In case some of you were wondering- I decided not to go shopping this week. We had a last minute Easter dinner at our house so I wasn’t really able to plan a good trip. I just headed into Raley’s, which had the best price on ham and spent $46 on Easter dinner for 11 people which I thought was pretty darn good considering I didn’t use any coupons. We had a really nice dinner too including ham, potatoes, carrots, salad, asparagus and dessert.
So this week we are eating out of the pantry mostly to kind of make up for it and also just so I can clear things out.
I did hit CVS on Sunday for a gallon of milk and paid .60 + $2.30 in ECBs. Today I went to Sprouts to get the sale on Horizon Organic milk. So here was my quick and thoroughly unexciting trip:
1 gallon Horizon milk $4.50
Organic eggs $.79 (!) these expire in 4 days so they were marked down but what a deal!
6 pints of blackberries .50 each (who could resist that! such a deal!)
And I just have to mention that someone left a comment yesterday asking why I have a dog when we are so poor we have to use coupons- or something to that effect. I just wanted to clarify our family can afford groceries. I try to stick to a $50 budget as a choice not a need. We simply like to spend our money on things we want and to have a nice savings account and lots of other things. If we needed something this week, I would have purchased it. I had a lot of random items that I wanted to use up which provided a nice excuse to skip the stores and allowed me to stick to my budget.
So total spent this week was $46 + .60 + $8.39=$55
Charlene,
Your answer to that comment about your dog was right on. I have always wondered how to explain to people that I don’t coupon because I am poor. Yes, money is tight, but if we want other food, we get it. Thank you for answering questions so politely. I enjoy reading your blog daily!
ha! don’t you just love being judged! hehe!
there you go girl… always elegant and polite… but do not justify for being efficient and intelligent… you are the smart one… keep up with your excellent blog… I love it!!!
I’m sorry, but the dog comment was so funny I had to read it out loud to my husband …. I have two dogs who eat super expensive food AND I use coupons. Coupons/sales allow me to stay at home with my daughter, have a savings account and afford other things we WANT – so it’s well worth the work to me!!! I dislike when people assume I use coupons, because I am poor. Good for you for taking the time to explain your reasoning, when in fact it wasn’t even necessary…..
Charlene, I love how real you are. I wonder why some folks assume that if we use coupons we are poor. I believe the average income of a family that coupons is 70k and has a college degree. I coupon to save money–money that I then spend for college accounts for our girls, paying off our house faster, vacations, fun things. I also coupon because it is really fun for me to see what I can get for free or at a really low price. I also like the challange of couponing for presents–easter baskets, stockings, birthdays. My dog has gotten more treats since I coupon than she ever did before!!! Thanks for all you do Charlene!!!
Ha- Kim- I use coupons to pay for that college degree 😀 Both of them 😉
I hate that people assume that couponing is for the poor. We coupon by choice, not need. We are looking forward to having our house paid off in the next few years thanks to coupons! You go girl!
Don’t need to be poor to use coupons, using coupons is a smart way to shop… i work at papa johns pizza store and most of the people driving luxury cars that stop at the store use coupons all the times… =)
Thats a pretty rude comment for someone to have left. I appreciate that you take your time to show us how to save money. We are a Marine family with 2 young children and I can use all the help with coupons I can get. By stockpiling and setting a limit on what we spend weekly we can actually afford things we want without putting it on credit cards. I check your site multiple times a day and I am so thankful you take the time to help us. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
Yikes. Thanks for addressing the “dog issue” in such a professional way. I have to say, I’d be insulted, like the commenter was saying that only “rich” folks should have dogs? What a ridiculous thought! Thanks for sharing.
I love how you responded to that person’s comment. I wasn’t even aware until an article you linked to that most people that use coupons are higher income families. It’s just a smarter way to shop, which lets you use your money for things you choose to buy, not things you have to buy. I love your site and I really appreciate all the time you take to put these posts together for us. You’ve saved me so much money! Thanks for all your hard work to help people you don’t even know!
I came here to comment on the price of a gallon Horizon milk, here in TX we get it for no less than $6…..and boy there is so much already happening here. Don’t you just love being judged sometimes 😉
I missed that comment but it is no one else’s business to judge your spending/couponing/ability to afford pets, especially when you put all of this work into keeping up this website to provide us with up to the minute deals so that we can all save as much money as possible! Plus, if they don’t like something, they don’t have to read your blog, no one is forcing them to!!
Let me just say, I’m thankful for your dog and every other member of your family!! Your site has helped me save so much this past year and in turn, has allowed my family to enjoy a few more luxuries. Thanks for all you do! Oh, and good job on feeding 11 for $46….heck, good job on feeding 11 people!! Entertaining that many people would make me break out in hives from anxiety!
that person was just a troll… don’t even give that jerkwad a second thought. you are laughing all the way to the bank.
