Using Coupons

Another post that I have neglected to publish sooner...

I wrote in November about my new venture into the world of coupon-using. Sorry to be so late in giving you some results... I've sat multiple receipts by the computer, reminding myself to report on my savings. Then it gets replaced by another receipt (an even better one!) and - well - here I am a couple of months down the road with no update. I'm figuring that some newbie insight might be helpful to a reader out there, so before I put this off another minute longer, here's a few thoughts...

The Good...

1) It has been - frankly - a lifesaver. My initial hope was that doing this would give us more wiggle room in the budget and the ability to put the extra dough toward something "fun." In reality (and what's more noticeable to me), on weeks that have been financially stressful, it has allowed us to eat WAY better than we would've otherwise eaten!

2) It hasn't killed my time. Granted, I DO have more of that commodity as a sub vs. a teacher, but it takes me about 15-30 minutes a week to organize. Total.

3) It's really amazing to me that my fridge is already stocked on ingredients that I used to buy only when I needed them. It's good for expanding my cooking repertoire because it has forced me to look for new ways to use those ingredients. Example: I bought four bars of cream cheese for $1. That turned into a couple of new appetizers during the holidays, a friend's pasta recipe that I'd been wanting to try, and a perfectly delicious king cake that cured Day #5 of Snowed-In Cabin Fever.

4) We have almost exclusively brand-name items. My year-ago self would have cringed because my mama raised me to know better. In fact, when the family came to visit at New Years, I found myself needing to explain our food during the house tour.

5) I will never spend money on toiletries again. Ever. Case in point: I am looking at a receipt from CVS showing me that I spent $12.02 on purchases totaling $90.13. On that trip (last week), I bought 2 bottles of OptiFree contact solution (Mike's favorite, but more expensive brand), Pantene Shampoo, Aussie Deep Conditioner, CG powder, CG foundation, 2 Crest toothpastes, 3 Reach flosses, a pack of 10 Gillette razors, 2 Dove Dark Chocolate bars (Hey! I needed to spend one more buck!), and 2 Sense and Sprays (those Glade motion-detector things on commercials right now...If they're free, I'll try 'em out!). And - this a week and a half after my other receipt that shows I spent $8.74 for $84.29...

6) We are stocked-up on some staples that will be great for donating to our local food distribution ministry. When I went to the November workshop, the speaker suggested keeping a box on hand for freebies and cheapos to donate...or when the pantry just gets too full.

7) Since grocery shopping is therapeutic to me, I've really enjoyed trying out the different stores in our area. It's kinda fun not going to the same store every time! Except that I can't seem to find pine nuts anywhere. Do they not sell pine nuts in North Carolina?

8) Many happy trips to the store. Once, I bought two weeks' worth of yogurt, a box of butter for holiday baking, and a bag of peanut M&Ms for a grand total of 54 cents. Sure made my long dia del subbing that much better.

9) I can't remember the last time I went to Walmart.

The Bad and the Ugly...

1) Time Killer Possibility #1: The most time-consuming weeks are the ones that have the best deals. I've found that I am gradually getting better at not HAVING to hit every sale. But then again, when I spent $20 on $120 in groceries a couple of weeks ago, it made it totally worth the time I spent clipping for two additional trips to that store.

2) Time Killer Possibility #2: I've yet to strike the balance in buying for our meals AND getting the good deals. I used to shop once a week with a menu in hand. Now, I hit the stores with my sale-plan, without necessarily having meals in mind, and end up coming home with four bottles of (really good) dressing and no lettuce whatsoever. I think part of it is the time factor. Part of it is the cheap factor. When I just paid 25 cents for a pack of yogurt, it seems really unfair to have to pay full price for a block of cheese. What if it goes on sale next week?

3) Time Killer Possibility #3: It sometimes disrupts my schedule. When my favorite coupon site posts a deal that is too good to miss, I might rearrange my plans, lest they run out before tomorrow.

4) Time Killer Possibility #4: Good trips necessitate additional trips. And I make mistakes. Last week, I forgot that I'd originally planned to buy toothpaste on the following trip and neglected to put those coupons in the stack, thus paying full price and having to go back for a refund.

5) It makes me feel like a really big dork that I even have a stack. Or that I'm even blogging about this for that matter.

So there you have it. Trying to strike a happy medium of time spent and enjoying serious savings. I'd say I'd keep you posted, but...