I wasn’t going to link up to Works for Me Wednesday today.
I’ve been sharing my short-term plans that will hopefully have long-term benefits in 2011 this week, so I didn’t feel like I had anything that was proven to share as a tip.
But then, I saw that the theme this week is what doesn’t work.
I can do that. And I can do that with a post I had planned anyway.
I threw away 21 pounds of coupons.
Yes, I weighed them. Because, you know, I’m a slob-blogger and someone might be interested in knowing the exact weight of my trash.
I love coupons and I love what they can do to stretch and reduce a grocery budget. But they take time. LOTS of time, and I am short on that right now.
The fact is, this is not a rash decision. Since last September, when my normal grocery shopping routine was changed by my daughter’s dance class meaning that we couldn’t stay in the “big town” and shop after our Bible Study, I just haven’t used them. Occasionally, I’ve gathered a few coupons together and tried, but without the regular rhythm and regular motivation to keep them organized, it was very difficult.
So, I thought long and hard, and then made the announcement to my husband that he should stop getting the double paper on Sundays. See, we can get a single paper for 3.00, and a double for 5.00. But the double just means that many more coupons going to waste, not to mention the extra 2.00 a week.
Since he’s an avid Sunday paper reader, I’m going to go ahead and keep the one set of coupons, so I could use them if something came up.
Or I could throw away 10.5 pounds of coupons in four months.
Can I say that it’s very freeing? Saving something that I could use is only a good thing if I’m actually going to use it. If I save it, and I know in my heart of hearts that I’ll never use it, it’s just a big guilt-monkey on my back.
I hope to get back to using coupons once I’m in my next season of life that will begin in the fall, but for now . . . I want to enjoy this season to its fullest.
And hey, for now, maybe I can use that basket for . . . . ummm . . . laundry?
Please note that I actually put the coupons in the recycling bin, but the word “trash” had a better poetic sound for my purposes.
I completely understand. I use to be crazy at the drugstore coupon game, but when my third baby was born in my first year of homeschooling, it was difficult for me to find the right time to do it without taking away from something else of importance. For a while, I felt guilty about it all, but then I just made the decision that it wasn't working in my life anymore, and we could deal with the few extra dollars in the grocery budget. Moving on and letting go is good.
I love that you weighed the coupons! 🙂
Should I tell you how many coupons I've thrown away in the last 4 months? Well… I actually HAVE used some. What I WILL tell you though, is that my MIL has this nasty pile of coupons YEARS OLD on a chair in her (filthy) dining room. I have no idea what she's saving them for. They expired YEARS ago.
I commend you for knowing your limitations and getting rid of what you don't need!
Okay, I guess I must have a problem, too, because when I saw that you threw all those coupons away, the first thing I thought was, "For the love of Gumby! Did you at least go through them first?!" Yeah.
I have a problem too because I was thinking "Where can I go and rescue these abandoned coupons?!?!"
I am sure I have at least 10 pound of coupons at my house to throw away!
You are so brave!! I just can't do it. I don't think I'm as serious of a couponer as you were but I can't give it up just yet. You have inspired me, though. I had been considering canceling our subscription to the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday editions of our local paper for several reasons. Thanks to your example, I did it. I will still get my mom's coupons from her but I won't have several unread newspapers to deal with.
I cut and keep coupons ONLY for items I buy already. I put a * next to that item on the grocery list to remind myself that I have a coupon and I write the quantity (any, x2, 24 oz, ect) next to the star. So, I may only save $2-3 a week but it's on stuff I buy anyway and only if I remember to put the coupons in my wallet AND if I remember to hand them to the clerk at checkout. But it makes me feel like I'm doing "something" as far as saving money 🙂
Store your Q's in a file by date or a plastic sleeve again by date. When I first started couponing I used the plastic sleeve method. It worked great! When I would make out my list based on email blogs I would get, I would look for the 3/20 RP and cut what Q I needed. We have ONLY one newspaper delivered on Sunday's ONLY and that's it! Here and there I may find others, but for a family of three we don't need more. My stockpile, especially my health and beauty stockpile, is full! So, now, I'm down to only getting items for FREE or next to FREE that's it! Good for you to throw them away! One day I set aside time to revamp and clean out my couponing binder and it felt great! Great to have all the expired Q's removed and overall orangized. I no longer file my inserts (and would if I needed too), but have made a committment that when my dh and ds are sitting as a family watching tv on Sunday evening I set on the couch and cut my Q's. Usually its only two or three inserts as you all know at the most. Pretty quick and simple. BUT, if I don't, then the pile starts and I don't want that. Lastly, I had various storage containers and one being those plastic magazine holders (where you store magazine upright). I found a thrift store shelf that I have on my vertical storage cabinet. I keep my binder under the shelf and now keep the magazine holder on top with ALL the sale, grocery and drug store add in it WEEKLY. Once the week is over, I don't even look at it again, I grab them all and DUMP them in the trash. For me, it's nice to have these all in one area and not on my kitchen table, hutch or stacked in a rocking chair gathering dust in my living. FREEDOM! 🙂 Good luck to you
You could let the littlest one try out her scissors skills on the coupons and you could sort them as she does them. As a teen, my mom used to pay me to sort through her coupons and ditch the expired ones. I got her one of the coupon holders with plastic dividers for categories and that worked pretty well.
amen! letting go of stuff is soooooo freeing!
Anyone who doesn’t use their coupons should consider sending them to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia. They rescue exotic animals and give them lifetime homes in natural free roaming habitats. They run 100% on donations and it’s free to visit them. They said they can use coupons for about anything. Check out their facebook page!
Just wanted to drop by and tell you how much I appreciate your blog. Love seeing how you post with humour, and also think so similarly to myself. Really helps me stop and think, as I try to reach for my organization and decluttering goals 🙂
The container method you talk about really has helped me compartmentalize, and prioritize my organization. Actually talked about it yesterday in my most recent blog post, and how it inspired me when I reorganized my front school room (we homeschool and have a ridiculous amount of school supplies etc.)
Definitely love the concept about ‘what doesn’t work’ today as well.
I’m thinking if a given thing doesn’t ‘pay its’ rent’ in my house, it’s not gonna get to stay in my house as well.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I save my coupons to send to military bases overseas- they’re allowed to use coupons for 3-6 mo after expiration (I hear different reports on that).
But I never send them. 🙁 So, once in a while, I throw them all away, feeling twice the guilt.
When I was actively clipping coupons, I would go through them and weed out the expired ones. I don’t have time for any of that now. I was buying too much un-healthy food when I did use coupons.