Hip2Save This Holiday: Gift Card Challenge

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Hip2Save This Holiday Guest Post submitted by reader Susie

I am a saver. My family knows this. I thought I would challenge my mom and my sibling’s families to see how long they could each last with a $5 CVS gift card. Figuring if they don’t want to challenge themselves, they just scored a $5 gift card. Hopefully, we will each have some fun with this and those that really enjoy a challenge will be creative and make the gift card (or their EB’s) last the entire year.

Happy shopping to us all.

Join The Discussion

Comments 31

  1. Nichole Thibodeau

    hehehe. I love this!! My mother-in-law got me a $25 gift card to Rite Aid and I was only allowed to use it if my total was under $1. It lasted me 4 months and I got over $1,800 worth of product!!! And that does not include the p&g rebate I sent out for and some of the Rite Aid rebates I got and I had UP+s at the end of it all!!! How Fun!!

    • des

      awesome….

  2. Alea

    I won a $25 CVS gift card back in the spring and I’m still using it!! It’s pretty fun to see how far I can stretch with earning new ECBs to spend 🙂

  3. chrissybozz

    i do this kind of this for myself all the time-but unfortunately, none of my friends are persistent enough to scan the circulars/read your blog and do the deals…people are always amazed at how much money I save rolling ECB, but they are not willing to put in the time to do it themselves! oh well, more deals for me!

  4. Valerie

    I just got a $5 gift card for CVS from Swagbucks. I’m planning to use it with my 9 year old nephew who just loves to find a deal with coupons. I’ll post later as to how much we saved. It’s the little things in life that make us happy! Happy 2013 to all!

    • Susie

      Win Win for you Valerie….free $5 from Swagbucks and really trying to make that last! Good Luck!

  5. Erin

    In my state, the precoupon amount is taxed, so lots of “freebies” don’t end up being free, and $5 won’t go very far. On the upside, I’m not as tempted to buy things I don’t need.

    • melissa

      I’m in MI & it seems to vary if/even I have to pay tax on a “free” item…

      • Kitty

        I agree!

    • janel

      Ditto!

    • terri

      Erin, so even more challenging for you to find the ‘better than free’ stuff to cover your tax!..but it can be done!!

  6. Beth

    I love this idea!! I am now hoping for a giftcard for Christmas so I can try it. I bet with my Extra bucks I ould make a $5 gift card to CVS last at least the year. What a fun challenge.

  7. lynnalee

    I love the gift card deal! it pays for the taxes at least 🙂 any money is not money… $5 can go a longggg way!

  8. Daphne

    Great idea, but my family would never bother.

    • Susie

      Yeah…I am figuring that into the challenge…that is why I put the “you just received $5 for shopping” disclaimer….figuring some might not want to be bothered. But fingers crossed that all will want to play….and posting our successes on FB should be encouraging.

  9. Becky H.

    Awesome idea! I needed something else for my Mom for Christmas 🙂 And I always do a $5 Target challenge to myself. So I am going to use both Target and CVS for my Mom. Thanks!

  10. Kenia

    Love this idea, too bad I’m the only one in my family who challenges herself to see how much I can stretch my money at CVS! Oh I wish that I will receive gift cards for my Christmas birthday =]

  11. Ann

    So is the idea to get a $5 giftcard and only purchase items that earn ECBs and then use those ECBs to make future purchaeses?

    • Susie

      That is the idea 🙂

  12. Suzanne

    LOVE THIS

  13. Rachel

    Wanna know how ? Coz I always end up pay like a lot to get 5 or 10 ECB back…

    • Susie

      Rachel, I am thinking of just small purchases…like a candy bar for 99 cents and you pay 99 cents and get 99 cents in EB’s back. Or toothpaste on sale for $1.99, you use a $1.00 coupon, plus get $1.99 in EB’s back….now we would be ahead of the game….I am thinking if used wisely (and with LOTS of help from Collin)…these cards (and the switch over to EB’s) could last a long time!

  14. tracy

    such a cute and fun gift and activity!

  15. cher

    I think I put in time and research but fnever seem to save the immense amount of money others do. I think I am doing good if I save more than 3 dollars at the grocery store -not with these postings 🙂

  16. Charlotte Haines

    How fun…

  17. Peggy

    What a great idea! My nephew just gave me a $25 cvs card, now I’m going to have to try this,nsee how long I can make it last!

  18. A

    It’s sad…I had over $20 in ECB that I kept saving and didn’t want to spend. Well, my purse was stolen, along with all of my coupons, not to mention gift cards and cash in my purse. I wish I had spent the ECB. I was also in Ross looking to buy Christmas gifts for my kids, and decided to put most things back to save money. Well, now I wish that I bought those items for them. Everyone, please keep your purses close by. I lost my house and work keys, ID, credit cards, ECB, cash, gift cards I was going to use this week, paycheck with bank acct info on there, everything was in my purse. Be care, Be safe, and have a good holiday.

    • terri

      ‘A’ I’m really sorry this happened to you, truly. You will get past this, sending positive thoughts your way.

      • A

        Thanks. Happy Holidays.

  19. terri

    I think this is a great ‘pay it forward with savings challenges’ idea. Great to get people on the savings bandwagon!

  20. Crystal

    Pinned ready to go.

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