A Trip to the Grocery Store

For those of you who know me - you know I am an avid couponer.  There is something about the coupon game that I just love.  It's a way to stick it to the man - you know?  For those of you who don't know me, I am not a shelf clearer - I do not have 67 bottles of mustard.  However, I do have 40 bottles of BBQ sauce - please note - I placed a special order for these so I DID NOT clear the shelf.  I firmly believe in leaving some for the next guy.  

Let me give you a little history on why I began couponing.  Jerry and I were spending almost $100 per week on groceries for just the two of us.  I was buying generic, taking advantage of sales and I put a ton of food away every summer.  $100 a week - really?  Groceries are super expensive - I really feel for the people who are trying to feed a family.  I decided that there must be something to this coupon thing - after all they were making a tv show about it.  And if they make a tv show it has to be true, right?  Anyways.  I started doing some research and found several great blogs that made it seem simple.  I decided to give it a shot.  Eight months later I am spending under $40 a week for groceries and have an impressive little stock pile!  Woohoo!

So now that I have been couponing for some time I am used to the huffs and the puffs and the eye rolls.  I don't let it bother me - I am just nice and smile - kill 'em with kindness type of deal.  However, here of late, at my favorite grocery store, line crowding has become a huge problem.  I was there last week and a man was standing right behind me while I was at the register - in my bubble - to close for comfort!  Is it just me, or are manners going to hell in a hand basket?  Anyways - this line crowding has happened to me the last two times I have been at my favorite grocery store.  So last night I asked Jerry to come to the grocery store with me.  It was a double coupon weekend and I had some large purchases to make and didn't want to deal with the line crowding.  Jerry met me at the store.  (I would like to take a moment to brag on my husband a bit - he is so wonderful.  He will do just about anything I ask him to if he thinks it will make me happy and means we get to spend time together.  I just love the guy!)  Jerry is a big guy - he is 6'3" and he runs his own construction company and works outside all the time and has the muscles to prove it.  Also, he has mastered the "don't mess with me" look.  It is really quite impressive.  He is one of those people that you really wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.  And obviously, he is just as mean as his look - I mean, he is going couponing with me.... what could be more intimidating!!  

So we went around the store and got all of the purchases sorted in the cart and such.  We got up to the register and I had five separate purchases.  (Please note:  I have all of my purchases lined out and ready to go with the coupons in the appropriate order.)  Each person can only do three transactions at the register - so Jerry was going to do the other two. (If the store had been really busy we would have only done one at a time.  I try to time my shopping so the store isn't busy.)  I started the first transaction and Jerry loaded the other transactions on the belt.  And you are not going to believe this - not one huff, not one puff, no line crowding - no nothing!  It's amazing how differently a big man and a little lady are treated.  It was a beautiful thing!!  I did my three transactions and Jerry did his two.  And he looked so cute with his coupons and cash in hand.  I think the cashier even flirted with him a bit - I am sure she doesn't usually see a big guy with his coupons in hand every day!  We were through with our five purchases in under 5 minutes.  Not bad if you ask me.  Now I know couponing isn't for everyone but it really has been a wonderful thing for Jerry and I.  As many of you know, I am a tight wad, or as my mom says, frugal.  I like to spend my money on things that get Jerry and I towards our goals - and anything I can do to get more of that money going towards our goals - I am open to trying.  So if I am able to save a significant amount of money on the groceries that I have to buy I am going to do it, at least at this point in my life.  Priorities might shift tomorrow - that's life though, right?

Just to give you and idea of the money saved, here are the items Jerry and I purchased last night:

2 boxes of Dreyers Frozen Fruit Bars
10 cartons of Dreyers Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt
2 bottles of Bailey's French Vanilla Creamer
4 boxes of Cherrios
4  boxes of Golden Grahms
10 boxes of Pizza Rolls
2 boxes Fiber One 90 Calorie Bars

By purchasing these items during a sale and using coupons I was able to get $143.75 worth of groceries for $29.87 and I have a $4 coupon to use on my next shopping trip.  I'll take that savings any day!

P.S. Please don't think that I am a junk food junkie!  My husband is the one who has the diet of a thirteen year old boy:-)