CVS

Here is how to coupon at CVS:
CVS uses the Extra Care Bucks program. Extra Care Bucks are basically store coupons that work like store credit. They can be used in combination with any coupons (manufactures & cvs coupons). There will be items on sale each week that will produce extra care bucks. What we strive to do, is buy items that are free after extra care bucks and pay for those items using our extra care bucks- so no money out of pocket.
Here is a example:
This week Oral b toothbrushes are on sale for $4, and will produce a $4 extra care buck. limit 2
Here is a good scenario for that:
Buy 2 Oral b toothbrushes
Use the buy one get one free coupon from this Sunday's paper (PG brandsaver)
Pay $4, get back $8 in extra care bucks. You just made $4 in store credit!
Now, if you already have extra care bucks, make sure that you use them to pay for the toothbrushes, and then you have spent no money, but have increased your extra care bucks. Pretty simple.
Extra care bucks usually expire in one month.
Also, a good investment is to buy a green bag tag. These are usually hanging by the register. They cost $1. Have the cashier scan it each time you shop there. After 4 uses, you will get a $1 extra care buck.
A lot of times the free after extra care bucks items are sold out quickly. Do not despair! Always ask for a raincheck. I always get rainchecks. They are really useful. Sometimes there are no good sales to use your extra bucks on, and I don't want to just waste them on CVS's overpriced merchandise! So, then I will break out my stack of rainchecks, and figure out what to buy from those. A lot of times, I would prefer to get a rain check than to buy the actual item (unless I have a coupon expires soon!). That way I can buy it when I need to roll my extra bucks. Also, when they print extra bucks from a rain check, you usually get more than the value of the item, because all rain check extra bucks print in dollar increments.
Example:
I recently bought 5 thermacare for $2.50 each with a rain check. When she printed the extra bucks, each one printed out for $3, thus I made $2.50 extra! Rain checks are the best! One thing to note is to remember to have them print out each extra buck separately. They are easier to use in smaller denominations and you will make more extra bucks! Like in the above situation where I bought 5 thermcare: If they were to print them out all together it would be one big extra buck for $12.50, but since she printed them all separately, I got 5 extra bucks for $3 each equaling $15. Hopefully this makes sense!

I started CVS'ing about a year ago. I made a initial investment of about $30. Over the course of a year, my extra bucks increased to over $130! Also, I have gotten well over $1,000 worth of products. Sometimes, I have even SPENT my extra bucks on things I have needed (but weren't free). So, I have definitly made out pretty well for one year. Every once in a while I will have to pay a few cents (like when my total is 50 cents, and all my extra bucks are in dollar increments), but that is not very often.
Now, you may be wondering what do you do with that many extra bucks? Well, I have decided to start to cash them out with rebates. I will buy things that have rebates on them and use my extra bucks to pay for them. Then, I mail them off, and in 6-8 weeks receive a actual check that I can cash! Some good items to look for at CVS that have rebates: BioLuxe conditioner, organix shampoo, olay (http://www.olay.com/), Previcid (last weeks parade magazine in the Sunday paper). One note: Do not do the rebate for Naked Naturals haircare! There have been multiple reports of problems with that one.

So make sure to go out and get your Oral B toothbrushes this week or rain check if they are sold out!