Using Coupons at CVS

I have noticed many people are under the impression that to coupon with substantial savings has to be difficult and takes hours of work. I admit when I started couponing, I was overwhelmed with the available information. Much of it seemed to be as helpful to me as NASA rocket launch instructions. I decided to take it down a notch and focus on one store at a time. CVS seems to be a place many people see as over-priced being that it’s considered a drug store. I have found CVS to be easy to coupon at and save loads of money. Unlike places like Walmart or my local grocery store, I seem to never have an end to the deals I can find. Many of my friends have wondered how I do it and have thought I was one of those crazy coupon ladies. Well, if I am, that is fine with me!

CVS, unlike many other stores, offers money back on many of your purchases to spend in store with CVS Bucks. They also accept manufacturer coupons, many of which can easily be found at places like Coupons.com. Normally you can print two of the same coupon per computer. If you have a household with multiple computers, this will benefit you. I also found that CVS offers many in-store coupons that are available via email or the in-store kiosk.

What you need to start saving:

• CVS loyalty card
• a coupon source (i.e. Coupons.com or your Sunday paper)

Here’s how:

• Check your email! (Be sure to download the CVS app or go to CVS.com to create a user and link your card to the account to receive emailed offers.)
• ALWAYS scan your card at the kiosk to print any in-store coupons you might have waiting for you. (I rarely see people do this, and it will often cost you at checkout.)
• Check sites like IHeartCVS.com. These sites will match coupons to the current sales flyer for you. They will even tell you where to find the coupons needed.
• Use manufacturer coupons with your in-store coupons and CVS Bucks!

Here’s an example of my last savings at CVS. CVS had a sale on Huggies® Pull-Ups®. At my location, they are normally $13.48 each, but they were on sale for $8.99 a pack with the bonus of receiving $5 in CVS Bucks if I purchased at least $20 of qualifying baby items. So I stacked my coupons!

• 3 packs of Huggies® Pull-Ups® at $8.99 each = $26.97
• 3 manufacturer coupons (from Coupons.com) all for $2 off 1 pack of Huggies® Pull-Ups® = $6
• An in-store coupon for $3 off a purchase of baby items $20 or more
• $5 CVS Bucks I had from a previous purchase

My total before tax came to $12.97! Plus, I got back an additional $5 CVS Bucks to spend later. It was as if I was spending $7.97 for three packs of Pull-Ups®. Without the combination, my purchase would have been over $40. All three packs cost me less than the cost of one at regular price. Remember to check your match ups online to have them do the work for you! Start saving and quit misplacing your money. Put it to better use and quit over-paying!

Visit TheDollarStretcher.com for 3 ways to guarantee a smart buy and additional coupon strategies that work.

This article by Dawn Summerson first appeared on The Dollar Stretcher and was distributed by the Personal Finance Syndication Network.