Sunday Mornings

Day 10 of 365 Tiny Changes

It’s Sunday, my favorite day of the week.  I never forget what day it is on Sunday.

On Sunday, I can sleep in, wake up any time I want, and not feel guilty about it.

The reality is I still wake up at the same time I do every other morning.  The difference is, I’m the first one up and out of bed.

There’s something special to me, being the first one up.  Maybe, it’s because I get the whole silent house to myself, but it’s different knowing there are still others in the house.  I get the whole house to myself, at other times, too, when every one is gone.  But it’s kind of a lonely silence, then.  The Sunday morning silence is the kind of safe, happy, silence, that hugs me into the day.

When the others get up, I am the first to greet them with a good morning.  That feels good, too.  To be the one to welcome my family into the day.

It’s also my favorite day, because Sunday is the day I get to indulge the extremist side of my personality.

I’m not normally an extremist about anything.  I am more of a gray area person.  I don’t live my life by black and white rules.

I had a friend tell me once, that I did firmly believe in black and white rules, but for other people, just not myself.  While she may have thought that was true, I firmly believe there are 2 sides to every story.  Honoring the gray area is where both sides can be heard.

My one exception being couponing.  Yes, I am an amateur Extreme Couponer.  I watch the show, when I can find it on TV, to get hints.  I’ve read books, and have signed up for coupon web sites. 

On the show, these women are able to shop for hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars of groceries for almost nothing.  I haven’t been able to accomplish that feat, yet.

I have been able to save 64% off the retail price of my items, by combining manufactures' coupons, store sales, and store coupons.  That has only happened twice. 

When I watch the show, I get this feeling that the person they are profiling isn’t doing a “normal” shopping trip.  They aren’t purchasing the groceries they need for the week.  They have created a special list, just to get to the lowest bottom line at check out, as possible.  I’m not THAT extreme.  I shop for what I need, although it does pain me deeply when I have to purchase anything not on sale, and/or without a coupon.

It’s our money.  If the manufacturer, or the store, is going to offer me a way to purchase their product, and keep more of our money in our pocket, I’m all over it.  It’s a win/win for all of us in so many ways.

I’m a numbers person, so after doing the whole intense couponing thing for a month, I ran the numbers.  I averaged all of the money saved from all of the shopping trips I had made, during that month.  I found that I was able to knock off 40% from the retail price.  Not bad.  My normal weekly shopping trip was running me around $150.  It now runs me closer to $90 for the same items.  That leaves me about $240 a month extra. 

HA, who am I kidding?  There is no extra, in our budget.  That leaves me $240 more for college expenses for the youngest of our 4 combined children.

So I will continue to clip coupons, and research what store is offering the best sale on what product, in an effort to up the weekly savings and keep more of our money in our pockets.  I’ve learned quite a few shopping secrets along the way, and I do enjoy the challenge.

It is somewhat time consuming, though, and I can get backed up on my clipping and sorting of those little money saving pieces of paper.  I could stand to be better organized at it.

Tiny Change 10:  Check one web site each day to clip new coupons and file them immediately.

The Sunday paper is here, waiting.  I’ve got to find my scissors, and glasses, and get to work on my favorite Sunday morning activity, saving money by cutting up newspapers like a 5 year old.

If you would like me to share some of the couponing secrets I’ve learned in my endeavor, message me, and I’m happy to share what I know.

Best Regards,

Linda