Hello...My Name is Minnie's Pal & I stink at CVSing...

[justplaingoofy]

alright...I'm green here

whats an ecb?

How does this work? We have a cvs and an extra care card... Can any dis'er help out a very confused gal?

 

[sunshine1178]

alright...I'm green here

whats an ecb?

How does this work? We have a cvs and an extra care card... Can any dis'er help out a very confused gal?

ECB = Extra Care Buck(s)

Extra Care Bucks are CVS money. (You might think of them as a store credit.) You can use them to pay for your purchases at any CVS store.

If you look at a CVS ad (from today's newspaper, available at the store, or at cvs.com), you will see that some of the products advertised have a yellow box next to them with 3 different numbers. The top number is the price, and then the second number is the Extra Care Bucks, and the bottom number is your "like paying" price. For example, in August, Children's Advil is on sale for...ummm... I think $4.79. If you buy one bottle of Children's Advil, and use your CVS card, at the bottom of your receipt an Extra Care Buck will print for $4.79. So in August, the Children's Advil is the same as free (assuming that you use your ECB on a future purchase), because you got a store credit in the amount that you paid. Just be sure to have the cashier scan your CVS Extra Care card, so that you can get your Extra Care Bucks (they don't print unless a card has been scanned.)

Extra Care Bucks are different from gift cards, because they do expire after 30 days. (The expiration dates are printed on them.) They are also card-specific, so you can't give them away to your mother, neighbor, etc. You can use them to pay for almost anything that CVS sells, with a few exceptions (like alcohol.)

To use an Extra Care Buck from a previous transaction, you take your items to the register, with any coupons, and have them all scanned in (don't forget to have your CVS card scanned too!). When the cashier tells you your total, then you hand him/her your Extra Care Bucks (you can use more than one.) They show up on the receipt as a "CVS coupon." Then you pay whatever amount is left of your total. Ideally, you have bought products that generate new Extra Care Bucks, which is termed "rolling your bucks."

You can't get change from Extra Care Bucks, though, so you do want to make sure that your purchase total is more than the Extra Care Bucks that you have handed over. (Unless they're close to expiring and you don't mind losing the difference.)

I hope that that helps a tiny bit.

 

[HaleyB]

The good thing is, I am getting my money back in extra bucks. I just don't get out for a small amount OOP. Like I said, I paid $16 something and got $17 in ECBs back. (I give them $16, they gave me $17 back in ECBs and a bag full of merchandise - which had totaled $50ish before coupons and CVS sales prices.) So as long as I keep rolling my ECBs, I feel like I'm doing ok. I just can't go numerous times per week to keep my OOP down nor do I always have the coupons listed. (And I have been on the iheartcvs website too.)

How are you counting oop?

Product x= $19.99
Coupon= -11.99

oop= $8.00

~or~

ECB earned = $7.99

oop 1¢

Because $7 oop with $8 ECB earned sounds good to me. Unless you spent $7 plus $10 in ECB,which I would count as $17 oop (some people would claim that was $9 oop because of the earned ECB, just be sure not to count it twice).

I never buy anything at CVS unless it is free or very close to free. Patience is key, learn the sale cycles and wait for them.

B1G1 sale items plus B1G1 coupon= free
Item where price is = to coupon plus ECB earned= free

I max out every money maker deal, no matter what. I use this 'free" ECB to buy need items on sale. Even if they are priced high, free is free.

I stockpile. It is the only way to make the effort (read time) worth the pay out. Saving $10 off my $100 grocery bill, but spending $3.20 on newspapers and 2 hours figuring it all out is not a good deal. Saving $30+ a week is.

 

[HaleyB]

I forgot to say.

CVS has gotten A LOT harder these last few months. It will get better.

 

[did2008]

...and I thought I did bad yesterday on the Lamisil and Alavert deal. My oop was $9.xx and I got $13 back in ECB's. (of course, I spent 5 ECB's that I got from the candy deal last week) I had an instance yesterday where I bought the Contour monitor and the Colgate Total (3 tubes total in my house) for $3.49 and had the free toothbrush and the ECB's didn't print out. I had a coupon for $30 off the Ascensia monitor. They gave me a $5 gift card. So, I spent about $15 yesterday and got back $18 in ECB's...and a free bottle of soap.

Also, if it helps, use Rite Aid coupons for prescription transfers at CVS and get an easy $30 gift card. Only thing is they don't match anybody's rx prices (at least the one near my doc's office doesn't), but they do match the pharmacy coupons.

 

[Ali]

I have been CVSing all summer and stockpiling and doing deals where I paid less than a dollar OOP and I shared my stockpile with my family and friends and donated stuff I don't need and I still have enough for my family. That being said, it is getting harder to find good deals, I start back to work today as a teacher (in a tropical storm watch by the way) and I don't have the time to work for 4 hours to get the plans made and go to all my CVS stores. So, yesterday I needed tissues and fabric softener and I SPENT a $10 ECB to get the things I needed and I didn't feel regret for burning my bucks - I bought hings I needed so I wouldn't have to buy them at Walmart!

It works if you have the time and the energy and the extra coupons... I like doing it all and I hope I can figure out a way to fit it in to my real life!

