Thank-you Compassionate Conscientious Coupon Costumer

I just got back from the grocery store. I had to buy formula which I hate buying in the first place AND it's crazy expensive.* I got to the check out and whoa was the store busy. There were 15 items in my cart and granted I'm really REALLY fast at self check out. I do it everyday and I feel like a pro at it. I'm like lightening. Even so I hate it when people go thru the express lanes with more than 12 items (because most people move like turtles when they're checking out). I got into one of the LONG regular lanes. But I caved. I quickly back tracked and hopped into the self check out express lane. There were actually 4 of them open even though the regular lanes were swamped. Well to my surprise and sheer delight there was a $5 off formula coupon sitting on top of the lane. It was for the same formula I was buying. A box for $34.99 that's been lasting us about a week when someone doesn't decide to feed my child 20 bottles in 4 hours was now only $29.99. Oh, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you whoever you are!!! $5 just sitting there seems like a prize. $5 is soooo much money to me. Super Yay!

I've been noticing it alot lately. People actually leave coupons all over the store for stuff they aren't buying but have coupons for. It's really neat. It seems fairly new (or maybe I'm just noticing now). Normally I'd throw random pieces of paper away, I mean straightening up the store and making the stock look good is the main part of my job but nope, I never throw the randomly placed coupons away. Those babies are money. $5 cash (that I didn't have to take out of my spending envelope) in my case!

Average daily spending for the year so far: $12.96

My average spending is a bit up but I'm planning two NO SPENDs in a row and I did just get some dumb stock up items; toothpaste, toilet paper, ice cream bars : )
Here's hoping for 2 NO SPENDs!

*I know, who in the world buys formula when you're trying to stick to such a tight budget and pay off debts. Well it's a touchy subject for me and I must comment. I did nurse for 8 months. I wanted with all my heart to make it a year. I never made alot of milk. Like I was never sore like everyone says they get. I had to feed my little guy ALL THE TIME for the first few months and he was still really fussy, which a lot of people were suggesting was because he wasn't getting enough food. Once I returned to work I still nursed and pumped all the time. I didn't have one single real break for 5 months and I got really good at pumping while I drove. Yeah, probably not safe but it is what it is. Slowly the milk just came in less and less and less no matter what I did. By the 8th month there wasn't hardly any no matter what I did. It was heart breaking. I always knew I'd nurse my baby. I never ever thought there'd be a problem. But he completely weaned himself by 8 months old. He just wasn't getting anything. It kind of makes me mad. It totally makes me sad but I just have to tell myself, "I have a very healthy, happy baby boy, and I tried my hardest." Now I'm buying formula for $34.99 a box every week. Yipee.