CVS Deals Discussion - May '11

[freesia39]

ALL discussion about CVS deals, coupons, and promotions for the month will take place in this thread. Please do not start a new thread, as they will promptly be CLOSED and you will be directed to post in the new thread.

 

Welcome to the joys of CVS Shopping! Here are some quick details to help you out:

 

What is the CVS Extra Care Program?

The CVS Extra Care program is CVS’s shopping card. You can sign up for a card in store or online at https://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/registerextracare?LOGINMSG=XTRACAREMSG

With this card, you will have access to their weekly and monthly sale prices. If you do not present your card, you will not be given these sale prices or qualify for the Extra Care Bucks rewards.

 

The greatest benefit of this program is the Extra Care Bucks portion.

 

What is an Extra Care Bucks?

Every month, along with every week, CVS runs sales on particular items where if you buy that item, you will receive a coupon at the end of your receipt with Extra Care Bucks (aka ECBs) that you can use on your next purchase.

 

For example, let’s say Garnier Fructis shampoo is on sale for 2.99 with $2.00 in ECBs. This means you will have to pay the 2.99 upfront for the shampoo, but at the end of your receipt, you will receive a $2.00 ECB that you can use on a future purchase at CVS. It’s like you only paid $0.99 for a bottle of shampoo!

 

At the end of each quarter, CVS will also add up all your spending, and give you a rebate in ECBs based on your spending, which is 2% of the total amount. That’s EXTRA money just for buying items at CVS!

 

Can I use manufacturer’s coupons?

Certainly! Using the example above with the Garnier Fructis shampoo – there are regularly coupons for 1.00 off your purchase of one (1) bottle of their shampoo. The item will ring up at 2.99, then you can use your coupon for 1.00 off, so you wind up paying 1.99 for the item. You STILL get the $2.00 ECB reward – so it’s like getting it for free!

 

Wow! Can I do this over and over?

Unfortunately, there are limits to all the sales. Check the weekly ad and the monthly sales books for the limits. When we post the sales here, we will also list the limits.

 

Can I have more than one CVS card?

The answer in general is no. However, if you have access to another address/name/phone number, you may be able to get a second card.

 

What about prescriptions?

Whenever you fill a prescription, make sure the pharmacy scans your card! Each prescription is 0.50 in ECBs that will be paid out at the end of the quarter.

 

Can I use the ECBs I earn to pay for prescriptions?

Unfortunately, no. They can only be used on store purchases.

 

CVS and Coupons

CVS has a great coupon program. When you sign up for your card, make sure to check that you want CVS to email you coupons and offers. This will put you on their mailing list for future coupons!

 

Most of the CVS coupons are for a certain amount of dollars off a minimum dollar purchase. For example, to start, CVS will email you a coupon to save $4.00 on a $20.00 purchase.

 

When entering your store, look for the CVS card scanning/price checking machine. Scan your card upon entry every time for additional coupons and incentives! Sometimes it's 3.00/10.00 of CVS products, or something FREE!

 

Stacking coupons - I am sad to report the end of coupon stacking, but you can read the details below in the spoiler.

 

Please note, your store may have a different policy regarding the stacking of coupons. IN ADDITION CVS has not been issuing as many e-mail coupons as in the past. Most stacking has been done via CRT coupons, which are the coupons that are generated at the end of your CVS receipt, or from the card scanning machine (if your store has one.)

 

Always make sure you give the cashier your CVS card to scan before you get to the total and start handing over coupons to make sure you get any sale prices.

 

CVS will sometimes have coupons for $3 off a $15.00 purchase, or $2 off a $10.00. The theory regarding CVS purchases are:

Your PRETAX amount is 30.00. You have a coupon for $4 off $20.00, $3 off $15.00, or $2 off $10.00. Hand to the cashier the coupons in this order:

1. The $4 off $20.00 coupon

2. The $3 off $15.00

3. The $2 off 10.00

As long as your total is more than the amount on the coupon, you can keep using coupons.

 

NEXT, give them your manufacturer coupons.

 

FINALLY, give them your ECBs.

 

Hopefully by this point, your out of pocket (OOP) amount is a small number. It may not be at the start, but with constant shopping and deal searching, you’ll build up a good amount of ECBs to use on future purchases.

 

We have come across some stores that will not allow you to stack their money off coupons unless your total equals the amounts of the coupons. For example, if you want to use a $4 off $20 coupon along with a $3 off $15 coupon, some cashiers may say that your total must be $35.00 before you can use the coupon. This rule varies from store to store and from cashier to cashier. We cannot say that CVS will always stack, because the policies are always changing.

 

 

What do they do about B1G1 (buy one, get one free) coupons? I have 2 coupons for the B1G1 covergirl lip product. If I got 2 lip products and used the two coupons would I get both for free or do the B1G1 coupons ring stuff up for 1/2 price?

