I LONG TO BE A COUPONING QUEEN
Last week, I ran into a friend at the grocery store. Of course, I stopped to say hello and chat for a few minutes. I noticed that, just like me, she had her grocery list and a stack of coupons in hand for her weekly trip.
Under the stack, I saw she had a weekly circular from another store across the street. That store tends to be a little bit pricier but has great coupons for meat, poultry, pork and seafood. And, the best coupon is the $5 off $50 purchase coupon that is usually valid over the weekend.
When I mentioned that she brought that circular with her by mistake, she told me the greatest thing I had ever heard. The store at which we shop takes competitors’ coupons! I had no idea. Suddenly I was like a kid in a candy store. I was giddy with excitement.
My friend is such a good “couponer.” She lays out the circulars, compares them with her coupons, plans her week’s meals and makes a list. She is so good. But, the most important thing she does is to stick to that list.
I do my best at couponing and get great deals every so often. I am a novice at it but I try each week to see how well I can do. Since I am a stay at home mom, I need to get the most out of every dollar to help our family’s budget.
Couponing is definitely a science. It is so much more than having a stack of coupons in an envelope at the store. Couponing is gathering circulars, coupons, the Internet, a pen and paper in order to come up with a plan. It is stocking up when I have coupons for items on sale that my family uses daily.
To figure out the weekly list and menu based on what deals I get with the coupons I have requires preparation, time, and lots of patience. But, if done correctly, the instant gratification at the check out is huge. To see my total come up to $48.44 and know that I just bought $85 worth of groceries is a job well done. I do my part to stretch out our money each month and feel good when I know I did a good job.