I’m with Catherine !!!!! It does amaze me what poeple say and why the need to make a rather rude comment for what reason I’m not sure. But without myfrugeladventures I would be lost, ill equipt and poor !!!! So thank you for all you do !!!
One word: ignorance. 🙂
Holy crap someone said that?! Wowee….hate to say it, but I think we’re the most “well off” out of all our friends and I’m like the only one who uses coupons. Whatever….we get to spend more money on date night, don’t have to skimp on vacation, and get to do lots of fun stuff because I don’t overspend on razors and toothpaste. My husband makes more than enough money for me to stay home with our daughter (and our dog AND cat AND fish ;]) but why spend money you don’t have to? I’m no sucker!
I am always amazed how people feel that they have the right to make any comment that comes to their mind….unbelievable. I would not even try to educate those that make ridiculous assumptions about WHY people coupon and what kind of life they should lead (dogless?). Of course not all people who coupon fit a particular demographic, but many of us did start because of financial pressure of different types. I now make 3 times what I made when I started couponing 5 years ago – but I still coupon, and yes, I have a well-fed dog.
Wow I can’t believe someone said that but so glad you did address it and in a professional manner. Although my family is not rich I don’ think your choice of disciplining yourself to a life stye in savings justifies your class, I wonder what their IQ is. lol. I may not be well off but I am so glad that I have found sites such as yours to help discipline my families budget and way of living. Coming from a family living pay check to pay check now I have the tools to help save and create a better living style for my kids and I have no shame in that. Even to have a stockpile to help my families with is such a blessing in it’s own. I can’t believe someone can be so rude and thoughtless to the fact that people are trying to make a living and provide for their own any means neccessary. I plan to share these tips with my kids as they grow because I want them to know no matter how far in life they go successful or not…don’t forget where they come from and to appreciate what they have. I don’t care if you can afford to spend $200 for a bag it’s apart of knowing what you need and appreciating it, you put the value of what things mean to you. God Bless
wow.. so suddenly when u have less income you should get rid of your dog? dog=family. using coupon is smart. if it’s out there for anyone to take advantage of, why not? we put in time and effort, it is definitely not free. especially for those handful of people like Charlene who donates lot more to share. no, i don’t have a pet, not because we can’t afford it, because we chose not to, it wouldn’t be fair for the dog if i can’t take care of him/her because of our baby daughter. i am very grateful that people like Charlene is sharing the info with us, otherwise i would be still paying for full price of expensive shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, diapers, and get less educational/recreational toys for my daughter. all of us can sacrafice something in there life for something more important. with couponing it makes little easier.
I personally don’t have tons of money (others may even be shocked on how much we live on). Coupons and other money saving tools help us stretch our money. Is it really that important if someone has money or not? Money and things don’t make someone poor or rich. I feel rich and blessed without much money. I am sure you feel the same with or without money. We are all very thankful for what you do and your positive attitude!!
charlene, i love couponing for the money i save and its actually a natural high for me. my husband knows when i go out with my coupons i’m always coming back in a great excited mood. happy wife happy home. I am a stay at home mother of five. we have a 38 room house/mansion whatever your preference is and my husband works so hard so we can have all this that its my part on helping out a little. it teaches my kids such good habits to. they know they can’t have everything they see but when they want something they always say hey mom do you have a coupon for this so we can get it.
I have to say that comment was just down right rude! I am a mother of three whos husband works and makes good money, but some months are harder than others! I had a stroke in 2001, and now was diagnosed with crps1/rsd and have not worked since Jan 09, and lets say waiting for SSI is no fun, but I also have a 1 1/2 year old Doxie and a 3 month old Doxie. Does this comment mean I dont deserve the because of my income? People need to stop judging others, those people are why our world is so darn bitter! I couldnt tell you how much money I have saved since being out of work but every dollar does count, and even if I were working, Id still be couponing! I think those people get bent outta shape cause they are po’ed that they were not smart enough to save…example, I was at target a few weeks ago and my total was like 30 something, but with all my coupons it came to like under 10 bux!!!! How sweet, but the ladt behind my was taping her heels….my impression was that she was thinking “y didnt I do that” haha! Thanks for all u do!!!
wow that has to have been a troll. I’ve never seen a troll show up on here but i guess it happens to everyone. Personally I would love to have a pet for company! 🙂
Hi Charlene! I read your site several times a day and love it! Thanks to you I was able to afford a Kinect! My husband and I both work full time and we have an 8 month old daughter who is formula fed. We are not “poor” and we coupon because we enjoy it and because we want to buy our daughter and ourselves fun things! I am so glad you are here helping all of us. Thank you!!
