Many people do not fully understand how to get the best values from CVS. In this post I will attempt to explain this subject as best I can so you can get take full advantage of the wonderful deals they offer weekly and/or monthly.
I am going to do this post in Question Answer format:
Q. What is ECB?
A. ECB stands for Extra Care Bucks
Q. How do I get ECB's
A. You must have a CVS card to get ECB's
Q. How do I get a CVS card?
A. You can apply for one online or you can apply for one at the register at your local CVS store. If you apply online, they will mail it to you. If you apply in the store, you will get it immediately.
Q. Do I have to use my CVS card each time I make a purchase?
A. They do require your card each time but if you make a point to tel the cashier that you do not have your card with you, they can use your telephone number to look up your number and you can still get ECB's on the purchase.
Q. When do I get the ECB's?
A. ECB's are printed on your receipt as soon as you make the purchase of the eligible product.
Q. How do I know what to purchase to get an ECB?
A. Each month CVS puts out an Extra Value Book. This book is good for the entire month. They also put out weekly sale papers. The weekly sale papers also have ECB products in them.
Q. How many products can I purchase and get ECB's for them?
A. The monthly/weekly ad will have the limit posted below the product. Often you can get 5 items each and then other times they are limited to 1 so always make sure you read the ad.
Q. What if I forget how many products I have purchased that are eligible for ECB's
A. The amount you have purchased is listed on each of your cash register tapes so you will always know how many you can still purchase.
Q. How many cards can our family have?
A. CVS suggests you only have one per family. However you can have one per phone number so you can keep up with the number of purchases you have made.
Q. Is sounds like it can get expensive to put out that much money at once.
A. There are tricks to help you get the most for your money and still not put out very much for the initial purchase
Q. What are these tricks?
A. Imagine you can get a tube of Crest toothpaste for $2.99 with $2.99 ECB The limit is 5. Thus all 5 will be FREE. Here is the process to use on this purchase:
Gather all 5 tubes of Crest. Go to the register and use your card to pay for one tube. This one tube will cost you tax as well as the $2.99. The $2.99 will print on the sales slip
Now put up the next tube as a separate purchase. Use your card and give the clerk the $2.99 ECB. Their will be no sales tax so your total is 0
Do this one at a time until you have gotten all 5 of your purchases. You have only paid $2.99 plus tax out of your pocket but you have a $2.99 ECB to use on another purchase.
Q. Do my ECB's expire?
A. Yes they do have an expiration date on them. However many CVS stores will override that date so you can use them for a longer period of time. I suggest you contact a MANAGER at your local CVS store about this and not listen to what other stores are doing. Each store is different.
Q. What is the Quartely ECB that I hear people talk about?
A. Each quarter CVS gives you back so much of your purchase in the form of a ECB that will automaticly print on your sales slip.
Q. Does my sales slip also print other coupons?
A. Yes, often your sales slip will print other coupons in the form of ECB's that you can use as a result of previous purchases. Such as: $2.00 off a $10.00 Purchase.
Q. Should I register online for ECB as well.
A. Yes, registering your ECB card online in the appropiate place will give you access to other benefits as well. CVS often sends email with ECB offers in them. You can also go to your account and print off ECB coupons.
Q. Can I actually make money using ECB's
A. Yes you can. You can use manufactors coupons. Even if a product is FREE after ECB you can use coupons. Coupons are a form of paying for a product and not a discount as many people think. However CVS will NOT give you back money when you use a ECB and a coupon for a free purchase and nothing else so make sure you purchase something else for at least the price of the coupon.
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Comments: 45
That is weird. I use three different CVS's in three different towns all over WV and I have always done it this way. Do you not get a sale paper either?
Your CVS card is not used for Pharmacy products only other store products like toothpaste, shampoo and such.
You will love them. I get so much free stuff there.
I think I figured out why you do not get the deals. I bet you are in the test market area.
All three of the stores that I shop at will let me do how ever many different purchases I want to make. They just call up another person to run the next register when I come to the register. :)
If you want real life examples...I've written on my experience with learning how to shop CVS & Rite Aid.
Two of the three stores that I shop at will accept the printable. However the third one will not. It is located in the city where WVU is and they have too much fraud as well.
Thanks for adding your info. I tryed to do just the basics. I found that many people are intiminated with the ECB's because they do not understand them. I wanted to help them to understand them.
I just love CVS. I also use Rite Aid.
Where do you purchase shampoo, tooth paste and such at in your area?
They have had people clean out the shelves on the ECB deals with multiple shopping carts the day the ad breaks. I was in line waiting to buy something, I was not in a hurry and it took the cashier 45 minutes to ring 1/2 of the stuff this woman wanted up, the line kept getting longer and longer untill it reached 1/2 way to the back of the store, then the people in back went nuts. Oh that was really funny. ;-)
Which is how Publix & Walmart are.
Walgreen's for the most part does not have issue with printed coupons...well yet anyway.
That is the way the CVS in Morgantown is. WVU is located there and they say the college kids come all they have at midnight. It is open 24 hours a day. The other two CVS's that I use are not open 24 hours a day
If I am in CVS. Publix, Walgreens or Walmart & I see a good deal I take advantage of the deal, if I need the item on the deal. I do not buy items just because they are a great deal if I do not use the item. And I do not just buy items fo ger the ECB's.
I purchased glade sented candle refills BOGO at Walgreens & used $1.00 coupon, I had my Walgreens rebate gift card so I did not use any money.
At night the stores are busy, from the bar/club workers & hospital workers.
I always have my list and coupons, ECB and how I will do my order before I go in too. It is just confusing to some.
I have done this for several years and we get a lot of FREE stuff but we cannot get people to understand that. :)
The card if FREE
NO Annual FEE of any kind.
The closest CVS is a bit of a hike from here, but, then, isn't everything?
Lets say Crest is on sale for $2.99 with a $2.99 ECB. That means that you purchase a tube of crest and you pay for it. When you get your receipt it will have a coupon for $2.99 off anything in the store.
Usually the limit on a product that has a ECB is about 5. Meaning you pay for the first one then use that coupon to ge tthe next one. When you use a coupon for the entire amout of the product they do NOT charge tax so it is FREE.
How do I know if they are running a special for transferring prescriptions? I would like to transfer all my scrips from Rite Aid to somewhere that is running an incentive.
Thanx, and I love a lot of ur stuff! I'm just an ole country gal too..(from ga) but in Texas for da moment...