Not sure if this is new to anyone ~ perhaps all you CVS'ers know this already, and all the CVS pros can correct me if I'm wrong, but I've done some calculations on some recent purchases and contrary to popular belief, I think that the ECBs reduce the tax amount that you owe, regardless of the order of Qs you present them in ~ so you can present them as $Off/ECB/MQs or $Off/MQs/ECB.

In addition, I've also discovered that CVS Qs, like the CVS $2 Off SkinCare Q, reduces your tax owed too. So to calculate your final OOP (including tax) after all Qs are applied, you should total the ECBs and CVS Qs you will be using for that transaction, then multiply it by the tax rate in your area and your tax will be reduced by that amount.

I believe this is correct. Anyone care to confirm or dispute my findings?

You do not pay tax on any amount paid for w/ a CVS coupon or ECB b/c CVS coupons and ECBs are treated by the register as a discount rather than a form of payment. I.E. If you have $10 worth of stuff and hand over a $5.00 ECB or CVS coupon, you will only pay $5.00 plus the tax on $5.00 rather than the tax on $10 b/c the register sees it as though CVS has given you a $5.00 discount.

If you pay with your ecb first it's better like stated above not only do you save on tax but don't know how to say this so I'll give an ex.\

say your total is after all coupons 5.00 and you pay with your 5.00 ecb they will have to adjust that ecb down to pre tax amt. say 3.95 so right there you lost 1.05. now you have to pay that 1.05 out of pocket. you can pay tax with manual coupons but not ecb. so it's always better to give them first. HoPE I explained that clear enough.

Yes, that's true - the register will continue to take manufacturer's coupons even if they are helping 'pay' for the tax. I often get a negative subtotal on my receipts and then tax adds back to make my final total positive again, b/c I hand over my ECBs first and then my manufacturer's coupons.

Give your coupons in this order: $/$$, ECB, and then manf. coupons. I too will get my transaction in the negative (because the manf. coupons will take off the tax) and then add a little something until I am at $0.00 oop or a little over. Keep playing with this and you will be able to get your transactions done with very little oop (out of pocket).