 

CVS rings up the first item at full price and the second item rings up free. So if you have a BOGO free coupon, you would get both items free.

 

PLEASE NOTE: YMMV (your mileage may vary.) Some stores may not process it, some cashiers may be confused, but in general, the above should happen.

 

 

How to use your ECBs

Please note that you cannot use your ECBs:

- on pharmacy co-pays

- on the purchase of gift cards

Also, ECBs are tied to YOUR card. You will not be able to use the ECBs that are earned by other people. You must also present your card in order to use your ECBs.

 

Please note that your ECBs do have an expiration date and to be mindful of it. If they do expire, you may be able to have customer service reactivate them. Please contact CVS customer service at 800-SHOP-CVS.

 

ECBs can only be used on the PRETAX amount of your purchase. If your pre-tax purchase is 3.99 and you only have a $4.00 ECB, you will not be able to use that ECB – you must use smaller denominations.

 

I bought something that comes with ECBs but it didn’t print out. What gives?!

Check to see if you had previously hit the limit on the offer. It will print on your receipt. Also make sure you bought the correct item or version of the product. If you had not hit the limit, please contact customer service at 800-SHOP-CVS and they will add it to your card to print the next time you are in store.

THE GROUND RULES:

1. Post your experiences shopping at CVS, the deal combos you have found, and the unmarked clearance/ECB deals you have found at your store. Also post your general location if you are comfortable.

2. Do not post links to non CVS authorized coupons. They will be edited out. Authentic CVS coupons come from cvs.com or are located at akamaitech.com.

3. Keep non CVS chatter to a minimum. This is first and foremost a deals discussion. Anything going too far off topic will be deleted.

 

If you have links to printable coupons for items on sale this week at CVS, also post those for others to share.

 

Play nice!

[freesia39]

Weekly Deals:

Check your Local CVS for your weekly deals, as the deals are regional:

http://cvs.shoplocal.com/cvs/default.aspx?citystatezip=%20ZIP%20Code

[Rockfordmom]

There's $1 off and $0.75 off coupons for the Colgate toothpaste that is free after ECB's making them a mm

[Rockfordmom]

bars of Ivory soap are in the ad for $0.99 and there was a coupon in today's paper for $1 off any Ivory bar, body wash or hand soap so it should be free after coupon

[freesia39]

So update, I called and they said they'll issue my $5.00 in ECB. I jsut need to head over to a CVS and have them print it out.

[freesia39]

YAY it printed!

[txsupermom]

Lots of clearance signs around the store today. Mostly 25% or 50% but did see some 75% off signs in the travel size bins (shampoos, body washes, hand sanitizers).

 

Easter at 60% off! CVS kills me with long wait on holiday markdowns. Our Targets were 90% off this week and I was hopeful I would at least see 75% off at CVS today. Oh well, my ECBs expire mid-month, so maybe there is hope yet.

[stacie77]

I found the $.75 coupon for the toothpaste but I can't find the $1.00 can you tell me where you are finding the $1.00 TIA.

[Rockfordmom]

I cut my coupons every week so I don't know which insert / weekend they came from, but I had coupons of both values. Sorry I can't be of more help. Easter was 60 % off here today, Walgreens had it at 50% off and both stores have very little that they left out.

[freesia39]

I also noticed I don't get the coupons that other people mention. There was a Welch's juice coupon last week, and it wasn't in my inserts. So your area might not have had a 1.00 one.

[AndreaInNC]

I can tell I haven't been to CVS in a while. I have gotten CVS coupons almost every day for about 5 days now. And another coupon came in snail mail today!

[Rockfordmom]

I also noticed I don't get the coupons that other people mention. There was a Welch's juice coupon last week, and it wasn't in my inserts. So your area might not have had a 1.00 one.

I get 2 papers, the local one and a Chicago paper and the Chicago paper has way more coupons in it. I also trade coupons with another member from here and we get some of the same coupons in our papers but they are 2 different values, mine are 50 cents off and hers are $1 or vice versa. Sometimes I'll go onto thecouonclippers.com to buy coupons and I can't even find some of the coupons that are in my paper.

[Rockfordmom]

I can tell I haven't been to CVS in a while. I have gotten CVS coupons almost every day for about 5 days now. And another coupon came in snail mail today!

Is that what I have to do? There's really no good deals there this week again.

[freesia39]

I get 2 papers, the local one and a Chicago paper and the Chicago paper has way more coupons in it. I also trade coupons with another member from here and we get some of the same coupons in our papers but they are 2 different values, mine are 50 cents off and hers are $1 or vice versa. Sometimes I'll go onto thecouonclippers.com to buy coupons and I can't even find some of the coupons that are in my paper.

I might have to start getting the San Francisco paper again - but it's 3.00/week. Ugh. The San Jose paper (which is a large city in itself!) is only 1.00. I'd get it delivered but they never deliver it.

