In our household, there’s normal-busy, and then there’s insane-busy, which is what the last few weeks looked like. Whoever called them “the lazy days of summer” doesn’t live at our house! It was a lot of good busy, including a trip to Great Wolf Lodge (a great Amazon Local deal), a camping trip, VBS, and our usual summer switcheroo when my husband stays home with our crew while I teach full-time for a kids’ program at a local college. So…yeah, that qualified as insane-busy.
We all know that couponing and strategic shopping takes some time, but we all go through weeks when time is in short supply. Here’s how we survived the insanity at our house without breaking the bank:
- Prioritize: For us, that meant doing enough laundry to keep the kids clothed, and cleaning just enough to keep off the Hoarders show. Not the way I usually like to live, but it helped knowing there was a light at the end of the tunnel when I could catch up.
- Sneak in time when you can: I used part of our road trip drive time to clip and sort coupons and get some rebates ready to go in the mail.
- Continue to make a Meal Plan: This is a biggie, because crazy weeks are notorious for budget-busting takeout temptations. Our meal plan was nothing spectacular, and it included carry-out pizza one night (with a B1G1 coupon, of course!) along with fish sticks, cheeseburgers on the grill, and tacos. But planning (even just planning the easy stand-bys) helped us know what to expect and steer clear of the drive thru.
- Rely on your Stockpile: When you don’t have time to plan a shopping trip, shop your freezer/basement/pantry/storage area. You know you got good deals on those items, so plan your easy meals around them.
- Don’t do a big shopping trip: It’s okay to take a week or two off of die hard couponing if it’ll simplify life. Snag your milk, fresh produce and bread, and skip the rest. You’ll use up stuff that’s already in your house and save money rather than spending more buying random stuff without planning for sales or coupons (not to mention freeing up a little pizza money 😉 ).
- Get back in the saddle when things settle down: Yesterday and today in a nutshell for me! Getting organized, planning and shopping, more home cooking…we’re heading back to just regular-normal-busy, and I’m trying to get back into my own usual routine again.
Whether it’s your kids’ sports, an illness, or just a full agenda, it’s okay to take a step back from deal hunting, especially if you have a small stockpile to fall back on. We’ll be here waiting for you when you’re ready to jump back in!