Coupon Conundrums

Nope, I can’t do it.  I can’t tell you I religiously use coupons each time I enter the grocery store. 

I’ve tried.  I’ve really tried. 

The information I’ve read on the subject has instructed me not to worry about clipping ahead of time but to file the inserts by the week I receive them.  I am then supposed to check the appropriate website(s) (couponmom.com or savingsangel.com are a couple of examples) so that I might discover which stores in my area have the best deals for the products I need and which weeks’ savings inserts I can go to in order to retrieve the coupons.  Sounds simple, right? 

In my case, I think my paperboy must steal the coupons he knows I will want.  Evil child, he is.  Invariably, the site will direct me to a certain weeks’ inserts.  I’ll look through them.  I’ll look through them again, a little slower.  I’ll look through one more time, reading every word of every coupon, and still not find the one I need in order to get the deal. 

There are other times that I’ll find the coupon in a different week’s inserts, take it to the store, and find that item completely cleaned out.  Ugh! 

Every once in a while, the stars will perfectly align.  I’ll find the coupon with the inserts I was told it would be in and the item will be in stock.  You’d think it would be sweet victory.  Just the opposite.  With those coupons in hand, my stress level soars.  All of a sudden, the store is hot, overcrowded, and noisy.  I try to placate my frayed nerves by reminding myself how much money I’ll save…$37.35 worth of colorful savings…awesome.  But, no, not worth all the work that went into gaining it. 

I’m giving myself permission to throw all those stress-laden enticements into my recycling bin.  I feel lighter already.  (Trash goes to the curb on Monday nights if you are interested in retrieving them.)