in case you missed it........not-so-extreme couponing

I've decided to make Sunday's a "repost" day for posts that are way old that I think you might enjoy seeing again or for the first time.  Happy Sunday!  

I’ve been clipping coupons since before I was married. I freakin’ love the idea of saving money.  I’m very good at cutting coupons out.  I used to have one of those mini accordion files where I’d place the coupons for use on shopping day.  I was so sassy with my plastic file that I always dropped.  And it always seemed to be open when I dropped it.  And all my coupons would go everywhere.    I’m surprised I stuck with it.

Every weekend, I’d get the paper and cut out coupons for everything possible (I wasn’t gonna use diaper coupons).  I’d put them in my little file and make a list of what I needed from the store.

I’d then proceed to the store, forgetting all the coupons.  Really.  Now this would be amusing if it happened a couple of times.  Problem is, 20 years later, it’s still happening.  I seem to have a mental block about actually taking the coupons with me to the store.  On special bonus days, I forget my shopping list too.

Greg would be happy to tell you that he doesn’t know why I even bother to use coupons.  I forget them.  They expire.  I drop them in the store.  I lose them in the car.  What’s the point really?  I  have the best of intentions.  But my follow through?  Maybe not so good.

But I would not give up.  20 + years of couponing.  I was gonna save some $$.  Recently that tv show started.  Extreme couponing?  OMG.  Amazing.  Those people were off the hook.  Who doesn’t want to get free groceries?  I know I did.  I would need to get serious about my couponing.  I would try really hard to actually utilize them.  I would save money.  I would have extra money to spend on fun stuff for me.  I mean my family.  Extra money for my family.

First step was getting a notebook like they show on the show.  With clear plastic pages like the ones that hold baseball cards.  And I would use notebook subject dividers to organize my different types of coupons.    They would hold my coupons neatly.  I would be organized.  So organized.  Yay me.  So I got my supplies and happily created the notebook.   

 And then I had to put my coupons into the notebook.  Those baseball card holders?  They do NOT hold all size coupons.  I would actually have to fold my coupons, sometimes several times to fit them into the slots.  Fail.  I can’t tell you how much this has ticked me off in the past year.  I like cute small size coupons.  I do not like to fold my coupons.  At all.  Deep breath.  I could do this.  This was much better than the stupid accordion file that was always spilling.  

I’m happy to report that my daughters are mortified by me walking into a grocery store with a big white notebook.   I might as wear a shirt that says I’m a big dork.  Fortunately for me, I embrace my dorkiness.  I am a proud nerd who is going to save moula!

If only I could remember that darn notebook.

I must interject that my love of coupons extends to restaurant coupons.  I love to eat out.  Money off our tab?  Awesome.  But again, the problem is, I never have the coupon with me when it’s needed.  I either forget that I have the coupon for a particular restaurant.  Or I leave it on the kitchen island at home, where I put it so I would remember to take it with us.  Greg loves me.  He really does.  I have to give him some credit.  He never says a word when I do this.  After all we came to the restaurant because we had the coupon.  

I’ll keep trying to coupon.  Some day it just might work out.