Frapps & Freebies & Coupons for Cancer (or "Wow, I type too much...")

I haven't blogged in a few days, so I'm doing double-duty by posting something and dialing down the stress-o-meter after a full day of shopping. As many of you know, this is one of the most Blessed of Times for us coupon-a-holics. Yes, our wonderful Harris Teeters are TRIPLING coupons again! It seems they are tripling nearly every month lately. One manager (Pisgah Church store for the locals - aren't they the best???) told me last year that they were thinking of doing this "because of the economy, we just want to help our customers out however we can." Am I the only one that has chills reading that?? Seriously, for a huge corporation to actually CARE about their customers these days is pretty amazing. Yes, I'm sure they rake in a lot during triples events, but I say let 'em rake it! And here's why...

In the past two days, I got $472 worth of groceries for $133 and change. I used to spend more than $133 a WEEK on groceries (I don't like to think about those dark days, but it's part of who I am that I need to accept. LOL) With what I got today, we have enough food to last several months.

In case you missed it - that's $339 worth of FREE FOOD (and some cleaning/paper goods in there too).

Ok, so we didn't really "need" all of the things I bought. BUT, I'm not one of those people that buys stuff just because it's cheap or free, either. I got mostly things that have a long or no expiration dates (rice, beans, condiments, frozen foods, cleaning products, paper goods). I don't have yard sales to sell my excess. Not that there's anything at all wrong with that - couponing is hard work when you do it well!! I just don't have storage space or the time to deal with pricing and sorting stuff. Maybe one day I will, though. ;)

What I do - store what I can, wherever I can. LOL My 16yo daughter told me I had officially gone off the deep end when I took over a drawer in one of her dressers to put excess Pantene shampoos and conditioners and Planters nuts last year. (Hey! They were FREE!!!!) But, now my laundry room is full (wonder how long it'll take to use up 27 boxes of Electrosol - anyone want to start a pool?), I have enough laundry detergent to, hopefully, last until the end of 2009 - that's my goal, anyway. We have enough Wacky Mac and Knorrs Side Dishes that my family is going to go into a carb coma one day. And hubby better love mustard, cuz he's got plenty for his sandwiches now! :) My plan is to spend this evening re-organizing all my storage space and getting better organized. It's gotten a little messy and it's grating on my OCD nerves.

I also try to give away what I don't need to those who do. If there is a friend that I know is struggling, I like to offer to help with a couple of bags of food. I've been there, I've wondered how I'd make my dollar stretch until payday with a few little mouths to feed. And there was always someone there to lend a helping hand. I'm just paying it forward. I hope all of my coupon pals do the same now and then (I know that many already do - if you don't, please consider it). "There, but by the Grace of God, go I..." My kids and their friends also love to go "shopping" at my house. Of course, they never seem to PAY for anything they "buy", but I guess the smiles and hugs are more than enough for me. :)

On a semi-funny note: Does anyone else go into a sort of little panic mode when you see something is running "low"? We have exactly 9 rolls of toilet paper left. I know this because I somehow let us get down to ONE roll the other day ~hears gasps from couponing friends~ and had to make a dash to get a 6-pack before triples started - drat! Hey, that's what happens when you only buy something a couple of times a year (or get it free a couple of times a year)! You tend to forget that you might need to buy it again in a few months. Whenever I think about it, I get this little ...shudder... (for lack of a better word). Like "OMG, what if I don't find a sale before we run out??" I hate to pay full price for anything anymore, but I have to keep reminding myself that there's always another sale just around the corner. Just gotta keep my eyes open and coupons ready... cuz that TP is disappearing one flush at a time!

Anyway, I had said I wasn't going back to the store, because we're all stocked up on everything now. BUT, then I remembered that my wonderful friend, Linda Tenenbaum, is sending me a bunch more coupons that should be here tomorrow. Linda is AMAZING! If you ever need coupons, email her: Coupons4Cancer@aol.com. She collects donations for the American Cancer Society in exchange for her time clipping, sorting, and mailing coupons to those who need them. She takes no money for herself, and gives every single penny to ACS! Get your coupons & a tax deduction at the same time. :)

Included in that envelope are 18 coupons for Viva paper towels, that will make them FREE, and which we desperately need to keep on hand for our pup Bebo (aka "Pee-bo") since he's still not 100% recovered from his IVDD yet. So, looks like I'm back to HT tomorrow...just for a few more things. :)

If you've read this far, you're probably wondering what frapps have to do with any of this. Well, I've been sipping on a Starbucks Frappucino while I typed this...it was free, of course. :)