Grocery Shopping.

So as I have said before Dowe and I are taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class at our church. We have really been enjoying the class and though we are not even half way through, it has been life changing. Dowe went to college, I did not. However, just from his years in college we have quite a bit of debt. Since starting this class we have paid off over $3,000 worth of debt! That is huge. We also know that we will have all of our debts (school loans and car loan) paid off in the next 5 years at most! This is also huge as our loans would have taken MUCH longer to pay off without the knowledge we have gained from this class.


But now down to what I REALLY want to blog about today.


Grocery Shopping!


UGH!!!! I HATE IT! 
Let me explain farther. I ENJOY the shopping part. Picking out things to make for my family. I love to cook and to try new things. However, I HATE the sick to my stomach feeling I get in the pit of my stomach EVERY TIME I get to the checkout line and I hear the BEEP-BEEP-BEEP as the items I have selected get rung in and I feel what little money my family and I have fly out of our hands.  I usually only go grocery shopping once every 6 weeks (at most) other than for a few little things here and there in between (mostly Milk.) But the main part of our grocery shopping I do in one trip and not very often. So this means I have one grocery cart piled high for more than a month's worth of dinners. 

Today was different. 
As Previously stated with taking the FPU class we are now on a budget. Cash in hand, I went grocery shopping with both boys in tow. Calculator in hand we stayed under budget and hopefully have enough food for 2 weeks. Today was the first time in the almost 2 years my hubby and I have been married that I DID NOT feel sick as our groceries were being rung up. 
I had to change my entire mindset today. I felt like I had nothing in my cart as I went up to the checkout.  I've gotten so use to shopping once for more than a month's worth of food that this was a really difficult shopping trip but it was actually pretty enjoyable. I'm really hoping I  actually have enough groceries in the house to last two weeks but haha we'll see! :) 




In the next two  weeks (before the next "major" shopping trip) I have a new goal! 
Thanks to a friend I heard about "Extreme Couponers" and though I do think that some of these people are excessive and potentially even slightly neglectful of their families, I do feel the need to learn some of their ways. Can you imagine?...Never having to pay for tooth paste, toilet paper, and other necessities again?!  NO we are NOT talking about stealing! These women and men have learned how to use the manufactures and store coupons to their advantage and sometimes even get PAID to take products out of the store!!! 
Just a few weeks ago my friend Kay and I were talking about coupons and where she clips them off the internet. I told her I really need to start doing that and I actually started looking at coupon tips on the internet. I started feeling like its not worth it and I wouldn't know where to start! After reading about these "Extreme Couponers" and saw video clips of TLC's new show, I started looking into it more. Now I do not plan to become EXTREME but I would like to be more fugal and wise with the money God has given my little family. I am so thankful for the income we have (even if it is small) and that my husband is will to and works so hard to provide so I can stay home with our son.