Couponning 101 - CVS'ing

For those who attended last night's workshop... this is the page that was missing from your package... if you didn't make the workshop, this is a good overview of CVS'ing

Program is called Extra Care Bucks (ECB)

• Requires a key tag/card
• Make sure you register your card online for extra savings
• Ensure you give your email address for $ off $$ coupons
• ECB’s are essentially rebate coupons that can be used for any item in the store on your next purchase
• ECB’s offers are weekly or monthly

You pay for the item and get ECB back as an instant rebate coupon

• Best ECB offers are buy item, get all $$ back as ECB, but many are buy $$ worth of product and get a partial ECB back
• You can use coupons on top of ECB’s and that’s where the savings add up
• ECB’s expire about a month after your purchase

CVS Scenario
Often, they have a Proctor and Gamble ECB promotion, buy $20 worth, get $10 back
This usually happens when the new P & G coupons come out
You buy
2 bottles of Tide at $8.99
3 bottles of Dawn at $0.99
Total= $20.95
You use 2 tide coupons for $3.50 off; 3 dawn coupons for $0.50 off for $8.50 off and a $4 off $20 that was emailed to you so that your OOP is $8.45 and you get $10 back, making $1.65 worth of ECB above your OOP.


A few more tips:

• Make sure you always give them a $$/off $$$ (like the $4 off $20) coupon first before manufacturers coupons. In the example above had I used the manufacturers coupons first the total would have been less 20 dollars.
• Always have a list of exactly what is free, sometimes it is very specific items and you want to make sure you are getting the right things.
• If you are using a $4 off $20 or type of coupon like that make sure you have a few backup plans to hit your $20 in case your CVS is out of something.
• Take in a calculator to help you quickly add up your total to make sure you are going to have the right amount for you ECB’s to cover it.
• You need to always make sure that what you are buying is equal to your ECB’s or a little more (pennies). You can pay for $4 worth of items with $5 in ECB but you are losing money that way and don’t really want to do that. So find some filler items that you like, $1 disposable razors, a pack of gum… lots of options.
• Divide your purchases into ‘rolling’ purchases in the same trip, or use up your ECB on things you need if you don’t plan to go back to CVS often