OK! I can do this!

So I clip coupons now and then and save 25 cents here and there. I try to be optimistic and think - well, that's 25 cents more in our pockets! But who are we kidding? That's not a whole lot of savings on a $100 grocery bill.

With prices of everything going up, up, up, I feel like the only thing we have any control over is our weekly grocery bill. And I'm a control freak so...watch out grocery bill!

I've been watching these Extreme Coupon shows and I thought - OK! I can do this! Let me clarify. I'm not looking to buy $2000 worth of groceries for 25 cents. That's crazy! And I don't have the space to stockpile. But it would be nice to save maybe $20 or so.

I researched different couponer websites and I'm in the beginning stages. Let me tell you - this could easily be an addiction. I actually feel this rush when I find a coupon for something on sale. I get nervous when I'm at the register - out of control if I don't know exactly what my total should be after all of my savings. And if the store is out of stock or I misread the fine print, I kinda feel depressed! But the rush of saving - well more than 25 cents - it's so worth it!

I made a binder. It's kinda sad but I'm going to fine tune it. Right now it's a 1" 3 ring binder with baseball card holder sheets for my coupons. I printed a table of contents and divider pages from another couponer's website. I love organization! I want to get a bigger binder, add a spiral notebook, a pencil pouch for my scissors and pens and maybe tabs to my divider pages.

I sorted through my pile of coupons and asked my coworkers to bring coupons they weren't using. I scour the weekly grocery store circulars and match up things on sale with my coupons.

Here's my theory - I'm not buying things I need right now, but I'm buying things I use. Do I need 2 bottles of contact solution right now? No. Does CVS have a sale on contact solution and do I have a coupon for it? Yes. I bought the contact solution. Do I need 8 cans of soup right now? No. Does Walgreens have a sale and do I have a coupon? Yes. I bought the soup.

I don't think I'm necessarily stockpiling. I'm simply buying things we use when they are at the best price I can buy them. I will use the 2 bottles of contact solution and I will eat the 8 cans of soup eventually (Alec doesn't like soup. I'm a little addicted to chicken noodle soup).

I found Food Pyramid doubles coupons. So when they had their $1 sale on many things that we eat, I cleaned house! For example, not only did I get 2 cans of crescent rolls for a $1 each, but I also had 40 cents off 2 so actually I bought 2 cans of crescent rolls for 1.20 or 60 cents each! Score!

Oh - and I'm not brand loyal so I think that helps - except deodorant. I will be sooooo glad when I run out of this Lady Mitchum! Ugh! I need my Secret solid! Lady Mitchum is so not Ph balanced!

My other struggle is meal planning. I'm determined to plan out each week's meals and do as much prep work as I can on Sunday. So here's what we have coming up:

Sunday: Crock pot chicken (whole chickens on sale at Food Pyramid for .79/lb) with potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

Monday: Chicken tacos (left over from Sunday's chicken) and Spanish Rice (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1)

Tuesday: Chicken and rice casserole (I really think this chicken on Sunday is going to stretch!) made with mixed veggies (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1 and cream of chicken soup on sale at Walgreens for .79)

Wednesday: Leftovers (we are starting a class at church on Wednesday nights - limited dinner time)

Thursday: Meatloaf (thanks, Edwards Ranch!), mashed potatoes (maybe left over from Sunday?) and corn

Friday: Meatloaf sandwiches & mac & cheese (on sale at Walgreens for .69)

Saturday: Maybe a nice dinner out using the money I saved from using coupons!

Since we usually sit down for dinner around 6:30 every night, I want to get home and get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. I plan to take about 1 hour on Sunday to prep/precook as much as I can.

I really thing if I take a little time each week (maybe my lunch break that I never take?), I can help our family save a little of money and have better dinners each night. My goal is to get this system down before our boys get big and eat us out of house and home! I can do this!