How coupons have made me crazy!

I got a really clear glimpse yesterday of just what I look like grocery shopping. If you are part of the couponing crowd you know what I mean. When you find a great deal, you get excited. With me excitement is visible. ( I am Spanish / Irish after all which is a deadly mix in the emotion department)

This particular shopping excursion I was finding killer deals (.99 Organic milk, free wipes, free sponges, free toothbrushes and deodorants) I would find a manager markdown and then shuffle through my coupons. All the while mind you talking to myself, the Lord, the coupon binder... basically whoever would listen.

It would go something like this....

"Clorox, Clorox, there's one. No that's for wipes. Wipes aren't on sale... hmmmm. AH HA!! I knew I had it!"

I quickly look around, realizing that I am indeed

a.) excited about the new found coupon

b.) Talking quite loudly.

c.) Not really caring b/c I am getting cleaner for .40

I wander along and realize how else coupons have made me crazy. I not only am getting killer deals with my coupons, I am also offering them to people shopping the store! I will see a lady looking at cosmetics for a brand I don't wear. I know I have a coupon for it so I feel like its my shopping lady duty to go up to this perfect stranger and offer her a coupon. Most the time they look at me like I am trying to sell something. Then they stare after as I push away trying to figure out why I just gave them a coupon.

Because I not looking enough crazy, I have to call my friend. ( The supreme bargain shopper ) and tell her the fabulous manager markdowns that I am finding. Phone cradled between my shoulder and ear, flipping through coupons , reporting the deals through the phone... I am sure that people think that I must be some sort of secret shopper. Too bad I am just the nut job in Isle 7. :)

I think people may be steering clear of the isle but I am probably just imagining things, right?

The craziness comes to a head when I get to the register. I closely watch the scanner,making sure things are ringing up for what they should. I then hand over 567 coupons. (Ok I am exaggerating but still ) I wait for the cashier to congratulate me for finding such great deals, having so many killer coupons and saving so much money. She instead lets out a large sigh and slowly takes my pile of coupons. Obviously she doesn't realize how much work I have put into all of this. That's ok. Nothing can spoil this moment.

She gives me my total, prints my receipt and tells me " You saved $103.37 today" HELLO!!! This is my all time most savings. I stand there dumbly thinking that I heard wrong. I stare at the teen who obviously wants me to take the receipt and move along. I say "what?" In which she replies by handing me my receipt and scanning the next persons items. I shuffle to the car and sit in the drivers seat examining my receipt. I somehow manage to make it home.

I am so excited when I get home that I act like we just ran the lottery. By now my hubby knows the drill. I burst into the kitchen, cheeks flushed, waving my arms around and talking very quickly. My kids look a little scared but quickly dismiss me to concentrate on their toys. (They have seen this type of crazy before.) My hubby is a very smart man indeed. Knowing that there is no way to possibly get out of the next ten minutes he resigns to sit in a kitchen chair. I then take the next couple of minutes of his life that he will never get back to show him.... everything.

"Look at this.. I got this free. Totally free! I mean I paid nothing!!! Isn't that great!!"

"I got this for .10 and you love this.. aren't you happy?"

There is alot of nodding, uh-hu's and "That's great's !" I truly married a saint of a man.

On shopping days I always go to bed early. I am worn out. I start to giggle in bed thinking how crazy I must look and how coupons have slowly changed the way I shop. I quickly decide that I would rather be crazy while saving money then sane while in debt. :) If you see me cruising through the grocery store though, you may want to move a couple isles over. Just in case.