Coupons 101 - Store Cash (CVS & Extra Care Bucks)

ECB Example

Unlike Walgreens, CVS uses a loyalty card called Extra Care Card.  This card is free and takes seconds to sign-up.  If you do not already have a card, you can sign-up here.  The Extra Care Card allows shoppers to get discounts as advertised in the ad as well as the store cash back offers, Extra Care Bucks (ECBs).  There are a few things one has to consider

• Like Wags' RR, CVS' ECBs are offered when certain items are purchased or a certain dollar amount is reached in purchases.  Unlike RR, not all of the purchases have to be made in a single transaction.  For example, CVS ran a promotion where if you purchased $10 worth of Mar's Easter candy products you would receive $3 in ECBs.  One can buy a candy on Sunday and another on Monday and so on until the dollar amount to earn the ECB is reached.  This ability is helpful if you have only so many coupons to use in a given day.  You can spread the purchases out as needed over the course of the sale period.
• Unlike Wags' RR, ECBs can be used on purchasing the same item over without penalty.  For example, someone buys Crest last week and receive $2 in ECBs.  That $2 ECB can be used toward Crest again this week.
• CVS also does not have a coupon-to-item limit like Wags.  You are able to use multiple ECBs and coupons on your transaction, even if you have more coupons/ECBs than items.
• Since purcahses are tracked with a loyalty card, CVS keeps totals on how many items are purchased.  Often limits are placed on sale items. Make sure that you are not purchasing more items than limits.
• CVS gives extra ECBs for purchases based on total spending.  2% of all purchases are returned to you at the beginning of each quarter.  With couponing, this can really add up without much OOP for you.
• For every 2 prescriptions filled at CVS, you get $1 ECB.

Want to be green?  For $.99 you can buy a Green Tag from CVS.  Put this on a reuseable bag and shop CVS.  For every 4 transactions you make, CVS gives you $1 back in ECBs.  Today (4/23/11) is the last day CVS is also giving $1 back in ECBs just for the purchase of a Green Tag.  So that means you get the tag for free rigth off the bat and still get the $1 back for every four trips to CVS.  Just in the last few weeks I have already earned $4 from this program (not to mention how many plastic trees I saved from the plastic forests).

Good luck!