Today I paid $0.00 out of pocket for $21.11 worth of items. I wanted to make two separate trips so that I could get two scans of my green bag tag and be that much closer to getting an extra $1 ECB but then on Sunday I was handed a $4 off $20 card so I decided to combine the items I was looking at and just have one trip.
Transaction 1
Item: Nova Max glucose monitor
Price: $9.99
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $9.99
Item: 8 packs of Olive oil deep conditioner
Price: $1.39 each
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $5.00 + $4 for buying $20 worth of items
Total coupons used: $0.00
Total out of pocket today: $0.00
Total CVS Extra Care Bucks earned today: $18.99
Total out of pocket to date: $253.77
Gift Card balance : $11.47
Total CVS Extra Care Bucks earned to date: $687.29
CVS Extra Care Bucks Used to date: $664.30
CVS Extra Care Bucks Balance: $22.99
Abbreviations used
MFR = manufacturer coupon
ECB = extra care bucks
Join me next time as I look for more ways to save money as I visit CVS.
So, I think I’ve posted before that I needed to learn how extra care bucks work, yet I still haven’t LOL! Is it like cash that you can spend at the store when you purchase certain items?
Ashley, ECBs print at the end of a transaction and can be used on your next purchase. So in the scene above if it was my first time buying I would pay for the Nova monitor with cash/credit/check and then when my receipt prints it says I have a coupon for $9.99 ECB. I then turn around and want to buy something else that costs $10 but have no more money. Well I have the $9.99ECB so I buy the thing and give the cashier the ECB coupon, they scan it and it subtracts $9.99 from my total…so then I have to pay 1 cent.
OR I could hold on to that $9.99 ECB and use it next week to buy something else. When you first start out you have to pay upfront and then the ECB prints on your receipt. On later trips if you have ECBs from the last shopping trip then you use those like coupons to reduce your total that you pay on your credit card.
Does it make more sense now?
haha you always know how to save at CVS! and i was also confused about the ecb but thanks for explaining it to ashley. Now, I understand, too and it is time to start taking advantage of my CVS card ! WOOHOO ! =)
Thanks so much Lulu! That makes a ton sense, and now I’m contemplating how much money I’ve thrown away *cringe*….I’ll know better from now on 🙂
Hi I really like your blog.
How you do the transactions and that is great. Although it’s a bit technical. I have a blog where everything is more simple and straightforward giving everyday hacks and tips.
-Dean
Why would CVS offer “CVS Extra Care Bucks” equal to the price of the product? Isn’t CVS just giving away these products?
Well you still have to pay taxes on the item so they get money there I guess. The thing with the ECBs is that not everyone utilizes their ECBs to get free things. Also, if you did not have any ECBs to start with then you pay for the item up front and then get the ECB at the end.
So while it seems like they are giving it away…you get the ECBs after you pay and then use that on something else. If you never redeem your ECBs then CVS makes money.