Operation Christmas Child: A Personal Story

Every year, we fill a box or two for Operation Christmas Child.  Tightwad in Training features a personal story from someone who received a box as a child.  Visit it today to read this touching story.

Speaking of which, now is a great time to pick up some cheap school supplies for your Operation Christmas Child box.  We collect items all year long so that we can fill a few boxes without breaking the bank.

Tightwad Tuesday: Christmas Shopping

Retailers know that this is going to be a slim Christmas season so they are throwing sale after sale at us early this year. It is very tempting to give in to so many sales since items are at rock bottom prices. My suggestion is to make a list of everyone you need to buy a gift for, write down what you hope to buy each person, and set a dollar amount for each person. When the temptation strikes, consult your list.

I've already seen some items practically free and it is tempting to go overboard with buying them but in reality, my family does not need more toys and items in our house. My strategy for those items that are just too good to pass up (I'm talking free or just a few dollars) is to buy them and donate to those less fortunate. Here is an example of a wonderful deal on games that I plan on purchasing. I was wanting to buy Candy Land for my son's birthday anyway so this is an easy way to take advantage of a sale and bless others also.

Pay it Forward: Coupons

Ever have a great coupon for an item on sale but as you look at it on the shelf realize you do not really need it? If so, put the coupon on that item for the next person to find. I heard of someone doing this years ago and I've tried to pay it forward with my coupons every since. It can really bless someone else without costing you any money or time.

Tightwad Tuesday: Giving Back Through Stockpiling

Since money has been tight around here, I've been frustrated that I can't give as much as I would like to some of my favorite charities or causes. I've learned many other ways I can give though besides just writing a check. One of my favorite ways is pick up items when they are free or next to nothing and pass them on to the appropriate place or person.

* Right now, back to school supplies are cheap and sometimes even free. I pick up what I can and give some to a few teachers I know. We also collect supplies at church to give to needy children and I take some of my deals there.

* Multiple times a year there are pleas for food drives. Instead of running out and buying canned goods, I simply go to my pantry and give from my stockpile. Many times I pick up items at the store that I know I will never use but they were free and I know one of the local food pantry's would love to have them. I keep items like this in a certain area of my pantry so I can quickly grab the items as needed.

* Stockpiles can make great just because gifts too. For instance, take band aids, Tylenol, etc and make a very inexpensive first aid kit for someone. Put together tea bags, soup, and crackers for a friend who is sick. Look at what you have and get creative. Just because gifts can really brighten the day of your friends and family and they do not have to cost you much.

I challenge you this week to go through your stockpile and see how you can bless others through it.

Gotta Have Faith

I've talked to many people lately who are discouraged by the down enconomy and the lifestyle changes they are having to make. I will admit, it can be discouraging, but my faith is what is keeping me going. Usually about the time I feel I've had enough or start to worry how I am going to take care of a need, God comes through.

For instance, I was getting frustrated in the first trimester when none of my clothes fit and my maternity clothes from our first son were huge thanks to this child being born in a different season. I knew I had a little Christmas money to spend but it would not get me through the entire pregnancy. About this time, three different people blessed me with their maternity clothes and said they did not want them back. I went through everything, kept what fit and I liked, and passed on the rest to others who needed clothes too.

This one might seem petty, but another example is my son needed some sandals. We have had a few warm days and he was just too hot in socks and shoes. The only problem is my son will only wear Stride Rite shoes and he can instantly tell you when you put something different on his feet. I can usually find a pair at the outlet for a reasonable price but their selection was pretty sad and they were out of his size in the affordable options. On a whim, I decided to go to Kohl's since they sometimes have Stride Rite or Munchkins (made by Stride Rite). Lo and behold, my son fell in love with a pair of Cars sandals that were on sale for $12. This is literally the first pair of non Stride Rite shoes he has ever agreed to wear. A huge relief came off my shoulders because I wasn't sure where the $50-60 was coming from to buy him a pair of shoes for the summer.

