A "duh" moment

This is a little embarrassing, but I thought I'd tell you anyway, and maybe save someone else from making the same mistake. So, I got my Costco coupons in the mail the other day and I thought, "I'm going to go through these and actually use them!" You see, I always have the best intentions with coupons, but they usually end up stuck in a drawer until well after their expiration date (which I always discover when I think to use them). Anyway, I went to Costco today and actually remembered to take my coupon booklet! I was so proud of myself! Many of the items I chose because they had coupons. Then I stood in an aisle, carefully tearing out all the coupons before I went to check out. I was quite happy with the money I would save. Items I might have put off for later, I went ahead and bought, because they had coupons! Woo-hoo! So, I was at the check-out, Simon was crying (a very nice man let me go ahead of him). I handed them my card and said, "Oh, I have coupons too." They said, "Those don't start until the 7th." I said, "Oh...what's today?" They answered, "The 4th." "Oh," I replied, as I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. They were nice though and told me it happens all the time and that I could bring my receipt back in on the 7th, with the coupons and they would reimburse me the difference. Boy, was I glad! Silly me.