By now you have all probably heard about the “Hot New CVS $3/$15 coupon”. If not, the details broke here.
I love a great CVS coupon, believe me! However, I will not be using this coupon personally, or including it in my Challenge scenarios.
To access the coupon, you are required to select “Yes” when asked if you subscribe to the Newsday print edition. I am not currently a subscriber, nor do I intend to become one. They have no way of verifying this information.
I attempted to see if I could access the coupon by selecting, “No”, just to see what would happen. As I suspected, there was no way to do so. Therefore, the only way to access this coupon is by, well, quite frankly… LYING.
I realize this post may ruffle a few feathers, and that’s ok. I just had to get that off my chest. It is still possible to save big at CVS without unauthorized coupons.
If I receive a CVS coupon by email, I will gladly redeem it. But until then, I will stick to the magic coupon machine and manufacturers’ coupons.
To read more about my couponing philosophies, go here.
I feel the same way. Guess what I got from the magic coupon machine today $10 off a $50. I have never recieved one before.
Good for you, I feel the same way and will not be using this coupon either. I think the same as you, that we are able to get good CVS deals without compromising our principles. from chris(baldscreen)
Thank you for posting this! I have posted similarly before over at my site, and sometimes it felt like I was the ONLY person who had difficulty with the CVS PDF coupons. So, glad to know I am not alone!
Alyssa,
This was a red flag to me as well. Thanks for always being a stand-up coupon gal! 😉
So glad we’re on the same team! I posted basically the same thing yesterday. Two cheers for ethics!!!
Tara @ Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for sharing this! I’d thought about looking into the coupon, thinking it looked like it might be more legit than past ones. But if you have to lie, it’s not legit! Thanks!!
Thanks for the post, it is nice to hear.
Also just a note, i was at my CVS today and asked if they had tomorrow’s ad, and they said that the test market had horrible results and they are going back to sale week beginning on Sunday!!!!! Didn’t know if you had heard this. YEAH!
Thanks for posting this…I agree completely. I don’t believe that it’s worth compromising my morals to save a few bucks :-). When I saw the coupon posted, I did not post it on my blog for that very reason.
I just wanted to say thank you! I agree completely and respect you and all the others who feel the same way.
Thanks! Keep up the great work!
Good for you! This is why I try to stick to God-honoring frugal websites. Thanks for standing up for what you believe.
And has anyone else noticed an increase in $/$ coupons? In my last four trips to CVS, all within the last seven days, I’ve received 4! 2 were $2/$10 and 2 were $5/$50. Three came from the scanner machine and one was a CRT.
Thank you for your comments. I too tried to see if I could get the coupon without “lying”…but alas, no such luck. I knew a few dollars in savings was not an act that would glorify God.
Yep, I agree. Gonna type something up on my blog as well. I don’t feel good about it either. At first I thought it was saying you could check that you subscribed and you WOULD be subscribed for like a trial edition. But it seems this is not the case. I had posted it with this in mind and after looking into it I pulled the post from my blog.
Denise
The “Cent”sible Sawyer
YAY!! I am so glad you posted this! I was thinking the same thing, it just didn’t feel right to print it!
God Bless you!!! I wish alot of others were like you. For us to be good Christians we must know that God does not like liars. I felt very bad about using the $2/10 and so that feeling was bothering me when I saw this new coupon. I did not feel right about it, so I will not be using it either and I am sure I will still get some great deals.
I totally agree with you, I thought the exact same thing when I saw that you had to select yes even though I didn’t have a subscription. I wasn’t going to be dishonest for $3.
My thoughts exactly! I have had a really hard time with some of these coupons – especially this one! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you for saying this! I was thinking the same thing. I think it is sad that there is no more absolute right/wrong out there for people! A great blog to visit is http://www.blessing-others.blogspot.com. She addresses this as well in one of her posts. She is also into the CVS buying game…but makes a point to talk about honesty. Thank you again for posting this!
Thanks Alyssa…it’s encouraging that you posted this on your blog. Good for you. I had no idea where the coupon came from, I haven’t visited my CVS in a couple of weeks (I know…bad me). I was going to print that out but had no clue what you had to do to get it, I guess I would have figured it out. Thanks again, it’s good to read all the positive comments too:)
I agree completely! I feel the exact same way. Thanks for validating my feelings. LOL
Tricia
THANK YOU! I agree completely, and am glad to see you and others have spoken out about it.
I do wish you hadn’t linked to that blog that broke the news, though. The less traffic they get, the better.
I completely agree and had posted comments on 2 other sites saying that I would not be using this coupon because I am not a Newsday print subscriber. As much as I love CVS coupons I am not going to flat out lie to get one.
I whole heartedly agree. I think if we are dishonest, God will not honor our savings efforts.
