It all happens to the best of us.
You forget a coupon at home that you wanted to use. You delay on an online deal and miss it entirely. You buy the wrong item for the rebate offer, but since you've already opened the item, you can't return it. You're excited to learn you've saved 40% at the store, but feel deflated when you learn your friend (who's newer to couponing than you are) tells you how she saved 80%.
My philosophy? Couponing should be fun. And I think way too many of us take it far too seriously. Ask yourself:
If the answer to any of these is "yes," there's something I want to tell you, friends. Let yourself off the hook! I firmly believe there is no perfect deal. If you get the shampoo for $1, someone else will tell you they got it for free. And then someone else will tell you how they MADE $1 on the same deal. And then someone else will tell you how they made enough money on that shampoo that they were able to head into early retirement.
Can we just stop this nonsense already? Really?
Today I want to challenge you to relish in your accomplishments saving money – whatever they have been and however seemingly small. Focus on what you're doing RIGHT. This is not a race or a competition. I'll say it again, it should be FUN. Unfortunately there's not an "f" in coupon, but there is a "u" and there is also an "n," so that's 2/3 of the word FUN and I'll take it. You should too.
I want my readers to know that I take a very common sense approach to couponing around here. Yes, saving a buck is always important to me. But you know what else is important? Your time. Your health. Your sanity. So today, celebrate your successes. From one couponer to another, GOOD JOB. You are doing GREAT, my friend.
Photo credit Sofia Henriques
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
That was a great post, Ang! And it made me giggle. You’re right-it’s all about the big picture. If I saved $153 at Albertson’s, but somehow lost my $1 manufacturer coupon in the store (this has happened to me!), I think I still made out ahead.
Thank you for the wise words of encouragement! I beat myself up every week trying to find the best deals for my family so that we aren’t really living paycheck to paycheck. Couponing and “deals” are hard stuff! Especially when your a full time mom, full time employee, and full time wife! *sigh* My goal though is to be doing what that woman is doing in the picture one day…after all these soon to be many years of couponing!
Thanks. I needed to read that. I’m not a super-coupon-er like some, ECB’s make my head spin, and I never bring home boxes of free cereal. However, I’m learning to be happy with the “fun” coupons (like the free half-gallon of chocolate milk coupon), I just earned my first ECB (even though I had to ask the woman at the counter what in the world that meant!), and I’m pleased when I only pay $1 – $1.50 for cereal. I’d like to get better, but I do not want to stress about it, or stress out hubby!
Thanks for the great reminder!
Thank you so much! I answered yes to 4 out of 5 of those questions (I haven’t dreamt in barcodes…yet). You really encouraged my couponing endeavors today.
Thank you for keeping us in check.
Great reminder! Thank you! I have woken up in the middle of the night trying to figure out how to use which coupon the best way to get the best scenario. . .
Worst of all, I’ve found myself wanting to check the deals/freebies/coupons before I even do my devotions. 
You totally made me laugh! I needed to read that. I am new to couponing and it seems that is all I can think about lately. Important to find a healthy balance for sure…
Haha, this was well timed. This morning my son woke up at the ridiculous hour of 5am so by 6:30 when On Demand still wasn’t working and even PBS wasn’t running kid shows yet, I decided to just get us dressed and head out to hit some stores. After buying 6 Morningstar Farms frozen foods we love at Top because they were on sale, we went to Fred Meyer where there was an unadvertised sale for them for $.50 less per box. I was hacked! But you’re right, I need to get over it. Considering I never cared much about sales just 4 months ago, I need to realize that losing $3 isn’t the end of the world. Thanks for the perspective.
I still want to learn how to do it all better though.
Great advice! I try to remember, “there’s always going to be another deal”.
Now that my pantry is pretty full and I have a big stockpile of toiletries and diapers, too, I am trying to stop freaking out about it. Tomorrow I’m going grocery shopping, and I hope Albertson’s still has some Post cereal, but it seems unlikely that they will, and I am not going to freak out about it. It’s just cereal.
We live 50 miles from the nearest grocery store, and I usually do not take my kids shopping with me because they are too distracting, but I had got to a point where I was making these huge shopping trips two or three times a week to make sure I got all the deals. Now, of course, I still have to go in and do grocery shopping, and I try to make the most of that day, but every time I’m thinking, “Oh, I have to go to Smith’s and get this free pasta!” I also think, is it worth a day away–because with the drive, it almost always takes more than half a day–from my family? Is it worth the gas, especially when you just know the free pasta or whatever has already been posted on the blogs has been completely bought out by one or two women who got there early that morning. I have found that if I wait a week (when possible), most of the people who were going to go in and clear out the shelves have already done it and the store has restocked and then I can quietly get some for myself. For example, I am pretty sure that when I finally get into town tomorrow evening, Kmart will be out of Huggies. That’s all right. I have until April 1 to use that coupon, and my husband passes by a Kmart on his way home from work, so he can stop in and at some point between now and then, they’ll have diapers and we’ll get a couple of packs. But it is totally not worth stressing about anymore.
I get really upset by the attitude on a lot of coupon blogs. People get so angry when something didn’t work out for them, but stores and manufacturers don’t *have* to do this and we don’t have a *right* to free juice or whatever. It’s nice when we can get it, but then when we do, we should appreciate it and be grateful. I read iheartwags, but her shopping trips often appall me. What is she even doing with all those bottles of aspirin or whatever? I mean, OK, maybe she donates it–I have no idea. But it seems obscene to me, just going out and acquiring, acquiring, whether you need it or not. I guess it’s old-fashioned to call something like that “indecent” but that’s what it seems like to me.