The CVS Game

Many people dismiss CVS as being too expensive.  On the surface, yes, their prices are a bit steep.  But with some effort and planning, you'll find that you can score extraordinary deals at CVS.  It's called The CVS Game, and this is how it's played.

CVS Basics

CVS sales and promotions run Sunday-Saturday.  Most Sunday papers include the CVS flyer, but it is also always available online.  You can see next week's flyer online starting on Thursday every week.

CVS has a shopping loyalty card called the ExtraCare Rewards Card.  Don't ever shop at CVS without it!  Even if you're not buying something on sale, your purchases will be recorded and you'll receive 2% back on a quarterly basis.  You'll also receive 1 ExtraBuck for every 2 prescriptions you fill at CVS.  If you don't have one, just ask your cashier to sign up.  You can also sign up online here, but I think signing up in person is better because you'll receive your cards immediately.

Shopping with your ExtraCare card entitles you to sale prices.  It also entitles you to earn ExtraBucks (EB).  EBs are the key to playing The CVS Game.  

Playing The CVS Game

The goal of The CVS Game is to spend as little as possible out of pocket.  This goal is achieved through the use of coupons and ExtraBucks promotions.

ExtraBucks promotions are usually in the form of "Buy x, get yEB" or "Spend $x, get yEB."  For example,

"Buy 1 Crest Toothpaste, get $2 EB"

or

"Spend $20 on select Proctor and Gamble products, get $5 EB."

Your EBs can be used on future purchases at CVS.  You only have to spend up to the face value of the EB to use it, so for example you can buy $7 worth of items and use a $7 EB.

Coupons can be used toward products featured in an ExtraBucks promotion.  By using coupons, you can often get things for very little money or no money at all.  Sometimes, you can even make money.  The pre-coupon price is what counts toward the promotion.  Here are some examples.

• Let's say my CVS flyer has a promotion for Crest toothpaste.  The toothpaste is on sale for $2.75, and if I buy 1 tube, I'll receive a $2.50 ExtraBucks reward.  Spend $2.75, get $2.50 back.  Pretty sweet, right?  It gets sweeter.  I can redeem a $1 coupon for that toothpaste.  Spend $1.75, get $2.50 back.  That leaves me with a free tube of toothpaste, plus a 75¢ profit!

• What about the Spend $20, get $5 Proctor and Gamble promo I mentioned above?  Let's say I buy 2 8-count packages of Bounty paper towels on sale for $10 each.  I can use 2 $1 coupons, bringing my out of pocket total to $18.  The pre-coupon cost of the paper towels will still count toward the promotion, so I'll spend $18, and get $5 EB back.   That leaves me with 16 rolls of paper towels for $13.  Not bad!

Splitting Transaction to Lower Your Out of Pocket Cost

When I shop at CVS, my goal is always to spend as little out of pocket as necessary.  In order to do this, I often have to break up my transactions.  That way, the EBs I earn on my first transaction can be used to pay for my second, and the ones I earn on my second transaction can be used to pay for my third, and so on.

Here's an example.  Two different scenarios below, both purchasing the same products with the same promotions.

• In the first scenario, all of the items are purchased in one transaction.

• Buy 1 tube Crest Toothpaste for $2.75
• Buy 1 Physicians Formula mascara for $9.99
• Buy 2 8-count packages of Bounty paper Towels for $10 each
• Buy 3 Suave Body Wash for $2 each
• Buy 6 Suave Deodorant for $1 each
• Subtract $1 for using a Crest Coupon
• Subtract $1 for using a Physicians Formula coupon
• Subtract $2 for using two $1 Bounty Coupons
• Subtract $2 for using a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" Suave Body Wash Coupon
• Subtract $4.50 for using six 75¢ Suave Deodorant Coupons
• Pay: $34.24
• Receive: $2.50 EB for buying Crest
• Receive: $7.00 EB for buying Physicians Formula
• Receive: $5.00 EB for spending $20 on P&G products
• Receive: $3.00 EB for spending $12 on Suave products

• In the second scenario, the same products are purchased in 3 separate transactions.
• Transaction #1:
• Buy 1 tube Crest Toothpaste for $2.75
• Buy 1 Physicians Formula mascara for $9.99
• Subtract $1 for using a Crest Coupon
• Subtract $1 for using a Physicians Formula coupon
• Pay: $10.74
• Receive: $2.50 EB for buying the Crest
• Receive: $7.00 EB for buying the Physicians Formula mascara
  
• Transaction #2:
• Buy 2 8-count packages of Bounty paper Towels for $10 each
• Subtract $2 for using two $1 Bounty coupons
• Subtract $2.50 for using your Crest EB
• Subtract $7.00 for using your Physicians Formula EB
• Pay: $8.50
• Receive: $5 EB for spending $20 on Proctor and Gamble

• Transaction #3:
• Buy 3 Suave Body Wash for $2 each
• Buy 6 Suave Deodorant for $1 each
• Subtract $2 for using a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" Suave Body Wash Coupon
• Subtract $4.50 for using six 75¢ Suave Deodorant Coupons
• Subtract $5.00 for using your P&G EB
• Pay: 50¢
• Receive: $3 EB for spending $12 on Suave

Shopping Trip Totals

Scenario 1 - Single Transaction
$34.24 spent out of pocket
$17.50 in ExtraBucks to use in the future

Scenario 2 - Separate Transactions
$19.74 spend out of pocket
$3.00 in ExtraBucks to use in the future

The net cost for everything in both scenarios is $16.74, but scenario 2 requires a smaller up-front investment from you.  Why take more money out of your wallet than you have to?

Post below with you questions & tips 

for shopping at CVS!

-Kathleen