Super Wednesday

Every now and then a Wednesday isn’t just a Wednesday; it’s a super Wednesday! And just what makes it a super Wednesday? Super Doubles at Harris Teeter! I normally don’t “do” math but in the case of a coupon, I’ll make an exception every time.

My couponing motto is: “The more I save on necessities, the more I can spend on accessories.” And today, in just a few minutes, I saved enough money for at least one pair of shoes or that super cute ring I’ve had my eye on in the Premiere catalog.

I spent 10 minutes during my lunch hour comparing the HT sales flier to the coupons in my organizer. I spent 15 minutes after work shopping.

In today’s shopping spree, I bought:

3 bags of yellow rice

1 box of brown rice

3 boxes granola bars

2 boxes of scalloped potatoes

1 bag of banana chips

1 pack of cheese slices

1 pie

1 roll of mints

5 tubes of toothpaste

Bill on this purchase: 45.42

Saved with sales and coupons: 32.31

I paid: 13.11

That, my friends, is a 72% savings! And if you figure I ‘made’ 32 dollars in less than half an hour of work, you could rationalize that I made 64 dollars an hour. If I actually made 64 dollars an hour, my salary would be somewhere around 133,000 per year. Now that’s a shoe salary that could allow me to kick up my Minolo Blahniks!

To answer the questions I get most often: Yes, people laugh at my three-ring binder with the baseball card inserts coupon organizer (that is, until they are in line behind me at the register and see what I pay). No, I don't buy something just because it's economical or free UNLESS I have a friend or family member who will use those items (and no, I would never charge those friends and family, like some people I know. That, to me, is just greedy). No, couponing isn't difficult once you find an organization system that works for you. Yes, now that I know what I can do with a coupon, it irks me when I have to pay full price. and Yes, couponing is absolutely worth the few minutes a week I put into the clipping and organizing effort.

I strongly encourage you to consider couponing as a way to stretch your dollars, to help you ensure that you don't have more month than money, and to allow you to have some WAM (walkin' around money). I may look like a nerd on a mission when I go into Harris Teeter armed with my organizer, list, and calculator but I know that buying shoes is much more fun than buying toothpaste and if saving on one gets me the other, it's worth all the quizzical looks in the world thrown at me by those full-price-paying shoppers who just don't get it. yet.