Practically Speaking: 5 Reactions & Secrets to Couponing

Do you coupon?  What's your strongest reaction to the idea?  Coupons bring strong feelings to the surface:

1. Thrill: moving in for the kill.  The wide-eyed wonder of watching your bottom line disappear, pennies at a time.  Its you against the cash register.
2. Dread: the overwhelming work of it all.  The job is mundane, repetitive, and could make a sane woman loose her mind.
3. Guilt: mostly when you pay full price.  Once you're hooked, its hard to walk away from clipping your paper money.
4. Relief: stretching a tight budget even further.  Empowering to make your dollar work. 
5. Embarrassment: be honest, some folks judge.  Plus, some don't want to shop next to your tedious pace, nor get in line behind you at the cash register (solution: shop on senior discount days; you're more their pace). 

I confess, I do coupon.  These are 5 feelings I experience every single cycle of clipping and shopping.  Couponing is not my hobby.  I have never tried "extreme couponing"  In my little world, couponing is a necessity, and dare I say, a spiritual discipline.  Frugality, simplicity, stewardship, and all that.  On an average grocery trip, I "make" about $30/hour (including research, clipping, shopping, and putting groceries away).  That's good enough for now.  

Can you share any couponing secrets in the comments?   I need a few new ideas.  Planning gives me the peace of mind to be fully present for the task at hand, and not fully consumed.  Planning is freedom of heart.  A few secrets I've learned:

• Shop at your favorite store every time.  You'll know the prices, where to find items, and you will learn the coupon policies.
• Follow Coupon Mom.  Her book is sharp, her research spot on.  Get on the weekly email alerts.  Print the weekly database price sheets for your favorite store, and shop based on what is a good deal.
• Focus on a single product.  Commit to clipping and watching sales on laundry products only, or maybe meat, dairy, or beauty products.  Truthfully, I can't do it all.  But, I can handle one area.
• Dual ink your grocery list (uh-oh, my anal side is showing....).  Sometimes, a sale price is not the actual shelf price.  Girl, don't buy it if its not on sale AND you have a coupon!  Instead of sorting coupons in the aisle and deciding if it is a good price, I pull all coupons at home, based on Coupon Mom's weekly database.  My grocery item is written black for a normal, non-coupon item, and blue for a coupon item with the sale price.  Double check your research!  If it ain't a good deal, or the manager adjusted the sale price, keep walking.  Before stepping up to the cash register, sort your coupons one last time.

My Brain on Efficiency: Weekly Cleaning Chart

Confession: My brain has enough ADD patterns that I often loose my train of thought by walking into the next room (this probably isn't a shock to most of you). I'm the type to forget to finish my coffee, then forget I put it in the microwave to reheat...until I find it again the next day when repeating the pattern. Must. Focus. This weekly cleaning chart helps me track what needs to be done this week, plus brings a bit of satisfaction in striking off accomplishments. I recommend a big, red marker, for it is most satisfying:

	o Wipe surfaces, including sink, counter tops, the outside of the ventilation hood, fridge and cupboard doors, top of refrigerator, appliance exteriors, shelves, and furniture. Kitchen o Wipe the inside of the oven, microwave, and toaster oven. Kitchen o Flush drain with boiling water. Kitchen o Discard foods and beverages past their prime. Kitchen o Dust light fixtures. Kitchen o Wipe the inside and outside of trash and recycling bins. Kitchen o Vacuum and mop floor. Kitchen o Dust surfaces and objects, including furniture and light fixtures. Dining room o Vacuum upholstery and floor. Dining room o Fluff and rotate sofa cushions. Living room o Discard magazines and catalogs on coffee or side tables; store those you want to keep. Living room o Dust surfaces and objects, including furniture, light fixtures and electronics. Living room o Vacuum upholstery and floor. Living room o Sort through in-boxes: pay bills, file paid bills and paperwork. Office o Dust surfaces and objects, including furniture, light fixtures and electronics. Office o Vacuum floor. Office o Dust the tops and spines of books, shelves, and light fixtures. Library o Dust light fixtures. Entry and hallway o Launder machine-washable throw rugs and runners. Entry and hallway o Vacuum landing. Entry and hallway o Mop floors Entry and hallway o Change and launder sheets and pillowcases. Bedrooms o Fluff pillows and comforters. Bedrooms o Discard magazines and catalogs on side tables; store those you want to keep. Bedrooms o Dust surfaces, including furniture, objects, and light fixtures. Bedrooms o Empty trash. Bedrooms o Vacuum Bedrooms o Clean toilet, bathtub, shower, and sinks. Bathroom o Wipe mirrors. Bathroom o Change and launder bath mats, towels, and washcloths. Bathroom o Dust light fixtures. Bathroom o Empty trash bins, kitty litter. Bathroom o Vacuum and mop floors. Bathroom o Wipe hand and pet prints from windows and glass doors. Throughout o Sweep porch, stairs. Throughout o Water plants. Throughout o Carpet clean on small area. Throughout

My Brain on Efficiency: Grocery Shopping List

OK, sometimes I'm a bit controlling and obsessive. Facts:

• I hate shopping.
• I spend more money the longer I'm in a store.
• I love efficiency: get me in and out of there.
• I love an easy solution.

When my favorite Kroger remodeled and rearranged most of their goods, I thought I might loose my mind wandering aisles. Going to the customer service, I found a store directory which I then converted to a new and improved grocery list. Nah, I'm not obsessive at all. I just value my time, energy and $.
 

Aisle 1	Aisle 2	Aisle 3	Aisle 4	Aisle 5	Aisle 6	Aisle 7	Aisle 8	Aisle 9
Health food	Health food	Can beans, can vegetables, can soup	International, dry beans, chili mix, condiments, canned meat, olives, pasta	Baking, canned milk, canning, honey	Breakfast, canned fruit, jam & jelly, nuts, dry fruit	Candy, cookies, crackers, pop corn	Seasonal, promotional	Bakeware, charcoal, foils & wraps, napkins, paper goods, trash bags
Aisle 10	Aisle 11	Aisle 12	Aisle 13	Aisle 14	Aisle 15-16	Aisle 17	Meat & Produce	Dairy
Cleaning,laundry, pesticides	Greeting cards, magazines, office supplies	Beverages	Coffee, tea, batteries, chocolate syrup, juice, bottle water	Baby, cosmetics, feminine needs,	Frozen	Bath & facial tissue, paper towels,