The Case Against Couponing

I have been really looking at my finances and trying to find ways to cut back on expenses. Aren't we always.  When the paycheck runs out you think...where did it go? I usually find some sort of guilt feeling thinking I should have found better ways to spend my money or it some cases my hubby's.

So as everyone does I look at our food cost.  There has to be a way to make the dollar last a little longer, stretch just a tab bit further in this category.  So I once again delved into the arena of coupons.  No I don't want to come out spending zero dollars spent.  I have a small ethical and moral itch when ignoring a coupon directive that state"ONLY ONE PER HOUSEHOLD".  I do believe though I could still attempt to shave off let's say 20% off my food bill.

So I collected newspapers, gleamed over online databases, printed printables, and downloaded apps. As I sat matching coupons and offers to listed sale prices I could really see the savings.  But I also noticed something else.  My anxiety was up, I could actually feel my heart beating.  It easily took me three hours or more to prepare for one semi weekly food trip.  While I was walking through the store, I would become irritable when the item was sold old.  Or I would begin to sweat as I was ringing up four separate purchases to get that deal, while visible annoyed customers stood behind me.  I also looked at the time I would need to spend going to multiple stores and the gas spent, I thought well isn't this a pickle.  Am I really saving,  or better yet what am I saving.

Case in point,is the time my son and I spent in Walgreens, Target and Pick N Save trying to verify if we were really getting a deal on some deodrant.  You would think with three coupons and an in store sale you would have to be.  But no it wasn't.  At least not to me.  And you know what looked what happened or another day when I was minding my own business and walked into a nearby Walgreens...

On my way to errand that has been on my to do list all week, now here was a deal.  All that time I spent matching and ink used printing, and with no real effort I find a name brand product at a price and size that I would consider a deal.

No I won't say I am giving up couponing, but I definitely will not let it loose my stride.

Menu

This was supposed to posted yesterday, but alas.....

Everyone at sometime or another begins to look or take a second look at their diet. I do the same. I evaluate how much we are spending, how healthy we are eating, reading the list and checking it twice. I am constantly attempting to judge how much organic/natural foods we purchase. These items are not cheap and with a large family on an almost non existent budget it can become quite a juggling act to include these items in menu planning. I generally believe in the "hype" of an organic mostly vegetable (if not raw) lifestyle. I also know that Jesus stated did not want us to worry undully about tomorrow, and we were to sick the will of the Father first and foremost. Matthew 6:33-34. This allows me to have a fairly balance and open view of eating. I don't beat myself too much if I have to grab that sack of white flour off the shelf instead of my preferred unbromated unbleached flour.

I had noticed, probably due to my mood, that I was not fixing dinners. The kids had become accustomed to grazing. Eight kids eating all day is not a good thing. Of course all this last meeting eating also led to packaged foods, sweets, etc. So I had to check myself. We also have been watching those documentaries. You know Food Inc., Food Matters, Tapped and the like. Of course I walk away going I need to make some changes. I tweaked our menu. I have created a 5 week menu this way I don't need to worry about creating a new menu each week, which sometimes can be a task. Anyway in most families, certain items become favorites and most of us shuffle through several dozen recipes. I decided to cut down on some of our meat consumption. So we are going down to meat two days a week, this probably does not include our homemade pizza nights. I want to make our plates more colorful, making sure we partake of fruits and vegetables at each meal not just grains. Lastly I would like our morning and afternoon meals to composed of mostly raw fruits or vegetables.

Here is what I came up with:
5 Week Menu Plan


I love reading about cooking and attempting new recipes. I absolutely love my Cooking Light magazine. So you'll find the bottom non-colored row is what we are currently doing. I'll think I will use my menu as a jumping off point. I will adjust taking advantage of seasonal items, sales and recipes we want to try.

Moving Away From Consumerisum

Image via WikipediaThis is a post and hopefully a series of post directed by bloggy friend over at Simple Single Mom she is most definitely an inspiration. The idea is to be conscious of what we buy and why we buy, to live within our means, and even more to consciously purchase.

The week of April 3rd:

Purchase of $11.99 Tea Tree Oil, we make most of our own cleaning supplies. So this item is indeed a house item, a consumable. I don't tend buy organic simply because of price. The same size bottle organic would cost $29.99. Now that I think of it we make ALL of our cleaning supplies except laundry and cloth diapering soaps.

