Living with One Who Is Not Like Me

I consider Ms. Cheap of the Nashville Tennessean to be a money-saving icon, but one comment she made about NOT saving money has helped me keep my sanity. She remarked that early on she sent her husband to the store with a list and a corresponding bundle of coupons. He came back with the right items, but sometime later she found the coupons on the floorboard of his car.

My husband is something of the same sort. While he certainly likes to save money and is always looking for ways to buy what we need at the best price, he does not share my passion for clipping coupons and planning my trips to pick up a few items here or there. Granted, I could not justify the money-"made" aspect of this avocation to replace my regular job, but it is keeping a little more money in my pocket and IT IS FUN! I LIKE IT! It wouldn't be fun for him, so therein lies the difference. Additionally, I have developed some on-line relationships with some really amazing money-savers.

When we first were considering moving downtown I had planned to learn how to play golf. I figured all that time that I used to apply to yard work could be spent on the golf course. I never got around to the golf thing. If I had, I probably wouldn't have any time left for couponing. Wow, saving money on not playing golf PLUS saving money on the coupons--I'm way ahead money-wise!

Update on the $5K:
Turns out eye drops are a medical flex fundable item, so I filed for a reimbursement on the drops that I had made $1.50 on at CVS last week (item earned full value coupon plus I used a $1.50 coupon). That means what I paid for the eye drops was with pre-income tax dollars. whoo-who!

previous saved amount:$134.16
found a penny on sidewalk at work, $.01
difference in my paying for the eyedrops with pre-tax dollars than with post-income tax dollars: $1.44 (I can't count the whole amount because I am funding my flex fund with pre-tax salary dollars every payday.)
According to my Walgreens receipt of August 6, I saved $24.30 on a trip for which I paid out $24.52 (and I got $10 RR, but I won't count the $10 until I actually use it. Yes, I have been known to lose some or let them expire.)
Total found of my $5K as of Day Nine: 159.91