We all experience buyers remorse. You know that irritating emotional residual that tells us that we probably shouldn’t have bought that overpriced electronic tablet, or as-seen-on-tv- gimmick.
Well with us couponers it’s a little different.
Most of us never really feel remorseful for the armful of toothbrushes and toothpaste we collect, or the fact that we stocked up on enough deodorant to get the stink off a pig.
No… deep down we are proud of our stashes. But after bringing home armloads of boxed cereal, my dear husband one day started saying, “ No more cereal…we don’t have the room!” But of course I couldn’t resist the next sale.
This is when it happens. Like a leprechaun hiding its gold we begin to conceal out stashes. This change is not unlike Gollum protecting his “precious” and soon we start finding all sorts of secret stash locations.
Like most new couponers I was drunk with power and if it was FREE I had to have a hundred of it (I’m talking about you body wash). Eventually I calmed down and began to give “gift baskets” to friends and family. Then donated to charity. Then forced limits on myself.
Still, it’s hard not to look at my glorious and sometimes secret stash with pride.
So readers, do you have a secret stash? And more importantly.. do you guard it like a junkyard dog? Let me know.
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Becky E says
I (like many of you) try to pu tthingst away before my husband gets home to see the living room floor covered in bags from Walgreens and RiteAid, again. We have a walk in closet in my daughter’s room-it has her hang up clothes in it and that is it that actually belongs to her. The rest is stock pile galore! My husband knows it is all there, but can get a little irritated by the QUANTITIES at times. So if I put it away fast enough it is hard to tell how much is added to it on a regular basis. He does like USING it and he sure loved this week’s free beef jerky and Velveeta from RiteAid:) I do enjoy giving it away to family and friends in need as well.
Heather says
I’m glad I’m not the only one! My husband gets a little irritated when I bring stuff in the garage and clutter ‘his’ garage. I’m getting better, I think, and have a big pile of stuff to donate… to people in need, family and the food bank, I do find that rewarding in itself and realize I don’t need 30 things of toothpaste. I too try not to go too crazy but it’s hard when things are free. 🙂 Thank you for this post.
Sadie says
This post and the comments crack me up! I can totally relate – I sometimes feel like I should hide things, but I’m so excited about how much I save that I have to tell my boyfriend. He usually looks up from what he’s doing long enough to say “that’s great, honey” and then he’s oblivious. I don’t think it really dawns on him how much is coming into our house, but hey, he never has to worry about running out of his favorite things!
Jolene says
I don’t have a secret hiding place but i am going to have to get one. My husband literally dreads me coming from the store but he doesn’t mind eating the free food or using the free products. lol.
Carmen says
I don’t hide any of my deals…I’m actually quite proud to come home and show my hubby. He’s even started to encourage my shopping. We just moved into our brand new dream home which of coure I had special shelving put into the garage for stockpile….sometimes I just go in there and stare….brings a huge smile to my face every time I look at all the money I’ve saved! 🙂
Kristi says
Oh my goodness! I don’t hide but I’m very particular about it. I just started a few months ago so I feel like it’s super small… even though realistically I could last a year! hehe! But I hate taking stuff out o f it!
Brittany D. says
I only stash away my free chocolate awat from my kids!!
Traci says
I love this post. As a fairly new couponer, I’m starting to create little stashes…and I can see where it’s going. I did buy a bunch of Airwick fresheners at Rite Aid recently and didn’t know what to do with them. Luckily the gals from bookclub thought they were great and all went home with one(or two). 🙂 Great post.
celina says
The only stash i try to hide from my hubby is my toy stash 🙂 he is very good at spending tons of money on gifts for the kids … so by getting the toys ahead of time i can manage to save money, so since im the one who does the toy shopping i have him pay me for the toy and put the money in a savings account that is both of ours 🙂 he never checks the account so he doesn’t even know that im actually saving soo much for all of us !!!!!!!!!!
Carrie says
No hiding of the stash. When I get drunk on the high of a deal I think of my neighbors struggling and bring the extra toothpaste and deodorant over to their home. When she doesn’t need it I head to the local food bank. This is an extra high and I feel so good with not cluttering up our home with more than we need!
haley says
I’ve never felt like i needed a secret stash until this week! This week, I went to CVS and took advantage of both of their pepsi 12-pack promotions… and ended up getting 12-12packs for $20! (and I got $10 ECB to spend later!)… and i begrudgingly carried 9 of those 12packs up all the stairs of our apartment and just couldn’t think of going and getting the other three… so i emailed the DH. I told him that i had 3 12packs in the car and asked if he could carry them upstairs when he got home from work… he came in saying “why in the world would we EVER need this much soda?” (the obvious answer being ‘because you drink it ALL the time!” but never mind that)… and i cowered from letting him see the other NINE 12packs that i already brought up and stored in our pantry!! eek! Later that night, he asked me where he needed to put the soda (which blessed my heart that he realized that it DIDNT go on the kitchen table!) and i quickly just told him it goes in the pantry… and then realized what i did!! he turned around and said “i’m assuming there was a HUGE sale on pepsi this week?” and just laughed and walked away! PHEW! 🙂
Rana says
So true! At one time I had stuff under all of the beds in the house, the linen closet, etc. I’ve been too busy to keep stocked up so all those areas are clean now. I can’t wait for a big pantry in my future home!
Carrie says
I moved in with my parents after I graduated college and would store my stash in a hope chest in my bedroom. When my mom or brother needed something from the store I’d see if I had it first and would happily tell them how much I paid for it (or how much I got paid for it!). However, when I would find things missing from my stash (orange toothbrush) I would get upset and search the house until I found it in my brother’s bathroom… I don’t mind sharing I just like for my family to ask permission first. I still spent my time and money on these things!
Amy says
The location of my stash is well known, I just don’t always advertise when I add more to it! 😛
SaraJC says
lol I have a room where I put all my stockpile and storage. I usually keep it closed because some people get shocked by all the stuff I have but I love looking at that room and think to myself of all the money I’ve been able to save and how I dont have to purchase those same items for a while. I dont have a secret stash but I consider that one room a secret room since nobody really enters it, just me and the hubs.
Gina says
Sometimes is just best when my husband doesn’t see how much I bring home…so I quickly put it all away.
Thanks for the laugh today, so true.
Christy B. says
Oh my goodness, SO FUNNY! I have totally stored my extra stuff in the garage, okay HIDING it is a better word.
megan says
nope, i know if i’m thinking to myself that i’ll need to “hide” the items i’m buying i shouldn’t buy it (with the exception of gifts for the husband/kids and chocolate). it helps keep me within reasonable limits 🙂