Funny Friday Video!

This one is for all of my crazy couponing friends Happy weekend!

Find Those Coupons!

I told you I’d do it and since then I’ve been anxiously putting it off. I KNOW I’m going to forget 5 things I want to say so I’m looking to my readers to pick up the slack in the comments field!

Anyway, here it goes. My top ways to find coupons:

1 – The obvious spot: newspapers. Sunday newspapers are loaded with coupons but sometimes there are no inserts and sometimes there are no good coupons so if you’re like me and don’t want the paper or to waste your money/time…listen to the blogs. There are some coupon bloggers who will post what coupon inserts will be in that week’s paper. Then on Sunday morning go to the dollar store and pick up a discounted paper! Yes really, the dollar store sells them for a dollar! But be careful, make sure there are coupons inside the paper you pick up.

2 – Magazines. A lot of health food stores and grocery stores have free magazines that have coupons in them. They’re either by the door or in the produce area usually. Look around and grab 1 or 2!

3 – Coupon Sites. I’m sure there are more than I use but I print coupons from: coupons.com, smartsource.com, mambosprouts.com, redplum.com and couponnetwork.com. It’s also great to join RecycleBank and earn points to “purchase” coupons.

4 – Coupon Blogs. I could spend hours trying to find coupons or I could be smart and let other people do the work for me. It’s so easy to follow blogs and there are many ways to do it.

• You can visit a blog and subscribe to get their posts by email. Don’t want to clutter up your inbox? There are 2 options: 1-create a new email address that you use purely for coupons and sweepstakes. I highly recommend this so if your email address DOES get sent to the wrong person and you do start getting spammed, it’s an email address you don’t care about. 2 -create a filter in your inbox that coupon emails get put directly in a special folder and you just click on that folder to see what came in. It won’t be sitting in your inbox.
• You can visit a blog and suscribe to get their posts by RSS Feed. There are sooo many services out there that help you keep track of your blogs. Personally I use Google Reader which links right over from my Gmail account. It’s super easy to use and I keep all of my blogs in a special coupon folder.
• Follow on Facebook. If you frequent your news feed you’ll catch deals as they’re posted and have better chances at getting freebies with limits.
• Follow on Twitter. An easy way to see what deals are popping up.

5 – Manufacturer websites. Sometimes the best coupons are sitting right on the website of your favorite brand. I visited each website of the brands I use most and bookmarked them in my web browser. When it comes time to go food shopping I quickly visit each site and see what coupons are available. Since we eat mostly organic and gluten-free this really saves us a lot of money. The ones that I often get coupons for are: Newmans Own, Stonyfield Farm, Pepperidge Farm, Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Morningstar Farms, Green & Black, Earths Best, Celestial Seasonings, Salada Tea, Horizon Dairy, Organic Valley and Santa Cruz Organics. Don’t forget to check their facebook pages too – a lot of coupons and deals are found there! Not finding coupons? Email and ask them! I’ve done this with a few coupons and surprise surprise, they mailed me coupons!

6 – Coupon Swapping. I have some friends that are into coupons and I make sure to send them coupons I think they’d like. In return, most of them do the same. It’s an awesome way to “beat” the print limit and get lots of coupons for things you buy often or can stock up on.

I’m sure there are many more tips on how to find coupons so please share below! I’m not an expert and try not to obsess over saving money. It’s really about doing the best you can and helping others do the same. Also, if you have a CREDIBLE coupon blog or site and would like to post it below, I’m okay with that. Please know that if you send my readers to a spam site or contact them without permission you will be reported, blocked and frowned upon.

Oh You Extreme Couponer You

You’re seeing it all over TV. In the news. On facebook. Probably even on Twitter. Coupons are trendy!? Geeks are cool, math is fun and coupons are trendy – is this heaven?

I remember growing up seeing my parents every weekend morning sitting at the kitchen table cutting coupons and looking at circulars. My dad is frugal and always taught me to not spend money I don’t have and save money on things you were going to buy anyway. It’s really a great way to live and is the best advice I can pass on to people I know.

