I am always interested in easy ways to save money with coupons and rebates, and I like any program that gives me free items with very little effort. I know that rebates can be lucrative; however, they do take more effort. I do try to take advantage of the monthly rebate programs at my drugstores at least a few times a year.

Chains like Walgreens, Rite Aid and Eckerd have rebate booklets that allow shoppers to get rebates for several items by using only one form, which does make it easier to save with these programs. There are even items that are completely free after the rebate, so with a little effort shoppers can get a few free items monthly, which adds up to several items over the course of a year. Even though these programs make rebating easier than it used to be, I will admit that I am not always organized enough to fill out a form and mail in a receipt for my rebates every month.

CVS drugstores manage their rebate program differently. Their program, called "Extra Bucks Rewards" gives you your rebate in the form of a coupon printed at the bottom of your receipt. For example, let's assume that a $5 bottle of lotion has a $5 Extra Bucks Reward available. You would pay $5 for the lotion on the day you bought it, and your receipt would have a coupon printed at the bottom for $5 off a future order. Regular CVS shoppers will appreciate this recent improvement to the ExtraBucks program; in the past the ExtraBucks coupons did not print on your receipt until at least two days after your purchase of the qualifying product.

Although you do not have to mail in a form or a receipt to get your $5 back, you do have to remember to use that coupon on your next visit to CVS. I am sure one of the reasons that CVS can be so generous with their Extra Bucks program is that many shoppers forget to use their coupons.

In order to save money with the CVS rebate program, you do have to be a regular CVS shopper, since shoppers can only use the Extra Bucks coupons at CVS. You will also need to have the CVS ExtraCare card to take advantage of the store's savings programs (which are available in stores).

However, if you are a regular CVS shopper, this program is so easy that I am sure many shoppers who never did rebates in the past will become Extra Bucks Reward shoppers. After my first try this week, I know I will be doing them every month.

Of course, Strategic Shoppers can save even more by combining this easy program with other savings tricks. For example, if you have a grocery coupon for the featured Easy Bucks Reward item, you can use that to save more. If you had a $1 coupon for the $5 lotion, you would actually pay $4 for the lotion and still get the $5 Extra Bucks reward coupon on your receipt. If you remember to use that $5 Extra Bucks reward in the future, you will have received a free $5 product and earned $1 with your smart shopping skills.

ExtraCare cardholders also earn 2 percent of their nonprescription spending in their ExtraCare account and $1 for every two prescriptions filled. The balance in your ExtraCare account is printed as a store coupon at the bottom of your receipt on a quarterly basis. You could also register your ExtraCare card online and print a coupon from CVS.com for the current balance in your ExtraCare account at any time. This was my first month of trying the new ExtraBucks Rewards program, and I purchased $26 worth of products my family uses that cost only $2.47 before sales tax (less coupons and Reward Bucks), and I didn't have to use a postage stamp. I like those numbers!

Stephanie Nelson shares her savings tips as a regular contributor on ABC News' "Good Morning America." You can find more of her savings tips in her book "The Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom" and on her website at www.couponmom.com. She can be reached at shoppingmom@unitedmedia.com.