CVS week of 8/22/10 - Free Listerine scenario

This is for all of my couponing friends who are just starting out. CVS can be a tricky store to shop and score the best deals. Understanding the ECBs, how to do multiple transactions, where to find the coupons, and how to get the best deals can be confusing. Hopefully this scenario will help. I'll go step by step how I am going to work this deal. This is for the ad that starts Sunday 8/22/10 and runs next week. Or starts Saturday night, depending on when your store activates the new weekly ad.


Listerine Zero or Total Care 16.9 oz. will be on sale for $3.99 and you will receive $2 ECBs back. There is a limit of 2 per card for this deal. There is also a printable coupon for $2/1 Listerine ZERO (500mL or larger.) Combining the coupon with the sale and ECBs will give you Free mouthwash. You will need to do 2 transactions so that you can use the ECBs earned on the first transaction to pay for the second transaction. Most CVS cashiers I have run into are aware of the multiple transaction thing and why we as customers do it. So it's no big deal. I put the stuff for my first transaction on the counter and leave everything else in my cart. If they ask, I say I'm doing two transactions.

You will have to register and give some information, but this is worth it for me. Not only do I get free mouthwash, but I also can print the coupons for the Smart Rinse which my kids use every day. Print the coupon twice since the limit for the deal is two.

Pick up two bottles of the Listerine Zero 16.9 oz. that are $3.99 each.

Transaction #1
Listerine Zero $3.99
- $2/1 Listerine ZERO (500mL or larger) Print coupon here

Subtotal $1.99
7% tax $.14
$2.13 total due OOP

If you have ECBs from a previous week, use them. If not, spend cash. Remember, you do not get change back from your ECBs. So if you tried to pay with a $4 ECB, you would lose $1.87.

Earn $2 ECBs.

Transaction #2
Listerine Zero $3.99
- $2/1 Listerine ZERO (500mL or larger) Print coupon here

Subtotal $1.99
7% tax $.14
$2.13 total due
pay $2 ECB using the ECBs you just earned, pay $.13 OOP

Earn $2 ECBs.

Even if you started with no ECBs, you will leave the store having spent $2.26 OOP with two bottles of mouthwash and $2 ECBs to spend on something else.

Obviously if you have other deals you want to score next week, then you would probably want to buy more stuff on each transaction than just the mouthwash. I know next week I plan on buying more Blink eyedrops (it is a new deal for next week), John Frieda conditioner, Fuze drinks and Garnier shampoo/conditioner. I haven't worked out yet how I will do my transactions. But I also have $17.99 in ECBs to spend already so that will affect how I work my deals.

I hope this post will be helpful for understanding how CVS works. It's a tricky store and can take some time to learn it. If nothing else, I hope I helped you score some "free" listerine!





Get $2 ECB Limit 2