Why Coupon?

I use to really be into it. Back when we had Ralph's and they had a weekly page in the paper of their store coupons. It was like Christmas every time because the manufacture coupons were usually the same products and you could buddy them up for free stuff all the time. Buy three papers, prepare three sets, go through three times and the pantry starts to fill with ease. Back then I had a preschooler and a toddler, and no car so I walked. I had little to do and it got me out of the apartment I was stuck in all the time.
Then, we lost our Ralph's and I lost my umph.
Somewhere in there I had another baby and was beginning to homeschool. There was no brain power left for coupons. I would get a burst now and then but the homework was too much.
Years went by and I learned about a website called Money Saving Mom. From her I learned about "the drugstore game" and most specifically, CVS and their ECB deals. Once again I was bringing home free products and I'd caught the bug again. I eventually started a website to post the local deals.
I switched jobs and took on more hours, many more hours about a year ago and dropped the coupon search entirely. I'm just now getting back into it.
Why? Because frankly, when my CVS free toothpaste stash ran out (well over a year after I purchased them!), I was mad I was paying for toothpaste!!! I seriously would be going through the checkout and barking at myself inside "you slacker! You KNOW you could be doing better than this! You know this is free somewhere right now!"
The thing with couponing however is that you can't just dive right in. Couponing is like a slowly primed pump action. You won't have all you need right away to get all the deals, and you don't want to do all the somewhat good stuff. It's better to ....well, you know what, I'll do a part 2 soon and give you a narrowed down step by step I use to get priming your deals.
One of the turn off comments I hear from women is that it's all junk. That is so not true anymore. MSM even does a gluten free coupon post, and there are plenty of healthy food competitors wanting to help you help them now days.
In the last two weeks that I have really started to concentrate here are my favorites I've snagged:

• 6 bags of FREE Fresh Express green salad mixes. I have a few more coupons too and they are also going to come out free. You want to strategize your produce so you don't get too much at once.

• 20 FREE 2 liters if Dr. Pepper. (a rolling Catalina, which I can explain later). I only paid the CRV on these.

• Dial hand soap for .29 cents. We go through a lot of hand soap so this thrilled me. I did the deal three times and got 12 bottles, 4 for a friend.

• MONEY MAKER (you get these a lot with the drugstore game) on Jergens lotion. I made $1.40 to bring home two trial size intensive care lotions. I did the deal twice but I could have done it more.

• .99 Wonderful Pistachios for the large 1 lb bag. My hubby was happy about this one. I did the deal twice as the reward (printed "cash") was limit 2. However, I had one more dollar off coupon and with my $2.80 money maker at the same store, the third bag still only cost me $1.20.

• .95 for 5 2oz pkgs of Oscar Meyer deli meat ( came out to $1.52 per lb) another rolling Catalina at Vons still going right now. I will post the link for this deal on my FB page.

So those are just my top of the head favorites. Stay tuned for more broken down tips on part two!
(Note: I cannot link from my iPhone blogger app, which I'm using now. Tomorrow I will add links to many of the things I've referenced here. So check back!)