Diary of a Reluctant Coupon Clipper

Marching closer and closer to a full blown cliché, I have started shopping with coupons.

It was the hubby's idea. He's the born saver in our family. Initially the idea irked me on several levels. Hunting and sorting through circulars and magazines to save a few cents didn't seem worth our time. There's the inevitable, "I have to buy this brand because I have a coupon" (even though that brand is cheaper) confusion. Or the, "Of course we'll eat 4 boxes of fruit by the foot (though we've never eaten an inch of fruit by the foot prior)... AND, we'll save 50 cents in the process!" madness. Coupons, I thought, lead to buying things you wouldn't normally buy. And I'm not typically a spend money to save money type of gal. But, my biggest objection was that our time and effort and all that paper and ink weren't worth the minimal savings to be had.

As usual, I was wrong.

In the past two days, I've saved $43 using coupons. I haven't bought anything that wasn't on our shopping list, and I am an absolute convert.

Sure it takes a little bit of time, and there were a couple extra stops so it took a little more effort. But, I gotta admit I'm enjoying the hunt and the thrill of the kill. And on top of the savings, the whole deal has been an exercise in patience. At each check out line, I was faced with an obstacle. First, I got stuck in line behind a fellow coupon shopper while she was haggling over her receipt and the anticipated 15 cent savings that she had not received. (lesson learned: never be THAT woman. Fifteen cents is NOT worth my, the sales person's or the people-standing-in-line-behind-me's time) At the next stop, the register wasn't picking up my B1G1 vitamins (B1G1 - that's coupon speak for "buy one, get one free" - check it, I'm even learning the lingo). However, just politely waiting while the sales person readjusted the pricing on the second bottle saved me $7! (lesson learned: pay attention as items are scanned) By my third stop, I tried to save time by using the self check out lane. Unfortunately, the scanner didn't recognize my coupon so I had to wait for assistance. When the attendant sweetly and quickly entered my coupon manually, I saved $2.38. (lessons learned: sometimes it's worth the itty bitty wait AND it's okay to ask for help) And at my fourth and final stop, I got so excited about the $10 gift card that I earned by transferring my prescription that I totally forgot to present all the other coupons I planned to use. This oversight necessitated a stop by customer service for a price adjustment. (lesson learned: don't count your chickens before they're hatched... I was mentally shopping with the FREE $10 when I could have been actually spending less on the current transaction!)

When I think how much we can use $43 in the coming month, that's right 4. 3., I'm pretty stinking excited. Even if you subtract the $1.50 for the Sunday paper and a couple dollars for ink, paper and gas, we're still waaaaay ahead. Now, I'm rather confident that my savings won't always be this dramatic, but the cents certainly add up quickly. Even if I only save half that much each week, it is TOTALLY worth the effort.

So, chalk this experience up to one more thing I NEVER thought I'd do. (Can a minivan be far away?) And let's put clipping coupons in the "delightful surprise" column. Who could have imagined?

Here She Goes Again

After an indulgent post earlier this week, an anonymous reader commented "who are you and what have you done with Molly?" Believe me, I understand that the comment was made in jest and with love. But, I can't lie. It sent me into a momentary tail spin. It got me wondering... who the heck am I becoming? What have I done with the Molly that once was???? After about 2 seconds, I realized that I left her at home. She's back in the Lou attending live theatre, going to the art museum, and riding her bike in Forest Park. The Molly I once was is attending book club, throwing parties and planning weddings at the Journey. She's going to concerts of artists other than those heard on Christian or Country radio, eating at a variety of amazing restaurants and watching professional sports.

But with few of those things available here, I've been forced to change. I'm discovering other things to keep me busy. It's incredible what you can fill your time with when you're in the midst of complete culture shock.

{ here she goes again... I've read this one before }
I know, right? Do I sound like a broken record? Do you wish that after nearly 3 years I would be better adjusted to life here? Are you tired of hearing this same thing from me over and over again? So can you imagine how sick I am of feeling this way?!?!

But, here's the thing. I could curl up in a ball and just count the days until we move back. I could pout and whine (believe me I could! I'm really good at it, just ask my handsome hubby. I've got plenty of practice) Or I can make the most of our time here. There's no question I'm in a foreign land. I still feel like a fish out of water and like I live in a perpetual identity crisis. BELIEVE ME, I'm just as confused as you are, anonymous reader. But I'll be damned if I let this place crush my spirit. It's evolve or perish. And you've got a front row seat for the transformation. Watch while I grow into a new woman that can survive enjoy Chattanooga. Are you sitting down? Because, it would appear that the person I'm becoming needs a staple gun and a cast iron skillet. She thinks something is FAR AWAY when she has to drive more than 10 minutes. She's learning to navigate in a culture full of church people without rolling her eyes every few minutes (that one has been particularly difficult). But most importantly, she's appreciating what we've got here while still looking forward to the day that she can be reunited with the OLD Molly and become an even cooler lady by surviving this whole experience.

Yet Another Identity Crisis

I woke up this morning confused again. I’m confused about who I am, how I got where I am, and I’m unsure where I’m going. I look in the mirror and I don't recognize myself. I listen to my thoughts and they don't sound like me. It isn't that I don't like the woman that I see and hear now, she just isn't familiar.

When did I become half of a whole?
When did I start speaking in first person plural, "We'd love to" and "We have plans that night"?
When did I grow roots? And not just roots but roots in the SOUTH?
Since when do I care if I’m carrying my part of the household responsibilities?
When did I start looking forward to quiet nights at home? … several nights a week?
When did I stop thinking relatively and embrace absolute truths?
And why did voting nearly rip me in two?
It's awfully scary when you don't recognize yourself. It's confusing when you double take after every decision and statement you make. Talk about a difficult way to live. I surprise myself on a daily basis, and that gets pretty uncomfortable after awhile.