I took a job last summer 

and found that I had less and less time to devote to couponing.

On the advice of a friend I started shopping at Aldi and of course they do not accept coupons. I still go to Kroger for pet food and some dairy products (we don't care for Aldi's cheese) and we go to Dollar General for detergents and some paper products. There is an IGA a couple of miles away and we also shop there since their prices are comparable to the other major chain grocery stores. I like the fact that at IGA you aren't required to have a keytag to enjoy their savings and I like supporting local economy.

I left my job after Easter of this year and started substitute teaching. I have more time for couponing now, but we save so much money with our present system that I don't use as many coupons as before. I recommend Aldi to anyone wishing to slash their grocery budget. We don't spend an hour or more shopping for groceries anymore. I don't feel as though I've entered a time warp when I go into Aldi. You know the feeling...you go into a large store and it's as if you've entered a parallel universe where time is on a different continuum as you go up and down the aisles.

I've tried to do the whole CVS and Walgreens deals but I have to admit that it makes me so nervous trying to be sure I have the exact coupon and product and then do the deals in the correct order that it's worth it to me to shop at Dollar General where prices are low all the time. I know Wal-Mart says they are the lowest, but I beg to differ. Sometimes they are more expensive, and I don't care for the long lines at Wally World. I still remember how so many stores closed their doors after Wal-Mart came to town, especially craft and sewing stores. I now have to drive almost 30 minutes to the nearest fabric store. I go to Wal-Mart as a last resort. Pardon my rant.