"And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I." Ruth 3:12
When Boaz said these words to Ruth, he was speaking of a relative who could redeem her. However, when I read these words, I immediately thought of how often we look to people to redeem us, rescue us, save us when Jesus is nearer and has already redeemed us. Although we may not see Him physically, there is no one nearer to us that our Jesus. There is no one who loves us more.
All of us, at some point in our life have looked to someone or something to change our situation, to redeem a situation, when all the time, Jesus is right there having already paid the price for our redemption.
I am so thankful for the redemption that was purchased for me at Calvary. Not only was the price paid for my sin, but I have seen so many lives that seemed destined for despair, relationships that seemed damaged beyond restoration, situations that seemed hopeless that were redeemed by the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross.
God sends wonderful people into our lives who help show us how we should live our lives according to the Word of God. I know I have been blessed to have some wonderful mentors in my life who have shown me the riches that are found in God's Word and in following Christ. As instrumental as these people are in pointing us in the right direction, there is a Redeemer who is closer still. His name is Jesus and the price has already been paid in full.
The beautiful part of this story to me is that when Ruth heard those words, she knew there was someone nearer than Boaz that could redeem her, but she didn't know that one of her future descendants, a relative, would also redeem her, once again a redeemer closer than Boaz not only redeemed Ruth, but redeemed each of us as well.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Christmas Traditions
One thing that is very important to me is that our family have Christmas traditions. We have several traditions that our kids love and look forward to every year. Every year we use my grandma's recipes and make homemade pancakes and syrup for breakfast. For dinner, we have several family favorite dishes. I make ribeye steaks with a special sauce, creamy corn (the kids favorite) and broccoli and rice casserole (Brad's favorite).
This year, before we ate, I gave each of the short people a piece of paper that had the name of one of the characters from the Christmas story written on it. Each one told what they knew about that character and why they were important to the story. We then let each one lead us in a Christmas carol (except for Camden, who chose to lead us in Thomas and His Friends theme song....we just went with it.)
We also make a cornflake wreath every year. My Granny Pool always made one for me and my grandpa, so we continue that tradition as well.
We use these dishes on special occasions. When we lost everything in the house fire after we got married, we lost all the dishes we had received that we registered for.
Shortly after the fire, the set was discontinued and I found them clearanced. I bought all the store had and each time we use them, we are reminded of God's faithfulness to us.
We now have more family members than plates! As we ate dinner on them, our hearts were full because God has blessed us above what we can contain.
We are so thankful this year as we have truly seen the verse, His promise to us after the fire, come to pass.
Psalm 66:12 "We went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of great abundance."
We have our Christmas bear that we have had since before Taylor was born. He has survived 10 years of short people, but somehow this year, one of the kids has caused him to start leaning.....
The short people also LOVE our Christmas scavenger hunt that we do every year. I make the clues and they end up at the Christmas tree for their stockings and presents.
Merry Christmas 2015!
This year, before we ate, I gave each of the short people a piece of paper that had the name of one of the characters from the Christmas story written on it. Each one told what they knew about that character and why they were important to the story. We then let each one lead us in a Christmas carol (except for Camden, who chose to lead us in Thomas and His Friends theme song....we just went with it.)
We also make a cornflake wreath every year. My Granny Pool always made one for me and my grandpa, so we continue that tradition as well.
We use these dishes on special occasions. When we lost everything in the house fire after we got married, we lost all the dishes we had received that we registered for.
Shortly after the fire, the set was discontinued and I found them clearanced. I bought all the store had and each time we use them, we are reminded of God's faithfulness to us.
We now have more family members than plates! As we ate dinner on them, our hearts were full because God has blessed us above what we can contain.
We are so thankful this year as we have truly seen the verse, His promise to us after the fire, come to pass.
Psalm 66:12 "We went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of great abundance."
We have our Christmas bear that we have had since before Taylor was born. He has survived 10 years of short people, but somehow this year, one of the kids has caused him to start leaning.....
The short people also LOVE our Christmas scavenger hunt that we do every year. I make the clues and they end up at the Christmas tree for their stockings and presents.
The clues usually relate to the Christmas story in Luke 2. This year, I had a clue for each child that related the Christmas story to something they liked or were interested in. For example, Carson loves to drink milk so his clue talked about something the baby Jesus would drink that Carson likes too. I mix it up every year, so they are not sure exactly what the clues will be or how it will relate to Jesus being born, but they know it will be fun!
However, our favorite tradition is one that we have done the last 2-3 years. We adopt families in our community who are not able to afford Christmas gifts and deliver them to them on Christmas Eve. It is so important that we keep our focus on giving to others and not just on what we are receiving. We include our kids in this every year and they help us deliver the gifts. I am hopeful that this will open doors to our community to be a greater impact throughout the year and not just during the Christmas season.
This year, our church adopted 12 families. Several of them were larger families with 3-8 kids. We love being able to serve our community in this way.
Merry Christmas 2015!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
My Review of Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra Bricker
These two novellas by Sandra Bricker are a fun spin for anyone who has had a case of the Christmas grouchies or has just not been in the Christmas Spirit.
