Joining the ranks of the "couponnoisseurs"

I hate going to the grocery store. For years, I've shopped for food by the "grab and go" method - going in, getting the same thing I always get, spending as little time as possible in each aisle, and getting the heck out of there as soon as the receipt prints.

To me, coupons seemed like A) something I would always forget to bring on my madcap sprees (due to my always-distracted brain), and B) not worth the extra time spent under the harsh fluorescents. I figured it was worth the additional $0.50, $1.00, whatever, added onto my monthly food bill - as long as I could get out of there asap.

So, when I met Jenn, I soon found out that she has quite an intricate coupon system. She snips, organizes, sorts and makes lists. It sort of blew my mind. No joke - I was fascinated by her methodology, and to be honest, a little jealous. I didn't know if I'd ever have the patience to spend that much time on little slips of paper.

BUT! Here's the thing I soon discovered: Those little slips of paper are FREE MONEY!

Now that Jenn and I are living together and sharing the food bill (and the coupons), I am being initiated into the ranks of Those Who Stand In The Middle Of The Aisle Looking For That Coupon That We Totally Cut Out For Life Cereal, Dang It. I remember our first big shop at the store...I was a little skeptical of the coupon usage, but Jenn's system, remarkably, worked! Coupons we needed were located quickly and efficiently. (I'll let her explain her system herself. It seems complicated.) And the thing that I was most afraid of - buying things I didn't need - really didn't happen.

The cool thing about Giant Eagle is that they print the total dollar amount and the percentage you saved on your bill at the bottom of the receipt. I must admit I got a little giddy (yeah, I know) when I saw "You Saved 19%" right there in black and white.

After seeing the savings, and seeing it equate to money I didn't just spend, I feel better about the whole coupon thing.

And it kind of feels like a fun game. With actual rewards. So maybe the grocery store's not too bad after all.