I honestly think that it was the game of couponing that got me started. I have always been a puzzle girl and have enjoyed arranging all of the parts in order to create the finished product. In college I dabbled in Stage Management and to this day I organize my block’s Block Party. I enjoy the puzzle of it all. So I think couponing came very naturally to me. It is an ongoing puzzle that changes regularly.
I think couponing is really fun and I have tried to get others excited about it. When I had my first child, my husband and I realized that we had to stop eating like college students (anyone else been there?). I quickly realized how expensive shopping was and how much of our money was going into healthier food. I have always enjoyed using coupons at restaurants, but I had never done it with food before. Once I started collecting coupons (from online, the newspaper, samples, etc) it occurred to me that I could get my best deals by matching the sales prices with my coupons. And a couponer was born.
Ever since then I have tried to inflict my coupon mentality on those around me. I love to share the deals I find and teach others how to coupon. I started my blog fairly recently as a way to keep myself couponing and help others save money. My personal couponing/saving challenge is to bring more money into my household than I am spending. I am a Chicago based stay-at-home mom of two, but have always found little ways of making money. I do focus groups. mystery shopping, and money making shopping scenarios that produce some income. I have included and will include much of this information in my blog so that other people can do the same.
There are two things that I try to do with my couponing other than keep my house stocked with groceries: donate and stockpile for later. I donate a fair amount of what I buy to my local shelters, homes, and my family. I guess I don’t “donate” to my family, but they have all had a strict talking to about never buying toothpaste again!! But in terms of the shelters and homes, they can really use the stuff and do I REALLY need all 25 shampoos I just bought during the latest money making deal?
As far as stockpiling for later, I try to think ahead. My two kids will have birthday parties and my son is in preschool. I will be required to bring things like paper towels and tissues to preschool and have snacks, juice, etc at birthday parties. Things like this come up all of the time and I stockpile with these things in mind.
I have to be honest, I LOVE couponing and figuring it all out. It is really fun for me and it’s fun for me to share it with others. My goal is to get everyone excited about shopping for free!
Each week I feature a different shopper’s story. Centsable Savings Stories are the stories of people just like you who are working toward reducing their budgets, bargain hunting, living a more frugal lifestyle and constantly learning along the way. If you are interested in sharing your family’s successes and struggles, please contact me at becentsable[at]gmail [dot]com. Bloggers and non-bloggers are both welcome to participate. Click here to read the stories of shoppers featured in the past.
