$50 CVS Gift Card Challenge Shopping Week #2 ~ Saved $63

Four Airwick not shown.

This second week was a nice one for my $50 Beginners challenge--there was a nice money maker and free scanner coupon.  Even tho my card is new I got the free Crackerfuls or Newton Thins scanner coupon.  Our store was out of them already and the manager said they were substituting some type of chip or the CVS brand cookies (both were $2.50 and that is what the coupon was for).  I was looking over the cookies, planning on donating them, and the shift manager pointed out one and said that was her favorite, so I grabbed those. After I paid I gave them to the staff to share (I borrowed Sarah's for the picture before she
donated them).

I actually had four of the Airwick coupons from a couple of months back, which is odd for me, but the gals that work with my husband have been sending me their extra coupon inserts after they clip what they want.  There are two Airwick "machines" at $4.99 but only one looked like it was good with the coupon--and of course my store was out of that one.  But my store is one that will ring it up as if you bought it and give you a rain check that says "paid" for you to pick up when they get them in.  Because my coupons were going to expire I choose this route (so they are not pictured in the image above).

You can see below that tho my gift card balance dropped (mostly from tax) my overall "spending power" at CVS increased because I have more extra bucks now than when I started my shopping.  You can see all the details of what I got and how I paid below.

$50 Beginner's CVS Gift Card Challenge Balances:


Beginning Balance:  $ 47.11 Gift Card + $ 1.99 Extra Bucks = $ 49.10
Ending Balance:  $ 43.88 Gift Card + $ 10.48 Extra Bucks = $ 54.36 (So by using coupons in conjunction with extra buck deals I increased my spending power at CVS by $5+.)


Total Saved:  $ 98.92  (including tax)
Total Spent:  $ 6.12 (including tax)
Total Value of Products Purchased:  $ 98.40 (without tax)
Gift Card Balance:  $ 43.88
Extra Buck Balance:  $ 10.48

This week's trip's details:

Saved:  $ 63.28 + 2.03 tax = $ 65.31 (some of my tax is paid on coupon values, this is the tax on the total product less the tax I paid--that is all I saved on tax)

Spent:  $ .93 + $ 2.30 tax = $ 3.23
Beginning Extra Bucks Balance: $ 1.99

Total Extra Bucks used:  $ 14.99

Total Extra Bucks earned:  $ 23.48 (I earned $1 for Green Bag Tag usage)

Ending Extra Bucks Balance:  $10.48

NOTES:  Because I often do multiple transactions my total extra bucks earned may differ from the ending extra buck balance and the total used may exceed the beginning balance as I use some from one transaction on another.

Transaction #1:

1 -- Absolutely Divine Cookies @ $2.50 (gave these to the CVS staff as it was truck day and they always are hungry from all the work)

Used a Free CVS Scanner Coupon for Crackerfuls or Newton Thins--my store was out so they substituted


1 -- Soft Soap Body Wash @ $2.99 get a $2 extra buck
Used a $.75/1 printable coupon from their website


Used $1.99 in extra bucks from last week.


Spent:  $.25 + $.25 tax = $ .50
Extra Bucks Used:  $ 1.99
Extra Bucks Received:  $2 + $1 = $3.00**

**Note:  I earned $1 from the use of my Green Bag Tag.  Family members have picked up things with  my card and tag a couple of times before I started back shopping and using my new card, so it only took me two trips to get it whereas it really takes four trips.

Transaction #2:

4 -- Air Wick Freshmatic @ $4.99 each, spend $20 get $10 Extra Bucks (the extra bucks printed at just $19.96 spent)

Used 4 -- $4/1 manufacturer coupons from a recent Sunday insert


Used $3 in extra bucks from transaction # 1.

Spent:  $.96 + $1.28 tax = $2.24
Extra Bucks Used:  $3.00
Extra Bucks Received:  $10.00

Transaction #3:

1 -- Dawn Hand Renewal @ $.99

Used a $.75/1 manufacturer coupon from a recent Sunday insert


1 -- CVS Allergy OTC @ $3.69 get $3.69 Extra Bucks

1 -- Refresh Tampon @ $6.79 get $6.79 Extra Bucks
Used $1/1 manufacturer coupon found in an earlier box received free after extra bucks


Used the $10 extra buck from transaction #2

Spent:  - $ .28 (it was negative as some of the tax was paid for by the manufacturer coupons because of the order my coupons were scanned) + $ .77 tax = $.49
Extra Bucks Used:  $10
Extra Bucks Received:  $10.48

Check out these and all of this week's deals.  Also, read how I have learned (from others) how to "stack" the coupons in the right order to pay for tax.  Some states have to pay tax on extra buck usage and some don't so it may or may not affect your CVS shopping.  And if you don't have any, or many, extra bucks check out how to have the least out of pocket cash when beginning or check out these scenarios for spending less than $5 or $10 out of pocket for several items.


You can read about all of my CVS shopping trips or check out readers' trips.


Step by Step CVSing for Beginners


I will be starting a step by step lesson series this week on how to begin CVS shopping as I am beginning as a new shopper this month and will share what I am doing.


Readers' Gift Card Challenges



If you haven't joined us in the Simply CVS gift card challenge we'd love to have you do so.  Check out the details in this introductory post:  Join the Simply CVS Gift Card Challenge.  I will be putting up a CVS Gift Card Challenge Post at the end of each week for reports and will include a linky for those who blog about their challenge.

Earn CVS Gift Cards Online

If you haven't worked on earning free CVS gift cards online yet, now would be a great time with Holiday shopping just around the corner.  Click the banner below and you can see a few different sources I earn CVS gift cards from, along with free Paypal, to help with my CVS shopping expenses (they offer other prizes, but CVS gift cards are my favorite).  If you'd like to learn how to earn more Swagbucks towards your prizes check out the Index to the Swag Bucks 101 Series of posts.