Today Abby is going to share the story of how and why she started couponing. I just love sweet stories like Abby’s and this one really made me smile!

I’ve been a single parent for 13 years now. My lovely daughter and I have made it through thick and very thin times, but each job I have had has been a stepping stone higher than the last, and my current job makes me the most money I’ve ever made in my life, so I am extremely grateful for it. I could easily get by without couponing, but there is one very good reason why I keep on doing it: my fiancé…..
Through a mutual friend I ‘met’ Paul online. We started talking about writing, music and other things, and at first it was just casual. I didn’t worry or even think of meeting up because he lived in the United Kingdom and I lived in the United States. I just knew that we talked for hours and always had interesting things to share, and he wrote and I wrote, we had a lot in common. We just clicked.
We went on that way for nearly a year, talking every night and getting to know each other and becoming best friends, and then decided it was time to meet up and see if we had chemistry in person. He booked a flight to Florida – it was his first flight ever! That was in 2007, 4 years ago. Needless to say, meeting in person confirmed what we already felt about each other. When he had to fly back to the UK, we both knew that we wanted to continue the relationship, no matter what it took.
So, about every 4 months, either he flies here or I fly there with my daughter. We’ll spend a couple of weeks together, and then it’s back to long distance. Not ideal, but I’m blessed – at least I’m not sending him to a war zone!
Still, plane tickets to the UK aren’t cheap, so I began looking for ways to cut my expenses. That’s when I started looking at ways to save – including couponing!

When we were in the UK in 2009, Paul proposed, we bought a ring and we got engaged. We met his family and friends, and he’s met my family and friends. We’ve begun the process to bring him to the US so we can marry, and now we’re nearing the end of the wait, the long distance relationship and can finally share a life together in person.
Part of that process is the fact that I will have to temporarily support him when he lives here until he can get his social security card for work. We have both saved money so we will be able to get by while we wait. but our lifestyle won’t be extravagant by any measure. In order to make the money last as long as possible and keep our budget in line, I’ve turned again to couponing to make it possible.
We’re careful with electricity, and we recycle and reuse a lot – and we are pretty frugal in general, but I just knew I could get my grocery bill even lower! Pre-Paul and coupons, I used to spend nearly $300 a month on groceries for 2 people! I’ve cut that by two thirds thanks to this site! That’s where I Heart Publix has been a lifesaver. I can put the money I save on groceries into my  savings account or I can pay other bills with it. Couponing has given me the security of a financial cushion which will help to support the 3 of us on one salary with a relative amount of comfort.
The whole experience has been amazing!
He should be here by the end of the year, then we’ll plan our wedding – and again, this site will come in handy by helping me save towards the wedding expenses!

UPDATE: We just completed the visa process at the consulate yesterday, and Paul should have his visa to be able to move here within a few days! Woohoo! He’s going to begin shutting down his UK life in preparation for our new adventure together! On with the marriage plans and all that good stuff!

Aren’t they just the cutest?? What a great reason for saving!! Thanks so much for sharing, Abby.
In order to keep this new feature going, you all are going to have to volunteer to tell us all about something YOU do when you are couponing!! Your post can be about almost anything to do with couponing. You can tell us about a particularly good or bad situation you’ve dealt with as a couponer, about how you got into couponing or how couponing has impacted the rest of your life, you can make a list of things every new couponer should know…just about anything, really! If you think it’s interesting and it has to do with couponing, email me with your idea at contactiheartpublix @ gmail.com!