Getting chores done still gives me a buzz. In the past week, though, I’ve found a new drug. One that won’t spill. One that don’t cost too much. Or come in a pill.
It’s SAVING MONEY.
I don’t know about the rest of you SAHMs, or those of you whose partners work while you’re between jobs or whatever, but even though I know “what’s mine is yours” when it comes to what The Husband earns, it is difficult for me to spend money. Even when I’m spending on a need. Right now, for instance, I have one pair of khaki capris, and they are teetering on the edge of no longer fitting — while The Husband thinks it’s kind of sexy that my pants can slide off so easily, I’m not into low-riding. Not to mention that khaki capris and t-shirts are staples to my wardrobe, so this presents something of a problem. However, I have not yet bought another pair. I am pretty frugal cheap anyway, so it has to be an incredible deal for me to deem the purchase worthy of spending hard-earned money that I hardly earned. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know I contribute, I KNOW, but still. It’s difficult. It has been since I started staying at home.
One of my beloved friends who has since moved from my beloved state spoke often of the deals she got by scouring sales flyers and couponing. As a matter of fact, on more than one occasion I called her and got her voicemail. She would call me a back a few minutes later, sounding almost out of breath, saying, “Sorry, I couldn’t get to the phone, I was in my coupons.” I always envisioned her sitting amidst a mountain of coupons — and that may not have been far from the truth! So I heard her talking about her savings, and I admired her shrewd skills when it came to saving, but I never took the time to figure out how to do it for myself.
Then, another dear friend wrote this, and then this. I may have drooled a little bit. I wanted what she had — money saved, and perhaps more than a little bit of admiration from her husband.
Last week, I decided to take a hit off of this drug. (For the record, I have never done illegal drugs, so I apologize if I am using the terminology incorrectly.) Products I used were on special at CVS, and not only were they on sale, but they were offering $10 in their Extra Care Bucks if you spent $25. The Husband went along with me, and when I was getting what I went in for, he found other products we used marked down 75% — contact solution kits for $3.12. One 12-ounce bottle cost more than that, and we were getting a 12-ounce bottle, a travel size bottle, and rewetting drops. Anyway, we spent $31.24 and saved $25.21, and I had $10 ECBs in my hand. All on products we needed and use regularly.
I. Was. Hooked.
This week I forgot to get a Sunday paper. But, um, I was so intent on checking the sales flyers that I snagged my mom’s Sunday paper (she was out of town! and I gave it back! in the wrapper and everything!) and made my list. Not a lot of things, but I had a plan. Thanks to my dear friend, today I was able to do some kid-free shopping. (And for those that think it would just take too long to go from store-to-store-to-store to make the most of the advertised deals, I went to three different stores and was done in an hour.)
I was honestly shaking a little when I made my way to the register at CVS and said, “I have two transacations,” and handed her my little red keychain tag and laid my coupons and ECBs out. When it was all said and done, I couldn’t stop staring at my receipt.
Between two of the stores (that I could see the savings on), I spent $27.41. I saved $40.27. And, among the items purchased was this, which normally costs anywhere from $19.99-$24.99 on its own.
I’m not an expert, but I think I’m still buzzing.
And I am not experiencing any buyer’s remorse, which may be a first for me.
Try it, you’ll like it. And if not, here. It’s all good!
