The benefits of a stockpile

In times like these when couponing for me becomes more second nature and I get by with no more than .80 for a box of name brand cereal, I like to remind myself why I work so hard to make that happen. Because let's face it if saving money this way was worth any measure of time and effort everyone would do it. Unlike many of you out there I have yet to have perfected any method for organization. I shop around an insane amount, tracking countless blogs and shopping sites and even *gasp* trying to come up with my own ideas at times. It's a lot of work, more than most sane people would spend and more than most of my fellow couponers will even consider spending.

Things are pretty tight this week and my grocery budget this week has gone from $100 to my personal savings or nothing. Normally I would be freaking out, but I look in my pantry and while I consider my stores to be lower than I like, I have 6 or more boxes of cereal (good because my kids insist on "combo" bowls with 2 or more kinds mixed in). It might seem that my milk stores are diminished but then I remember I have 2 more gallons waiting in the freezer if I can only time it right! And last but not least, I had a brief moment of fear when I saw how little paper towels were left on my counter, but I went into my storage and was overjoyed to see that I still have 2 and a half packages of paper towels and even more toilet paper! I can't even remember the last time I bought those.

Once again I have tangible proof of how good life can be, even when things are rough as long as you keep your stores up!