Reading the Fine Print...Not Easy With MY Eyes !

First let me say my eyesight has gone down the tubes as I raced through my forties. I would look to see where all the time went so quickly but I wouldn't be able to see it!

I have begun in earnest clipping coupons and shopping for bargains. Nothing like a kick in the ole pocketbook to get you stretching every dollar as far as you can.

My daughter and I recently went to the grocery store. The total I paid was $64.00 . With my coupons I saved $25.00. It's actually amazing and exciting at the same time. Massey was beside herself...she said "Let ME tell Daddy how much we saved when we get home!"
What she really meant was "Think how much more money you'll have to spend on me!"

Either way it's a win win situation.

Now when planning dinner I think more along the lines of how to include a dish with the sour cream that was on sale with the Talapia filets that were BOGO and how to convince the kids that the soft pretzels on sale are actually fancy rolls. So far they aren't complaining.

My only complaint is the the writing and specifications on these coupons are so teeny that I have to strap binoculars around my neck to make sure I am buying the right items if Massey (my GOOD pair of eyes) isn't with me.

I went to my brother's house the other day and he had two entire Sunday papers with nothing taken out but the sports page. He let me have them both and I clipped about 50 coupons from them. It's amazing how your wants and tastes can change with the added incentive of saving 25 or 30 dollars.

So we aren't really wild about "Chicken Voila" but it sure tastes better when I feed all three kids for under $1.99. So fish sticks aren't Tuna steaks...throw in some corn that was on sale and the promise of double stuffed Oreos for dessert and my family thinks it's Thanksgiving Day. We're 'simple folk' here at the Cotton house and my family really is low maintenance when they are hungry.

I've had to rein myself in though. I thought briefly about marinating the chicken breasts that were on sale with the citrus Suave shampoo that was 99 cents...would it start foaming up when heated to 350 degrees? And would they REALLY believe it was "Baja Citrus marinade?" Could they clean their plate and their hair at the same or am I breaking some sort of law ? I decided not to risk it.

I had to stop myself from peeling the potatoes with the Gillette razors that were almost free...who wants to mess up a clean potato peeler when you can peel them with something even sharper and then rinse it off and put it in Massey's bathroom for leg shaving...couldn't hurt her and I would be using it on the food first!

The only place I don't skimp is on my pups...ironic, the only ones that can't actually complain! Of course if I am lucky enough to find a coupon for Iams dog food I'm all over it but it's not good when you switch brands...messes up their digestive system.

Hope my family doesn't read THIS blog! They may have ME eating out of a dog bowl saying "It hasn't killed them and think how shiny your coat will be!"

Til next time...Clippin' Crazy COTTON !