Is Couponing Worth My Time?

I've mentioned before that I have several very convenient stores nearby to make stops at multiple stores during the week. Some weeks are better than others depending on how busy work is, how crazy the kids' schedules are, and what the sales are like. Usually I spread my stops over the course of the week to pick up the sale items especially if I have good coupons to match.

Today was an exception. I put off the grocery shopping all weekend. Finally mid-afternoon, I sat down at the computer. I have several blogs in my Google Reader that match up deals and coupons at the grocery/drug stores. I use posts from those blogs to make shopping lists for each store and note the coupons that need to be clipped (or found if I've already printed them). I spent two hours making lists for six stores, coming up with a potential meal plan for the week, and finding the coupons. Leaving my husband to feed dinner and get baths done, I went out in the steady rain. Within a 2 mile radius I can be at Target, CVS, Walgreens, Harris Teeter, Publix and Kroger. I was able to hit all of those except Target in the next 2 hours.

Not including sales tax, I spent a total of $90.09. My savings including coupons were $94.40. Not too shabby considering I got enough food to last at least a week including a really pretty roast and a couple of packages of ground chuck. Since we pack lunches, this is food for all 3 meals for 4 people. We also needed a couple of other "bigger ticket" items like a 12-pack of toilet paper and coffee. Have you priced coffee lately??? OMG! This is where my addiction shows, because I refuse to cut back.

Anyway....a total of 4 hours. If I hadn't been couponing, I would have spent an hour going to Kroger to do the weekly shopping anyway. So I spent an extra 3 hours of my day to save $94.40. Working out to an hourly rate of $31.46, it's definitely worth my time! Not to mention there's no way we could fit other things in our budget without doing this...