Unfortunately, as with all trends, we’re at the peak of people being stupid (in my humble opinion) with saving money, freebies and coupons. I’m finding the majority of people are on one side or the other. They see someone with coupons and think “oh god, it’s one of THOSE extreme couponers. They’re going to empty the shelves and leave nothing for ‘normal’ shoppers” OR they’re the couponer who is obsessing over how much they’re saving and getting so stinkin’ prideful that it’s really not about saving money for their family – it’s about bragging about what they’re getting and how much they’re getting it for. I admit, it feels AWESOME to have a cart full of items and pay not much for them…but is that a biblical thing to do? If you’re taking from the rich (corporations) and giving to the poor (food pantries), then sure. But are you storing up “things” just for yourself? Are you getting prideful with your savings? Are coupons knocking your balance in life off? Are you putting saving money more important than the real important things in life? I’m not accusing anyone…I’m just advising you to keep it in perspective.

I love saving money…but I’ll ONLY buy things (free or not) that I would use without a coupon. Not everyone will agree with me on this..and maybe you’re in a position that you can’t “afford” to buy what you want…but here’s how I shop: I refuse to compromise my family’s health for price. I’m finding that there are many ways to stay on a budget and eat healthy.

• I buy local, organic produce and normally, there is no coupon for that. But what there IS, is in and out of season food. Ever notice the ever changing price of apples and strawberries? Build your fruit palette by buying what’s in-season and as a result is cheaper. There is a reason that prices change, it’s called supply and demand. Buy what’s fresh and learn your price points. It’s important to know if $1.69/lb is a good price.

• Write out a list of meals you’re going to make for a week or two and THEN make your food shopping list. It’s amazing how much money we waste and food we store up by buying what we think we’ll use. Shopping lists are important for not buying impulsively. Trying to eat healthy? Add “3 snacks” to your list…then you have an entire supermarket full of snacks and you get to take the time and pick 3 that you will enjoy. It keeps you from buying things you really don’t want and appreciate the treat you just allowed yourself to have. Go through your coupons and see if you can use any to make your snacks even cheaper.

• Create meals that include meat rather than having meat as the main dish. There is nothing more frugal than using less meat and more rice/beans/vegetables. Soups, chilis, stir-frys etc…there are some great meals out there that are more than a slab of meat with a side of potatoes.

Those are just a few tips that don’t include sales and coupons. Now don’t get me wrong, i’m ALL for sales and coupons…I’m just saying don’t let it own your life or your meals. Don’t buy the unhealthy food because you got it cheap. Find ways to make the healthier stuff last longer. I’ll be posting soon on more specific ways I use/find coupons. I’m sure some of you are even better at this than me so I’m hoping you’ll post comments to encourage other readers as well. Remember, it’s NOT a competition – it SHOULD be a community. Help your friends save money without letting your pride get in the way. If we all keep it in perspective there will be plenty of sale items (and rainchecks if necessary) to go around. Sure there will always be people who use Extreme Couponing as a guide to store up 45 toothpastes but let’s face it – this show won’t be on forever and people will get bored/run out of room soon. Help people make life-long, money saving changes, not jump on a trend that will fade out with the silly band bracelets that are now 90% off in a store near you.

*Please post comments on NON-COUPON ways to save money. Coupon/Sale blog coming soon…*

My 1 Year Fast

Now before you think I’m trying to top Jesus who is famous for His 40 day fast…let me explain. I’m NOT fasting food. Fasting is merely giving up something, it can be anything. But from past experience I do know that you shouldn’t fast something unless you feel called to do it. It doesn’t matter if you know the reason or not, but just make sure it’s not just something you decide to do. I personally don’t think God will care if you do, but there is just no point in doing a fast that won’t have any spiritual results.

