Alana Vandagriff | 

How to Stack CVS Coupons

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Before you can stack coupons, you need to know what types of coupons CVS accepts and the CVS coupon policy.

In order to get the most out of CVS coupons, you’ll need to download the CVS app. You should also download The Krazy Coupon Lady app and follow our CVS Deals page for the best up-to-date deals at CVS.

And if you really want to be a pro CVS couponer, make sure you’ve read over How to Coupon at CVS.

Text CVS to 57299 and be the first to know about the best CVS deals.

 

1. To save the most, plan to use all these discounts at once.

A graphic showing 4 ways to stack savings at CVS

At CVS, you can use a manufacturer coupon — from a newspaper or printed at home — CVS printable coupons, CVS load to app coupons, CVS coupon center coupons, and CVS email coupons. The key to saving the most is stacking as many of these as you can while still respecting coupon limits.

Manufacturer Coupons:

Manufacturer coupons can be obtained through the newspaper or printed at home. There are three different inserts that come out on a regular basis: Smart Source (SS), Save, and Procter & Gamble (PG), and newcomer Unilever Super Saver (which as of now isn’t a weekly regular).

There are many sources for printable coupons, and we give them all to you. You can find all the tips to printing manufacturer coupons here.

CVS Issued Coupons:

You can get CVS coupons from the magic coupon kiosk and by clipping them in the CVS app or on CVS.com.

ExtraBucks Promotions:

CVS Weekly ad offers ExtraBucks promotions each week. You can find these offers in the weekly ad, in promotional signs within the store, and in the CVS app.

Rebate Apps:

There are multiple rebate apps to help you save money like Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards. We’ve made the Ultimate Guide to Rebate Apps to make you a master at rebates.

 

2. Start by stacking manufacturer coupons with ExtraBucks promotions.

someone holding suave shampoo with coupons
A graphic showing manufacturer coupons used with CVS ExtraBucks promos

Stacking manufacturer coupons with ExtraBucks promotions is the simplest way to save at CVS. Manufacturer coupons lower your out-of-pocket total without interfering with your ability to earn ExtraBucks. Here’s an example:

In-Store Deal
$5.48$20.48(73% off)
Newspaper coupons needed
$5.00/2 - Aquaphor products 1.75 oz, Tubes 7 oz, Spray or Baby products 1.75 oz or larger from Save Dec. 12
Price Summary
Pay $15.48, receive $10 ExtraBucks
 

 

3. Stack manufacturer coupons with CVS coupons.

A person is holding a CVS coupon while another person is cutting out coupons from a newspaper coupon insert with scissors.
A graphic showing manufacturer coupons used with CVS coupons

The CVS coupon policy allows one manufacturer coupon per item. There’s no limit to manufacturer coupons per transaction other than what is stated on the coupon itself.

Unlike Walgreens Register Rewards, CVS ExtraBucks coupons are not manufacturer coupons, which means you can also use one on top of a manufacturer coupon on the same item.

Along with earning ExtraBucks on promotions, you can get CVS coupons from the magic coupon kiosk and by clipping them in the CVS app or on CVS.com.

 

4. Use up to three CVS store coupons per item.

A person entering numbers on a keypad at a register while holding a coupon in their other hand while a cashier stands at the register.
A graphic showing three CVS coupons being used at one time

This is where the fancy CVS coupon dance starts. CVS offers dollar-off single-item coupons, spend threshold coupons, and percent-off coupons. CVS’ coupon policy says you can use as many store coupons as you want as long as none of those coupons explicitly states otherwise.

For example, you could use a CVS hair care threshold coupon like, “$3 off when you spend $12 on haircare,” with a $2 off Garnier hair care CVS coupon, with a 15% off hair care item CVS coupon.

But just know the percent-off coupons will be calculated after all other CVS coupons and ExtraBucks have been deducted from your subtotal. (More about that in tip #6).

 

 

5. Double-dip on rebates from Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards.

someone holding a phone with the Ibotta app. in cvs

Rebate apps get you cash back or other reimbursements for receipts showing proof of purchase on specific items. So instead of getting money taken off your total before you cash out, like with a coupon, you’ll get money back after purchase.

When you’re using a rebate, the savings don’t stop there. You can pair them with coupons, ExtraBucks rewards, and sales.

