Adventures in Couponing

Coupons. What are they to you? Something you get in the Sunday paper? Useless? I used to think that, until the show Extreme Couponing. It caught my attention, who doesn't like to spend money and save it as well? I will be the first to admit that I got caught up in the outrageous savings that this show displayed, made by average families and homemakers. I was hooked, and then reality struck when I discovered that I had no area stores that doubled coupons and a loose couponing policy and we only get 1 Sunday paper, yes I am that far removed from society. I decided to not participate at all....I went right back to the they are useless mindset. Then I discovered the website Hip2Save. I found several people who were saving decent amounts of money and my faith in the whole system was restored. I started off with online shopping and learning how to stack codes to get better deals and I was hooked. Then I started asking questions, watching this site closely, all the tricks and tools needed to save SOME money, not a month's wages in one trip. I was a little mad at myself for even thinking that was possible, but you live-learn-and move on. I now clip coupons and save what I can, in fact last weeks total savings was $224. My husband was a skeptic, but admitted I definitely earned my scissors....LOL. I have learned that most businesses are getting strict and even removing produts from the shelf because of a coupon that came out. Walmart was ridiculous with that, maybe they thought their "discontinued" story would work with me, but it didn't. In fact, I called them out on social media sites. Dollar General is another store that is not in my good graces when I use coupons. Both stores act like you are shoplifting, when in fact they get reimbursed for the retail price of the product plus money for accepting the coupon. I am going to be laid back on this until I get a printer, then I will be that customer in the checkout lane holding it up, because I will have a coupon policy in my hand. I am not trying to act like an entitled diva, just making those aware that I will stand up for what is right and maybe somebody else won't have that problem in the future. I am nowhere near an extreme couponer, nor do I plan to be. But if I can save my family a little money, then the few hours a week devoted to clipping and organizing is worth it. Don't be discouraged, save and be happy that you did. In this economy, a penny saved is a victory.