That being said…

I’m fasting non-social television for an entire year. That means that I will not watch tv or movies unless it’s in a social setting (ie: date night, friends over, kids program with my daughter). You might think it’s really not a big deal but to me, it is. You see, when I’m having a bad day, I enjoy putting on a movie and drifting off to a land of characters I love and can relate to. When I don’t feel well, I love laying on the couch and watching countless episodes of Gilmore Girls. My husband spends 3 nights/week in the studio producing music and a lot of times I scan through Netflix and watch a show or movie to enjoy the peaceful night by myself. All in all, I didn’t watch THAT much tv…but I think God got tired of my reason for doing it.

Mid April 2011 I spent one evening watching “Eat Pray Love” staring the wonderful Julia Roberts. I loved the movie. I sat there soaking up each funny line and relating to each emotion felt whether it was the food, the friendship, the feeling of love, a past of pointless relationships, or the spiritual journey one goes through at some point in their life. But with all of that, there was one scene that got me teary-eyed…and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the intention of the writer. See the picture below:

Surprised huh? Honestly, I cried because she was sitting in a comfortable environment, enjoying reading a book. Yup. That made me cry. God used that scene to show me how much time I waste watching other people experience life. I love reading. And writing. And dancing. And trying new things. And talking to friends and family. I’m a smart, creative, fun person and yet when I have a moment to myself I don’t feel that way. I drown myself in worlds that don’t exist. Actors are known for saying ever so (un-intentionally) harshly that these characters and towns we grow so fond of don’t actually exist…they’re just shows. It sounds sad to admit to the world but can anyone relate to this disappointment? There’s no Rory Gilmore running around Stars Hollow and no JD waiting for me in Sacred Heart Hospital. Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in a show or movie that you forget that not only doesn’t that place exist, but you are completely ignoring yourself and your life to engage in it?

I still haven’t figured out the entire plan God has for this fast but I don’t find it coincidental that I’m blogging again and finding new and creative ways to spend my free time. For example, instead of watching a show or movie while folding laundry, I listen to podcasts and sermons I missed at church. And instead of drowning my bad days with a good movie, I’m reading books that are uplifting and help my imagination run wild and free.

Some days are hard…some days are easy…but all in all, this is going to be one crazy journey!

It’s The Little Things…Little Things…

…sing along! (See below)

Lately it’s really those little things that make a difference.

The Good Little Things:

A smile from a stranger in the store

A coupon deal that actually works out

A baby that stops crying when you pick her up

An email from an old friend

A compliment from someone you respect

A quote that perks you up

A cup of coffee that is made perfectly

A ray of sunshine with a cool breeze

A quick kiss and “love you” in the morning

The Bad Little Things:

Someone cutting you off when you’re driving

The total on your bill higher than you expected

A fussy baby for some unknown reason

A friend that doesn’t call/text/write you back

Finding out someone you respect is upset with you

Someone teasing you about something your sensitive about

A messed up order by a barista

A cloudy day when the weather man predicted sunshine

An argument first thing in the morning

Just a reminder that your actions, or lack of actions, DO matter. They make a difference. They have the power to change someone’s day. A little thing to you can quickly become a big thing to someone else.

Not sure what the little things reference is? It’s a kick back to one of my favorite songs of 2000!

It’s the End of the World As We Know It…

(sing along!) …and I feel fine. (R.E.M.)

I’m sure by now you’ve heard that some people believe the rapture will happen on Saturday May 21st and the world will end October 21st, 2011.

I personally do not believe this will happen. I’m not going to go into why and I’m not looking for any debates. This isn’t what my surprise post is about. It’s about the wonderful quote “If you don’t believe in (or stand for) something, you’ll fall for anything.”

At this point I’m just asking you, do you know what you believe? You DO or you DON’T. And it’s important to realize that everyone is entitled to this…but it doesn’t make either of you right.

Some people believe the world will end in 2011.

Some people believe the world will end in 2012.

Some people believe that no one knows when the world will end.

Some people believe in God.

Some people don’t.

Some people believe in more than one God.

Some people believe that chocolate is the best ice cream flavor.

