Deal Diva Diary: Retail or not to retail

Throughout last week on several websites I frequent I found the horrible news that there were no coupons sheets thatwould be in the Easter Sunday paper. How couldthis be? My life was over. What was I going t have to take shopping with me one of the several times I would need to go out? How was I going to find any freebies after coupon? I startedto shake and have withdrawals. My husband looked at me and said the nasty "o" word...he told me I was "obsessed" with this couponing thing.

Me? Obsessed? No...I am not obsessed. I just like a good deal. I just like having multiples of a variety of deodorents, body washes, toothbrushes, and toothpastes! Okay...I am totally obsessed with couponing. But is that a sin? What's so wrong with saving money? He liked it the week before when we saved 58% of our bill at the store. Couponing is now a part of my life. Sure, I am obsessed with it. I actually dream about saving money now at night. With this obsession comes opportunities for us to have things we couldn't afford before. In a way, its a game. A game to see how much I can get for cheap or free.

When I had to pay retail on Thursday night while at the local Kroger's I started having a panic attack. My chest got tight and I realized that I was having to pay retail. It had been weeks and even months since I had paid full retail on anything. Unfortunately on this night there was nothing I needed that had a coupon or was on sale. But I bucked up and paid for the groceries.

Sometimes I may not have a coupon and there might not be a sale. And no matter how many times I search coupons.com or bloggs like Debbie Does Coupons for the next big sale, there will be times that the coupons are dry. It's important though to remember that no matter if you are a seasoned couponer, an extreme couponer, or a newbie to it all, please do it ethincally. It is against the law to copy or use coupons in a way other than how they were intended as stated on the coupon. Please keep couponing available to all of us.

So, enough of my 5 cent soapbox (free after coupon)...I am getting down now.

A coupon "clip" for the day: Dove Men's deodorant is on sale this week at CVS for $0.99. a couple weeks ago there was a $1.00 off coupon for it in the sunday ads. CVS will take the coupons and it makes the item free! Good shopping!