Coupons make me giddy.

I love saving money. I really do.

After today's lengthy trip to not-one-but-two grocery stores, we left feeling like we got more than what we paid for. It's nice to feel like you are getting a bargain, especially on something like food because it doesn't last very long. Ever since I started buying my own groceries, I have wondered why people just walk around the store and mindlessly throw things into their cart without being conscious of the price. Like the price doesn't matter at that point in time...but, take it from me, the price does matter when you're at the check stand. I learned quickly that enough food to feed the two of us for a couple weeks is expensive! This is my thinking: If I will only buy clothes when they are on sale, why wouldn't I only buy food when it's on sale? I can remember multiple instances in college where I was blindsided with a grocery bill that was a lot higher than I had budgeted for. But, not anymore! Immediately, I started to pay in cash only. I would literally take the $50.00 I had budgeted to spend, walk around and punch the numbers into my cell phone calculator to make sure I didn't exceed that amount. If I did, something was put back. If I under-spent, I just considered it an extra bonus. This cash-only strategy helped me learn how to budget and only buy things I really need. Since then, I have found multiple ways to help us spend only what we budget for:

1. I am religious about making a list (and very seldom stray from it)
2. I clip coupons (and actually use them!)
3. I make weekly dinner menus (not every single week but I try)
4. I try to cook dishes in the same week that use the same items so nothing I pay hard-earned money for goes to waste
5. I look (and take full advantage of) buy-one-get-one-free deals
6. I compare the store-brand prices to the name-brand prices
7. I strategize by shopping at Grocery Outlet first to knock some things off the list then go to regular grocery store (it makes a big difference on our bill!)
8. I make exceptions for the name-brand items for which I can't find comparable store-brands (it's ok to splurge a little!)

These ideas really work for us. Sure, it's easy just to buy what you need and not think twice, but in the long run that's a lot of money that you'll never get back. This way, we still get what we need but for a price we feel good about. For us, saving money in the grocery realm allows us to spend extra money on the things that really matter like vacations, entertainment, our savings and the future.