Saving money with coupons and refinding me

So here I am. I haven't written a post in over a month other than posting the HYC log in. And a few people have noticed and have asked why and a few people have given me a bit of a push and some encouragement and well just saying "hey I miss you"
The easy answer is to say that I've been working 7 days a week and its true but its not the whole truth.

Its hard to explain but when you write a blog about weight loss and healthy living and well...you aren't losing weight or living healthy, to post starts to feel like you're a charlatan. I look back and I lost count of how many "this is it" "I'm starting over" "I'm back" posts I've written. But then I thought to myself, who cares? People struggle, they fall down, they get back up again. I can do that too. No one will kick me when I'm down and if they do, maybe its a constructive kick. Maybe I need a kick in the right direction.

So where have I been? I've been on a little bit of a strange journey. I've discovered the wonderful world of saving money by using coupons and in doing so, I refound me. I have to admit the first few weeks I started saving money using coupons I went a bit nutso. Candy for 25cents or free, cookies for 50 cents and they're on sale buy one get one free so who can pass that up right? I let myself slip back into the world of highly processed food again. So why did I feel so bad? I had basically sent my body into a tailspin by giving it stuff it wasn't accustomed to eating anymore. I had sugar, I had packages of flavored rice and noodles that were 35 cents a bag/box, I ate WHITE RICE and I liked it and I was ok with that. Yes brown rice is still the main rice in my house but I don't have to always deny myself things I enjoy. There is a healthy balance and while white rice will not visit my plate often, it might still stop by once in a while.

Somewhere along the way, about week two or three I stopped and I realized that just because something is cheap or free doesn't mean I have to buy it. If its free I can get it and donate it to the local food bank but still part of me feels guilty for donating unhealthy food to the needy and keeping all of the healthy food for myself but thats a whole other post.

People tell me all of the time (and I was once one of those people) that they don't use coupons because they don't eat processed foods. Well let me tell you, I've bought a plethora of organic foods and green cleaning products. When you buy multiple items when its rock bottom price you can get enough to last months for the lowest price possible.

I have partners in crime with my couponing addiction. Natalia and Ashley. Natalia  took the true couponing class  first, I found out about it and talked Ashley  into going with me. At first it was overwhelming but now its become a passion to see just how much we can save. I swear we get a little bit of a high from saving so much money like last week when my total would have been $197.23 but I paid $32.88 (yes 32, not 132) after bogo and coupons. Yes I took a picture of my receipt and sent it to both of them and posted it on Facebook. I mean really? How can you not love that kind of savings in this economy! If you're in the Tampa Bay area, I highly recommend signing up for the class, its free and informative. If you're in the Orlando/Central Florida area, Clipping and Saving blog offers a class. If you aren't, there are lots of great sights out there with advice on saving. hotcouponworld.com is one of them and couponmom.com too or search for blogs on your favorite grocery store and look for a blog who writes about the deals.

I'm still taking advantage of couponing and saving money. I bought enough dishwasher soap, laundry soap, olive oil, canola oil, candles, air freshener, stain remover, window clean, deodorant, razors to last for months if not years and most of it was free (yes free) or so cheap that I can afford to spend money on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and pay extra for the organic foods that my body loves so much and still save at the end of every month.  And YES, I even find coupons for the organic foods and green cleaning products.


I also think that by using coupons to save so much money I've filled my pantry and freezer so full that I don't feel the need to binge anymore because there is always more than enough food to eat. I don't need to think about food so much anymore. I know that there will be another sale next week and there will be more good bargains.

It may seem basic and no I didn't grow up in a house where there wasn't enough food. In fact it was just the opposite. I grew up in a house where there was always plenty of food, where there was always enough. But my parents weren't so fortunate and they always always reminded us of how lucky we were to have so much food. I think it had a big impact in the way I view food today and is a piece of my puzzle.

So even if you think you can't save money with coupons because you don't eat processed foods, if you clean your house  wash your clothes, use makeup or wash your body you can save money on those things and afford the best of the healthy foods.

As for eating healthy and exercising, I'm back on track. As for blogging, I'm going to do my best.