CVS is probably my favorite store to coupon at. The cashiers know exactly what it is you are doing, some of them do it themselves, and they never make me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I've developed a "relationship" with several of the cashiers, and they'll ask me where my kids are if I've come alone, comment on how "they haven't seen me in a while" (one cashier who I seem to always miss when I go to Mt. Vernon Road) and wonder what I've been up to, or even talk to me if we run into one another someplace else. Couponing is so easy at CVS, once someone lays it out for you, you wonder why you didn't figure that one out yourself. So, let me lay it out for you.
The savings program at CVS is called "The Extracare Program." Go to the register and sign up for a card, you won't save anything without it. You can also sign up on their website, but it'll take a week or 2 for the card to be mailed to you. Now obtain a copy of their weekly ad in the Gazette, in the store, or at CVS.com. You will find several items that are being offered with extra bucks (ECB), sometimes they'll even be free. As an example, widget is on sale for $3.00 with your extracare card, and you get $3.00 ECB when purchasing widget. You have a $1.00 off coupon for that widget which means they are essentially PAYING you to walk out of the store with that widget. Other times you can get gadget for $5.00, and they are offering $2.00 ECB when you buy gadget. You don't have a coupon, but you know even at your cheap stores gadget is sold for $4.00 so $3.00 after ECB is a good price. Not all ECB deals are great, be selective! Here is how these 2 scenerio's are going to look once in the store. You pick up a widget for $3.00 and a gadget for $5.00. Your total is $8.00, but you have that $1.00 coupon so now your total is $7.00 plus tax. You are going to pay this out of pocket (OOP) in real money, and it may be more money than you'd have spent if you'd have just bought these items at your cheap store...think of this as your "investment." Now the register is going to spit out ECB's worth a total of $5.00. These ECB's can be used on almost anything in the store, you could even turn around and buy something else with them right then and there, but the best way to use them is to "roll" them. Next week, CVS may offer a whatzit for $6.00 with a $4.00 ECB, and you have a $1.00 manufacturer's coupon (MQ). You pay for your purchase with your MQ and that $5.00 in ECB's they gave you last week and they'll hand you another ECB worth $4.00 which you can roll next week. You've paid nothing in real money except the tax! Pay attention to the limits, they stand by them, and the limits listed in their ad are for the entire ad week, not just per trip into the store. They are keeping track with your card. At the bottom of your receipt, it will list what you've bought and say "limit reached" or "total needed for next reward" and there are times the limit is more than they've said in the ad, so keep an eye on that section on your receipt.
Watch for clearance. Both CVS stores locally have an endcap way at the back of the store near the bathrooms where they put clearance, but they also are sometimes just in the aisles, marked with a yellow tag. I rarely buy anything that is not being offered with an ECB, on sale in their ad, or on clearance because CVS's regular prices are just too high.
ECB are good for 4 weeks, but they will usually let you use them even if expired. They do allow you to stack a CVS coupon and a manufacturer's coupon, watch the end of your receipt for CVS coupons, or better yet, as soon as you walk in the store, scan your card at the card scanner at the front of the store to print out whatever CVS coupons they are offering this week.
If your store is out of the ECB item you went in for, they will give you a raincheck upon request, and their rainchecks do not expire, and they include the ECB right on them.
OK, a few more things I'd like to add...there are times when I am doing multiple transactions. I will make sure I am all organized and ready to go with my first transaction before I ever step up to the register. This means I know which coupons I am using and I have them in my hand, my card is ready to be handed to the cashier, and even my payment method is readily accessible. After transaction one is done, I'll excuse myself, go get transaction 2 all organized, let others go ahead of me, then step to the register with transaction 2. It's always polite to step to the back of the line, no matter where you are, when doing multiple transactions. That way you are not monopolizing the cashier's time and making other customers wait. They really do appreciate it, I've had cashiers thank me for this one simple action.
And one other thing...when you get the hang of this CVS thing, after a couple months, you should not be paying more than pennies...EVER...for toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, pain relievers, make-up, candy, etc. Toothpaste is a biggie...it cycles sooooooo frequently, soon you'll feel like you could brush the teeth of every child in every third world country with your stockpile. You can usually get it free, but my limit is 24c. I will never pay more than 24c for a tube of toothpaste.
Questions or comments? Don't hesitate to ask!
No comments:
Post a Comment