Image via WikipediaPurchaesd of $53.46 for Legos. This were individual blocks purchased either through Lego directly or through ebay. These are for a Lego Club through Currclick. This month's class will be about building simply machines.

Purchase of $31.45 for math books. We school all year round and main subject items are purchased as needed.

While the last two items are necessary for the learning at home family. I still want to create a budget for these items. I want to have the money actually on hand, a line item budget item. I am not there yet but I hope to be by June.

I'll need to check with our dear leader in this matter as to if we should post all things we purchase or just the extras...hmm

Basic Chateuse Recycled Wool Slippers, sz 1824m

Basic Chateuse Recycled Wool Slippers, sz 1824m:

I have quietly mentioned trying to get a handle on clothing purchases. We don't spend a lot of money on clothes. We shop thrift, hand-me downs, and sales. I am looking to try and get away from that hurried someone needs something and they need it right now, kind of thing we have going on right now. I want to can create a budget and remain within it. I also want to begin to plan for the season ahead, not the current one. We have four definite seasons and we have to dress for each one. Buy scouring sales I hope by the end of this summer to be fully prepared for the fall, maybe even the winter.

So on this journey, I wanted to purchase good quality soft sole shoes for DS4. Purchasing quality items = good green choice + longevity. Now either may not always hold true, but I'm making an effort to purchase quality in less quanity. Trying to have a minimalist thinking. If good pair of shoes is better than four lesser quality ones better for your feet, last longer so maybe less money in the long run. I'm trying to figure that out.

Enter Woolly Bottoms. While learning about cloth diapering, I discovered the wonders of wool. I noticed her slippers and liked them. I bought a pair for DS3 and they are great quality, warm, easy to care for and she makes them herself. I wanted to purchase a pair for DS4, after that everyone would have their inside shoes and I could focus on summer shoes. But with their slippers you have to grab them quick. It took 3 months.

Finally I nabbed them. I had to wait around, keep my trigger finger ready and than type like a mad woman.
-"notice the sold out sign, is because of me :)

Baby Boy has his slippers, now we are all set.

What!? DS1 just showed me his slippers, they have a hole, a huge hole on the bottom of the sole! Okay, now I'm saving my pennies for some Smartwool sippers for the one who believes he can't pick up his feet but drags them. Or maybe I'll just purchase some quick drying cement.

Excuse me while I cry in defeat.

Clothes for 10

Image via Wikipedia The most frequent question I get when people see/hear of how many children I have is "How do you do it?" Of course, I usually respond with a blank stare....Well this is an all encompassing question. What do you mean? How do we get around? How do we feed all 8 kids? How my husband and I ever get "me" time? Or how come you're not locked in a closet crying right now?


This is really an all encompassing question. Though I know most people look at the financial aspect of a larger than normal family.

I read, follow, many blogs, most of which involve some level of frugal, cheap, buy it for less type thinking. I am not a coupon queen, not in the least. It is actually an area in which I know I could grow in. However, I still find my share of deals. I constantly sign up for the frequent buyer cards, member cards, get on email/mailing list of stores I frequent. I usually check clearance areas first and most importantly I am a lover of all things used!

I am working on getting a season ahead. Meaning, buying next year's winter clothes around this time. I'm not there yet. This shopping trip detailed below got me a lot closer to that goal.



I receive daily emails from Land's End announcing sales and new arrivals. This was a recent sale. 25% off anything plus free shipping - no minimum. Our toddler was in need of some shoes. So I purchased these shoes which are regularly $34.50. I purchased them from their Overstock section, applied the coupon and the total, including tax and shipping was $7.45.







The other store I shopped at (via computer of course) was Famous Footwear. I am part of their members program. This programs keeps tally of points. I earn 1.5 points for every dollar I spend, once I reach 100 points they send out coupons worth a certain dollar value quarterly. My family shops here about twice a year. We will gather summer shoes and maybe winter boots. That is about it. I have fallen behind on how we usually do things, so this time around I was looking for just said toddler again. Well here I purchased a pair of sandals and some tennis shoes, used our $25 coupon and a 15% + free shipping promo code that was active for that weekend. Total cost for those shoes including shipping was $15.37, it should have been $40.39 plus shipping.

That means I spent roughly $7.73 on each pair of shoe. Not too shabby. I wonder what I may accomplish if I try a little harder. Better get my scissors sharpened. What tricks of the trade do you use?