Some people believe that vanilla is.

Get my point?

Know what you believe in and stand for it. Don’t let someone else’s belief sway you if you don’t feel they’re right. Don’t say things you don’t mean and don’t do things you don’t think you should do.

It’s an easy concept but it’s a hard action. I just wanted to take a few minutes to encourage you. Believe in something. You have as much right as anyone else does.

What Will Be, Will Be

Howdy strangers. It’s been a while. Remember me? Well…remember my last post? If you don’t, go check it out. I had to re-read it before posting this blog and all I can say is “wow.” I was right on so far. Honestly, I haven’t thought much about what I wrote since I wrote it…but I guess what will be will be. I say this because everything I spoke about in my last post, has been so incredibly on-point with my life as of right now, 19 days later. That’s when you truly know that you hear from God.

That being said…was the easier part.

This part is a bit harder.

I’ve been blogging for a long time. I’ve actually developed some following. It amazes me. Thanks so much for reading what I have to say!

But the truth is, I don’t have much to say right now. God is doing such a quiet, humbling work in my life and I’m currently on a journey that isn’t meant for the public eye. He’s doing things in my heart that can’t be put into words. He’s opening my eyes to things that are meant for me alone to see. He’s opening doors that are marked with a sign “for members only” and the membership price is extremely high and the applications accepted are few.

So what am I trying to say? I’m saying that it’s official. As of right now, this blog is closed. Alive for people to read old posts but for the near future, no new posts will be written and published.

It’s been a fun and amazing journey but it’s just not what I’m supposed to be doing right now with my time. I’m sad and excited but I know that with God – what will be, will be. And things may change..but for now, my online blogging life door has been closed and I’m smiling at the other doors that are opening because of it.

Thanks for all of the love and support and comments and reading! You can still keep up with me on facebook and twitter and gmail and in person and all those other ways if you’re interested. And if not, that’s okay too. I’m believing that God has a plan much bigger than I could ever know.

With love,

Jess/Proverb31girl

2010 Ends. 2011 Begins.

In less than 24 hours 2010 will be over and I’ll have to remember to write 2011 on everything. Like every other year, it will probably take me some time to get used to that but to be honest, I’m looking forward to it since for me, 2011 seems to have already begun.

I’m not prophetic in a way that I can tell you “thus says the Lord” or even in the “let me tell you what God is saying” way. But I do know how to pray, speak to God and hear His voice in my life. And in my life, he made it clear from the very beginning, 2010 was about change in my life. Just read my past blogs and you’ll see that trend. In 2010 I had a baby, moved, got plugged in at a new church, left my career to be a stay at home mom, lost friends, made friends, got back in touch with some old friends and overall, had a lot of smaller adjustments happen as well – including eating dairy-free. Looking back, it seems like it was a long year. I think change can do that. Not many people like change and therefore it was a stressful year but also a year that is ending with a full-cart shopping list of blessings.

In 2010 I was also (forced) to learn a lot about myself and a lot of my strengths and weaknesses. I’ve learned about what true hurt looks like but I’ve also learned what true forgiveness is. I’ve grown as a woman and a wife more than any other year. I’m quickly learning what true sacrifice is and how to put my own agenda behind me for the good of the future and for others. I’ve learned how easy it is to get prideful in being “a good Christian.” I’ve also learned that being a good Christian doesn’t always look the way we think it should. That many people around us, Christians or not, are parading around in masks and disguises that they don’t know they own and in fact, those disguses are owning them. I’ve also learned that there are some amazing people out there who are waiting for you to come into their life if you’ll only say hi (even if it’s just in a bathroom! )

