Commitment and Motivation

It is exciting to see the shoppers on TV and via the various websites and blogs saving money with coupons. The savings ignites frugal shoppers to begin couponing.

Before you begin to take on the coupon craze, there are a few important facts I would like to share. I unsuccessfully tried to shop with coupons for 15 years before finding true success. The reason I could not master it earlier was related to my level of commitment and motivation. When my 11 year old asked me if we were "poor", I found my primary motivating reason. Secondly, gas prices skyrocketed to $4/gallon in metro Atlanta. My fuel costs exceeded $100 per week. I am part of the working middle class whose budget is adversely affected by rising consumer prices. Though I did not consider myself to be "poor," I was not able to fill my pantry or refrigerator. It hurt my feelings for my child to assume we were poor.

I had no choice regarding commitment. I did not have family in the Atlanta area to help with groceries. I had reduced expenses in every aspect of my family budget. There were no Saturday shopping trips to the mall or movie night at the theatre. Significantly reducing expenditures on food was a great way to add money back to the budget.

When I analyzed my budget, my family ate at restaurants more than 5 times a week. Most of the meals cooked at home were convenience meals. I spent an average of $300 every 2 weeks on restaurant meals and convenience foods. This amount seems low; however, we were eating out at fast food type restaurants. It is cheaper to eat unhealthy than healthy.

In summary, my financial situation warranted an injection of cash as well as an overhaul of my diet. I was motivated and I had to commit. I had a few options but I chose grocery coupons.