Free Rewards Cards You Should Have: CVS ExtraCare

CVS is one of my favorite stores because they have amazing deals going on each week and there are so many different ways to save. If you already go there without a Rewards card, chances are that you'll be excited to go after reading this post.

Perks:

• ExtraSavings: By registering your card online you will have access to coupons that can either be printed or "pushed to your card" which means that once your card is scanned, it'll automatically detect the coupon. This allows you to see what coupons you have before going to the store and scanning your card at the ExtraCare Coupon Center .
• ExtraCare Coupon Center (Coupon Machine): By scanning your ExtraCare Card the Coupon Machine will print out coupons for you to use and more often than not, they're very relevant to things that you've bought before. The Coupon Machine usually contains more coupons than those that you can see online. [Coupons that I've gotten before include $4 off $12 on Cosmetics (could not see this coupon from my online account), $1 off an American Greetings Card (at least $1.99 value)]. 
• ExtraCare Bucks (ECB): These are coupons that print at the bottom of your receipt when you purchase something specific, these can be used towards any purchase. You can find the products that trigger the ECBs in the weekly ad, which is available online, in store or in your Sunday paper. [One of the current promotions is buy $10 worth of Physician's Formula Makeup and receive $7 in ECBs, if you have any newspaper coupons(usually $1), you can end up getting this expensive makeup for $2! ALSO, it is an expense that goes towards your Beauty Club Rewards and your ExtraBucks Rewards, you can be sure that I took advantage of that deal!]
• ExtraBucks Rewards: You get 2% back of what you spend each quarter, it's as simple as that. On Jan. 1st, April 1st, July 1st and Oct. 1st you will receive your quarterly rewards. Getting paid to shop? I love it! Even if it's just a dollar or two.
• Beauty Club Rewards: One of my favorite perks, and if you're a girl or have a daughter, you'll love it too. Every $50 that you spend on beauty purchases, you get $5 in ECBs. For example, the deal that I outlined above with Physician's Formula would automatically add $10 towards the $50 you need to get $5 in ECBs.
• E-mail: I know that a lot of stores always ask you to enter your e-mail to get special offers and they don't always deliver. CVS actually does, and I get super excited when I get an e-mail from them. They either send you dollar off coupons, % off coupons, or dollar off coupons on specific items. [Coupons that I've received before include $4 off $20, 30% off coupons(see below for more information on % off coupons), and $2 off Dove products. Don't forget that all of these coupons can be stacked with Manufacturer Coupons for even more savings!]
• Mail: In addition to e-mail coupons, you also get mail coupons! These tend to be % off coupons and sometimes coupons for certain items. [Yesterday I received a 25% off coupon on Oct. 13th and Oct. 14th along with a $1 off any 2 Hershey's candy bars, just in time for Halloween eh?]
• Green Bag Tag: By scanning this tag and using your reusable bag (or no bag at all) you'll get $1 in ECBs every 4th visit.  You get paid to be green. Now, this one isn't free, but it will definitely end up paying for itself. It costs $0.99 and you can find it at your register. 

Note on % off coupons: 

There is a lot of confusion regarding these coupons but by reading the fine print, you will be able to know exactly what they include and exclude. 

They exclude sale items and promotional items which cover items such as, Febreze Noticeables Refills on sale for $3.99 along with Buy One Get One free Wet n Wild nail polish. 

% off coupons CAN be used on products that are NOT on sale and trigger ECBs to be printed. For example, I'll stick to the Physician's Formula transaction. If you find an item that is exactly $10.00, you'll be able to apply a 25% off coupon making it $7.50. So you'll be paying $7.50 + tax and getting back $7.00 in ECBs, amazing right?

Additional note: You only need to reach 98% of the required dollar amount to get an ECB reward. So, in order to trigger the $7.00 from the $10 that you're supposed to spend on Physician's Formula Cosmetic you really only need to spend 98% of $10 which is $9.80. Works out great, right? Especially since most items are probably $9.99.

Finally, how to get a card: 
Simply go into your local CVS and ask for a card, they will be able to give you one on the spot. Then, be sure to connect your card to an online account by going here. Also, sign up for the Beauty Club, you will need to provide your name, email address and your ExtraCare card number. Be sure to use it every time you go into CVS and if you forget it, you'll be able to give them the phone number that you signed up with to access your card!

I know it was a lot to read, but I hope this helps you - this is knowledge that I've acquired over the past year and some of these things (like the 98% rule) I learned just 2 weeks ago. I would've been ecstatic if I could've found all of this in one place! I hope it helps!
Please leave any questions you may have in the "Comments" area.