Not only did I get tons of groceries for free or 1970's prices, but I basically earned a $16 an hour wage doing so.
So much for those people who say couponing requires too much work for just nickles and dimes. I'm thinking earning $16 an hour while just lolling around the house (heh) is nothing to dismiss with ones nose in the air. Especially when that work only averages 3 hours per week, one of those hours spent at the supermarket.
I'm always amazed when people say, "But isn't couponing a lot of work?" Hey, it's a job and jobs do require work if one wishes to earn money.
God approves of work, of jobs-- invented them, even. They are Good Things.
The main thing (to me) is that we become smart enough, aware enough to find the line of work we enjoy, one God gifted us to do, something which fits us like a proverbial glove. You know, so that all those zillions of hours spent working will feel more this-is-so-right rather than this-is-so-like-torture.
(Some people who aren't following their callings, even make-up theological stuff about how God meant for us to do what we hate so that He can teach us lessons. So that we'll yearn for Heaven more. To them I say read John 10:10.)
Anyway, couponing and shopping grocery sales, for me, feel right for this happy homebody who would rather earn her money from, well, home.
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For a list of my favorite coupon bloggers, go here. (Scroll down.) I'm (gratefully) on their email lists.
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My friend, Betty, told her husband she saves around $8 a week with coupons and he replied, "Only $8?" She said, "If you found $8 on the sidewalk, wouldn't you pick it up and feel happy about it?"
I loved that!
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2012--what a terrific year for coupons for more natural or fresh foods like butter, lettuce (organic), milk, eggs, cheese, bread, creamer, carrots, guacamole, whole pineapple, yogurt, (real)fruit juice, vitamins, natural cereals, frozen vegetables and fish, etc.!
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Wow! That is impressive Debra! Good for you. And I loved the bit about God wanting us to be miserable so He can teach us a lesson.
ReplyDeleteAs my dear friend Sherman used to say, God is not a tease. He doesn't place a desire un our hearts (phone said gears - heh, that works too) to thart it.
Congratulations!!! That is a huge savings!!!! Although I have said before I seldom use coupons but we do keep a watch out for sales. I must say that if we needed more food we sure could have found many bargains this year!! They say the meat sales are partly because the farmers are getting rid of extra animals because feed prices have risen. We have enough of many things stocked up so we did not take advantage of so many good sales. We decided instead to put that money into canning equipment we needed and such for this year and the future. The prices are said to increase dramatically in January. Meat especially? Who 'they' are though is a wonder. We will see how much...worrying about it does not stop the raise. Droughts and other weather related problems surely will make prices jump more than they already have but we have honed our shopping skills enough to weather it and have basics stocked for our or others to use. Making sure the dates on cans are way ahead. I have totaled the savings on our receipts too and am amazed that at times the savings is more than the total we paid. Shopping the best sales does work. :) Part of it is knowing when something is a good sale. With prices jumping around at times you wonder. :-) Even a price book has to be updated sooner now! :0 As I also have said probably before, I do not like shopping but make it a game to see what we can get at the rock bottom price. Makes it fun that way. We saw the exact same canned good at a store the other day in two different displays. One said 50c and the other 96c..! I wonder which it rang up? You have got to keep your eyes open for sales and watch what is rung up. :) :) Right now some of our fruit trees are over producing...too much for us to use so we will be bagging it up to give to neighbors. It makes me smile just to think of helping them with some free produce. God is so good. Sarah
ReplyDeleteImpressive savings, Debra. I always wonder about whether I wouldn't find lots of things I don't buy with coupons, but I think you posted about that, didn't you?
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