Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Coupon, coupon- my inner struggle

Okay, I'm one of those annoying people who takes fifty coupons to the store every week when the new sale starts. I know I'm not the only one who does this. Couponing is huge in the south. Everyone does it!

So here is my problem. People are always saying how much money they save and how little they are spending, but it just isn't working out the way I'd like it to. Sure, I never pay for toothpaste or toothbrushes (except tax), and almost never pay more than pennies on the dollar for body wash, shampoo, deodorant, and a host of other things. Yet each month, my grocery bill is still out of sight.

How?? Does my family eat enough for 20 people? How are you couponers surviving on $100 a week or much less?? What on earth are you eating???

Forgive me, but my trip to Costco alone each week averages $50-$100. My shopping list to Costco usually looks something like this.

eggs
milk
butter
apples
lettuce
peppers
cucumbers
carrots
spinach
oranges
ham
turkey
olives
and. a diet coke at the food court adds a whopping  $.59!
 If these things are cheaper elsewhere- I buy them elsewhere that week.  Is this an unreasonable shopping list?
Add to this Costco list my trips to Publix and CVS for sales and other necessities, and I'm easily spending in one week what some claim to spend in an entire month.

So tell me honestly you couponers. what do you eat? Cause I'm pretty sure it's not what we're eating. And I'm not sure I'm willing to give up the pounds and pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables we consume each week just to save money. Is it worth it? 

I have a unwritten and unspoken rule in my house that fresh fruits and vegetables can be eaten any time of day in however large of quantities you want. Is this ridiculous? Should I be rationing these foods that my children so readily eat?

I'd love to know other perspectives as I recognize my way is not the only way to do things. What do you do? How do you save money on your grocery bill? Is it impossible to truly eat healthy (not anorexic) and not spend a lot of money?

4 comments:

Laura said...

Couponing does not buy any food I actually eat. It's all processed garbage that you can not pay me to eat. How are you supposed to live on fruit gushers, cold cereal and granola bars? There's a reason they are giving it away for free. I coupon occasionally for peanut butter and mayonnaise. That's about it. Real food costs money. Buy in bulk, learn how to store it.

Caseyfam05 said...

I agree. Buying fresh fruits and veggies is costly, but way worth the money. If you want to eat healthy it will cost you. I wish I was better at getting the toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, toliet paper and paper towels for free though. I have been out of the loop for a while now. Oh, and you can't forget your cleaning stuff. You can get that next to nothing.

Hulse Family said...

We easily spend $100 per week on groceries and that does not include all of the special flours I have to buy to make Jaxon's muffins, pancakes, graham crackers. I do use as many coupons as are reasonable for what we need, but I throw out all the coupons for garbage snack food.

Jessica said...

I have the same problem. Coupons only seem to be available for processed foods that we don't eat. I feel your pain! I hate watching my ever increasing grocery bills.