2010 brought about such change and stretching (somewhat literally!) for me that I was afraid of what 2011 would bring. But honestly, I think I already know. December 2010 has been a very insightful month for me. I’ve taken the time to look at a lot of things in my life and prayed about some things just kinda sitting around in my life, seemingly collecting dust. The things that weigh us down because they’re not growing or shrinking…they’re just there – not getting addressed. For me, early 2011 is about addressing those things. It’s about clearing out the corners now that the change has taken place. It’s about letting go of things I “just couldn’t deal with” in 2010, so I didn’t. It’s about really pressing in to the things I feel called to be doing and ending/putting away the things I know aren’t active in my life for a reason. It’s about building on the changes that were made in 2010 and not looking back wondering what if. It’s about moving forward with my new life and new friendships and new ventures and investments. It’s about choosing to stay focused on a few things rather than wrangling in and holding on to as much as I can grab. It’s about trusting God with what He’s given me and what He’s taken away…knowing that this may still change and alter and I have to be okay with that immediately…not months down the road after it’s beat me up a bit. It’s going to be about making decisions and then moving forward rather than closing my eyes and jumping. It’s going to be a year of being aware of what’s going on around me and focusing on the path I know I’m supposed to be on. It’s about the mature knowledge that some things have to be let go of, all emotions aside. And from what I can see, it’s going to be a year of keeping Jesus as my center and learning to kick the little buggers chewing on my ankles aside while still moving forward with a smile on my face and a joy in my heart.

You might be completely confused, frustrated and bewildered by what all of these things are. Please don’t be. This isn’t a blog where you should respond with “are we still going to be friends?” “what does she mean by that?” “how does she know that” “what happened?” etc. To be honest, I don’t even know if I’d have an answer for you. I just know the truths that are on my heart, and most of them do not have specific situations or people connected to them; they’re as vague and general as this post is.

All I can say is that I welcome 2011 with open arms and encourage you to do the same. Don’t bring the hurts of 2010 into 2011 but don’t ignore them either. Deal with them, let them go, and move forward into a new year filled with possibilities.

*Happy New Year! Thanks for all of the love and support. I look forward to hearing about what God has in store for YOUR new year.

Photos and More!

I recently used Shutterfly to create my first photo book for Charlotte and was amazed at how easy it was! With this being her first Christmas we’ve finally decided to send out Christmas cards this year (we usually don’t). Our favorite from Shutterfly is the Frost Friends Christmas because it’s cute, original and has my favorite – snowmen!

I’m usually not one for advertising sites but I was seriously amazed at how easy, fun and simple Shutterfly was. Make sure to take a look at their cards and calendars too. I’ve been “collecting” discount codes to their site and am able to get discounts on products, free shipping after purchasing a certain amount and even some more free photo books. It’s definitely worth the effort and an easy way to get some presents checked off of my list. I’m thinking Grandparents who aren’t hip on the digital and still request pictures in the mail of their new great granddaughter! 

Where’s Superman?

The past few days have been hard. My daughter has been teething and has been having stretches of time that are extremely difficult to handle. There are things I want to get done that aren’t getting done. There are things that HAVE to get done that I’m dreading. I had some bad dreams that woke me up at 3:30am the other day and situations that kept me from napping – so I drank a lot of caffeine – which then kept me up until about 6am the next day and then after 2 hours of sleep I had things to do and didn’t nap all day. There were stressful situations appearing and past hurts lingering in the air. I felt helpless and tired and alone in my little world. Desperate for superman to come and take charge. To make everything better. I prayed and prayed and waited for Jesus to send superman to my front door and say “let me do this for you. Go lay down for a while.” I waited for God to respond the way I thought he should. His daughter needed help so He should send someone to help her. It’s definitely the “makes sense” solution. But I quickly discovered that no one was coming to my rescue. Superman is not real. But I also realized that supermom isn’t either.

When I reached my peak, my limit, my point of “things really can’t get harder…I can’t handle this,” my husband offered to do some of the work that had to get done when he got home that evening. YES! Superman! I felt for one second. Soon followed by the overwhelming feeling that I didn’t need superman. I didn’t need physical help. I needed restoration. I needed to learn that I COULD do this. That I was called to do this. That many people do harder things. God quickly revealed the answer to my prayers. I needed to lean on HIS strength and I needed to know that these situations are stretching me and making me “able.”

