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.

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