Crazy Coupon Lady

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Ingredients.aspxThis week and last week are "Can Can" weeks at my local grocery store, ShopRite.  That means that there are some rock bottom prices on items that often have coupons to match them.  I use Living Rich With Coupons to get all of the great match ups.  I took a nice, long hiatus from couponing -and even grocery shopping for the most part- until the little one was 6 weeks.  Having a break definitely made it easier to jump back in with joy when the time came.

Though I may be a bit of a Crazy Coupon Lady, I have to admit that sometimes couponing makes me feel more like this:

Thanks, Jacqueline!

When couponing starts to drive you crazy, take a break so you don't get burnt out!  "But I have to use coupons to stretch my grocery budget," you say?  Well, try a little experiment for a week or two while you take a break.  Only purchase fresh produce (or use frozen you've already stock-piled) and milk/eggs for a time and head to those pantry shelves and get creative!  Instead of buying another $.16 box of pasta, use some other starch you have like instant potatoes, rice, couscous, or whatever random thing you have in that (hopefully small) stockpile.  Head to allrecipes.com ingredient search and enter in a few items you have on hand and find a simple recipe that matches.  Use what you have and take the chance to give your pantry, fridge, and freezer a good cleaning while you're not constantly adding to them.

At the end of the break, you'll be refreshed -ready and rarin' to go back to the fun of couponing.