A New Season for Couponing

Not so very long ago I was full to the brim with couponing energy. I had a great system that was working well for me and was saving tons. Our grocery budget for our family of 5 was about $250 per month and things were ticking along like clockwork.

Then two little pink lines on a little stick from the Dollar Tree changed all that. Don't get me wrong, they weren't unwelcome lines. They were actually lines we were hoping to see, but these lines were very distruptive to my serene little clockwork routine. Even when morning sickness was finally over (if you are still lost on the "lines", yes, I'm talking about baby #4 on the way) there were projects to complete, preparations to be made, and transitions to be initiated. My coupon-devoted Sunday afternoons were a thing of the past.

So what to do. I don't like spending money I know I could be NOT spending, but I was having trouble finding a new couponing routine. One afternoon I sat down and wrote to my coupon mentor (I don't even know her, but she's taught me tons), Crystal, author of my favorite coupon blog (moneysavingmom.com.) My basic question to her was: how do you effectively use coupons without it taking over your life? Today I found out from a friend that my question (and Crystal's answer) had actually been posted on MoneySavingMom! If you have the same question (or are just curious about how mine was answered), take a look.

I share this for two reasons:

1. Friends have often shared that they wish they could coupon, but they just don't have time. If this is you, maybe the tips and ideas shared both in the original post and in the reader comments will give you some fresh ideas. I definitely got some fresh inspiration!

2. In the interest of keeping it real! While it's much more enjoyable to write about successes and the clockwork seasons, reality is, folks, that life is kinda rough around the edges right now. It's not pretty, but it's true. You may remember I hate the supermom myth (and I hate it some more here), so here it is, folks: I can't keep up with everything right now! In so confessing I found some inspiration to regroup, restructure, and keep right on doing the best I can.