And this is why we do this...

[janniwanni54]

Since DH lost his part time job, money has really been tight. This month after bills were paid, about all the money I have left is going for gas and bare essentials. The next check will be a house payment, pretty much the whole check. So....we're living off the stockpile. Thank God I have one. I don't know how people manage that don't coupon and stock up. But doesn't it seem like the first thing you tighten up on is the grocery shopping when your money is less?

[Coupon_Queen]

I can't tell you how many years we lived that way. If I didn't coupon, we wouldn't have had enough. Military life slowly gets better, with better pay in sight. Thank God. But I will still continue to be diligent!

[lisabr]

That is so the truth!!! When DH was active duty at the begining, it was literally pay check to pay check, and with kids it's not easy! We were lucky if we had a dollar left in our pockets by the time next pay day came around every other week! I only couponed to feed us at each time I shopped, there was no money to stockpile back then. If it wasn't for cpns we would not have been able to stretch our dollar as far as we did. My kids of course never knew we didn't have much back then cause they always had what they needed, we made sure of that. And I think they still don't believe me totally that we were that broke back then, not that we are rolling in money now, far from the truth, but not hurting like back then. My DH has worked hard to get us were we are now! And as much as he teased me when I started cpning again, he is happy now that I am and that we have a stockpile started. He is even trying to find me new places around the house to put shelves. I have tried to get my DD24 into couponing but she just makes excuses like they don't have cpns in the papers where she lives in Florida, well I just don't if it's true or not, but I do know they don't have much, and they are living pay check to pay check. If she doesn't want to cpn I can't make her. When we went to visit a few weeks ago, I brought alot of stuff(bags and bags of stuff) from my stockpile to give her. She was so happy cause they needed the stuff! And it made me happy that I was able to give it to her!

[stylneffects]

That is so the truth!!! When DH was active duty at the begining, it was literally pay check to pay check, and with kids it's not easy! We were lucky if we had a dollar left in our pockets by the time next pay day came around every other week! I only couponed to feed us at each time I shopped, there was no money to stockpile back then. If it wasn't for cpns we would not have been able to stretch our dollar as far as we did. My kids of course never knew we didn't have much back then cause they always had what they needed, we made sure of that. And I think they still don't believe me totally that we were that broke back then, not that we are rolling in money now, far from the truth, but not hurting like back then. My DH has worked hard to get us were we are now! And as much as he teased me when I started cpning again, he is happy now that I am and that we have a stockpile started. He is even trying to find me new places around the house to put shelves. I have tried to get my DD24 into couponing but she just makes excuses like they don't have cpns in the papers where she lives in Florida, well I just don't if it's true or not, but I do know they don't have much, and they are living pay check to pay check. If she doesn't want to cpn I can't make her. When we went to visit a few weeks ago, I brought alot of stuff(bags and bags of stuff) from my stockpile to give her. She was so happy cause they needed the stuff! And it made me happy that I was able to give it to her!

What part of Fl is she in cuz I highly doubt they dont have coupons. Im in Deltona (between Orlando and Daytona Beach) and we have them. We dont get close to $0 oop bills but I know I have cut my spending to close to half from the time I started till now. I am 26 year old male and showing my mom up on the shopping and saving that she comes ask me for the deals this week lol! Dont let your daughter make those excuses!!!

[SleeplessBaker]

We have been living pay check to pay check for 5 years now. I have only been couponing for the last year. My husband makes $50 to much a month to qualify for food stamps. We only splurge when we get our tax return. Other than that we stick to $50 a week for groceries. We are praying that my DH gets this new job that will pay 4 thousand more per year. Couponing has saved us. I have built a good size stockpile that we could live off of for about 2 months if we lost our current income. And I save 50% or more each shopping trip all thanks to couponing and everyone here on Coupon Mom.

[floridaclipper]

lisabr - I second FL. We do have coupons. I'm in the Ocala area and depending on the week get the Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa, or Orlando paper. While we for the most part we don't have access to double coupons we do have true bogo. DD has been struggling financially for years. She hesitated for a while. Fast forward to this year and she's much more active. Even at work there was one who couponed at the location I transfered into. Yesterday several brought in their binders to show them off with pride. Give them time. Kudos to your DH for being so helpful with the shelving! I know of a local blogger that does a pretty good job and uses pricing from the tampa area. If that would be helpful I'll send you the info.


As far as why we do this you are so right. I am now able to help DD out some. I can get some want items vs just needs. I no longer have to run out and get something because I ran out. I just go to the stock pile. When a hurricane etc approaches no worries. I don't have to scramble to the store before the shelves are cleared. When an organization needs donations...I have it.

[lisabr]

My DD lives in Port Richey, Fl. And I think it's just either a lazy excuse on her part or she feels like she can't even afford a paper to get them. I know from our visit there (in Tampa) that the papers are only like .75 cents. Our papers here were I live is $2 each unless you get them in the dollar tree (like I do). And I can't believe in a smaller town like Port Richey that they are more expensive than in Tampa itself. I know she complains about their car not always running right, ect......, but I live 8 hrs away from her, I can't hold her hand with this, it's either she wants to do it or she doesn't. And she is expecting another baby soon too, she really needs to do something, cause I don't even think she is working much if at all right now. I just don't know how they are gonna make it the way they are now, but somehow they always seem to get by. She always seems to be happy when I send her some cpns from time to time, but not knowing what cpns she will use(I've asked and she won't tell me, it's always just whatever you send is fine), I hate to spend the time and money sending them to her if she isn't serious about it, you know? My sis lives in Tampa and she gets some awesome deals, so I know my DD can if she just put alittle effort into it.

Floridaclipper- I would appreciate the info! Thank you! I'll pass it on to my DD & my sis!