 

[englishrose47]

I got
2 crest
2 oral B brushes
$10 in Bandaids
Used mfg c/os on all plus my $5 ecb from last week
Total oop $10.17 and I got $9 in ecbs
I'm going back for more Oral B using DD card so everyone will have new toothbrushes in their Stockings this Christmas.
I am now looking for good deals on mascara and face powder for the stockings. Have lots of mfg c/os bur haven't seen the right deal yet !!

 

[patsal]

Maybe you are not good at it becasue it isn't as easy to do anymore. The offeres are fewer and fewer each month now, not as much stuff is free with BB's and many items are long gone before the store opens up on Sunday with the rollover sometime on Saturday.
Overall I was a diehard CVSer, I saved tons and spent very little OOP but since about May things have been getting less and less. I used to go 2-3 times per week when I'd figure out another way to use a coupon, now I go maybe once or twice per month.
I noticed that Rite Aid has an interesting flyer and I may give that a try. I am still a die hard why pay for toothpaste, shampoo, razers, etc if I can get them for free, but it isn't as easy as it once was with CVS.

 

[justplaingoofy]

thank you for explaining.... in the example someone used they said that childrens motrin was a certain price, then they had the ecbs that prints later... is it one per week/ per item, or can you go back later in the week and buy the same item (childrens motrin) with the ecb that you received earlier in the week?

 

[sunshine1178]

thank you for explaining.... in the example someone used they said that childrens motrin was a certain price, then they had the ecbs that prints later... is it one per week/ per item, or can you go back later in the week and buy the same item (childrens motrin) with the ecb that you received earlier in the week?

At the bottom of the receipt, above the ECBs, it will show you what you have purchased that earns ECBs, and when you have bought as many as you are allowed, it will say "Offer Limit Reached." They usually print a number in the flyer (limit 1, limit 3, etc.), but sometimes the limits increase, so your receipt is the best indicator of whether you can do the deal again.

And yes, you can use the ECB to buy the same item again, and a new ECB will print, as long as you haven't reached the limit. (I hear that at Walgreens if you pay with a RR earned from the same item, the new RR won't print. But I don't know that for a fact. Just a warning, just in case.)

 

[DawnM]

Subbing. I don't have the hang of it either.

Dawn

 

[maggiew]

Right now there aren't a lot of great deals. There haven't been for awhile. Its been harder and harder to get those less than $2 OOP trips. This was really a result of them taking away the $/$$ coupons. So don't worry if you aren't doing that. I don't think many have been getting < $2 OOP much lately.

Although its still possible to get stuff free, just not like before.

The key is to get back as many ECB as you "spend" while keeping the OOP to a minimum.

Maggie

 

[1of6]

I started cvsing in Dec. While I don't feel like a pro yet, I'm getting there. It has gotten much harder this spring and summer.

They do have higher prices then Walmart...but if you can get them for free, it is a better deal then Walmart. This was the toughest thing to wrap my head around. You have to change the way you look at it all.

I agree that everyone talks about oop differently. For me, it means cash or gift card used to pay for my items. I say cash but I have not spent cash for anything but Rx since Jan. Everything oop comes off a gift card that I got for transfering a Rx. I feel like it has been a good trip if I make more ECBs then I spend. You win some and you lose some (pay more than expected). It is a game and the rules have been changing.

Like everything else the more you do it the better you become. It also helps to talk or read about deals. Check out the CVS thread here, hotcouponworld or slickdeals.

 

[jmpellet]

To learn -- go to www.slickdeals.net and read, read, read. They have a separate thread that lists the deals and one for scenarios where people will share what they are going to buy on certain trips. There are new threads for each week.

I have been doing it since January and I think I read somewhere that the summers are pretty dry in terms of deals. At max I was sitting on $350 ECB but now I have $175. I also do the RX giftcard thing and spend nothing OOP. To really spend a little you have to commit to going multiple times a week and doing small orders, especially with very few $/$$ coupons available right now.

Here is an example from last week that doesn't include the only free after ECB item for August (Children's Advil). I'll use that during a week where there are no good ECB deals.

I won't use sales tax for the example:

Alavert 5.99
Milk 4.09
Sub 10.08
minus:
CVS coupon 2/10
printable Alavert 4

Total 4.08
Paid 4.00 in ECB
Paid .08 on giftcard
get back 3 ECB

Not a moneymaker but I needed milk. If you can keep it rolling you can mix things that give ECB with things you need for little to no OOP.

 

[HaleyB]

thank you for explaining.... in the example someone used they said that childrens motrin was a certain price, then they had the ecbs that prints later... is it one per week/ per item, or can you go back later in the week and buy the same item (childrens motrin) with the ecb that you received earlier in the week?

This deal is limit 2 so you can buy one, and then buy another using that ECB. Anytime this month. There is no problem with rolling deals this way at CVS (there is at Wags).

I would wait to do this deal until you have done others, because there is a$2.50/$10 any Pain OTC coupon printing on some people's receipts. Also check for peelie coupons on the packages. Either makes this deal a Money Maker. So wait to see if you can get one of those coupons, it is a month long deal so there is no reason to rush. If they do not have it in stock get a rain check!!! Save a copy of the ad (cut out the part you need and staple to the rain check).