 

Anyways, I did the Revlon deal last week, since I got the $3 off $10 cosmetics coupon, plus a bunch of ECBs, only paid about 4 bucks OOP, and got $7 ECB back. I'll just keep looking out for high value ECB deals, otherwise, there isn't much that's screaming "HOT HOT HOT"

[txsupermom]

All Easter gone, shelves bare. Did I miss the markdown or did it get pulled before making it to 90%?? TIA

[KC-Traderbear]

All Easter gone, shelves bare. Did I miss the markdown or did it get pulled before making it to 90%?? TIA

The most I saw it go down was to 50% off and then to 60% off a week or so after that. The last time I was in, our stores had a lot left. I don't know if our Easter has been pulled around here yet though.

[freesia39]

All Easter gone, shelves bare. Did I miss the markdown or did it get pulled before making it to 90%?? TIA

Everything seemed to be gone the day after Easter here. *grumble* There has been nothing Easter in our stores for the entire month of May.

[Rockfordmom]

Very unhappy with CVS for a while now! What happened with all the great deals they used to have?

[alexusrydr]

the only thing I've been buying is milk (when they have the $1ECB) and that is since they are in the shopping center of my favorite grocery store so not out of my way

 

Very unhappy with CVS for a while now! What happened with all the great deals they used to have?

[freesia39]

They have kinda free gum this week, there's a coupon for 1.00 off 2 packs from a week or two ago.

[tinkrbel]

I'm beyond annoyed with CVS today, i'll have to print coupon policy and take with me tomorrow if I'm right. I tried to buy BOGO viatmins with a coupon for each bottle and was told only 1 coupon since one is free AND my coupon for " Save $1 on any REVLON Nail Enamel" beeped and lady looked and looked and refused to put it through. My mother refused to leave without purchasing gum which was 2 packs free after ECB. I don't buy from stores with people who want to argue without logic.

[tinkrbel]

CVS coupon policy reflects only 1 coupon per set of BOGO items

[Rockfordmom]

the only thing I've been buying is milk (when they have the $1ECB) and that is since they are in the shopping center of my favorite grocery store so not out of my way

My closest store doesn't carry milk.

 

They have kinda free gum this week, there's a coupon for 1.00 off 2 packs from a week or two ago.

I hate going there for 1 item, seems like if I even go there lately it's for 1 thing. I did get the Purex laundry soap this week, but I don't always go there every week like I used to.

[tinkrbel]

I got some nearly free makeup the other day. Loreal Perfection foundation 75% off was 3.62 and I had a $3 off coupon, it was the last one left and the right tone. Nailpolish coupon beeped at other store but cashier put through straight away and she commented they weren't going through all week. I wonder if it has anything to do with total after ECB's being only .99? If that's the case all these money makers people refer to probably wouldn't work here. I may head out to buy another nail polish tommorrow and get my People mag with ECB, its full of royal wedding stuff supposedly.

[KC-Traderbear]

Got another $5 off 25 purchase via e-mail. They are ending their ad around here on Fridays now (think someone already mentioned that). I don't know if that is why they are sending so many e-mail coupons or not. I usually get them on Thursdays and they are only good through the weekend.

 

Sadly, I just don't shop there much anymore. Not too many good deals, so I don't waste my time. I mostly only go to stock up on Diet Coke. I save up my xtra care bucks and then try to hit them when they are about $2.50/12 pack. The $5 coupon really helped with the coke this week since they have a pretty good sale on 12 packs. I just filled in with graduation cards and father's day cards to get to my $25. (I needed to get those cards soon anyway, so I figure that was a good enough filler item.)

[freesia39]

I hate going there for 1 item, seems like if I even go there lately it's for 1 thing. I did get the Purex laundry soap this week, but I don't always go there every week like I used to.

I don't either. There are two on my way to work, so I'll drop in if I have time in the morning. I made 0.01 on the gum deal, LOL.

[tinkrbel]

I managed to get free irish spring antipersperant/deoderant today 2/2 after $5 ecb and used 2 $1 off coupons found on multipacks of irish spring bars.

[Rockfordmom]

I got some nearly free makeup the other day. Loreal Perfection foundation 75% off was 3.62 and I had a $3 off coupon, it was the last one left and the right tone. Nailpolish coupon beeped at other store but cashier put through straight away and she commented they weren't going through all week. I wonder if it has anything to do with total after ECB's being only .99? If that's the case all these money makers people refer to probably wouldn't work here. I may head out to buy another nail polish tommorrow and get my People mag with ECB, its full of royal wedding stuff supposedly.

A coupon beeping is because the register doesn't recognize it or the register saying that you didn't buy the item or that you can't use the coupon and nothing to do with total after ECB's, coupons and ECB's are 2 different things. You can use coupons on things that are completely free after ECB's!