I could go on and on with other non clothing related examples such as food being given to us and random checks or gift cards in the mail, but these are just two that have happened recently and caused me to pause and thank God for his blessings. I leave you with a verse that was posted on the Dave Ramsey site today:

"Blessed is the man who keeps on going when times are hard." James 1:12

Huggies Sale at Walgreens

Huggies are on sale this week at Walgreens for $10 a pack. When you purchase $25 worth of Huggies products, you receive $10 off your next purchase. Coupons.com currently has $3 and $5 off coupons for Huggies and you can print them twice by using the back button on your computer. To access the coupons, check out the pink banner on the left hand side of my blog, towards the bottom. You can print them right from the blog.

I used this opportunity to stock up on diapers for the new baby. If you do not have a child in diapers, this would make a great baby shower gift or a donation to a women's shelter. I purchased 3 packs yesterday for $16 and some change(I had 3 of the $5 coupons thanks to catching them just before they reset for a new month). I also received the $10 back so that made 3 packs of diapers come to just over $6!

Operation Christmas Child

This week is National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child. If you have never heard of Samaritan's Purse or Operation Christmas Child, I invite you to check out their website. The concept is to fill a box with items for children from another country who would not otherwise receive Christmas gifts and Samaritan's Purse will deliver them. The video they produce each year is touching and makes me want to keep on giving.

Our family always fills at least one box and sometimes many more. We shop sales all year long so that the child can receive some great gifts without it breaking the bank. This year, we found a cute shorts outfit for less than $3 at the K-Mart end of the season sale. We found some fun Cars items at the dollar store and train at Target. I've also included toothpaste, a toothbrush, and soap - all bought free by combining sales and coupons. Finally, we put in a few prepackaged food items. If you are filling a box, remember that nothing that looks like a weapon or any items that could leak are allowed.

If you would like to fill a box, check out the website to find a drop off location near you. My church is collecting boxes this Sunday, as are many around the world.

Helping Houston

Many of you are wondering how you can help those in need in Houston. I'm noticing several places are starting to hold money and food drives to help out. An easy way to show your help is to go through your stockpile and donate some food or household items. I purposefully pick up extra items when I can get them for free or next to nothing just for times like this. If there isn't a food or supply drive in your area, feel free to donate to your local food pantry. Many areas around the country will be housing hurricane victims and could use this extra food.

School Supply Sales

I figured most of the school supply sales would be over by now seeing as all of the local schools have started but Staples is having a great sale this week. Here are a few of the deals:

Manual pencil sharpener - free (limit 3)
2 pocket folders - free (limit 10)
Cap erasers - free (limit 3)
Glue sticks - .25 (4 pack)
Binder 3-hole punch - .25
Plastic binders - .25
Pencil box - .05 (these have great uses around the house and car for storing little things)

There are plenty more good sales but these are the ones that stand out the most. Don't forget to help out teacher or school by donating some of these great deals to them.

K-Mart Savings on Clothes

I dropped by K-Mart last night looking for a sand bucket and came out with a bag full of clothes. All of their clearance clothing is 40% off the markdown. I bought a bunch of play clothes for my son for next year. I also found a few things to put in our Operation Christmas Child box. Our church collects these boxes every year at Christmas and this sale allows me to put more in the box because the cost is low. Many items I found last night were only $1-2 after the markdown. I came out with a bag stuffed for $11.

Staples Update for Teachers

I was recently informed that if you are a teacher (home school included), the free glue at Staples this week is a limit of 25 instead of 2. So, teachers get out there and get free glue - if you won't use it, pass it on to another teacher or the art department.

Giving Back: School Supplies

Just because you are living on less does not mean you cannot give back to others. This week there are some great deals on school supplies so please pick up a few and pass on to those who really need them. In the past few weeks I've been picking up things as I'm shopping and this morning I took a very full bag to church. The entire bag cost me less than $5. Here are just a few of the deals this week:

Office Depot:
Eraser caps - $.05 for 12 pack
Protractor - $.05
Glue Sticks - $.50 for 4
Crayola Markers - $.50 for 10

Staples:
Elmer's Glue - FREE!!!
Paper Mate pencils - $.25 for 5
Filler paper - $.09

Walgreens:
2 pocket folder - 8/$1
Memo books - 8/$1
Crayola crayons - $.99 for 24

Teachers appreciate school supplies too as many have to purchase all of the supplies for their class. If you know a teacher, drop by some supplies to help them out too. If anyone sees any great sales out there, feel free to comment and let others know about it.