Monday, January 5, 2009

Saving Money Is Going To Bankrupt Me

Saving Money Is Going To Bankrupt Me

I like to pride myself on NOT buying into hype, and not getting too excited about things that the media want me to get excited about. This is mainly for two reasons. One, I work in the media and I know how we tend to over dramatize things. Two, it is in my nature to be contrary. It’s why I make a good(ish) talk show host.

So, it is with much embarrassment that I tell you that I went a little crazy, trying to save money, at the grocery store, last night.

Like everyone else, I watch the news and I am now thoroughly convinced that I am A) unemployed, and B) an inner city, welfare mother, addicted to crack, with 4 children from various fathers, whose application for food stamps just got denied because I used them to try and buy cigarettes and beer, while turning to prostitution as my only means of existence.

How did my life turn out like this?

I went to college!!! And I only got kicked out twice!!!

Damn Republicarats!!!!

So, until Barack Obama comes along and waves his magic-economic-twinkle-stick-of-change to fix everything, and we all get puppies and ice cream, it looks like I’m going to have to make some changes.

Like many other people, I have turned to comparison shopping, and coupons. So, like many other people, I waste all the money I would have saved at the store, on gas, as I drive from store to store trying to save .00000000276% on my grocery bill.

I assure you that “obsession” is a fitting word. I found myself wondering around the store, saying things like:

“.79 cents a POUND!?!! Screw that!! It’s only .78 cents a pound at the other store. DO THEY THINK I’M SOME KIND OF FOOL!?!!”

Or:

“$3.98? For THAT!?!! RAT BASTARDS!!!!!”

Of course, many people stared at me because I was both muttering, and yelling at myself, while wondering around a food store, wearing a “Kermit The Frog” hat. Apparently, this behavior has been deemed “odd” by some people. Go figure.

Another interesting thing about my current obsession with saving money, is that it’s actually causing me to spend MORE money.

Yup.

You see, I am broke, because the house that I paid $388,000 (which I did not have) for, is now worth approximately $2.74 (financed over 30 years at 5 ½% FIXED.) So, I have no money. Obviously, this is causing me to spend MORE money.

This is due to the fact that I am now using coupons.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Work is really slow, which is why I have all this extra time to read Casey’s pointless blog.” But, you’re also thinking, “How can this bonehead manage to spend MORE money if he’s using coupons? What an idiot. His mother must have been smoking ground up tire treads when she was pregnant with him.”

I get a lot of that.

Let me explain.

You see, the coupons are forcing me, against my will, to buy things that I don’t actually need, for the simple reason that I HAVE A COUPON FOR THAT!!!!!

So, as I wonder through the store, buying things I don’t need, or like.

I don’t NEED eggs, but I have a coupon. So, I actually lose money, because they sit in my refrigerator, and go bad because I didn’t need them in the first place.

I don’t even LIKE pimento loaf. But, I bought it, because I had a coupon. Now it, too, will sit around and go bad.

I didn’t NEED that 17 year old, Vietnamese girl. But, I HAD A COUPON!!! Now, she’s gonna sit in my cupboard, and go bad.

You get the gist.

Personally, I’m starting to think that maybe, just maybe, there are no economic problems. That this was all started by the giant, monolithic, supermarket conglomerates in order to convince us to spend MORE money, by using coupons. Sadly, we have all fallen for it.

So, I end up spending more money on things, because a tiny piece of paper tells me that I can save 30 cents on it. All the money I saved ended up costing me about $40.

For an unemployed, crack addicted, welfare mother this is not a good sign.

I think I need help.

Casey

7 comments:

Tara said...

HAHAHAHHAH!!! You are SOOO right..
what's even worse is that there is a website out there that teaches you how to do this.. and also to give your overages to family and friends that need it.. ya know cause we are all made of money i guess..
for your humor.
www.couponmom.com

Chykin said...

Casey, your blog isn't boring. Ray's is.

Anonymous said...

you guys are great thats y i moved to fla in dec. keep up the great work guys. ty brad sturgis

Anonymous said...

please help ray's blog lol j/k lets go joisey lol

Anonymous said...

Casey,

I do not think you are weird for wearing a Kermit the Frog hat(does that have to be capitalized, is he that special, am I being politically incorrect if I don't capitalize) My father wore an elf hat to all the stores he went to in DC at Christmas. I of course told people he had fallen off the wagon..it being the holidays and you know how people get depressed around the holidays, I just said if you knew my family you'd fall off too. I said it behind his back while leaving the register's! No one questioned it.

You are absolutely correct about these coupons making people spend more money. I had about 10 buy one get one free Yankee candle coupons...I felt compelled to use all of them..if I didn't what a waste. Look at all these free candles I could get with these wounderful coupons and give them as gifts. There were even buy one candle(always the large candle of course) get and oil difuser free! How can you pass that up? I finally
told the girl behind the counter DO NOT GIVE ME ANYMORE COUPONS BECAUSE I WILL HAVE TO USE THEM! She looked at me weird like I was nuts. So almost all my family and friend's received candles from me. Do you know what I received (no lie) 11 oil diffusers and I know they were free! Karma stinks!

Sincerely,
the girl who does her laundry at her parent's house (across from your's)

ps my parent's washer broke so know I have to pay for doing my wash..what a rip off! I think their just saying that, because they won't say where they are doing their wash!

Unknown said...

Casey.. if you need help.. we all do. Sometimes you just make so much sense... common sense that is.. perhaps you should write a book. How to survive in NJ by Casey Bartholemew. Inside this book would be top 10 lists.. on how to survive certain situations. For example.. when its snowing.. maybe its the dandriff of christ coming down to tell you to wake up.. shovel off your car.. and stop being a complete moron. People are so stupid these days it makes Beavis and Butthead look smart. Save us oh wonderful Casey.. The Corzine Minions need your help...

Anonymous Matt said...

Two words for you... B J's.
If you think coupons are bad wholesale clubs are all 12 or so circles of hell. Not only do you not need a case of marinated artichoke hearts... but you would more than likely spend just as much buying them one jar at a time. Never go there on an empty stomach... never.