SI Money Savers

Before I started couponing I never had extra! And I mean never! I never had extra of anything. I would head to Walmart which was my closest store and spend my $300+ a payday (every 2 weeks) and we ran out of stuff all the time. My so called budget would always be busted because I would run out of laundry detergent or toilet paper or any other thing you could imagine and I would make another trip to Walmart. Somehow I would manage to spend another $25-$50 and the cycle went on and on. I was constantly telling hubby he needed to up my budget, I needed more grocery/household money.

Then I started couponing and almost immediately dropped my budget to $200 a payday for all groceries and necessities. And you guess it, I have more stuff than I know what to do with. I have kept the budget at $200 a payday for my own freedom (I do enjoy shopping) but I have went as low as $100 for a payday and as high as $210 for a payday which happened last payday.

So even though my HBA cupboard is full I know that there are people who could use all those freebies that we can find almost every week. So I continue to search the deals and with our much lower budget I am able to feed and take care of us much better than I ever did before plus I am able to help out others.

I am not saying this to brag, I am saying this because there have been times throughout my life when others have helped me or my family and I will never forget it. I feel so strongly that God wants me to do everything I can to help out as much as I can. Learning how to coupon has made that possible.

No I don’t need 20 free toothpastes, toothbrushes, deodorants etc, etc. But I can find good homes for them.

Here are some great places to donate:

Homeless Shelters
Battered Womens Shelters
Animal Shelters (all that free dog and cat food)
Food Pantries
Ministerial Alliance
Salvation Army
Some Churches also collect

I like to donate to our local Ministerial Alliance, I live in a relatively small town (around 8000) and they give food and supplies to 500 families each month. Chances are you may even have a friend or a family member who could use a little help. Also having extra around is great if you have someone in your town devastated by a fire or some other kind of disaster.

I remember when I was a senior in HS and our house burned to the ground. We live in a very small town, less than a thousand. But people by the dozens started showing up at my grandparents house dropping of clothing, toiletries, makeup (I am the oldest of 3 daughters and we were 17, 15 and 12), bedding, food you name it. It was overwhelming and it touched us so much and I hope that I can even do just a little of that for someone else.