Find this week's drugstore deals and coupons to stack with Gemini Spark, though one promo code didn't work (partial)

Posted

May 30, 2026 by Sarah Perez (TechCrunch)

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Last checked

Oct 19, 2026

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Method:

How we verify

Evidence: Article or interviewA newsletter, journalist or interview account of what happened.

Beginner-friendlyNo logins, payments or coding needed. Low risk: paste the prompt and you should get something useful.

Outcome

TechCrunch's Sarah Perez asked Gemini Spark for product suggestions for an everyday drugstore trip for household items, based on weekly deals and coupons they could clip. Spark told them which products matching their needs were on sale, suggested coupons to clip in the Walgreens app, and explained how to stack coupons on one item with online promo codes for a pickup order. One of the promo codes was invalid when they tried it, even though they met the requirements Spark had described, but buy-one-get-one-free and rewards deals Spark pointed out made up for it.

Agent

Gemini Spark

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Plan this week's shopping trip for household items around current deals and coupons.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- My shopping list: [LIST]
- The store I use and whether I have its app or loyalty card: [STORE]
- Pickup or in store: [DETAILS]

Rules:
- Check the store's current weekly ad and digital coupons for each item.
- Show the price before and after each deal, and how to stack offers where the store allows it.
- Mark any promo code you can't confirm is live, and give me a backup deal.
- Don't buy anything or clip coupons without asking me first.
- If a site asks me to sign in, pause and let me do it myself (including any CAPTCHA or two-step code); never guess or store passwords.
- Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: My list with the best deal for each item, total savings, and which coupons to clip.

You'll know it worked when: I pay less at the till and every coupon I use works.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Plan this week's shopping trip for household items around current deals and coupons.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- My shopping list: [LIST]
- The store I use and whether I have its app or loyalty card: [STORE]
- Pickup or in store: [DETAILS]

Rules:
- Check the store's current weekly ad and digital coupons for each item.
- Show the price before and after each deal, and how to stack offers where the store allows it.
- Mark any promo code you can't confirm is live, and give me a backup deal.
- Don't buy anything or clip coupons without asking me first.
- If a site asks me to sign in, pause and let me do it myself (including any CAPTCHA or two-step code); never guess or store passwords.
- Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: My list with the best deal for each item, total savings, and which coupons to clip.

You'll know it worked when: I pay less at the till and every coupon I use works.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Plan this week's shopping trip for household items around current deals and coupons.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- My shopping list: [LIST]
- The store I use and whether I have its app or loyalty card: [STORE]
- Pickup or in store: [DETAILS]

Rules:
- Check the store's current weekly ad and digital coupons for each item.
- Show the price before and after each deal, and how to stack offers where the store allows it.
- Mark any promo code you can't confirm is live, and give me a backup deal.
- Don't buy anything or clip coupons without asking me first.
- If a site asks me to sign in, pause and let me do it myself (including any CAPTCHA or two-step code); never guess or store passwords.
- Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.
- Point out anything on my list that's cheaper elsewhere nearby this week.

Output: My list with the best deal for each item, total savings, and which coupons to clip.

You'll know it worked when: I pay less at the till and every coupon I use works.

Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.

Source

https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/i-put-googles-24-7-ai-assistant-gemini-spark-to-work-and-its-actually-pretty-useful/