CVS 101

CVS 101
CVS is another store than requires you to use a shopper's card to get the sales prices and ECBs (Extra Care Bucks).When you purchase selected items with an ECB offer your ECBs will print directly on your receipt at the bottom. You can then use your ECBs to pay for your next purchase. Think of it as a rebate of sorts. Here is an example:
Powerade $1.69
ECBs offer $1.69
Free after ECBs
limit 1
total OOP (Out of Pocket) $1.69
ECBs earned $1.69
real cost- free

This transaction requires you to pay for your Powerade, on your receipt will be an ECB for $1.69. You can then 'ROLL'your ECBs to receive a discount on your next purchase.

Maxfresh toothpaste $2.99
ECB's offer $2.00
It's like paying $.99
limit 2
total $2.99
use powerade ECBs -$1.69
total OOP $1.30
ECBs earned $2.00

So in this transaction I used the ECBs I earned from my powerade purchase to pay for all or part of my toothpaste. This is called 'ROLLING' . When you plan out your CVS strategies you always want to earn enough ECBs to pay for all or most of your next transaction. The most effective may to raise your ECBs and lower your OOP (out of pocket) cost is to incorporate coupons into
your transaction. There are 2 types of coupons IP (internet printable) and MFC (manufacturer's coupon). Here is an the same transaction as above using a MFC (manufacturer's coupon).
Maxfresh toothpaste $2.99
ECB's offer $2.00
It's like paying $.99
limit 2
total $2.99
use powerade ECBs - $1.69
use MFC - $1.00
total OOP $.30
ECBS earned $2.00
So with my MFC (manufacturer's coupon) I only pd $.30 . Always look for the deals where you pay little and earn alot of ECBs.There are 2 different strategies you can use when ROLLING your ECBs.

The first requires you to do multiple transactions to use the smallest amount OOP (out of pocket). You would use ECBs earned in first transaction to pay for second transaction. Then take the ECBs earned in the second transaction to pay for the third, and so on. You must plan these transactions out very carefully to assure you build your ECBs to pay for higher priced items. If the store is out of an item you planned to purchase it can throw off your whole plan. The benefit it a small investment. The downside is the amount of time planning, and the inconveince of ringing multiple transactions.

The second strategy you ROLL your ECBs from week to week. This does have a higher initial investment, but requires only one transaction each week. The benefits are the time saved, planning, organizing, and ringing the multiple transactions compaired to just one transaction. The downside is you pay more your first week.

Here is a low investment strategy example:

Transaction 1

powerade $1.69
ECB offer $1.69
maxfresh toothpaste $2.99
ECB offer $2.00
total $4.68
MFC - $1.00
total OOP $3.68
ECBs earned $3.69

transaction 2

agent cool blue mouthwash $4.49
ECB offer $3.00
maxfresh toothpaste $2.99
ECB offer $2.00
total $ 7.48
MFC mouthwash -$1.00
MFC toothpaste -$1.00
total $5.48
ECB from trans.1 - $3.68
total OOP $1.80
ECBs earned $5.00

transaction 3

butler toothbrush 2 pk $3.99
ECB offer $3.99
butler toothbrush 2 pk $3.99
ECB offer $3.99
total $7.98
MFC -$ .75
MFC -$ .75
total $6.48
ECBs from trans.2 -$5.00
total OOP $1.48
ECB earned $7.98

transaction 4

butler toothbrush 2 pk $3.99
ECB offer $3.99
butler toothbrush 2 pk $3.99
ECB offer $3.99
always infinity $4.99
ECB offer $1.00
total $12.97
MFC -$ .75
MFC -$ .75
MFC always -$2.00
total $9.47
ECBs from trans.2 -$7.98
total OOP $1.49
ECB earned $8.98

transaction # 5

ECB offer spend $25/get $10ECB applies to all items
huggies $9.99
johnson/johnson shampoo $2.99
johnson/johnson detangler $2.99
johnson/johnson lotion $2.99
playskool wipes $2.97
playskool wipes $2.97
playskool wipes $2.97
total $27.87
CVS coupon for wipes -$2.00
CVS coupon for wipes -$2.00
MFC for wipes -$1.50
MFC for wipes -$1.50
MFC for wipes -$1.50
MFC for 3 j/j products -$3.00
MFC for huggies -$2.00
total $14.37
ECB from trans.4 -$8.98
total OOP $5.39
ECBs earned $10

transaction #6

pledge clean and dust $2.50
pledge $2.50
excedrin tension head $1.99
excedrin back/body $1.99
excedrin migraine $1.99
excedrin tension head $1.99
excedrin back/body $1.99
excedrin migraine $1.99
motrin $7.00
ECB offer buy2 qual. items get $5.00
tylenol extra strength $6.00
ECB offer buy2 qual. items get $5
windex $2.50
fantastic $2.50
total $34.94
MFC excedrin back -$2.00
MFC excedrin back -$2.00
IP excedrin migraine -$2.00
IP excedrin migraine -$2.00
IP excedrin tension -$2.00
IP excedrin tension -$2.00
IP pledge -$2.00
IP pledge -$2.00
IP windex -$2.00
IP fantastic -$2.00
MFC motrin -$2.00
MFC tylenol -$2.00
total $10.94
ECB from trans.5 -$10.00
total OOP $ .94
ECB earned $5.00

lets recap
total OOP $14.78
ECB left over $5.00
total product purchased at SALE prices $94.92

*****things to remeber*****
You can use a CVS coupon with a MFC, but cannot have more coupons than items in your cart. So if you have 13 items you can use 13 coupons. You cannot use 2 MFC on any one item.

Keep the coupons that print on your receipt. Usually those items will go on sale before they expire.

All of the transactions above do not include tax. ECBs cannot be used to pay tax. It is much easier to figure your deals by subtotal or pre-tax amounts.

CVS does allow you to use a MFC for $ off with a BOGO FREE coupon.

You will earn 2% of your total purchases back quarterly. It will automatically print on your receipt.

If they are out of something ask for a raincheck! You can come back and get it later.

Check limits! Some deals you can do more than once. At the bottom of your receipt it will list current offers and tell you if you have used them all yet.

You don't always have to purchase all items for a deal at once. Weekly sales you can purchase some of the items at the beginning of the week and some at the end and still get the ECBs. Monthly sales you have all month.