little red price scanner (if your store has one). Most often, the CVS coupon will be for an item that is currently on sale or going to be on sale soon.How should the coupons be handed over? This is VERY important. Here is the best order to give coupons:

1. CVS $/$$ coupon. That is, any CVS coupon that is a dollar amount off a certain purchase price.
2. Any CVS store coupons. An example would be -$1.oo off of Fruitopia Shampoo.
3. Any manufactures coupons.
4. ECB’s you earned from previous transactions.

This order is important because the $/$$ will not work if your order total drops below the minimum purchase requirement. Therefore, CVS coupons for certain products and manufacture products should be given last.

What is rolling ECB’s? The goal is to spend as little out of pocket as possible. To roll ECB’s you want to try to purchase items that will generate ECB’s that you can use next week. So, if you pay with ECB’s you want to try to make sure that you are buying items that generate ECB’s to replace them.

You can do multiple transactions to keep your total out of pocket to a minimum. If you want to invest time in doing this, you would break your order up into smalled transactions. Use the ECB’s you get from the first transaction to pay for the second, etc. I personally, don’t have the time and energy to think about doing multiple transactions regularly. I would rather have a little out of pocket, than spend my time figuring out the transactions. If you do want to do multiple transactions, go for it! Just be courteous to others waiting in line. I always make sure it is okay with the cashier as well.

It takes a little time learning how to work CVS, but the rewards are worth it! I have at least a six month supply of shampoo, razors, toothpaste and make-up all thanks to CVS!