There was a great guest post on DealSeekingMom this morning from blogger, Sharon at Good, True and Beautiful, called “Saving Money, The Learning Curve.”
I think Sharon makes several important points for new couponers- most importantly setting realistic goals and being patient with yourself.
This can be an overwhelming process and I have lots of bad days too! Even the most experienced person can get thwarted by a nasty or ignorant cashier. There have been many times when I have been ready to throw up my hands and give up on this process. Ultimately the money we are saving and the upgrade to our lifestyle makes it worthwhile to me to continue on this journey.
When I got laid off in February, we decided to cut our weekly budget from $50 to $30. I thought for sure we’d be eating Top Ramen several days a week, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how far I have been able to stretch those dollars! We increased the budget a tiny bit but overall I find the more I challenge myself, the more creative I have become. I am also reminded of Dave Ramsey’s advice- which is to look at yourself as an employee when managing your money. If you were the boss would you fire yourself?
I will be posting another article soon in my tips for new couponers on how to maximize savings without using coupons. I think living within or below your means goes way beyond the grocery store so stay tuned for my upcoming series on how to give generous gifts while on a tight budget. If you missed part one of the series for new couponers- click here.
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