During my time of feeling especially sick during this pregnancy, I simply stopped shopping. My husband was great about getting whatever we needed, despite his packed schedule. Being away from the kind of shopping I had been doing, which included using coupons at the grocery store and also doing the CVS, Rite Aid and sometimes Walgreens deals, gave me an opportunity to think about it more.
So far, I'm just back to shopping at Whole Foods. I have a hard time with smells still, and that seems to be the least smelly grocery store. I'm also being more careful about organics, keeping the baby in mind. So this leaves few couponing options.
I've been thinking about what I was best able to stock up on with the drugstore game - the toothbrushes were surely useful (I still have tons), but the toothpaste and other toiletries were not necessarily the kind of would have picked, and we have since decided we did not like some of them. Of course, since they were close to free, this is not a big issue. There is no question that being as well stocked as we were is part of why it was easy to make it through this difficult time - I haven't bought toilet paper since before I got pregnant, for example. But I'm not sure, overall, that we made out that well with this strategy.
I also found myself totally unable to deal with scented toiletries. This made me think about whether it's really good to be using them even when I'm feeling better. I think that likely, it's not.
I also found that my usual place to donate surplus food and toiletries has had major construction and hasn't been taking donations. I'm sure I can find someone who will take these items, but it's one more problem to deal with.
So, my new shopping plan: I will keep an eye on deals at the drugstores for things I will definitely use. I will focus on buying high quality foods and not just what I can get with coupons - back to saying no to things with artificial or unnecessary ingredients. It does cost more to buy your food at Whole Foods, but I found I somehow spent a bunch of money to "save" at the drugstores and regular grocery stores, so it hasn't been a huge problem. Plus, health is a priority for us right now, and it's worth it to spend a little more for better quality.
I think this plan, which will probably include shopping for very fresh produce more often, but fewer shopping trips on the whole, will work better when the baby comes too.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Different things work best at different times, and I think now is a season for greater simplicity.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
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5 comments:
I completely gave up on the drugstores when I was pregnant! I was too sick and tired to care. :-) I kept my eyes out for diaper scenarios, but that was it. Trust me, you will have more energy after this baby arrives to devote to the drugstores. I'm back at it and having fun again, and I don't regret taking a break at all.
I also tend not to use coupons for items I consider "junk". For example, I don't buy the Rice A Roni packets just because they are cheap or free with coupons and on sale. I may pick them up to donate, but too much salt and chemicals for me. If we end up in a tight financial situation, then any food is better than none, but right now I can afford to buy rice and add my own seasonings! ;-)
I think it is good to have the skills if and when you need to use them. But right now I keep my eyes peeled for great deals on good food even if it costs a tad bit more.
I was thinking about the diaper deals after I wrote this. I have never looked into them, but if it's worth it, I'll get back in the game then. :)
While I enjoy the CVS deals, I've never bought stuff we didn't need or like just for the sake of getting it cheap, free, or for more ECBs. For one thing, I don't want to deal with all the surplus. While I do stock up on such things as toothpaste and toothbrushes, I have never spent money on glucose monitors, diapers, or other things we don't use.
I tried going cheap by working the deals for toilet paper and such, but I wasn't happy with any of them, so I'm back to buying my favorite brand at Sam's Club. These things are only money savers if you actually use the products.
It's funny; I cut out a lot of coupons, but I've found that I really use only a few of them. Fresh fruits and veggies, hormone-free meats, and cage-free eggs never have coupons.
So true, Anne Marie. The stuff I want to eat rarely has coupons. And life is simpler without hunting the coupons down. Right now, at least, it seems a good trade off - though I may look into the diaper stuff as the baby's arrival approaches.
I'm a big "stock-upper." I think I got that from my mother. I have so many 24 roll packs of toilet paper on hand at any one time that I have to store them in the trunk of my car!
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