What are Extra Care Bucks or ECBs? When you buy certain items each week or during the month of deals- you will get ECBs on your receipt to use on your next purchase. These are just like cash and can be used on almost anything. It's only usually restricted to not being able to buy things like cigarettes, alcohol, prescriptions and gift cards. You must have a CVS card but if you don't already- just ask the cashier to set you up.
What is "rolling" ECBs? It does take an initial purchase and a little bit of money out of pocket to start. You find the deals for the week, match the coupons and then your ECBs come out for the next purchase. Do a couple of little multiple purchases and your out of pocket isn't too bad. With coupons matching plus some of the great coupons from CVS via email for a like $5 off $20 printable- you can actually "make" money and it's totally legal. So you get items for free because of the ECBs that are printed and you just keep using those ECBs to get the next week's great deals. Now you are paying little out of pocket or anything and continuing to get ECBs to use again!
Are there any "cons" to ECBs? A couple and it's hit or miss depending where you are. There are times that it's hard to find the items because of other couponers. There are some people in my opinion that abuse the system. They have multiple CVS cards so they can clear out the shelves. Some managers hate the program and won't re-stock like they should. You have usually a month to use the ECBs before they expire so if you can't find items one week- there's time to use them. ECBs don't have to be used on other ECB earning items so I just try to keep rolling and if I'm getting close to an expiration then I buy diapers or something I know I will need down the road. The items are things I wouldn't necessarily go and buy but I've found I've used them when needed and it's nice to know I had it at the house. A couple of weeks ago- there was an Ear Homeopathic Drops that made $2 profit and I paid nothing. A week later- I had a horrible earache and I tried them. Went away- obviously nothing serious but it was nice to have the product to try before a trip to the Doctor. I just don't make an intentional trip to CVS- Mike will stop by one on his way home and try to work the ECB deals.
The only other restriction that you have to get creative about is you can't use an ECB that's larger than your total. So you have to have a plan and possibly do multiple purchases. You also need to know if you need a little something else to get the total where you need it. We are very courteous when we do these deals- we let people with one or 2 items ahead of us and we don't hold up the line. We'll do one purchase and get out of line if there is one. Sounds like work but it's not and the cashiers and managers will love you if you don't choke their lines up. We usually just do a couple of purchases throughout the week versus everything at once. Mike goes by 3 CVS on his way home so it's not that big of a deal.
Here's an example from this week:
Buy 1 Children's Throat Cooler Ice Pops at $4.99, Get $4.99 ECBs (Limit 5)
Buy 2 and B1G1 from the 12/07 SmartSource insert
(There are also reportedly $1/1 coupons in the boxes.)
Free plus overage after coupons and ECBs
Okay- now who thinks to go buy Throat Cooler Ice Pops? I didn't even know they existed but that's an awesome item to have on hand when the kids get sick. You get 2 for $4.99 and then getting $9.98 back in ECBs. See how it works?
NOTE: this is not in our region. Just an example to show how to roll ECBs
Here's the next deal:
Buy 2 Maybelline Mineral make up products, Get $10 ECBs (Limit 1)
Use (2) $3/1 Foundation coupons from 10/26 Red Plum inserts
Spend $9.98 out of pocket or the ECBs from the "scenario" deal above so free and you get $10 ECBs back!
This is just an example and I will normally show true deals but this is just the perfect example to show how rolling ECBs work.
Comment with questions and we'll continue learning how to work CVS and the great ECBs deals! It does take a little work to master but it's worth it in the end!
1 comment:
*Thank you* for finally explaining the system to me. I hate to think how many Extra Bucks I let expire. Even the clerks didn't know how the system worked! I am going to link to this post in a blog!
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