I am stunned, floored, amazed, and thankful to the couponing community and all my couponing friends. We are a very powerful collective group that shares freely. Yeah, it fun to get a deal but the real crux is saving money with ever increasing prices. My paycheck has been stagnant for 6 years. This year I got a 1/2%, yes you read correctly a half a percent pay increase this year. However, utilities, gas, food, and everything else is increasing. The only way for me to consistently make ends meet is through couponing. Couponing is a lot of work, time, energy, and effort. To help lessen the burden is securing a support system while couponing. The support in the couponing community is vast, wide, and supportive.
The best support recently is using the coupon buddy system. My son's godfather, Bob, and I have paired up in couponing. Bob is supporting his elderly parents. We tag team all the time and exchange goods and coupons. As a matter of fact he is currently on vacation for a month so I am pulling double duty at HTSD and delivering groceries and goods to his parents while he is away. When I was on a business trip a few months ago, he pulled double duty at HTSD and shopped for my family in my absence. There is no price tag for that peace of mind while away. I have recently found support at work as I have met a lot more of my co-workers that coupon. We do stockpile exchanges and shop for each other frequently. I have virtual support as I was pulled in to a steady weekly trading group based out of Florida. This trading group has proved to be extremely beneficial. The Florida/Georgia gals get different values and coupons so they come through often in sending regional coupons my way for me to use. In addition I have chatted off line with some amazing virtual couponing buddies where we can freely exchange information and stories.
This HTSD is incredible this time around! Thanks to Nikki for the pre-match ups and Theresa for her local match ups and reports. I work full time so Nikki and Theresa make my life easier with their blogs - thanks Ladies! This HTSD included: FREE Tide, Final Touch Fabric Softener, Dole Fruit Jars, Golden Grahams cereal, Paper Plates, Purdue Chicken (special shout out to Erin who pretty much gave me GPS directions on where to find them in the store :-) and so much much much more. My eVic card deals include 67cents eggs and $1.97 blackberries. I went shopping last night and got rainchecks at the first store eggs and blackberries and thankfully the second store had the items in stock so breakfast was yummy.
Last week I got tons of cheap-0 M&M's at Giant for 5 cents a bag. These come in handy during family movie nights, road trips, etc. I missed the Kelloggs deal but Erin promises to keep me posted
I discovered Shop Rite thanks to co-workers and took advantage of the store deals while visiting family in Maryland.
CVS is having an amazing summer with Gas Card deals. I have $210 in Shell gas cards so far.
I just wanted to take a moment and say Thanks for I am truly blessed
Thanks for all you post too :) I tried to start a couponing group through facebook but there are so many couponers that are trying to get the deal for themselves and don't want to share. I tell people all the time while I am couponing and they ask how to do it. I would gladly tell everyone because everyone needs to have the chance to make ends meet for their family! I couldn't do it without couponing either :)
ReplyDeleteHi Alison
DeleteI totally believe in coupon karma and share freely which is why am I so thankful when others do tooooo. Thanks for all your feedback and interaction....I luv it :-)