Many shoppers think drugstores are for those quick trips in the middle of the night when everything else is closed or just to fill a prescription.
Believe it or not, when you shop drugstores the right way, you can get everyday products for very little out of pocket expenses — and often for nothing at all!
How to Save Money at CVS
Sign up for an ExtraCare Card
If you don’t already have an ExtraCare Card, then you need to get one! There is no fee and it gives you access to additional deals and coupons. You can easily sign up in store or online.
After you have you ExtraCare Card, the first thing you should do when you walk into a CVS is to scan your ExtraCare card at the kiosk. Upon doing so, it will print off coupons for you, which can vary, but are very useful!
Take Advantage of Extra Care Bucks (ECBs)
ExtraCareBucks print on the bottom of receipt as a reward for purchasing certain products. They range in value from $1-$10 and expire within 30 days. This kind of printing money is legal, so don’t toss them! The specific items eligible for ECB’s vary every week and can be found in the weekly CVS ad. A great way to maximize your ExtraCareBucks is to roll them from one transaction and use them to pay for another transaction, further lowering your overall out of pocket expense. Another important thing to note about ExtraCareBucks is that they must be used in their entirety or the remaining balance is lost. For instance, if you receive an ExtraCareBuck for $4.99 and your total is $3.50. If you pay for your transaction using the ExtraCareBuck, you will have forfeited the remaining $1.49, unless you throw in a cheap filler item to cover the remaining amount.
Use Coupons!
The Sunday paper is a great source for finding coupons for you to save additional money at CVS. In addition to the Sunday newspaper you can find coupons in other places such as magazines, on the front of products and even on product displays within the store.
Like other drugstores, you can use a manufacturer coupon in addition to CVS coupons and sales. To truly maximize your savings you can use your ExtraCareBucks as your form of payment. Using all of these at the same time gives you the greatest savings and reduces your overall out of pocket expenses. You’ll quickly find yourself getting your everyday products for free! When you are able to find free deals (or close to it), you need to stock up so you won’t ever have to pay full price again.
