CVS is one of our favorite places to save money by using coupons and sales to get what you need for your family.  Here’s what you need to know to make the most of shopping at CVS.

  • Check our Weekly Matchups.  These will tell you what’s on sale, and what coupons are available for the sale items.  The Final Price in the matchup is the best possible price after sale, coupons, and ECBs.
  • A CVS Extra Care card is required to get sale prices and earn ECBs.  The card tracks limits for ECB offers and helps you earn a percentage of your purchases back as ECBs each quarter.
  • Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) print at the bottom of your receipt, and usually expire in about four weeks. 
  • Near the front of each CVS store is a Red Coupon Center (aka the “coupon kiosk” or the “magic coupon machine”).  Stop here at the start of each visit, scan your Extra Care card, and you’ll receive a few CVS coupons.  Always hang onto these even if you don’t use them on that trip–they frequently correspond with an upcoming sale.
  • When you do a “Spend $25, Earn $5 ECBs” type deal, the $25 is before coupons!  The more coupons you use, the less you pay out of pocket, and the better deal it is.  Sometimes you can even come out ahead by paying less OOP than the ECBs you get back!
  • You can stack manufacturer’s coupons (like those from the newspaper or internet printables) with CVS store coupons.  These coupons include in-ad coupons, special in-store coupon booklets (like the seasonal Beauty magazines) and coupons from the Red Coupon Center.  When you stack coupons, you may use one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon on a single item to increase your savings.
  • CVS’s coupon policy is pretty straightforward–it’s probably the simplest of the three drugstores.  Some highlights: you can use a B1G1 coupon on a B1G1 Free sale to make both items free.  You can also use two coupons on a B1G1 Free sale, as long as the total of both coupons doesn’t exceed the cost of the item you’re paying for.  Find out more about the coupon policy here.
  • You can get the most bang for your buck by using previously-earned ECBs to pay for a purchase that will earn more +Ups.  This is called “rolling,” and helps lower the out-of-pocket cost you’ll need to pay.
  • Always double-check your receipt for correct prices and be sure you got the right ECBs.  Sometimes cashiers or managers can make things right before you leave the store.  If not, call the store’s Customer Service number, found on the receipt.

If you’re just getting started at CVS and have questions about how to use coupons there, please ask in the comments.  We’ll do our best to help out, and get you on your way to big savings.  There are lots of little details, but you’ll get the hang of things quickly!