The coupon match-ups for the weekly deals are here.
If you are new to shopping at CVS and would like some tips, check out this article here.
The following scenarios are for people who are new to shopping at CVS and have few (or no) ECBs to start with. These scenarios will only work through Tuesday: (these are just ideas….you do not have to follow this exact order and you can skip some items if you do not need them or don’t have the coupons that match up with them)
If you are shopping Sunday/Monday/Tuesday:
Transaction #1:
Buy 1 CVS tampons – $1.89
Buy 2 Bic Triumph pens – $3.99/each
Use 2 $2 Bic printables
Spend $1.89 OOP, get a $1.89 ECB
Transaction #2:
Buy 1 Colgate Total toothpaste – $2.88
Buy 2 Bic Triumph pens – $3.99/each
Use 2 $2 Bic printables
Use $1 Colgate coupon
Use $1.89 tampons ECB (adjusted down)
Spend $0 OOP, earn a $2 ECB
Transaction #3:
Buy 2 Pilot Easy Touch pens – $.99/each (or substitute any other $.99 “freebie” item)
Use $2 ECB from Colgate (they will have to adjust it down)
Spend $0 OOP, get a $1.98 ECB
**You can continue using this scenario to “roll” the $1.98 into other $.99 “freebie” items.
If you are shopping after Tuesday:
Transaction #1:
Buy 1 CVS tampon – $1.89
Buy 2 Bic Triumph pens – $3.99/each
Use 2 $2 Bic printables
Spend $1.89 OOP, earn a $1.89 ECB
Transaction #2:
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $2.99
Use $1 Herbal Essence coupon
Use $1.89 ECB from CVS tampons
Spend $.10 OOP, earn a $1 ECB
or:
add an Herbal Essence styler – use free styler when you buy shampoo and pay $1.10 OOP, earn a $1 ECB
If you have a $4/20 coupon (some were e-mailed): (**Just a note since I’ve had questions about this in the past, e-mail coupons are card specific now – the coupon will beep if it was not e-mailed directly to you)
If you are shopping Sunday/Monday/Tuesday:
Buy 2 CVS binder clips (or erasers or push pins)- $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber index card cash and 1 Caliber pencil case (or 2 of the same) – $.99/each
Buy 1 Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste – $2.88
Buy 2 Bic Pilot Triumph pens – $3.99/BOGO free this week
Buy 2 Pilot EasyTouch pens – $.99/each
Buy 1 Swingline Tot stapler – $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber Sticky notes – $.99/each
Buy 2 Caliber composition books – $.99/each
Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy tampon – $1.89
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Use $1 Colgate coupon
Use 2 $2 Bic coupons
Use Free Herbal Essence styler WYB Herbal Essence shampoo
Use $4/20 CVS coupon
Total before coupons = $24.64
Total after coupons = $12.65
Spend $12.65 OOP (hopefully pay w/ ECBs), earn $14.79 ECBs
If you are shopping after Tuesday:
Buy 1 Schick razor – $8.99
Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy tampons – $1.89
Buy 2 Bic Triumph pens – $3.99 (BOGO free this week)
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo/conditioner – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Use $4 Schick coupon
Use 2 $2 Bic printables
Use Herbal Essence free styler when you buy shampoo/conditioner coupon
Use $4/20 CVS coupon
Total before coupons = $20.85
Total after coupons = $5.86
Spend $5.86 OOP (hopefully pay w/ ECBs), earn $4.89 in ECBs.
Edited to Add: I have heard that the Bic Triumph printable has already reached it’s cap, so I’m adding an additional scenario if you weren’t able to print the Bic coupons
Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy tampons – $1.89
Buy 3 Kashi cereal/bars – 3/$10
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo/conditioner – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Buy 1 Dry Idea deodorant – $2.99 (or 2 Speed Stick deodorants if your store doesn’t carry the Dry Idea)
Use 3 $1.50/1 Kashi printables
Use Herbal Essence free styler when you buy shampoo/conditioner coupon
Use $2 Dry Idea printable (or 2 $1.50 Speed Stick printables if you buy that instead)
Use $4/20 CVS coupon
Total before coupons = $20.86
Total after coupons = $7.37
Spend $7.37 OOP (hopefully pay w/ ECBs), earn $7.89 ECBs
If you have a $5/30 (these were printing at the scanners in the stores last week – ALWAYS scan your card at the scanner during your trip!):
If you are shopping before Sunday/Monday/Tuesday:
Buy 2 CVS binder clips (or erasers or push pins)- $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber index card cash and 1 Caliber pencil case (or 2 of the same) – $.99/each
Buy 1 Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste – $2.88
Buy 2 Bic Pilot Triumph pens – $3.99/BOGO free this week
Buy 2 Pilot EasyTouch pens – $.99/each
Buy 1 Swingline Tot stapler – $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber Sticky notes – $.99/each
Buy 2 Caliber composition books – $.99/each
Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy tampon – $1.89
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Buy 1 Schick razor – $8.99
Use $1 Colgate coupon
Use 2 $2 Bic coupons
Use FREE Herbal Essence styler WYB shampoo/conditioner coupon
Use $4 Schick coupon
Use $5/30 CVS coupon
Total before coupons = $33.63
Total after coupons = $16.64
Spend $16.64 OOP (hopefully pay w/ ECBs), earn $16.79 ECBs
If you are shopping after Tuesday:
Buy 1 Schick razor – $8.99
Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy tampons – $1.89
Buy 2 Bic Triumph pens – $3.99 (BOGO free this week)
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo/conditioner – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Buy 1 Arm & Hammer detergents – $6.99
Buy 1 Dry Idea deodorant – $2.99
Use $4 Schick coupon
Use 2 $2 Bic coupons
Use Free Herbal Essence styler WYB Herbal Essence shampoo/conditioner
Use 2 $1 Arm & Hammer printables
Use $2 Dry Idea printable
Use $5/30 CVS coupon
Total before coupons = $30.83
Total after coupons = $10.84
Spend $10.84 OOP (hopefully pay w/ ECBs), earn $6.89 ECBs
**If you can’t find the Dry Idea at your store, buy 2 Speed Stick deodorants and use 2 $1.50/1 printables. You will spend $10.83 OOP and earn $6.89 in ECBs.
