Couponing Basics - CVS Extra Care Bucks Program

I'm going to explain CVS' ECB program first, since it's a little less complicated than Walgreens'!

In order to take advantage of this program, you need an ExtraCare card, which you can get online or in the store. Each week, CVS will run specials where when you buy a certain item, you will receive a certain amount of ECBs. (CVS will also run a monthly ad, where certain items give ECBs all month.) ECBs are like cash and can be used towards anything on your next purchase (except prescriptions, stamps, dairy, tobacco, and alcohol). Often, the amount of ECBs you receive will equal the price of the item. For example, let's say shaving cream costs $2.99, but is FAECB (free after Extra Care Bucks). You will pay out of pocket $2.99 for the shaving cream. At then end of your receipt, your $2.99 in ECBs will print out. Bring this the next time you come in, and use it towards your next purchase.

Here's the great thing about ECBs, though... if you have a coupon for that shaving cream, say for $1 off, then you will pay $1.99 out of pocket, but still receive $2.99 in ECBs. You have then made $1!

Usually the items that offer ECBs have a limit on them. These limits are posted in the ad (though sometimes, the limit ends up being more). At the end of your receipt (before the ECBs) print, it will say something like this:

This Week's Extra Care Bucks Offers:

Shaving Cream, Buy 1 Get 2.99 EB
* Offer Limit Reached

This is how you know you have reached your limit. If you have not reached your limit, it will look something like this:

This Week's Extra Care Bucks Offers:

Shaving Cream, Buy 1 Get 2.99 EB
Quantity Toward this Reward 1
Quantity Needed to Earn Reward 1

A lot of couponers have more than one CVS card (you can get one for every person in the household), in order to get around these limits. I, personally, like to keep it simple, and more than one card is too much for me to keep up with, but it's definitely something to keep in mind, if you want to get more bargains!


Now that's how you earn the ECBs, so let's talk a little bit about spending them...

There are really only a few things to remember when spending your ECBs.
1. Don't use more than your total. You will not get change back. If your total is $3, and your ECB is worth $3.25, find something worth $0.25 or more (you will hear these items referred to as "fillers"). Gum, candy, anything that you can get for as close to that value as possible.

2. The ECBs are like coupons, in that they decrease the amount of sales tax you pay. So if your total is $9.25, and you pay with three $3 ECBs, then you might end up going negative and needing a filler, because your tax will decrease.

3. There are no limits on how many ECBs you can use, as long as it doesn't go over your total.

4. You can use ECBs earned from one product to purchase the same product (as long as the ECB limit hasn't been reached). For instance, if the ECB limit on the shaving cream is 2, then you can buy the first shaving cream at $2.99, use your $1 coupon, for $1.99 total, and receive your $2.99 in ECBs. On your second transaction, you can buy another shaving cream for $1.99 ($2.99 - $1 coupon), buy something else for at least $1, and then use the $2.99 ECBs from the first transaction to pay for it. You will pay almost nothing out of pocket and still receive another $2.99 in ECBs. This is what is referred to as "rolling" your ECBs. This is a little different from Walgreens, which I will explain in the next post.

5. It really is best to not just blow all your ECBs on random stuff that doesn't generate any more ECBs. It's all about getting the most for your dollar. Look at this example:

Transaction 1:
shaving cream $2.99 - $1 coupon = $1.99
Receive $2.99 ECBs

Transaction 2:
shaving cream $2.99 - $1 coupon = $1.99
Shampoo $4 - $2 coupon = $2 (this promo gives $2 ECBs for each shampoo you buy)
Pay with $2.99 ECBs, for a total out of pocket (oop) of $1. Receive $2.99 in ECBs & $2 ECBs.

For these two transactions, you have spent $2.99 total oop, and you still have $4.99 in ECBs to use on your third transaction. If, on your second transaction, you had instead bought sodas and candy for a total of $2.99 (that doesn't generate any ECBs), and paid with your ECBs from your first transaction, then you would have spent $1.99 oop total, but now do not have any more ECBs to use.

6. ECBs do expire, usually in about a month. Keep an eye on them, and don't let them expire!

So... clear as mud??? Feel free to post any questions you have. I will be more than happy to clarify!