Coupons: Not for the Faint-hearted

Dont get me wrong, its worth every little penny saved..but it can be tough!

I dont want to discourage anyone from saving money the way I have been lately ..but you should know what you are getting into!

First, it makes you crazy. You can no longer absently go into a store and grab stuff off the shelves. Now, you must ONLY buy the deals that you ALSO have a coupon for..it makes you nuts. But..the payoff is great!

Then, you have to be somewhat organized. You have to be ready on Sunday, to buy the paper and check out the coupons. You have to clip, and organize the coupons. And, that doesnt even get you to the store! There, you have to know your ad, which coupons to use and sometimes even in what order. You have to know what deals the store has (amazingly, they dont always know) and what using the coupon will get you.

I am learning. I have made some mistakes, mostly in this department, that have cost me some pennies.

Truly, the websites I have been pushing lately (Coupon Mom and Money Saving Mom) help with this part HUGELY! They have done the math for you, and tell you what to buy when, how much and what you shoudl end up spending. Very handy.

Third, you have to be prepared to work for it. I know, like you havent already done enough, right? Well, as I have learned a couple of times already, the clerks dont always get what you are doing. They get confused by anything more than you handing them stuff and them ringing it up. But, if you are organized on teh front side you will be okay. I had to fuss with a guy today cause he was trying to charge me for my $8.99 makeup that I knew should be free. I had already done this deal this week, knew it worked and that it was a problem on his end, not mine.

That is another thing. You have to decide on the front side that you are NOT doing anything wrong. You are NOT stealing from ANYONE. NO one, is being taken from here. We are in their store ..they are getting our business, as cheaply as we can do it, but its there!

Also, dont let the eye rolls from clerks or other customers bother you..seriously, unless they offer to buy everything in your cart, they can deal.

I am not saying the attitude doesnt bother me..it did for the first few times. I got flustered when the 18-year old driving a convertible her daddy bought for her didnt want to ring up my coupons, and acted like I was robbing the store when I got my makeup for FREE. And I got a little bothered when another guy told me I couldnt use a coupon I knew I could.

But, today when the manager rang up my stuff and I ended up paying for something the STORE was supposed to give me for free (it wasnt even my coupon that caused the problem) , I waited calmly while he fixed the problem for 20 minutes. I wasnt paying $10 for something I didnt need to.

So, remember that its not THEIR budget you are trying to stay within. Its not THEIR money you are saving. They are PAID to scan your coupons. You are NOT taking anything from anyone who hasnt already offered to give it to you. And, its worth the trouble!

To date I have saved, $99.96 at CVS..in two weeks.

I saved $48 dollars at Publix today, spent $80 for groceries this week.

I saved $3.49 today at Chikfila when I used a coupon I got in the mail for a FREE Chicken Salad sandwich. The boys and I ate for $6.47.

Today at CVS, to add to my list from yesterday:

2 Sure Deodorants for $1.49 total
2 13 oz Folgers Coffee FREE ..I used my CVS bucks from yesterday, and got $3 back
2 TruBlend Cover Girl foundations ($18 value)
2 Dawn liquid soaps for $0.33 each
1 FREE CVS toothbrush

Its worth it! I promise! :)