I put on some soul-quenching music, specifically Charlie Hall’s “My Brightness “, “Your love is like a ROCK when I’m SPINNING around” and danced around the living room with my daughter. We smiled, we laughed, we had 3 minutes of restoration. I then realized that God gave me exactly what I needed – the knowledge that I was meant for this. I then had the most amazing (and productive) hour I’d had in days. I did all of the little things that were easy to do – no major projects – just took care of little things that were driving me nuts. I threw on some sneakers and took out the trash – breathing in the fresh air for the 2 minutes I was outside. I sorted the laundry and realized it wasn’t as much as I thought it was. I took a quick shower and loved the feeling of being clean and wearing comfy clean clothes. I did 1 game clean-up parties in each room (scroll down to learn what that is). Most importantly – I took the time to thank God for restoring my faith and confidence in the fact that He always knows best.

Sure God could provide help in the form of a friend or relative offering to help me out. And He will do that if and when it’s necessary. But as always, He knew that after the person went home, I probably wouldn’t be changed. I would just have a clean house and a (maybe) napping daughter. But He knew that I would feel this way again next week. Or next month. He saw the bigger picture.

Maybe you can’t specifically relate to this situation. Maybe you’re sitting there rolling your eyes (or just recalling the feeling from long ago) because you have more kids and more things to do and are handling it all. But maybe, just maybe, there is someone out there that needs to hear this. GOD WILL BE YOUR SUPERMAN. IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE IN THE WAY YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE. In the movies, superman was predictable. Bad situation – he swoops in and saves the day by putting out a fire or catching a falling victim. He did it in the physical. But God can do that in ways that will save you from future situations. He can prevent future fires and falls. He can give you joy that’ll last past the tragedy. And that’s a message that anyone can get something from.

*A 1 song game clean-up party. What I do is pick a room and put on music. At the beginning of a song I straighten up as many things as I can in that room, moving as quickly as I can. All items that don’t belong in that room go into a pile, sorted by which room they belong in. Trash bag in hand or a “garbage pile” works too but make sure you have one or the other. When the song is over, take everything from your piles and put them in the room they belong in. It won’t clean your house the way you dream it should be cleaned. But it’ll take away the chaos and overwhelming feeling of cleaning the rooms later on. This can also be done with dishes and throwing a load of laundry in (if you have a washer and dryer). Songs are usually between 3 and 5 minutes long so the typical person won’t even lose an hour of their day doing this. It’s productive and it’s fun – give it a try!

Beware the Scarlet Letters

Beware of those beautiful scarlet letters. Not the book. Not the story. Not the history.

The ads.

“Clearance” “Sale” “One Day Only” etc etc.

There’s a phrase that goes “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” Well at this point in the year I advise you to forget this saying and bring it back in mid-January 2011. It’s officially Christmas shopping season. Why? Because the stores tell us so. Every single circular has amazing deals on products. Coupon codes, online only sales, 1 day shopping in-store sales, rebates, discounts, free products with a purchase…these deals EXIST and THEY ARE GOOD. It’s just like hell – it exists to all but is often sugar coated in candy red letters so we don’t feel the flames as we fall into its alluring traps. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic but let’s think about this.

Today is November 10th. Christmas is a month and a half away. Have you bought or been tempted to purchase gifts because of a deal you couldn’t pass up? Retailers started early and man they’re good this year.  Falling prices, coupons for every store and black Friday ads circulating since Halloween. The perfect way to stimulate our economy so the stores make money and more and more people end up in accidental debt. Don’t think so? Well, how many people are going to finish the bulk of their Christmas shopping by December 1st and then spend a month not buying anything else when the deals are going to keep getting better? Are you strong enough to not go in the mall for a month during “the best time of the year?” And if you’re daring enough to enter, are you strong enough to resist a 75% off nothing you really need but something you want deal? You may pick up an extra gift or 2 for someone because it’s the “perfect gift.” Or maybe you’ll treat yourself because you’re done shopping for other people.

