Memory Spark Monday

So I completely spaced writing this post today, but I have this great book that Chelle once recommended to her CT called The journaler's handbook by Tracy White. So when I am stumped on what to write about I can open it up and find some great prompts.  WIth P365/P52 fresh in everyones mind I opened to the "everyday" section.  I am a frugalista (means I love being frugal and using coupons for EVERYTHING), so when I saw these prompts I knew that was what I wanted to talk about today!

*Where do you shop for groceries?

*How much money do you spend on groceries?

*Do you like to use coupons?

Think about when you were a child - do you remember these details? I remember some but how fun would it be to know more.

Coupons were something we were always using at the grocery store. As teenagers we ate what I would now think is a lot, and I wonder if my girls will be the same way, and wonder what the grocery budget was for my mom during my younger years. Did she keep a budget, or was my mom like me where we just spend the money and it all works out in the end. I know she was not as into couponing as I am and I don't remember multiple trips to the same store each week.  She worked during the day and often into the night just so we would have money for extra things so grocery trips were usually to FoodMaxx which had good prices all the time with a few bargain items as you walked in.  I remember seeing the totals around $100 every week or two - seemed like a lot then and really seems like a lot now.

What fun that was to look back at what we did as a child. But what about now?

Written to my youngest daughter (2) - who loves to go shopping with me.

A budget, well I am not very good at that, we are starting though. I save lots of money each month for the items we need - just not always at the exact time we need them. But as with everything sales go in cycles so I buy when it is on sale, save it and then have a pantry area in the house to go "shopping" at when I need it. A few of my favorite stores to grab the best deals are Walgreens, CVS, Safeway and WinCo.  Trips to the drug store with you seem easy, but the grocery store I almost prefer to go alone, unless it is to run in and grab three or four items. I use all kinds of coupons, from the Sunday paper, from the internet - printed out, from magazines, in the store on displays. I collect coupons. When you see them coming off the shelves at the store you yell "cupon", and then you want to hold it yourself - so I often grab two so when you drop yours I still have mine. Couponing is not only fun but an essential way of life for us - we needed a way to lower our spending and this helps so much. I hope you continue to enjoy saving and shopping with mommy.

And now my journaling is done for a page when I discuss our daily activities - which just happens to be the topic of a challenge Chelle is hosting over at ScrapMatters! Check it out here.