Coupon Freak

The Trump women (my mother's side of the family) have always been coupon freaks. My grandmother, Kathleen, grew up during the depression. She raised 4 children on my grandfather's salary. Nothing, and I mean nothing, ever went to waste. Plastic bags were rinsed out to be used again. Clothing that could not be mended, was cut up to be used in quilts. I have two quilts made of lovely seventies clothing (which I love and could not be parted with).  She lived in a community that shared everything. No one ever needed anything. If someone needed something, another person was always there to help out even when times were tough and money was tight.

I go on when I shouldn't because Kathleen (Grandma Trump) deserves, and will get, a post to herself. My children never had a chance to meet her, which is upsetting. 

Moving on. Coupons are a Trump family tradition. Every family get together involved a coupon exchange. What one Trump sister couldn't use they would exchange with another sister. This evolved gradually into each Trump knowing what the other Trumps shopped for on a daily basis. They knew each store in their sibling's respective zip codes. They knew every store's coupon policy. Calls were made during the week. "Chicken is .26 cents a pound, how much do you want." No one ever paid retail for anything, EVER. My mother supported a family of three on a bank teller's salary while my father was in school by couponing. 

I NEVER got this. I NEVER understood this fascination with saving money. I grew up needing nothing. Wanting for nothing. Until now. 

Now I have a family. I have a business in a real estate market that, to put it mildly, sucks giant donkey @#$!s. Mark and I were watching TV one day and the show "Extreme Couponing" came on.We watched as a women's grocery bill rang up to about $700 and, through coupons, she spent absolutely nothing. NOTHING!!! We looked at each other wide-eyed. I could totally do that!!!! I mean, not on their level, but paying full price for anything is totally effing stupid so why not try, right?

The promos for the show are right. One transaction is all that it takes for you to be completely hooked. So get used to the coupon blog updates because that's all it takes for me to get excited. Don't judge. 

You know the deal is really good when you just have to tell someone about it. The first person I call is my husband who does the mandatory "ooohhhh that is awesome, baby!" Then I call Glee Girl who oohhh's and aaahh's with me and then tells me her deals which I probably have missed. I have no siblings so Glee girl is the closest thing I will have to a sister (sorry, don't mean to get mushy). I know what she looks for and save coupons for her and vise versa. It's ridiculously fun and a total thrill. It really does feel like you are cheating the store out of money but you are just beating them at their own game. It is freaking awesome.....

I may need a vacation soon. 

So Glee girl informed me that today's buys were especially awesome and that I should probably blog it as I have not blogged in a while and I needed to get my @#$$ together. My words, not hers :)

Take a look at this picture...

I got all five purex detergents for a total of......$1.39. HOLY CRAP CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???

The axe deodorants are normally $5.50. I bought all six of them for a grand total of....$8.39. My husband is going to be smelling awesome for a long time. 

The four baby wipes packets were purchased for a total of $8.00 when they are usually about $4.00 a piece. 

The conversation with the cashier (who knows me by name now) goes like this:

Her: "I just don't have time to do all that couponing. I got better things to do."

Me: "I understand that. I just need to save money as much as I can."

She rings up the five laundry detergents for a total of $1.39 and goes:

"I guess I have time for that." 

Yes, yes you do.