I'm a Coupon Newbie

I went grocery shopping tonight and did my two transactions in order to double my 10 coupons. I had it all mapped out and even got the scoop this afternoon from Money Saving Mom about the Glade catalina deal. My first transaction went from about $33 down to $18.48 (savings of 54%), and my second went from about $30 down to $8.25 (savings of 74%). This is an overall savings of 63% for the trip. Pretty good, right?

Yes, it is pretty good, and I am happy about it, but I am SO a coupon NEWBIE! Tonight at the grocery store I met the COUPON QUEEN. She saw my coupon binder, and I was more than a little conspicuous because I had a photographer following me around for next week's newspaper story. She said she used to have one of those photo binders but now has SEVEN in her car in a suitcase. WHAT? Yup, it's true. She showed some of them to me. Some of you have said I should teach classes. This woman is seriously considering it, and for good reason. She wouldn't divulge all her secrets, but she did tell me she had been couponing for 25 years and has probably saved over $200,000. Yes, you read that right, and the comma is in the right place. She showed me several receipts from her shopping just today, and the totals were .28, .00, -1.07, -.14, things like that. "They actually took money out of the till and paid you?" I asked with my mouth hanging open. I turned to the photographer and said, "you are taking pictures of the WRONG lady!"

Now, she had been shopping ALL DAY and sometimes buys 10 copies of the newspaper for the coupons, and I don't have the time right now to devote to all that, but I'm sure I could learn a thing or two from her! I've only been doing this since mid-July, and I feel like I've already come a long way. Some of you have just started, and hopefully you also feel like you've come a long way. It's all about spending less, and I hope you are feeling good about it. Hold your heads high and carry your coupon binders proudly! Shout your good deals from the rooftops (and post them in the comments!)! You are now a member of the elite, the serious couponers! Welcome! And just think about where you could be 25 years from now. . . . !