[liveandchi]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but when is money really saved? I'm having a hard time understanding this.

If I go to the store and I buy groceries and I use coupons that are worth $5.00, did I really save $5.00? Or did I not spend it?

If I spend that $5.00 on something else we need, does that mean it isn't saved? Do I have to put it in a bank in order for it to be saved?

I'm asking because I feel like I have made cuts to our budget and we should be saving money, but we still don't have any. So is the savings real or imagined?