If you want more profound and articulate blogging, his is the way to go! I'm excited to see what he writes about!! He's a WONDERFUL writer!
I also excited because it's Wednesday! Why, you ask? Because the "Wednesday Extra" comes in the mail with all the grocery store ads!!!!! YAY!!!
Let's back up! This summer I went to a shopping seminar with a lady from our church that teaches you how to grocery shop efficiently. In a nutshell, she teaches you how to track grocery store sales (which are cyclic) and use your coupons to get really great deals - better than Wal-mart prices! So when items go on sale, you use your coupons at the stores that double coupons and VOILA - you get a lowest target price! Then you stock up! I'm still not great at it but I can definitely see how you can save a lot of money. I mostly track meat sales and stock up when it's low. I also track sales on items I know we use - toilet paper, laundry detergent, condiments, shampoo...you get the idea. Recently I moved my coupons into a smaller container. I used to keep them in this box.
Now I keep them in these little pouches that I found at the Dollar Tree!
Now I can carry them in my purse for unexpected shopping trips!So, an example for efficient shopping. Let's say Publix does a Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) on Kraft Salad Dressings. And they are regularly marked $2.50 a bottle. And I have $0.50 coupons for Kraft Salad dressings. I buy 2 bottles of dressing for $2.50 and each of my coupons get's doubled to $1.00 (so I save $2.00). I just bought 2 bottles of dressing for $0.25 each!!! Now, hopefully you've been clipping your coupons and you have more than 2 coupons and you can buy a few bottles of Ranch or whatever dressing your family eats on a regular basis and you store them away!
Her key is to stock up when items hit their lowest target price. She doesn't shop based on what meals she is cooking that week or month. She cooks based on what is stocked up in her pantry! Pretty cool. She has 9 people in her family and say she spends about $400 a month on food and cleaning supplies!
I just noticed that Spray and Wash is BOGO at Publix this week and I know I have some coupons. And I think I just used the rest of our last bottle (and A LOT of clorox) on the ::mmm:: rather nasty mess Landon made on our bed this morning while I was in the shower for 5 minutes. I'll spare you the details but let's just say this never crossed my daughters mind - EVER!!
I'm not sure why I never thought about clipping coupons before. I mean EVERY penny counts at our house! One income - 3 kids! I'm hoping that our savings can eventually snowball into greater savings. But I enjoy taking the time to clip coupons and track sales. It makes me feel like I'm doing my part as a stay at home mom - serving my family.
In Proberbs 31 it says (vs. 14) "She is like the merchant ships: bringing her food from afar". And in Luke 12:42 about being a wise manager, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?" I am doing my God intended job as a mother - taking care of my family. I am taking the money God has given our family and using it wisely - or at least I'm trying.
It blesses my husband too. Proverbs 31:11 "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value"
But the ultimate blessing is to me - to serve others and in the end serving God! Which is what brings us (me) perfect happiness and peace! God has entrusted me with 3 of HIS precious children for only a short period of time! I am CHOOSING (delightfully) to take care of them to the best of all my abilities! And this is only one of the ways!
One last picture:
Can you find Olivia and Landon?????
And then this is what they did!
Just another "normal" day at our house!! (They're jumping off of the desk by the way!)
So inspiring and glad to see your kids can fly too! :)
ReplyDelete