Brand Names

So, to do my part to economize, I started clipping coupons. I even got a very inexpensive organizer and had things filed away by store and item (breakfast, dessert, cleaning product, etc.) This seemed like a great time to learn, pick up something new, AND due my part for our household economy.
I have failed. And I feel pretty good about it.
For starters, I am brand specific. This is no great surprise if you remember I hate change AND new things, so I am not inclined to buy something just because it is on sale or has a slip of paper promising a discount. Example: Pepsi could be .10 cents a can and I would still turn my nose at it. I guess that makes me a food snob too.
Second, I am also store specific. Another no brainer, considering what I just wrote about being brand specific. I hate driving all over (and wasting gas in my opinion) just I can get a deal here, there, or everywhere.
Finally, I just hate coupons. If you are offering deal, just offer a deal-don't make me jump through hoops to get it. I get annoyed.
But I learned something and I think that counts for a smiley sticker by my name. Coupons can work, if you are willing to follow them. And I am not. Trying to save .50 cents if buy two, on something I won't eat doesn't make much sense so I am done with that experiement. However, just because I am done with coupons doesn't mean I am not saving money.
By examining my shopping habits, which coupon clipping forced me to do, I discovered that I am a horrible impulse shopper. I tend to buy things thinking I MIGHT cook something and then forget I even have it until I notice something dusty on the back shelf. By then of course we are WAAAYY past it's freshness date, so that even if doesn't kill me, it would be like making paste for dinner. No matter what the reason, whether something smells funny or just sat looking cute on shelf, throwing food out, is money out the door. I also tend to get way more then I need at sale times. So I get 10, because they are cheap, then eat the first 5, and toss the others because they are stale/bad. Again, money out the door.
So now, new and improved shopper that I am, I write a list, stick to my list, plan out my meals, keep my "extra's" down to a just a few per shopping trip, and already bah-da boom, bah-da bing-I have already shaved about $30 per grocery trip and I can do better once I quit going through the garden section. I came up with that figure by not only including the items I DIDN'T buy, but also by buying within reason AND eating it all at home.
So clipping coupons was a good lesson for me, even if it turned out different than I expected. Isn't life like that?