To coupon or not to coupon, update...

So the first week in January I bought the Sunday paper and I clipped my coupons and got myself a coupon folder.  I then organized my shopping trip by sales and coupons and my needs for the week.  Here's a run down on what I've learned so far:

First you're all probably dying to know how much moola I saved.  So without further ado...

Week 1 Results:

$26.00

Now for some of you that might not seem like that much but for me on my first try?  I don't think that's too shabby.  Even more of a surprise was not only did I save $26 bucks but the amount of food I came home with was double what I usually buy.  That was what hooked me!  Take a look at my fully stocked fridge/freezer and pantry:

Now what you can't see in these photos is that I have 3 gallons of milk, 2 gallons of Silk Almond milk, and in the pantry I am fully stocked all the way to the back of the shelves with cereal, soup, pasta, crackers, granola bars, pasta sauce, salad dressings, and kitty treats.  I spent my normal amount but what I actually bought made me giggle!  There is nothing worse than going grocery shopping, spending a small fortune, and after unloading and putting everything away, your cabinets and fridge still look bare.  That really sucks!  But not this time!

Week 2 Results:
Saved $18.00 total.  Came under budget by $20 and came home with a completely loaded up trunk full of groceries, again!

The only down side to this money saving adventure is the amount of time invested between coupon clipping, organizing, and believe it or not, the actual shopping.  First week took me 3 hours!  Second week I was down to 2 hrs.  And both times I shopped at two different stores to get the best deals, something I never do.

Conclusion:
I'm hooked.  I like a challenge.  I like getting the best deals possible.  I feel like I've won something.  Even my kids are thrilled because come Thursday or Friday when we usually are running low on food in the house, both weeks we have had plenty to still choose from.  My goal is to save at least $30 a week by using coupons and get my weekly budget down $50 a week.