I was in the grocery store (imagine that) a few days ago crouched down in the “breakfast” isle picking up “fruit snacks” when an acquaintance spotted me and said “There she is… with her coupons”… and started to giggle a bit under her breath. I started to explain what I was picking up (and asking her if she wanted some coupons to do the same) and before I could even finish she said… “I know… I know… but I just don’t have time to (clip) coupon(s).”
I just don’t have time to clip coupons…
Translation: “I just don’t have time to save money.”
That my friends… is the #1 thing (excuse) I hear when people talk to me.
To me… it’s not all about the money I’m saving…
It’s about how I’m able to “pay it forward” with all the money I save…
***************
Okay time to fess up…
#1 How much time do I send on the average week searching/clipping/shopping… basically anything to do with coupons?
About 10 hours a week
Shocking I know… or is it? Stop and think about it… How many hours a week do YOU spend grocery/toiletry/clothing shopping per week?
Be sure and take into account all those “little” trips… the “Oh I just need this ONE item”… or the last minutes trips thru the drive thru window because you were to tired to stuff your glove compartment full of snacks or to plan ahead… Unless you live like these people… I suspect you in fact DO spend more than an hour or two at Target/ The Grocery Store or a restaurant on any given week…
#2 How much gas do I burn thru each week… how many miles do I drive?
I know for a fact that I go thru about 1/2 to 3/4 a tank of gas each week… And that includes ALL my driving… and I have 2 teenagers and a high maintenance husband to run errands for. How about YOU… how much do YOU spend on gas a week?
#3 I especially like to hear the phrase “We don’t eat like that”…
Do people seriously think I/we eat everything I bring into this house via coupons?
Ummm… NO.
Not only did we give everyone cases and cases of FREE food & toiletries for Christmas… we also donated over 800 items to the food bank last November… Donated a bunch of feminine hygiene products to the nurses office at school, single handily supplied a fruit/snack/treat basket for all my daughters cross country meets last fall so the 40 kids on the team had a snack after the race and didn’t have to spend their own money at the concession stands , I also donated a bunch of make up to the drama department, and helped a few families in need with bags of groceries this winter.
How much DID YOU DONATE?
#4 Where do you find all your coupons?
I have several sources… When I first started couponing I would buy 5 newspapers a week… at a cost of $10 a week… that only lasted a few weeks… then I started asking my neighbors & my Mother to save their Sunday newspapers for me… then I started digging thru the recycle bin… and still do in fact… but now I just go about once a week. I’ll talk about more ways to find coupons on my next post.
Something to consider…
How many baby showers did you attend last year?
How much did you spend on the gift?
Last year I gave 3 baby gifts… and spent under $10 each…
And in both cases was able to give well over $100 in baby gifts.
What about teacher gifts?
I was able to give away tons of office supplies to my kids teachers this fall…
For FREE or near FREE.
Or…
How many TEENAGERS do you entertain on the weekends?
FYI: I have 2 teenagers… Monkey Boy & The Girl Who Thinks She’s A Bird…
And their peeps are always here… at our house… which is fine by me…
I may be the only person on the planet to say this… but
I.LOVE.TEENAGERS
I think they are some of the coolest people you will ever meet.
So… I may spend around 10 hours a week clipping coupons…
But I enjoy what I do…
I see it as one of my many hobbies…
So if you are still shaking your head at me and all my coupon clipping…
Please consider this…
What kind of an impact are YOU making with YOUR food budget?
Just a thought…
My point is… because of my “10 hours a week” we are able to give so much more simply because I take the time to clip coupons… Way more than we ever would have if I didn’t take the time to clip those little squares of “FREE” money.
It really is amazing how much money you can save…
And what an impact you can have in the lives of others…
If you simply take the time… to clip coupons.
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