The stores may seem like they’re helping you out but long-term, are they?

My advice is to do your research before you go shopping, stick to your lists, print out your coupons, use your rebate sites, use your coupon codes, save on the not rushed deliveries but most importantly, if it’s not the absolute perfect gift for the absolute perfect price, wait. It’ll be hard. But it should pay off.

This year before purchasing anything I ask myself these questions:

• Who is it for?
• Will they love it?
• Is it what I would pay if it were full price or am I buying it because it’s on sale?
• Does it exceed the amount I want to/can afford to spend on this person?
• Will it get even cheaper?

I’m not saying don’t shop – I myself have already bought a few presents. What I’m saying is be wise. The stores are not your friends, they’re looking to make money. They don’t care how many times you purchase from their store and whether it’s full price or clearance priced. They don’t care if you use cash or credit card (unless of course it’s THEIR credit card they can charge you interest on). And most importantly, they couldn’t care less if you have a debt/balance in January 2011 that wasn’t there in October 2010.

Wishing you all a conscious shopping season – good luck out there!

Helping Your Community: Part II

Yesterday I posted about helping with food drives in your neighborhood. This next way to help your community isn’t event-driven or time sensitive. For me, it’s a new way of living. I’m always wishing I had more time/money/opportunities/ideas to help people. I usually come up short but this time God gave me an idea that is easy to do, costs me fractions of a penny and doesn’t take much time at all. It’s like coupon swapping, but without getting anything in return. I guess we can call it coupon blessing.

I love couponing. I often visit websites that you can print coupons for free (just the cost of paper and ink for your printer) and ocassionally find coupons in magazines. So my collection of coupons is growing. But there are so many times that I see coupons I don’t need or find that a coupon is about to expire that I’ve already printed but won’t end up using. So this is what I’m doing. I’m taking those coupons and as I’m shopping, I put them next to the item. Not hard to do, not timely to do and definitely not costly to do. But imagine how happy someone will be when they go to buy that item and find a coupon sitting there just waiting for them. It’s like putting money in your neighbor’s pocket.

I know some places have bins for coupon swapping but that takes time to go through and sometimes I feel weird taking a coupon or 5 (lol) when I haven’t contributed anything. But this…this idea I like. I challenge you to do the same. Imagine how awesome it would be if a lot of people started doing this? So many people would be blessed.

Want an even CHEAPER way of doing this? I have 1 question for you: Do you get the Sunday newspaper? The newspaper is loaded with coupons and I’m sure you just end up throwing out the ones you don’t need. How about clipping them and bringing them along next time you go grocery shopping or to a pharmacy? CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart, Supermarkets…so many places take coupons.

Have kids? Bonus! You can make a game of it AND teach them about giving and blessing others.

Anyway, I’ll be doing this and I hope you’ll join me.  As with all things, a little can go a long way.

Helping Your Community: Part I

I think it’s great to help those in need, especially in other countries, but sometimes I think it’s just as, if not more, important to help those in need that live in your area. We all know they exist – wherever you live. It’s not always the guy living under the bridge, the Veteran holding up a sign asking for money or the poor people living in “those” areas of your neighborhood. What about the large family shopping at Walmart who look like they could use some help? Or the family that is struggling with a layoff, or the military family that isn’t getting much from the government…the list goes on and on. Every city has someone that needs help.

The Fishkill Postal Workers are collecting food for the Fishkill Food Pantry to help those in need this holiday season. The list of items that are needed contain inexpensive foods that can be purchased for not much cost to you but will help those in need: pancake mix, syrup, potatoes, jams, jelly, crackers, canned tuna, pasta, stuffing mix, canned fruit, canned vegetables, spam, canned dinners, broth, and cranberry sauce. Think you can spend a little money and buy these items? I bet the person who could use the help will appreciate it much more than you know. If you could afford it, this is such a great and easy way to help out your community.