One deal that I recently did was for Differin Cleanser. Differin Cleanser had a printable manufacturer coupon for $1.75/1, a $5 off CVS store coupon, and $2 Ibotta Rebate. It’s regularly priced at $10.49, so I paid $3.74 out of pocket after all three savings methods. The final price came out to $1.74 — that’s 83% in savings!

If using rebate apps overwhelms you, check out the Ultimate Guide to Rebate Apps.

In-Store Deal
Differin Cleanser
$1.74$10.49(83% off)
Mobile coupons needed
$5.00/1 Differin Cleanser, CVS Store Coupon
Printable coupons needed
Price Summary
Pay $3.74, submit for $2 Ibotta rebate
 

6. The goal is to stack manufacturer coupons, CVS coupons, ExtraBucks promos, and rebates.

someone holding cvs coupons
A graphic showing manufacturer coupons, CVS coupons, ExtraBucks, and Rebate apps all used at once

When the couponing stars align, you may see an ExtraBucks promo, a manufacturer coupon, store coupons, and a qualifying rebate all available to stack on a single item. During these transactions, you can often get products completely free! Or at least score some CVS deals under $1.

For example, Crest mouthwash was on sale for $3.99 (regularly $5.49), and there was a promotion where if you bought three, you received $5 ExtraBucks. I had a $2 off $12 any mouthwash CVS store coupon and a $5 off three Crest Mouthwash CVS digital coupon. After using both coupons, I paid $4.97 for three bottles of mouthwash and received the $5 ExtraBucks … making this deal completely free!

P.S.: CVS has a 98% rule.

In-Store Deal
Crest Mouthwash
-$0.03$16.47(100% off)
What to buy
3 Crest Mouthwash, $3.99 $5.49
Buy 3, receive $5 ExtraBucks
Mobile coupons needed
$2.00/$12.00 - any mouthwash, CVS store coupon
$5.00/3 - Crest Mouthwash, CVS Digital Coupon
Price Summary
Pay $3.97, receive $5 ExtraBucks
 

7. But CVS percent-off coupons are notoriously problematic.

someone holding cvs coupon

Both online forums and our local CVS staff confirmed that percent-off coupons have a bad habit of ringing through incorrectly — often attaching to the lowest value product in the transaction, even if it’s not a qualifying item.

To be safe, I’ll often redeem my percent-off coupons in a separate transaction to make sure the discount works correctly. I make sure to not use my percentage-off coupons with other coupons so I can get the full discount. If that’s more hassle than you’re interested in, just be sure to double-check your receipt.

Additionally, be aware that percent-off coupons will be calculated after all other CVS coupons and ExtraBucks have been deducted from your subtotal. Manufacturer coupons do not impact the value of a CVS percent-off coupon.

 

8. Roll your previously earned ExtraBucks to earn new ExtraBucks.

person at cvs checkout

Rolling rolling rolling … keep the CVS ExtraBucks rolling. When you earn ExtraBucks from a transaction, you can use them right away to earn more! This takes some time and concentration. I only do this when there isn’t a line behind me at my store.

To roll your ExtraBucks, you’ll end up doing multiple transactions using your ExtraBucks from the first transaction to pay for the next and so on. Check out this example:

A graphic showing multiple deal scenarios where CVS ExtraBucks are earned and used to pay for more products

 

 

9. The order in which you present your coupons doesn’t matter.

A CVS clerk scanning a product at the register in a CVS store.

It used to be that the order in which a cashier scanned your coupons made a difference in what you’d pay. (KCL recommended using spend threshold coupons — like “3 off a $15 hair care purchase” first — followed by dollar-off coupons, and finally ExtraBucks.)

But the computer systems at CVS are now smart enough to calculate the discounts in the correct order, regardless of the order in which the discounts are scanned.

 

10. You can’t double-dip on threshold coupons.

A woman standing at a CVS register while the clerk rings up the customer's merchandise.

Don’t get too excited if you get multiple threshold coupons for the same category. You can’t use those together and not meet the threshold for each. For example, if you have two $10 off $40 coupons, you’ll need to spend $80 to be able to use both.

 

UP NEXT: The Best CVS Deals Available Now

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