Plus, that coupon was just too dang difficult to find. I gave up!
Thank you for pointing this out! It was an oversight on my part. Just saw it and posted it but it now has been removed….Be blessed!
I absolutely agree and I’m glad you put this out here.
Good job, girlie! I feel like I’m stealing from CVS half the time anyway but that is legal and all 🙂
You are right! If we’re faithful with small things, God will bless us with more.
I agree 100% and I don’t think you have to be a Christian per se to understand that using this coupon without being a subscriber is fraudulant. It’s encouraging to see how many people also think it is wrong! I just wish that the people who are using it wrongfully would understand that their actions put everyone at risk. I’d hate for CVS to stop giving out coupons period, but with all the dishonesty out there, it wouldn’t surprise me if they did 🙁
Thanks for sharing, Alyssa! I agree 100%. I won’t be using it either. 🙂
Thanks for your great example! You’re changing lives.
Thanks for sharing, Alyssa! I agree 100%.
My conscience is worth more than $3!
Thank you for your post. I TOTALLY agree! I love that CVS has the ECB program, and I would hate for fraudulent couponing to cause them to reconsider. I rarely have $/$$ coupons to use and still am able to do quite well at CVS. I don’t have easy access to the scanner to produce coupons, either, and yet, by honest means, I find wonderful deals. Your site is such an encouragement and a good example of living for Him.
Thank you for writing this. This picture of the coupon shows an address for it to be used with a specific location and, it was, obviously, not intended for me in Louisiana.
I just got the Adidas Deodorant and Nivea Bodywash for 17 cents last night…I don’t need no stinkin’ coupon :).
I have mixed feelings. I haven’t used that $3 coupon but I do use the $2/10 coupon. I feel that CVS knows this is online, and it is their responsibility to issue their coupons in a manner that will prevent misuse. The other end is personal responsibility to not tamper with, reproduce, or otherwise be fraudulent with coupons.
I ran out to get my paper this morning, opened it up, and NO CVS ad. 🙁
Anonymous,
The Richmond Parents coupon ($2/$10) was in a FREE magazine. The $3/$15 coupon is for PAID SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. Making excuses and blaming CVS does not erase that fact that you have to lie in order to obtain the coupon. CVS did, in fact, issue the coupon in a responsible way – to paid subscribers of a regional newspaper. Unfortunately, dishonest people felt the need to sell their conscience and testimony for $3.
To be honest, I’m afraid that people who abuse coupons will eventually lead CVS to stop issuing coupons. And I am furthermore shocked about how some people (this is not necessarily directed to the anonymous poster above) are able to justify fraud to save a few bucks.
I just started using coupons so I’m trying to find what deals are out there. When I read about this coupon I was very discouraged. I’ve been reading different blogs and trying to figure out which ones to go by. I will be checking your blog regularly because of this post because I know you will be giving honest advice (and of course because of the fun CVS challenge!) Thanks!
I had also chosen to not use this coupon for the exact same reasons you just stated. While I love getting good deals, I want to do it completely honest. Nice to see others out there who feel the same as me!
Bah-ha! When I read about this coupon elsewhere on the web, I thought, “too bad, I’d really like to use it, but can’t because it would involve being untruthful.” THANK you for articulating my thoughts so clearly! And cheers for everyone who has agreed with you with their comments – both posted and unposted. By honoring God with your finances, you will be blessed! And, ahem, $3/15 is NOTHING compared to the Treasures you are laying up for yourself in Heaven!! Woo-hooo!
I received an email from Walgreens, $5off$20.
I’d email the link, but I understand your ethics.
I submitted your name to Walgreens as they offer a “forward to a friend” option. Good just today/tomorrow. I used mine at CVS as mine takes all competitor coupons.
Joe
I totally agree, I won’t use this one or the $2/$10 pdf.
Thank you for posting about this coupon.
I didn’t try to access it yet because I knew I wouldn’t be ready to use it for a while. I’m so glad I saw your post before I tried. I’m afraid in my current state of mind I would have just followed the directions to print the thing and not realized what I was actually doing.
I’m with you and will not be using the coupon either. However, some of your commenters are so judgemental. Make your choice for yourself and get over it. No need to condemn others.
Anonymous,
I’m speaking out of love here. Fraud is not a gray area. Proving false information to obtain goods and services you are not entitled to is considered fraud. This is not me on a high pedestal. This is me vocalizing the law.
I do not condemn, but I hope the consciences of those who engage in illegal behavior do.
AMEN!
Good for you!!
Thank you. I was wondering about the legitimacy of this (and other coupons). I will not get their coupons off the internet.
I think if we are all honest stores will be accepting of coupons. Too many stores refuse internet coupons because of the rampant dishonesty. It just hurts us all.