Couponing

When I was a kid, Dad taught me math by taking me to the grocery store with him. I would cut all the coupons out of the Sunday paper, and together we would calculate price per ounce and determine if the better value could be had with the coupon or by using a different brand.

8 fluid ounces to a cup, 2 cups to a pint, 2 pints to a quart, 4 quarts to a gallon -- see Dad, I do remember! I actually had to explain this to a grocery clerk the other day. They were selling spring water for 50 cents a gallon, and I filled up my quart bottle with water. The clerk was in a panic about how much to charge me. I told him 12 1/2 cents, but that just made it worse. He ended up telling me to just take the water and go.

But even with careful comparison shopping, the lure of a coupon can lead to disaster. In a rush yesterday, I printed off a coupon to use at the craft store, as I was on my way out the door. Unfortunately, I forgot to log off AOL. I didn't return to my computer until the next morning, discovering I'd been logged onto AOL all night.

Savings at Joann's Crafts with coupon... $3.50
Cost of leaving AOL on all night... $35.43
Learning experience... priceless