Apparently I’m called a coupon virgin. Well, according to the Krazy Coupon Lady blog, I’m a coupon virgin. And, really, I totally feel like one, because I just had NO idea there was a whole other world out there full of crazy (Krazy) coupon ladies.

The story: My friend Sarah sends out an email called Talkin’ Tuesdays to a bunch of friends who are typically young moms, most of whom live in the Portland, OR area. She will ask a question and we will all give our input. Well, she sent out an email a few months ago asking each of us how much we spend on groceries. Everyone else was saying things like $600 a month or maybe even $800 or so. I was just shocked! Really? It would take some serious work to spend that much on groceries, but then I don’t buy organic and fancy-foo-foo stuff. I told them that I spend only $400 a month on groceries/personal care, and they were amazed that I could spend so little. I was feeling pretty good about myself.

THEN, I went to a scrap group here in little ol’ Dallas, OR and we started talking about grocery budgets. Uh. Crash. That was my ego. They were saying, “Oh, about $250 or so.” Okaaaaayyyy. So, how in the world? One of my friends, Kristin (and I would totally link you up if you had a blog, girl), said that she just got into couponing (is that a word? Spell check isn’t liking me.). She explained a few things and told me about a couple of blogs and said she’d send me the links. M’kay. I have to tell you (Kristin), I was feeling pretty darn rotten that night after coming home from my scrap group. I felt like I was being wasteful and not being a good steward of the financial gifts God had given us. It was quite humbling.

I have sort of couponned (Nope. Still doesn’t like me.) in the past, and I felt pretty good about saving 50¢ on a brick of cheese. But, the Krazy way to coupon is much more than saving 50¢ and it is SO STINKIN’ COOL! I just have to share.

Look what I bought today,

8 boxes of cereal, 4 boxes of fruit snacks, 4 boxes of granola bars, 6 cans of soup, two bags of frozen veggies and a gallon of milk. How much do you think I spent? Eh?

$29.14

Yep! AND, I have one $5 credit to spend on the next shopping trip. I’m riding the coupon high, baby. It’s so cool to look into my pantry and see all of those boxes of cereal lined up and know that they were super cheap! And, I have “Preschool Snacks” and Mitch’s lunch and “breakfast for MOPS mornings”, oh, and veggies and milk. Nice.

All I did was follow this list of transactions for Albertsons at the Krazy Coupon Lady blog. I don’t actually LIVE near an Albertsons, though. The store was about 25 minutes away. However, I had to “run into town” (aka, Salem) for shoes for Cole anyway, so I prepped this trip this morning. I printed out the “scenario” and clicked and printed my coupons (Internet Printables). I stapled them together (Transaction #1, Transaction #2) and then went to the store. Oh, and there was a “scenario” I wanted to try at Target, which I found out via Frugal Living NW. It kinda worked. I got a gallon of milk for $2 and two boxes of breakfast bars for free. Hee, hee!

I’m totally hooked. Sure, some of you are saying, “Who has the time for that?” Me. I do. I don’t mean to brag, but my kids are both starting school soon and I will get FIVE WHOLE HOURS a WEEK to myself. Yes. Two-and-a-half hours on Mondays and Wednesdays will me MINE. All mine. To do whatever I wish. Maybe “coupon”. Maybe not. Probably coupon, though, because if you know me in real life (IRL friends), then you know that I’m totally cheap. I hate spending money. Okay, let me qualify that: I’m sure I would LOVE spending money if I had it, but I don’t, so I hate spending it. I have really expensive taste, but I live on a Walmart (sometimes Target, if you guys buy enough stuff from my store) budget. I’m totally okay with that, though, because if you’ve never really had the $, then you don’t know what you are missing, and I come from a SUPER large family, so . . .

Anyway, I thought I would share! It was fun. Seriously fun. I want to do it again, soon. I NEED to do it again soon, because I have that $5 just burning a hole in my pocket.

I have to give a little shout out to:

#1, my friend Kristin H., who humbled me and made me investigate, and who has mentioned several times that I can call her and ask questions any time I want to. Thanks! I’d love to start a little “Krazy Coupon Lady” group with you.

#2 - to Frugal Living NW - an awesome blog that is super relevant to me and my area. The ladies there work hard to come up with scenarios that I can use in my local stores, so I don’t have to! Thanks gals!

#3 - Krazy Coupon Lady - I think I may have to get one of your t-shirts. AWESOME blog with a ton of relevant information for ladies across the U.S. Click on the 10 days tab to transform into a Krazy Coupon Lady yourself! The scenario that I followed to pull off the purchase shown above was prepared by these gals, and I just LOVE all of the research they do to make my Coupon Lady transformation complete! It is THE place to go if you want to start to coupon and are overwhelmed.

#4 - It’s Hip To Save - shows me great deals, coupons, freebies and more! I recently ordered a free perfume sample as a result of this blog, and I can’t wait for it to arrive. Totally reminds me of the time my college roommate, Tootsie, signed me up to get a free flashlight from the Army. And then the recruitment officer called me. JUST KIDDING! I mean, he did, but that is not what this site is like. It’s really a great site that points out awesome deals!

These are the coupon places I have in my Google Reader right now. OH, and Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam (but her blog really falls under “decorating” in my reader because I am so inspired by her frugal decorating and fashionista sense, plus she’s a garage sale junkie, like me!).

Do you have any awesome coupon blogs in your reader? Share!

Oh, and if you like to shop online, check out Coupon Chief! Their site is cram-packed with awesome coupon code and deals!

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