I challenge you. Find out if your area is doing anything and spend a few dollars helping out. Walmart canned vegetables cost a mere 67 cents a can. Think about it. Starbucks lattes cost anywhere between $3 and $6…imagine what you could get with that amount of money. Want to stretch your dollar even further? Go to some coupon sites and print them out!

Fishkill is collecting the donations this Saturday, all you have to do is leave the items by your mailbox. I challenge and encourage you to do something.

My next blog post will be a 2nd challenge to help your community…make sure to check back soon! Easiest way? Subscribe to my blog either by RSS feed or email address.

Organic, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Without Compromise

My husband has to eat gluten-free. I have to eat dairy-free. We’re quite a catch! haha. You’re probably thinking “so what DO you eat??” Well, it’s a common question and that’s why I’m writing this blog.

When you’re on a special diet it’s easy to assume that you’ll be missing out on the things you love, spending a lot of money, and having a hard time eating out. I’m here to tell you that with some careful planning and a little research this doesn’t have to be true. Here are a few of my tips:

• Go to a speciality natural food store and look for products marked “gluten-free” or “dairy-free.” Some cost a lot, some don’t. Do your research by looking at the top of shelves and bottom – not just eye level.
• Visit the organic section of your local grocery store…many stores are now carrying these products at a cheaper cost than health food stores. Some stores even have their own brands. And most grocery stores will double coupons…something you won’t find at a small natural store. My suggestions: Stop & Shop, Hannafords and now Walmart is starting to carry some.
• Learn which “normal” products are actually gluten-free/dairy-free. Fruits and vegetables, yes. Anything that you eat the skin, buy organic. Anything that you peel the skin – save a few bucks and buy the cheaper option. Chex mix has gluten-free options. Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, as is rice and many condiments (be careful of BBQ sauce and soy sauce though!).
• Rice milk and almond milk are great substitutes for cow’s milk. As is soy milk and all soy products (like soy yogurt and soy cheese). Tofu products are also substitutes but I’m not a fan of the taste.

That’s a bit to get you started. But let’s be honest, it’s daunting to have to choose between the many options, especially at some of the high costs. So here are some of our favorite products that we recommend:

Dairy-Free Butter: Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Affordable Baking Mix: Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free Mixes: Brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Yellow Cake Mix and Chocolate Cake Mix

Organic Cereals: Cascadian Farms cereals are my favorite.

Gluten-Free Granola: Bakery on Main

Dairy-Free Milk: Rice Dream, it’s thin like Skim Milk. I like it in coffee and in cereal

Organic Meats: Applegate. Love the bacon and hot dogs!

Pre-Packaged Gluten-Free Cookies: Glutino Chocolate and Vanilla Creme Cookies

Chips: Kettle Chips & Food Should Taste Good

Gluten-Free Flour & Pizza Crust Mix: Bob’s Red Mill

Gluten-Free Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns: Kinnikinnick Foods

If you want recommendations for anything else just leave a comment and I’ll do my best

Is Church Important?

I’m asking my readers this question today: Is church important to you?

Many people call themselves Christians. Some of those people go to church multiple times each week. Some of those people go to church every Sunday. Some of those people go to church sometimes. Some of those people don’t go to church.

Does going to church make you a Christian?

Does not going to church effect how you feel about God and how you act as a Christian?

These are all questions I’m wondering about today. How important is church to your belief in God? And if you don’t believe in God – how do you perceive church and Christians?

I know this is a completely personal and controversial topic…so I’m okay with my readers posting anonymously if they choose to do so. But I would like to hear your opinions and what you think of all of this.

Personally, I don’t think church is as important as some people make it out to be. I think it is important to belong to a church and have teachings from a Pastor and be apart of your community…but lately I think there is too much emphasis on WHERE you are being a Christian as opposed to HOW you are being a Christian. Sitting in on a good sermon and talking to your holy friends doesn’t make you a Christian in my opinion. To me, Christianity is a lifestyle. So my answer is this: I think church is important, but it’s only a small piece of what makes a person a real Christian.

What about you?