Couponing: Is it worth it?

The people that know me best will tell you I'm a research fiend. Need a paper shredder or new small appliance? How about the cheapest T's of the season? (Ladies, you could get them for $3 a piece at Old Navy last weekend. Sorry, I forgot to tell you.) How bout a new piece of furniture?  Craigslist is da bomb.  Yep, I might even check it daily for a new refrigerator, range, dishwasher for the house that we don't even own yet.... actually, that has slowed.  I can, in fact, come to grips with reality when the situation requires.

But the point is, if I need/what something, I research it. To death. To my death.  Yes, it turns into a vicious, addictive, terrible-for-me cycle that I get caught up in. I'll find a thing- anything of interest- an appliance, a hobby, a piece of furniture, a program, a fad- I'm not terribly picky. And I'll research it. And research it.  And then, once I've learned everything there is to know about said thing, I'll find another source (or two) just to make sure I'm not missing anything.  By this time, I usually consider myself an expert in said thing- which, mind you, I've never actually, experienced/used/owned.  So, in my proud ignorance and arrogance, I become tired of reading about/hearing myself talk about all the ins and outs of said thing, and (naturally) forget about it within a few days.  This break is usually semi-intentional, semi-necessitated by the normal things of life (work, eating, socializing, showering... you know).  But, once a few days have gone by, I'll come back to said thing, contemplate if I still really need/want it, decide that if fact I don't need it (which I really already knew prior to all the research), and Wallah!  Time to move on to the next thing. I realize that this hole researching cycle is totally ridiculous, a complete waste of time, and often becomes an idol, but hang with me.  Occasionally, there is a bit of value in all this craziness.

Every now and then I realize that 'said thing' might actually be worth buying/picking up/making a go at.  Couponing at CVS has recently become one of those things.

My initial skepticism of couponing went something like this:

• Couponing will probably lure me into buying things I would otherwise not buy (ie. drinks, candy, expensive(er) make up, air freshener etc.)
• The time I spend "prepping" for couponing could be put to way better use (ie. spending time with Andrew, working, visiting with friends, all the typical housework stuff...researching another "said thing")
• Even with coupons, my grocery bill would probably still be less if I just continued shopping at Aldi for everything.

However, I then thought about the things I normally don't buy at Aldi- namely toiletries, which I usually get at Costco or Walmart.  These things are usually not available in generic (or are, but I prefer the name brand).  As I researched (mostly at thekrazycouponlady.com), I learned that people often buy toiletries for pennies at drugstores, and my negative bent towards couponing began to change.

I now believe:

• Couponing can help me steward the Lord's money well.
• The area of my grocery budget where I typically have the hardest time saving (ie. toiletries), may the area where couponing efforts would result in the most payoff.
• There is way less "prep work" involved in couponing than I thought- maybe an hour per week tops?  This is mostly thanks to sites like thekrazycouponlady.com, where someone else points out what the best deals are for me.
• If I start couponing only at CVS, I may reap the benefits of couponing without becoming overwhelmed and having to stop at a bagillion different grocery stores.... it may eventually come to that, but probably not.

So, here's the goal:  Every week, I will plan a few items that are worth couponing for at CVS.  I'll only pick the items that The Krazy Coupon Lady marks with the little icons denoting that the deal is good enough to  stock up for a 3-6 or 6-8 month supply of).  This will keep me from spending more than necessary, and any extra we accumulate we will be able to donate.  I'll record my plan and my actual results on this blog.  Recording it here will help me stay focused and will help any of you who may be interested in not-so-extreme couponing see what couponing in a less-than-extreme fashion may look like.  For a little coupon basics just Google "coupon blog" and see what you can find.  There are TONS of resources out there.  Just don't spend 2 days researching it.... uhem, like me.

Here goes!