How to Work a "Mega Deal" at CVS

There are many good CVS tutorials out there for you to read. If you are new to CVS shopping and the world of Extra Care Bucks, fondly known as ECBs, I suggest that you start by reading CVS 101 and making CVS Work for You.

You can also read my Top 10 CVS Tips and a few other tips here, here and here.

So, for those of you who are ready to move on to an advanced degree in CVSing, I would like to simply share with you how to work what I would consider a "Mega Deal".

A "Mega Deal" for me is when I am able to purchase a large amount of items for little OOP and get as much or more back than my OOP in ECBs.



















My CVS Mega Deal $103.82 for $1.98 OOP


So here is the rundown of my deal:

I purchased $103.82 of items.

Istarted the deal with 0 ECBs.

My final OOP is $1.98. I spent $11.56 OOP today, but will submit a $10 rebate on that so my final OOP will be $1.98 (if you count the stamp I will use).

I earned around $23 in ECB's, but ended the deal leaving with $18 in ECBs for later.


Let me walk you throught the steps I take to assemble a deal like this.

1. Collect coupons - I was able to do this because I had the coupons to do it!

2. Scan your Extra Care Card. I received a $15 off $75 coupon from the magic scanner this week. This really helped me! I also had a $2.50 off $10 pain relief coupon from another scan.

3. Know what you are trying to accomplish. I had the $15 off $75 coupon and decided to see if I could actually spend $75 at CVS without really spending anything. I also needed ECBs and didn't have much OOP to work with on this deal.

4. Know where to look. I have often said that the Internet is the #1 resource for saving both time and $. When I was researching for this deal I checked out what other bloggers had listed on their CVS posts. Also, these bloggers often match up coupons with the deals making it even better for me. Here are the blogs I checked for this deal:

• Frugal Indy - Drugstore Deals, including deals from:
• NW Indiana Deals
• Bargain Briana
• Lizzy's Language

also I checked (in my Bloglines reader)

• Money Saving Mom
• Coupon Cravings
• Moms Need to Know

5. Work out the deal by making a list of all the items you can get for free, or almost free.

I make a worksheet, at the top I list the items I plan to buy, on the bottom left is the ECBs I will earn, and on the bottom right are the coupons to subtract. That way I can keep a running total of what I've spent and my OOP.

I just keep working toward the total desired - in this case $75. Remember the total is before coupons.

Here are some example items that I used to make the deal:

I had 6 "Vitamin Water 10" coupons for $1.00 off each and they were on sale for $1.00 each so that is $6 toward the $75 total - but with a 0 OOP.

Excederin is on sale for $1.99, I found 2 printable $2.00 off Excederin coupons on MSM. You can print each twice by hitting the back button a few times after it prints. So, that gave me 4 coupons adding another $7.96 toward that total of $75 and the coupons totalled $8.00. So still no $ OOP.

The Pringles were .88 ea and there was a 1.00/2 coupon making them .38 ea OOP.

I was planning to get diapers in this deal, then I remembered I have a ton of formula coupons that the formula companies send you when you have a baby. I actually don't use formula, but I was able to get the 5 bottles of formula for free. So there was $25 toward the $75 with 0 OOP. The best thing about that was it earned me a $10 ECB. The formula can get donated to someone who will use it!

6. Have some back-up items. Be prepared for a change at the store if needed. I planned to get some of the Revlon make-up, but it was not at the price I wanted. So I got the Brut deoderant since my supply is getting a bit low and my hubby likes that kind.

7. Be patient, take your calculator and go to the store! It helps to have the deal really worked out before you go. But when you get there recheck the deal and be patient. My cashier had to ring up my main deal 3 times because she was new and kept making errors.



In this deal I purchased all the items except the Milk, juice and 1 shaving cream in 1 transaction. I then purchased the 2nd shaving cream using the ECB from the first transaction. Then I purchased the 2 milk and the juice using the $2 ecb from the toothpaste and the $3.40 ECB from the shaving cream. I thought the sign said that the juice was 2/4.00 and my OOP would have been .50 for it - but it was actually 2/6.00, so I paid a bit extra but I was happy with the overall deal.


Here is what I bought:

Transaction #1

6 Vitamin Water 1.00ea - 6/1.00 mc FREE

4 Excederin 1.99 ea - 4/2.00 printable found here
1 Tylenol Rapid release Gel 5.99 - 3.00 mc (mail) - $2.50/$10 pain releif CVS coupon .49 OOP

1 Dawn .99 ea - .25 mc = .75 OOP
4 Pringles .88 ea - 2/1.00 off 2 mc 1.52 OOP

Thanks MSM for this one!
2 Natural Dentist products at $6.99 ea. - 2 $2/1 printables here
Received $8 ECB
Send off for $10 mail-in rebate here when you buy two products
Free plus $8 in overage after coupons, ECBs, and mail-in rebate

1 Brut Deoderant on sale 1.90 - .55 mc 1.35 OOP
5 Similac Formula 5.00 ea - 5/5.00 Similac Checks FREE Received $10 EBC
1 Skinmate shaving creme $3.49 OOP Received 3.49 ECB
2 candy .50 ea 1.00 OOP
1 Colgate 2.99 - .75 mc $2.24 OOP Received 2.00 ECB
1 Dry Idea Deoderant $2.25 - 2.00 IP .25 OOP

Also used $15 off $75 CVS coupon.

Total OOP = 10.07
-1 Mail in rebate 10.00

ECB's Earned
$10
$3.49
$2.
$8


Transaction #2
1 Skinmate shaving Cream $3.49 used $3.49 ECB to pay 0 OOP Received 3.49 ECB

Transaction #3
2 Milk 2.49 ea paid for in ECB's 0 OOP
1 Juice 3.00 - 1.00 Printable = 1.50 OOP (my mistake! I thought it was 2.00 not 3.00)


End with $10 and $8 ECB

Not a bad day's work!