Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I love my phone, and my double chin

I love my phone, and my double chin

And this is a picture of all the loot

And this is a picture of all the loot

The quest for the coupon master

A few weeks ago I was inspired by this girl I work with who is super good with coupons. She would mention things like how she bought 10 packages of keebler cookies for $2.00; this idea intrigued me. I decided that I would learn the domestic art of the coupon. So far I have had successes and failures, moments of extreme frustration, and extreme joy. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the coupon world some frustrations can come when you miss a great sale or you don't use a great coupon and it expires (both of which have happened to me and I have been trying not to be too sad when these things happen). I have heard of the fabled woman who will get $200 worth of groceries for $13 or something crazy like this, but sadly I have not yet become this woman. In case you hadn't noticed the lure of this coupon thing to me was the fact that I could save oodles of money and because I am really cheap this spoke right to my soul. Going along with this cheap motif- I am too cheap to buy a newspaper so I can get the coupons, so my mother has graciously offered me her unused coupons (which is all of them and she gets two newspapers so this ends up being a pretty good amount of coupons).

This week I wasn't able to pick up the coupons on Sunday like I normally do, so today when I went over to cut my mom's hair I got the coupons. When I got back to my apartment I grabbed my computer to check and see if Albertson's was having any sweet deals because I had some coupons that double my manufacturers coupons. I checked my trusty coupon site (savvyshopperdeals.com my co-worker told me it was a great resource) and found the deals on things that I needed, wanted, or now wanted because they were pretty much free. I had my list all worked out, so I went to Albertson's and got my cereal, crackers, mini microwave pizza that Jon can take to work, and a bunch of pudding. I bought all of my stuff and I had saved quite a bit, but when I got to my car I was looking at my receipt and I hadn't been given the sale price on the pudding that I had bought 10 of. For a moment I debated whether it was worth it to go back in to the store and talk to the cashier because I would only be getting three dollars back, but dang it I wanted that three dollars. I went back in the store and reclaimed the three dollars that were rightfully mine and left the store feeling very pleased with myself. I ended up getting about $45 worth of groceries for about $11, but those extra three dollars are the ones I am the most proud of saving.