Who am I? Part 2

This is a REPOST from this past Summer.  You can also read Part 1 of the “Who am I?” series HERE.

The following question was one that is near and dear to my heart, so please take my words from experience.

If you missed the other parts to this series you can read about them here and here.

Chantal asked:

“Did you find it difficult to get into the deal finding at first? I started maybe 2 months ago and I have already stopped once. I just get overwhelmed and am busy with so many other things (school, 2 boys, and all the housework, plus I am pregnant so I have been tired lately) Then my husband leaves periodically for military humanitarian work. I am having a hard time keeping it going and I was wondering how it was for you and how long it took for you until it became like second nature?”

Chantal, thank you so much for asking this question.  As soon as I read it, it brought me back to two years ago when I first found out I was pregnant with my daughter.  It took me 2 years to get pregnant with my daughter after we miscarried our 2nd child, I was so happy to be pregnant after years of praying and longing.  I had quit my job to be a stay at home mom with my son, about 8 months earlier and that is when I got into coupons (read more about that in my next “Who Am I?” post).  I had been feeding my family of 3 on $40 per week.  I was a coupon master, spending so little money at CVS and getting to build up a huge stockpile.  I started to teach coupon seminars in Charlotte, NC and was a MASTER at couponing.  I ate and breathed coupons, my mind was a running coupon tracker. I knew every coupon I had, how many, and the expiration date.  It was CRAZY!

Then I found out I was pregnant with my daughter.  I was so excited!!  YEARS of praying and I was FINALLY pregnant.  I had all these plans of stocking up on diapers and baby formula.  Seven weeks into my pregnancy, my life got a little different. All I wanted to eat was fast food and twinkies (no joke!!).  I was really tired and even the thought of coupons made me go into a cold sweat.  I would try to go coupon shopping when I was pregnant, but could not even get into the door without having a mental breakdown. This lasted for pretty much my whole pregnancy, thankfully I was able to pull it together a little bit towards the last few weeks of my pregnancy and stock up on some diapers.

It took me almost a full year and a half to get back into using coupons the way that I had when I first found out I was pregnant.  Little did I know, that 5 days after I had my daughter we would find out we were moving back to NY in a few months.  I did not have time to think about coupons, or use them.  We ate out a lot, I shopped at Aldi’s a lot, and sent my husband to the grocery store so I wouldn’t feel ‘guilty’ paying the full price for food.

We got by. Due to my crazy couponing from the years prior, I did not have to buy a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, razor, or any other toiletry for over a year and a half.  This was because of the stockpile that I had built shopping the Drug Stores and using coupons!

Coupons are meant to be a blessing, there are times in your life when you may get overwhelmed.  They are meant to work for you and to be fun!  There are instances where you NEED to use them because there is no other way.  I wanted to encourage everyone that this is not a competition, there are no awards for the best coupon queen.  If coupons are stressing you out, then maybe you need to take a break.  Whenever I take a break from coupons (I do every once in a while,) I always come back with more energy and excitement than before.

As far as the part of how it became second nature to me, it takes time.  Years of couponing will do that to you, it does take work though.  Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens are a game to me, I like to figure out how to get the least amount of stuff for the cheapest price.  This if fun for me, when I have the time to do it.

Chantal, have grace on yourself.  I am sure there are other women out there that think “I wish I could do that as good as her.” .  We all have different seasons in our lives, and our money is supposed to glorify God in all things.  If we are stressed out so much by coupons, it that glorifying?  Take a second to re-think why you are using coupons.  Don’t get me wrong, I DO think that everyone should be using coupons because they are FREE money.  However, some seasons you may have more time, some season you may have more energy. Just remember to take it easy on yourself.  There is no RIGHT way to coupon. The only RIGHT way is what works best for you and your family at that time!