Coupon Virgin

“Coupon Virgin.”  That’s the title I’ve been given by the hordes of woman out there that LIVE to coupon shop.  I never considered myself someone who needed to coupon shop.  My husband and I live comfortably enough.   We don’t need to buy second hand, don’t have to wait for sale items at the grocery store, and are able to save for our retirement and our kid’s college funds now.  We still struggle though.  It still feels like paycheck to paycheck.  I fall into the trap of not actually balancing my accounts and have most bills set up through auto-withdrawal.  The account fluctuates normally throughout the month but we rarely have any ‘savings’.  We’ve always said ‘this month’ we’ll come up with a financial plan. 

Well, this month is here and I am starting it by giving the coupon craze a go.  I am that person who can walk out of Fred Meyer with four bags of groceries having dropped $250! Costco I average $500 a month.  Mind you, we are ONLY a family of five and my kids are only five, four, and two.  I am not feeding a football team yet, I feel that I spend like I do. 

My challenge is to save where I can, stretch the dollar, and feel in control of our spending.  I want to actually have money put away when we plan a trip and not deal with the finances after the fact.  I want to know exactly where our bank account sits.  I want to be debt free.  I believe, to be afforded the privilege of staying home with my beauties, I need to make my husband’s dollar stretch.  So, challenge one:  I am going to coupon shop!