A fraud...

I just noticed I've been missing here for quite some time.  

No excuses

Just life being life.

That, and I realized recently that I am not the die-hard frugal girl I thought I was.

Let me explain...

The other night I was watching "Extreme Couponing" with my 20 year old son

{don't judge me, he is home from college for the summer and we were bonding}

He was in shock and utter awe over the shopping trips these people were taking.

Some of them not only saved money,

but they also MADE money by purchasing certain items with certain coupons.

*Being a college student he was also shocked by the hoarder mentality some of them deny having

and blurted out something like, 

"Hey, I'm fixin' to get me some of those Hamburger Helpers...that stuff's awesome!"

{Ewww...I stop at serving a box of that to my family.  Just can't do it.}

I'm not going to lie, that show gives me a headache 

and takes my stress level up several notches.

And so, here's the pitiful, honest truth...

I like a bargain

I like lots of bargains

But I'd rather have nothing if it means I have to spend hours and days 

searching for

clipping

filing

organizing

in order to take a trip to the grocery store.

{I mean no disrespect to those who make it a habit to clip coupons daily

more power to you, 

I think what you're doing to save your family's money is commendable...}

To my family:

I'm sorry, kids, but I'd rather you go without food altogether 

than have to endure such

mental gymnastics

just to put food on our table.

So in honor of everyone out there who just gasped at the disrespect I haveblurted out

I will see your coupon-frenzy

and raise you one website.

Go ahead, 

leave me to my TLC Extreme Couponing bad attitude 

and go save yourself some money HERE.

But just to prove that I have not totally lost all desire to save a buck,

here's a picture of a recent Craig's list purchase.

There's actually four chairs w/cushions and a ceramic tiled table with a firepit in the center-

it also has the option to change it out for an ice bin.

Not bad for $60.

I also purchased a futon mattress for a frame we had sitting around here for $30.  

Considering what each of these would cost new, I think they were pretty good deals.  

I may not be an extreme couponer,

 but I can hunt down a bargain when I need one.