Couponer: Beginner Level

So, I'm not an extreme couponer yet, but if my resources were better, I have all confidence that I would be. See, I live in the Virgin Islands and the problem with the stores down here are: 1. They NEVER have sales on the items that I have coupons for, 2. The cost of living down here is ridiculous, and 3. I've never even heard of some of these products that I have coupons for and have never seen them in the stores I shop in down here(which is already very limited). So, I'm basically left with items that are marked up higher down here than on the mainland and all I get is a discount. For example, I had to purchase two V8 Fusion drinks @ $4.79 each just to get $1 off; so I only got $.50 of each. Now I'm not complaining at ALL. I am very excited about the money I did save and this will be practice for my first big shopping trip when I hop a flight to the mainland! Until then, I will continue to enjoy the discounts my coupons bring because every little adds up.

The other day I went to K-mart to shop with my coupons for the very first time. It was such a calming experience! I kissed my son and my boyfriend good bye and headed to the store. When I got there, I first purchased a couponed item to ensure the online coupon would scan; IT DID! So I flipped open my coupon binder, pressed play on the ipod and started my shopping. I was so at peace I felt like I was laying face down on a massage table. About two hours after I first stepped in the store, I headed to the cashier with my coupons and immediately felt like I was in an episode of Extreme Couponing!! Each coupon beeped as my $133.00 balance began to decrease!!! IT...WAS...EXHILARATING!!!! Until the coupons were done, the beeping stopped and my balance was STILL in excess of $100.00. But no worries. Like I said, I appreciate the discount! After I got home, I tallied my receipt and of the $120.48 that I paid, $75.74 were items purchased with discounts. Of that $75.74, I used $13.25 worth of coupons; therefore only paying $62.49 for those items. PLUS, I got a $3.00 coupon from the register! I can't wait to take a vacation on the mainland. My ENTIRE vacation will revolve around couponing and building my stockpile!!!!!!!! People, I haven't been this excited about anything since the first time I saw Damian Marley in concert! I need to compose myself...