A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

I will gladly admit to anyone who cares (or even those who don't) that I am a cheapskate very frugal. Like most women, I love to spend money, but I feel so much better when I am getting the best bang for my buck! Although I have used coupons pretty much since I've been married and was officially crowned the household 'grocery getter' it was not until a few years ago that I really learned to use coupons to their full extent. Before, I would have used just a few coupons and saved maybe a dollar or two, but now I am sometimes saving twice as much as I am spending! That is an amazing feeling. Not to mention that on top of the awesome savings, I am coming home with more products that I would have been able to get otherwise. And because of this, not only are our pantry cupboards well stocked, but I am able to share the wealth with others and not feel guilty about taking away from my family.

Today was one of those days that I was able to "buy" a lot of things for very little out of pocket expense. At Meijers I was able to get $110 worth of food for only $19.50!! **See picture above** I was also able to get $14 worth of product at Kmart for $2.00! As part of my money saving adventures I am making my own laundry soap which uses Ivory soap, so how happy I was when I was able to purchase a 3 pack for .29 cents! And of course, with at least 4 children running around our house at any given time, Tylenol always comes in handy, and it was only .19 cents!
Although it does take some time and energy on my part to find the best deals, it is so worth the effort. It may seem overwhelming and intimidating to some, I know it was to me at first, but once you get the hang of it and start seeing the total on your bill dropping, you'll wonder why you haven't been doing this all along. I am so happy to see that so many people I know are starting to use coupons to save money. In today's world I think it is so important to be as frugal as we possibly can. I feel so blessed to have this knowledge and be able to provide for my family for less!