Binders.

I would just like to say, with all sincerity, that I hate binders. It's true. I hate them. I hate them with a freaking passion unless they have all of my stories inside of them. I wish to heave them all out of a window much like a bosom heaves from a corset in a trashy romance novel.

Yes, yes, I know I just made a post glorifying the binder and how lovely it is to be organized. Binders are indeed great... but this doesn't mean I don't loathe them. I tried to binder/organize it, you know, I really did. By food, meds, shower supplies, animal stuff, all of that. They were divided up neatly, put into the proper little sleeves, and then the binder put down so I could get some work things done.

Ten minutes later, I pick up the binder. Binder tilts and my coupons go every freaking where on the floor. I flipped my lid because oh god coupons everywhere and out of order. It took me five minutes to gather them up once more and eventually I grabbed out some letter envelopes and titled them things like 'meds/shampoo/razors' and 'kitchen/cleaning/paper products' and simply shoved all the related coupons into their individual envelope because Jesus Lord Mercy, the Binder of Doom made me want to bash someones head in.

As well many of you may have guessed, I was much too lazy and distracted to hit up Walgreens. That's for this week (I think...), Friday before the doctor's appointment. Instead, Giant was hit up with the padre. It ended with massive amounts of food and he did not get the majority of it. I felt bad. There were coupons used and again, I don't think all of the ones I handed over went through properly? But there was two carts full of food and I was frazzled and hungry and Dad was hungry and we were trying to finangle things and...

Long story short: Progresso has some ridiculously good soup. I will be devouring them all, always, forever.

This post had a reason when I started it two days ago but, alas, my mind has drifted from the original train of thought outside of 'man, great soup' and 'man, I really hate binders' and yet I still haven't managed to cut everything from Sunday. Time to get doing that! I only have until Friday morning, darnit.

This is what we call 'crunch time'.

In the beginning, there was a binder

I am going to start this blog off with acknowledging the fact that a binder is vital to the success of couponing. Why do I know this, you ask?

Five minutes ago, I was sitting on my bed, looking through my wad of coupons grabbed from this weeks and last weeks newspapers, trying to locate that *one* sugar coupon because it was on sale at my local market. I had more coupons spread around me in a brilliant shower of clippings, all pinned together with paperclips, all of them taunting me with their inability to be easily found despite my meticulous 'food' and 'not food' piles.

Some were even out of order.

It took me over a half an hour to just get six items on my list for my very first trip into the land of coupons and once I tried for CVS, I threw down the coupons and let out a mighty cry.

"Fudge this!" I said, with language that did not contain any reference to food. "I need a binder. I will be stopping at Staples in order to not go insane."

To those who doubt the very meticulous tendencies of the long-time Coupon Enthusiasts, doubt no more. I doubted. I was arrogant. I assumed that because I loved lists and piles and paperclips that I could delve into the world without a plan, like Batman on a bender.

Alas, it was not to be so.

Hi, for those of you still reading. Call me Coupie Newbie - I think it has a nice ring to it, don't you? I am twenty-four years old and am living on my own for the first time. I live on the premises of my job, resulting in a pay cut. While this means I don't pay rent or utilities, it also means that with the piling student loans, car payment and insurance, the cost of necessities such as food and cleaning supplies is beyond my reach. I've gone shampoo-free, using baking soda as a shampoo (and actually, I LOVE IT! Don't knock it until you've tried it, I'm never going back!). I suppose this is the classic tale of 'I'm broke, save me money' that many people have when going to coupons.

That's fine with me, I don't mind being one of the crowd.

This blog is meant for motivation, to track the progress of my coupon adventures. I will be posting each Sunday with what delightful coupons I am absolutely giddy over (That Chavrie goat cheese coupon on their facebook?! I squealed!) and then on Tuesday, there will be a post of my shopping trip. Due to my schedule, I can't go shopping on Sunday or Monday, which I know may hinder what I can or cannot buy.

But never fear! I will continue onward!

Expect pictures and prices, me posting what I could have paid, should have paid, and what actually left my wallet. I like saving money almost as much as I like eating and showering with actual soap, and I have a feeling you do too.

Today is the first shopping trip as I have a surprise day off. I will be invading Giant and going to Staples for a binder and some of those... baseball card thingies. A lot of them. I want all of them.

I will be prepared.

I will have a binder.

And I will coupon