Saving Money - The CVS Way

One of the ways I save money is by shopping at CVS. You can read tons about using this program by seaching on google for 'CVS 101'. I have been using CVS for about 4 months and I'm now completely sold on the program. I love CVS!

As a quick overview, you must sign up for CVS's program called Extra Care Bucks. Once you are signed up, you are ready to start saving! CVS runs a weekly ad on Sundays, which I follow like a hawk. They have all sorts of different things on sale, but then they also offer certain items where you can get Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) back when you make your purchase. This is key! For instance: Buy $10 worth of candy, get $5 ECB's. What's it mean? When you make your purchase, a $5 coupon prints out on your receipt. This can be used in the store for pretty much anything you want, except alcohol.

This is all well and good, but you have to make the program work for you. You can't buy things just because they offer ECB's on it (trust me, it's tempting). It has to be something you would buy at full price anyway - this is how the program is valuable.

So what I do is clip the regular coupons that come in the paper on Sunday (of course), then I check through the CVS flyer. As a mom, I am looking for the diaper and wipe sales (which they have almost every week), I also buy grocery items there (limited, but some stores have larger grocery sections than others), and some household products. Where i really make the deals is dish washing detergent, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo - stuff everyone needs. If you really watch the sales, you can get these things almost for free. How? Watch: Colgate is on sale for $2.50 with a $1.00 ECB. I also have a coupon for Colgate for $1.00 off. I am now getting the toothpaste for 50 cents. Get it?

I could go on..but I won't. Another tip is to ALWAYS scan your card when you walk in the store. There is a machine right near the entrance at every CVS. The machine spits out coupons that only you can use. A few times a month, it prints a $3 off/$15 purchase coupon. This is an awesome coupon! Only to be beaten by the $4 off/$20 purchase coupon.

If you have questions, please ask! I haven't been to a Ralphs/Vons etc. in months. I buy through CVS primarily (purposely buying as much stuff there as possible to increase my overall spending) and I now shop at Food4Less soley. But that's another blog.

Happy saving!