Getting a good deal????

I had an interesting conversation with my sister-in-law this week regarding coupons. She said her husband's philosophy is that using coupons makes you buy things that you wouldn't normally buy. She also went on to describe some people that she knew who "got a great deal" on Hot Pockets and purchased so many that they were eating them every day for every meal and getting sick of them (gross!). That doesn't sound like a great deal to me!

I think that many people who coupon do it for the right reason...to save money. I think there are those out there who are purchasing stuff they don't normally use in order to get that "great" deal. I have done this a lot of times in the heat of the moment - like the PUR water pitcher I got at Walgreen's last week. Yes, it was $7.49, which was a decent deal - but we have been drinking tap water FOREVER and it tastes fine! Ugh! That is $7.49 that I should be using somewhere in my grocery budget!

Also, I am an advocate of building a stockpile - but not a stockpile of things that you will never eat/use. For example, I have about 25 boxes of Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken helper that I got for about $.75 per box. This might make some families sick! My family loves this and I make it at least once per week. I will use this so this is a good deal. The yogurt that I stockpiled a few weeks ago (I bought 40!) that I just threw away because they were out of date - that was not a good deal, poor planning on my part - even though my husband has has one in his lunch almost every day!

My point in this whole rant is that when you are getting great deals and building your stockpile - buy what you will use and figure out a way to rotate it - don't eat Hot Pockets every day so that you can make room in your freezer. Buy smart, so you are not throwing your money in the toilet!