I’m a drugstore junkie. I live in NYC, and we have many pharmacies that offer the same products and offer good service.
My top three are CVS, Duane Reade and Rite-Aide. I have a lot of walking distance mentioned.
Who takes my faith?
He who is most
Rite-Aide is fine, but some specials are just “mail in rebates. Too much hassle”.
The two big guns in the drugstore world are CVS and Duane Reade. Both cards offer stores that usually offer discounts for using the card when you buy something.
I have three CVS stores right in my area. I have two Duane Reade stores in my neighborhood. I also have a Duane Reade near my office. So far as position and advantage are concerned – they are equal.
Both CVS and Duane offer a ‘rewards’ system. When you sign up you can use a card to track your purchases and get rewards with each purchase.
Which is better? What is the best drugstore deals?
CVS came out with ECB (Extra Care Buck). Nice name. Basically, saying – CVS cares, and we’ll give you some bucks when you shop with us with your card.
I have my card on my key chain, so I never leave home without it. Always use it at CVS even for small purchases. CVS ECB has a quarterly boost. Get 2% back on all your purchases. That may not sound like a lot of money, but all the money is in your pocket – or to spend. CVS ECB can only be issued in CVS. They are printed on your receipt, just like a coupon. At Make Extra Cash Bucks, you can buy yourself nothing.
This is where things are great with CVS ECB, – they have weekly offers where you can buy and also get $ back in the form of ECB.
Some examples are: Buy a certain toothpaste for $10, and pay the same in ECB. It is FREE. Buy a $15 brand of a name, and get back a $5 ECB – so it’s actually only $10. And if you use ligula, it is much cheaper. Many other deals will show up on your receipt after purchase. You could get a coupon for $3 off of $15, or a receipt for money off on products you usually buy.
Here’s a nice deal with CVS Extra Protection Bucks, you get them at the receipt – it’s like a lot of money. Once you had to wait for credit, now it’s automatic. You bought an item that gives you ECB$, you have it immediately. You use them to buy other ECB deals – rolling them over for you. things are usually free or cheap.
You should watch expiration dates. Use before they expire.
Another problem is that when there is a great deal in the circular, it often happens in general.
Duane Reade also has an award program. I also have their card on my key chain. (both offer credit card size rewards cards, buy a key chain is the best).
Duane Reade seems to have lower prices, in general. So, for me, if I’m going to go there to buy Snapple, it’s a better value. They have great sale items.
The reward program is based on points. You will have 100, (in a year) you will have $5 in stock. They also have an expiration date when it could be used. I know I earned $5, and I miss using my $5 reward for the day. I was not happy.
Duane Reade will often offer points on certain products. that is the incentive. The offer is even more similar to CVS, If you buy a product for $10, you will have $100 points added to your account.
CVS is expensive in general. Duane Reade has better sales and higher prices. But if your a frugal shopper and want the best deals, I believe CVS is the way to go. The mouth is just wise. He might try to buy something from you that you re don’t need – oh but it’s cheap or you get ECB.
My game plan is to stock up on good deals.
The digital wars are just the beginning. They fight for us to shop and offer us deals. It makes us worthy of it. Why can’t they learn to use them? With CVS I get it easy, $3 a quarter yr, $12 bucks to spend just shopping there. With Duane Reade, I only got $5 back, and it expired before I could use it. It is unfair that, having been released in such a short space of time, it was obvious that the prize should be received in a year.
CVS is a WINNER in my book. If yours is spare and poor, it is very well done. CVS offers You should shop carefully, and be aware of sales and ECB offers.
