Hello Crazy, I'm Home!

I am going CRAZY and the cashier at Publix can vouch for me! Last week I officially lost my mind and the cashier at Publix was so gracious to me. I know that secretly she is just hoping that I never come in the store again while she is working.

Well, I first need to tell you that I am all into coupons right now. I feel that since I do not work full time outside my home anymore that I need to do all I can to save money. You know keep more of what we have. So, I have read a lot of blogs on couponing (is that even a word?) and I think I have a good idea of how it all works. But I will say that I still do not know how they buy $150 worth of groceries for $30. That is my goal.

Now back to me loosing my mind. I knew it was going to be a tough day because I needed to hit 3 grocery stores (with Walmart being one of them) and be in the car pool line by 2:30 to get my children. Oh, I was proud of myself because I even packed a cooler to keep my cold items cold. Yes, game was on! I had my folder with my lists in it and my coupon envelopes for each store.

I'm telling you I was prepared!

Well, I did real good in the first two stores. I felt like I got some good deals and I sure did get a lot of groceries. I even got Gillette men's shampoo for FREE! I am still proud about that. So, it is nearing 1:30 and I head to Publix, my last store.

I am not going to lie, I was tired and my feet were starting to hurt. I wore the wrong shoes. I was going for cute instead of comfort and I paid for it.

I gather my items in Publix and I just need to get one last thing, peanut butter. I had walked for miles in the store and could not find where it was hiding. This was not my normal Publix and so I was not real familiar with where everything was. I stop at the checkout and ask the cashier where the peanut butter was located. She told me to pull my cart in her line and she would take me to it. (Her first mistake) I get my peanut butter and head back to her check out line. Another cashier was already unloading my groceries.

I need to pause right here and tell you that I have a system to stacking my groceries on the conveyer belt. I place them by how I want them bagged. I know you are all shaking your heads in agreement because everyone knows this. Well, the cashier unloading my cart was not aware of this rule and I was starting to get a little miffed by it. I mean I love me some customer service but I was starting to feel rushed and I had already been to two other stores and my feet were hurting and well BACK OFF!

Meanwhile, the cashier that was ringing me up asked if I had any coupons. Oh, yes ma'am I do! Here begins the slippery slope to Craziville. I could not find my coupons. I looked in my folder and the envelope was not there. I looked in my purse and they were not there. I asked the cashier if I could go to my car and look for them. Again, she was so gracious that she said "sure honey." I go to the car praying with every step that they are in the car. But NO!

Where are my beloved coupons?

I need to pause again and tell you that earlier in the week I watched a movie on the Hallmark channel about a homeless woman and a police officer woman. The homeless woman had two dogs, Man and BeBe. She took very good care of her dogs. BeBe got pregnant, not by Man, had puppies and the Officer helped to find them homes. Then BeBe goes missing and the homeless woman runs down the street screaming "BeBe, where are you BeBe, BeBe. Oh my precious BeBe..." You get the idea.

Well, that day in Publix I felt a lot like that homeless woman only I was screaming "Coupons, Oh my precious Coupons, where are you? Come home to mama Coupons..."

After searching my car, I re-enter the store disgusted that I lost my coupons. I mean truthfully I didn't even want the groceries now. They had bagged all my stuff and pushed my cart to the side. I asked the cashier if I could look around the store for them. Again, she graciously agreed. So off I go on my pursuit of my lost coupons.

I start around the perimeter of the store looking down every aisle. I know everyone thought I was some sort of stalker or something. I did not see them anywhere. I pass by the dairy case and finally come to the realization that they are gone. Gone forever. Bye my precious coupons, Goodbye!

Oh but wait, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Is that my envelope I see?

Oh Yes Ma'am It Is!

They have come home to mama! I run over grab it up and hug it for what seems like minutes. Just kidding I really did not hug the envelope although I wanted to.

I headed back to the cashier with my coupons and proudly handed them over to her. I know she probably thought I was going to be saving hundreds of dollars the way I carried on about my coupons, but I explained to her that it was the principle of it not the dollar amount. I thanked her for being so kind to me and headed to my car looking happily at the You Saved This Much line.

What a day!

Craziville, Mama is home!