I Think She's Right

So I've been couponing a lot more. I spend most of my Sunday afternoon/evening sorting & clipping. I check the blogs multiple times a day to make sure I don't miss any great coupons. And to be honest, there is a thrill in getting a $4 or $5 check out of 8 brownie mixes and 4 boxes of cereal & then getting $7 back in RR. BUT! It's very time consuming and I hate how stressed out it can make me trying to make sure I've done everything right. Also, have you noticed how low the coupon totals are getting? I got a coupon for $0.50 off FOUR (!!!) pringles. Seriously? That's less than a thirteen cents each coupon!
So it's been really bothering me how much time it takes. I have a wonderful husband who will go with me from store to store, help me do multiple check outs to save time, and the kids will sit in the carts all day long sometimes, just to go from store to store shopping. I'm trying to build up a 90 day supply, and it's working. But, there's been a big cost to my family with time spent away from them (even when we're in the same room).
So, I've been praying. A lot. Trying to figure out what's the best way to maximize our small food budget, while still gathering food storage. I want to complete our food storage this year. And it seems like coupons could help do it, but I'm not sure I want to spend another year like I have the last month bargain shopping.
And today, I was checking out a favorite website and I found the answer. She's right about how to spend our money.
I'd been debating about going and doing two more check outs (that would have been about $15 combined) to get more pre-made brownie mixes, cookie mixes and cereal. That fourteen dollars would buy a huge box of cocoa, a large bag of chocolate chips and more eggs to have for breakfast. And it would only take a single shopping trip to Sam's (or the Costco 45 minutes away). And rather than spending $20 on pre-made bags of popcorn (they are on-sale at Costco thru Saturday), I am going to buy the HUGE un-popped, regular popcorn at Sam's & a HUGE thing of butter to pour on it. That popcorn will be a year's supply, rather than a few months.
She's right, we need to change our way of thinking. And I need to stop couponing for pre-made items and start stocking up on more basics. It won't really take that much more time to make homemade brownies, but it will be a lot cheaper.