I have been an avid coupon shopper for many years but it seems I always let life interfere in one way or another. A few years back, I discovered The Grocery Game and I was hooked! I went straight to Target for my binder & baseball card holders and started clipping away. I lurked around the forums for hints and tips but really never got that whole “basement” stockpile going. I did well enough to be able to help out a friend when she had no money or food to feed her children and I was able to donate some things to the Hurricane victims, which was extremely gratifying to me.
At the end of 2008, New Years Eve to be exact, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma so everything was put on hold. I went through 4 months of Radiation & Chemo and am now very happy to say I am in remission but it did put many things in my life on the back burner for a while. Even after that, I rarely thought much about couponing until that dreaded day in August that my husband lost his job. Boy did that really open my eyes to the ways we had been wasting things! When we had 2 incomes, we didn’t often bat an eye at stopping for fast food or wasting a little extra gas to take the girls and their friends to the mall and back several times a month or up to the church every day last Summer so that they could help out with the Youth room that was being renovated. Don’t get me wrong, I have always been conscious of things like leaving TVs or lights on when someone left a room. That is a never ending tail chasing event in my house. I am always walking behind my husband or kids turning off lights…ugh! I have managed to gather hints & tips to cut my electricity bill though and I have faith that I will rub off on them eventually!
Now that things have changed around our house and we are having to learn to be a bit frugal, I have turned it in to a positive thing. My husband and I do the grocery shopping together and seeing how much we can save each week is really a lot of fun. It is becoming a challenge to see what we can get for next to nothing. He is more aware of money now too. That is a God send!! His job loss was bitter sweet because we lost an income but the girls and I have gained their daddy back! Having my husband home at night is something we have really been missing. I am hoping that he realizes what he missed out on working nights and when he finds his next job, he will insist on working days so we can continue to learn & grow as a family…together…no matter what obstacles we have to face.
~Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