**See the “Kashi” scenario above if you weren’t able to print the Bic coupons before the print limit was reached**
My Scenarios: I did some of the “deals” yesterday and used my $5/30. Here’s what I have planned for the rest of the week:
Buy 2 CVS binder clips (or erasers or push pins)- $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber index card cash and 1 Caliber pencil case (or 2 of the same) – $.99/each
Buy 1 Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste – $2.88
Buy 2 Bic Pilot Triumph pens – $3.99/BOGO free this week
Buy 2 Pilot EasyTouch pens – $.99/each
Buy 1 Swingline Tot stapler – $.99/each
Buy 1 Caliber Sticky notes – $.99/each
Buy 2 Caliber composition books – $.99/each
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $2.99
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $2.99
Buy 1 Arm & Hammer detergent (I bought the other one yesterday…)
use $1 Colgate printable
Use 2 $2 Bic printables
Use Free Herbal Essence Styer WYB Herbal Essence shampoo
Use $1 Arm & Hammer coupon
Total before coupons = $22.25
Total after coupons = $13.26
Spend $13.26 (pay w/ ECBs), earn $14.90
Transaction #2:
Buy 1 Claritin D 24 hour – $15.99
Use $2 Claritin coupon
Spend $13.99 OOP (get reimbursed through flexible spending)
Frequently asked questions:
Do you really do multiple transactions at your stores?
I usually have $20-30 ECB on hand, so I don’t have to break up my transactions as much as I did when I first started, but when I was getting started, I would do multiple small transactions and even now sometimes if I am doing several deals, I have to break things up. If you are doing multiple transactions, I recommend that you let the cashier know up front that is what you are planning to do. If there are several people in line, let them go in between your transactions. This gives you time to clip your ECBs and get prepared for your next transaction.
My store was out of all the freebie items first thing this morning. Can I get a raincheck?
This all depends on your store. I have contacted corporate about this before because some stores in my area give rainchecks and others won’t. According to corporate, this is up to the individual stores.
I bought the wrong item or I bought the RIGHT item and my ECB didn’t print. What can I do?
If you bought the right item, show the store clerk your ad and your receipt. They should be able to manually print your ECB at the store. If they don’t know how, you can call customer service and they can add one to your account that will print within 48 hours (you have to wait 48 hours from your purchase time to do this so they can “see” your transaction in their computer).
If you bought the wrong item and didn’t receive ECBs, you can do a return and purchase the correct item. If you paid using ECBs, they will have to give you money on a gift card.
ok. so i am completely new and i really want to make this work for me, right now my only question is since i have to make like 3 separate transactions, to make my dollar stretch do brin everything up to the register at once or should i pay first then go back and get my next transaction….what do you guys do. I live in California where Longs drugs is becoming CVS, and i dont think there are alot of people CVSing yet..
if there are, please help me.
I just take everything to the register at once. I try to separate things out, though. So, I might put things for the first transaction in the "seat" part of the cart, things for the second transaction in a basket in the cart, and then leave the third transaction loose in the cart. I hope that helps/makes sense!
I just did my first CVS deal! I'm so excited. Thank you so much for your expertise! I did my first transaction and then went and got my next transaction; I didn't take them both to the register at the same time. I don't know why it seemed easier for me to physically go get two sets of items.
I purchased the Kashi cereals (3 for $10), I had three $1.50 off coupons, So, I paid $5.50 for the three boxes and got the $5 ECB. This is my absolute favorite cereal and I NEVER find it on sale, especially not with a coupon! Then I used those $5 of ECB to purchase 2 Arm&Hammer laundry detergents (2 for $6.99), which I also had two coupons for $1.00 each). I also bought the Schick Intuition Refills (which are regularly $10!) for $8.99 with a $4.00 off coupon and got $2 ECB! My last item was the Palmolive dish soap that I had a $0.25 coupon for which made it $0.63. So, my grand total for both transactions was about $12 but I still have $4.00 ECB for next time! So, really I only will have spent $8 (including tax) on items that would have cost me $41.50 (not on sale and without tax) and even if I'd bought it all on sale without the ECBs it would have been a whooping $25 before sales tax. I'm so happy!
Sorry to go on and on but I think I did a good job for my first excursion! Thanks again!
Nichole~
You did GREAT for your first time! Congrats!