So here it is. The beginning of coupon shopping -- well not the official beginning, that was some time back in October of 2010, but I had no idea what I was doing. I had a few good coupons on that trip, and got a free $20 cook book. Thought I was pretty good.
Flash forward to April 2011. After reading other people's blogs, a few forums and LOTS and LOTS of help, pointers and where-to-go (both good and bad) from my girlfriend - not to mention her impeccable ability to remember every coupon in our stash and 'spidey' sense for knowing exactly where it's located; I digress: Now I know what I'm doing. Well, I'm doing a pretty good job of faking it anyway.
The first official beginning to couponing - where I knew what I was actually doing, not just bumbling my way through it, came in mid April when I found myself the fortunate owner of 19 Degree deodorant coupons. I proudly drove then marched into the Lowe's Foods store 35 minutes from home and scooped up 19 bottles of anti-stink. When I finished at the register - I owed only the tax. Yes, all 19 bottles were free after coupons. That was my official "I'm Addicted" moment. Call me a coupon crazy, coo coo clipper or just plan nuts, but I was and still am hooked. What on earth will I do with 19 bottles of deodorant? Well not stink for a couple years. No, you won't see me on an upcoming episode of Hoarders. I was smart enough to get several female deodorants as well. I shared with my girlfriend, her mom, her grandmother, saved some for my mom and shared with my dad; and I still had enough left to keep myself smelling unfunky for the next year.
The addiction depended on April 27. I'm uploading a photo of one of three receipts from that first "official" shopping trip. Why? You may ask. Because the receipt is taller than I am, YES over 6 feet long: 7-feet, 9-inches to be exact - yes I measured, at the tisk-tisk remark "this is why we are not getting married, you're such a nerd" from the afore-mentioned girlfriend.
What did I pay for such a lengthy, tree-killing expedition? A grand total of $85.89 the register displayed. Before swiping my Lowe's Foods card and handing over my coupons. A the poor lady manning the self-check out. Every 10 coupons she had to come over and override the system as it beeped and cussed my confounded attempt to foil it's efforts of draining my wallet.
Once all the little paper slips had been deposited, and silenced the infernal beeping, the flashy screen displayed $31.35. Wow, I thought, I saved over $54. I must admit, even for my self re-assured attitude, I was even at shock myself.
But that was only part of the shopping trip. Over the next four days I made several more shopping runs.
What did I get?
2 boxes of White Castle burgers - 2 bags Folgers coffee - 6 bags of shredded cheese - 75 packs of Kool-Aid - two boxes of tampons (girlfriend) and 6 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios --
The remaining shopping runs amounted to:
1 pound of flour - 2 packs extra gum - 2 boxes of pasta - 2 box of mac-n-cheese - a bottle of ken's salad dressing - 6 bars of soap - 30 packs of Kook-aid - 2 Hidden Valley Salad Kits - 2 bottles of Sunkist - 2 tubes Colgate toothpaste - 2 Birdseye frozen veggie bags - Minute rice - frozen asian veggies - 28 yogurts - 2 bottles nail polish - 2 bottles Gain detergent - Reynolds aluminum foil - two cans of Pringles - Febreeze spray - Cheemo Perogies - and a bottle of Pepto.... whew. The register $152.63. After savings cards and coupons I paid $43.21
Two years ago I would have spent over $238. Now I paid under $75.....Yes I saved over $163 in three days.
Addicted? YOU BET!!!!
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