Rainchecks for free items are gold. Also ask for rainchecks on B1G1 sale items, you never know hen a B1G1 coupon will show up, rain checks never expire.

 

[lisaross]

Hi, i didn't read all the posts, but i think at first when you begin CVSing, you should try and buy everything that is free after ecb's or w/coupon's. Just to get you started this way you'll pay little oop and perhaps "gain" ecb's especially if you have a $ off like the 2.00 of 10.00 purchase! Good luck!

lisa

Am I the only one???

I've just recently started doing the CVS "game" and I'm finding it hard to do multiple trips/transactions and to keep my OOP under $2 each time. And, even though I save my coupons like crazy, I don't always have the coupons listed to use.

I seem to spend more ($20ish) but I always come up with just about the same in ECBs. So it's still profitable to me. For instance, today I got around $50 worth of products for $16 and got $17 back in ECB. I'm happy. I think I have just come to accept that I'm not a pro but I do ok. And I'm happy with that.

Am I the only one who isn't a pro? Everyone else seems to do great at it!

 

[puffkin]

I happen to be pretty good at it.....the technique just kind of clicked for me. It does take a lot of time to do the research, match up the coupons and fliers, and then do the actual shopping. I buy everything that is free after ECB. I monitor the printable coupons and use my sunday paper coupons. I live/work near 6 CVS so I can make multiple trips. And I enjoy doing it as a hobby, not just for the $$ savings.

I end up with a ton of stuff I don't need....but the trade off is I paid next to nothing for the stuff I do need. I yard sale and/or give away my stockpile. My family "shops" in my stockpile. I won't pay more than $1 OOP for any transaction unless it is for something I absolutely need (and then only if I can't get it cheaper somewhere else). I have a $20/month OOP budget for CVS and I don't usually come close to using that.....if I buy grocery type items (like soda) and it makes my OOP higher then I deduct that from my grocery budget.

I also Rite Aid. I am getting back almost $200 in SCR's this month (Single Check Rebates). I do the deals there twice and submit one to my mom's address. I ONLY buy things that are FAR and/or coupons (free after rebate) at Rite Aid. With coupons I end up making more than I spend. If they want to pay me to take stuff off their hands then I will!

Check out the weekly CVS thread if you need help and/or inspiration! There are a lot of great posters on there that are always willing to help. And many of us post our deals and coupon finds there too. Many times someone else figures out a transaction and if I have the coupons I copy it.

I hope this helps

 

[luna99]

subscribing because I really want to get the hang of this.

One question though.. using the children's aspirin example from earlier in the thread. So the steps go like this:

1. Get your CVS card scanned.
2. Pay for the product OOP. (in this case it was 4 dollars and something).
3. Get your receipt with the ECB on the bottom of it which is basically CVS money.

so my question is.. you have to hang on to those reciepts until your next trip right? They don't put the ECB money on your card electronically do they?

 

[puffkin]

subscribing because I really want to get the hang of this.

One question though.. using the children's aspirin example from earlier in the thread. So the steps go like this:

1. Get your CVS card scanned.
2. Pay for the product OOP. (in this case it was 4 dollars and something).
3. Get your receipt with the ECB on the bottom of it which is basically CVS money.

so my question is.. you have to hang on to those reciepts until your next trip right? They don't put the ECB money on your card electronically do they?

Yes, you cut the ECB's off the bottom of your receipt and use them when you pay next time. I do it this order:

1. Hand cashier card
2. Cashier scans products
3. Hand cashier any $X/$XX coupons (right now there is a $2/$10 CVS coupon)
4. Hand cashier any mfg. coupons
5. Hand cashier any CRT's (cash register tape)...these are coupons that print on the end of your receipt or at scanners
6. Hand cashier any ECB's
7. Pay whatever is left with cash

 

[LynnTH]

I have been CVSing since about May (ever since reading the CVS threads on here). I read and read and then finally jumped in. I have been having so much fun. I have 5 totes of stuff at my house full of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razors, toothpase, face cloths, nail polish and lots of bags of lifesavers and chocolates and much more. All of which was free or mostly free.

I read all the threads (www.afullcup.com and www.hotcouponworld.com) are some good ones. I also see what is coming up on future ads that are posted on these sites and if something looks like a great deal and there are coupons out there - I will go to some coupon sites and order coupons for the deals. Like the Vive and Lifesaver Coupons that were out for B1G1 and the stores had sales for B1G1 so they were all free. (some stores are better at taking these coupons on these sales then others - I didn't have any problems but some others have, you don't know until you try).

I did start out like a PP said. I just went in and bought the items that would generate ECB's. I had to pay a bit out of pocket (but I did have coupons for most items thanks to all the tips on all these sites).

Sometimes, I will have $20-$30 in ECB, sometimes nothing much is good and I end up using them and having to start over again the next good sale. I also have a card for me and my DH so I can use both cards and get twice the good deals since most of them are limited to quantities.

Just keep at it and keep reading all the good tips from everyone.