I can’t even imagine thinking that let alone saying it! I have 2 round rescued dachshunds, that can only eat pricey food due to allergies. I couponed long before I had the dogs, am not rich but do not consider myself poor. There is always someone who has more or less, and that can change suddenly either way. Good for you for not replying in kind, but setting them straight.
Like everyone else, I am shocked someone would say that to you! Your response was spot on. Like most people reading this site, I coupon and look for deals so that I can spend my income on things that matter to me such as staying home with my children, savings for college and retirement, private school for my kids and travelling. Your choice to have a dog is 100% your choice and I thank you for helping us all have the freedom to make the same kinds of choices!
I can not believe the audacity and lack of tact some people have. Thank you for sharing all of your deals with us we appreciate it!
WOW! First let me say yours is one of my favorite blogs! (You rock)! I coupon because It’s a great way to get everything we want/need for a great price. I don’t need to do it I chose to do it! Thank you for all you do!
Crazy what some people will do or say to try to bring somebody down. Well we are all very glad to have you on our side Charlene from what we can see from your grocery trips your pooch is fed very well.
Clearly, that person didnt read your ‘About Me’ page, where you have mentioned that you save, to splurge a bit on other important things in life!
people say the same thing about us not having so many kids if we are so poor! ha! but we actually do NEED to coupon to make it each month. we are a family of 6 on one salary, i stay home because we feel that it’s worth any sacrafices we need to make for these precious years of our kids’ lives. but i am proud that i can do this and make it possible to live on a little. and most of all…i love that it frees us up to be even more generous with our giving for people who have less than us! we appreciate this blog so much…and as you can read…so do tons of others!!
LOL – so well said Charlene. I literally laugh when people think that coupons are for people who are poor. They don’t realize that coupons ARE money and by using them, you’re actually better of financially than they are!
Like all the other posters above me, I totally agree…I didn’t see the comment but just have to say that your response was awesome! You are an awesome lady that helps so many of us save money. For anyone to make a comment like that is just judgmental and rude! You have so many supporters! We love what you do and why you do it really is nobody’s business…we all have personal reasons for shopping with coupons…either because we want to save for something else, pay off debt, save $$..whatever! Those are individual choices and yes, many people use coupons that are poor…and good for them! But not everyone is poor that uses them and whatever the reason, it’s a free world and we are all trying to manage a budget and work on our own goals.
I love your response to the negative comment. This is why I coupon as well – to have a nice savings account, etc. People are such idiots sometimes. I am new to reading your blog – and I love it! Thanks so much!
I too have had plenty of people say negative comments (to my face) about coupons. finally I realized It take someone with Brains, and Patients to be able to do all that we do and that is being rich in my opinion. Because of you showing me about coupons everyday on your blog I’m able to stay home with my three boys, and go to school full time, all by choice!
As always your attitude is perfect. Thanks for blogging and please never let the random negative Nellys get you down!
Wow! I have to agree w/ every comment above. Also, can I say WOW .50 for blackberries! they were 3.99 at my store today. Thanks for all you do.
I’m amazed at what people will type but not even say to your face! Maybe this person needed to go the meeting we just had at the high school on PROPER ETIQUETTE for the internet and FB.
Thanks everyone. I may have misunderstood the question from the person or maybe they were concerned I couldn’t afford to feed the dog ;P Also, I do act like a stinker from time to time myself when I lose my patience on MFA so que sera sera. I just wanted to make sure no one thought we were eating nothing but Ramen Noodles this week or something.
I find it interesting that people would assume that… I’m pretty sure I read an article some time ago that talked about people and coupons… And you know what they found? Those that are considered more “well-off” are more likely to use coupons than those that are poor. The stereotype and stigma that come from using coupons actually causes less poor people to use them because they don’t want to be considered “poor”. I grew up poor and both my husband and I have college educations and we love a good deal… and coupons! You go girl for handling that comment in such a professional way. 🙂
So sad that you even had to get an email like that. If each person would mind their own business, just think of the extra time they could devote to the things that matter— taking care of our families, for example– which includes couponing!
Thanks for all you do. You are a great help to our budget.
You were so polite about your answer. If I were you I would have told them I kept the dog around in case us “poor” people ever had to eat him! Whats wrong with poor anyway? I’d rather be poor and happy then rich and miserable 🙂
LOL Marie! I dunno- our dog is 130lbs. He might eat us first 😉
I am astounded just like everyoe else that people think this way. I love your blog and am so grateful for all you do! My daughter is 19 months and has had a lot of health problems and my husband just got out of the military. We live with family right now and while we dont have a ton of money with my staying home with her until after she has surgery…her second surgery before she turns two, mind you… Couponing makes it a lot more possible to save and help out with things here with family!