Joss does everything that she can to avoid all things Christmas. So she makes plans to set off on the Bah Humbug Cruise with her friend Reese. When Joss tells Reese about their plans for that year, Reese announces that she is engaged and that she will be going to meet her future in laws over the holiday season.
Joss embarks on the cruise alone, only to discover that the Bah Humbug cruise has been cancelled and she has been rebooked on the 12 Days of Christmas cruise. To her horror, as she prepares to disembark, she discovers that the ship has already set sail. As determined as she is to stay holed up in her room and avoid the holiday festivities, a certain, handsome Irish gentleman is just as determined to capture all her attention.
Reese arrives to meet her future in laws and meets with disaster and catastrophe along the way. As she tries to fit in and get to know the family, she causes horrible and unbelievable "bumps" in the road.
Both of these novellas were laugh out loud hysterical! I enjoyed both of them so much. The novellas were a fun detour from the traditional Christmas novels. I highly recommend Merry Humbug Christmas. You will not be disappointed!
Joss does everything that she can to avoid all things Christmas. So she makes plans to set off on the Bah Humbug Cruise with her friend Reese. When Joss tells Reese about their plans for that year, Reese announces that she is engaged and that she will be going to meet her future in laws over the holiday season.
Joss embarks on the cruise alone, only to discover that the Bah Humbug cruise has been cancelled and she has been rebooked on the 12 Days of Christmas cruise. To her horror, as she prepares to disembark, she discovers that the ship has already set sail. As determined as she is to stay holed up in her room and avoid the holiday festivities, a certain, handsome Irish gentleman is just as determined to capture all her attention.
Reese arrives to meet her future in laws and meets with disaster and catastrophe along the way. As she tries to fit in and get to know the family, she causes horrible and unbelievable "bumps" in the road.
Both of these novellas were laugh out loud hysterical! I enjoyed both of them so much. The novellas were a fun detour from the traditional Christmas novels. I highly recommend Merry Humbug Christmas. You will not be disappointed!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Beware of the Detergent Pod!
The new detergent pods that have come out for laundry and dishes are very convenient. These pods enable you to just toss a pod in your laundry or just set a pod in your dishwasher detergent holder without having to measure and they are also less messy.
However, they can also be dangerous if you have small children! I learned this the hard way when our two year old got one and burst it inside his mouth. The laundry pod was clear, so we were unable to tell how much he had ingested. We immediately called poison control and told them the situation. Poison Control told us that if he began throwing up to take him to the emergency room. Before I even hung up the phone with PC, my child began to throw up. My husband immediately took him to the ER where they monitored him and checked him out thoroughly. When my husband went, he took the laundry container with him so that the hospital staff could see what was in the pod he had ingested.
Fortunately, our child was ok and had not ingested very much. However, when I spoke with Poison Control, they said that the situation could be very serious. The pods are fun colors many times and they look similar to candy to children. They also smell good. The pods are squishy and fun to play with, but they are also highly concentrated, so there is more poisonous material in a smaller amount of liquid.
I am no longer buying the detergent pods while my children are young. I have always kept all of my cleaning supplies up high to prevent my children from getting them, however, not having them in the house at all prevents this from happening. I am so thankful that my child was not injured or worse, but it is important to let other parents and childcare workers aware of these poisonous pods!
Photo credit: http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=d-1G38ft6V0egM&tbnid=rRZIwtxEKj8SrM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.orlandosentinel.com%2F2013-08-15%2Fnews%2Fos-detergent-pod-death-child-20130815_1_detergent-laundry-7-month-old-boy&ei=h0c6UtDcGqTS2AW87ICICA&bvm=bv.52288139,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGt8Zq6actaSM3ExlQXitmQebfIKw&ust=1379637453494527
However, they can also be dangerous if you have small children! I learned this the hard way when our two year old got one and burst it inside his mouth. The laundry pod was clear, so we were unable to tell how much he had ingested. We immediately called poison control and told them the situation. Poison Control told us that if he began throwing up to take him to the emergency room. Before I even hung up the phone with PC, my child began to throw up. My husband immediately took him to the ER where they monitored him and checked him out thoroughly. When my husband went, he took the laundry container with him so that the hospital staff could see what was in the pod he had ingested.
Fortunately, our child was ok and had not ingested very much. However, when I spoke with Poison Control, they said that the situation could be very serious. The pods are fun colors many times and they look similar to candy to children. They also smell good. The pods are squishy and fun to play with, but they are also highly concentrated, so there is more poisonous material in a smaller amount of liquid.
I am no longer buying the detergent pods while my children are young. I have always kept all of my cleaning supplies up high to prevent my children from getting them, however, not having them in the house at all prevents this from happening. I am so thankful that my child was not injured or worse, but it is important to let other parents and childcare workers aware of these poisonous pods!
Photo credit: http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=d-1G38ft6V0egM&tbnid=rRZIwtxEKj8SrM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.orlandosentinel.com%2F2013-08-15%2Fnews%2Fos-detergent-pod-death-child-20130815_1_detergent-laundry-7-month-old-boy&ei=h0c6UtDcGqTS2AW87ICICA&bvm=bv.52288139,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGt8Zq6actaSM3ExlQXitmQebfIKw&ust=1379637453494527
Thursday, May 23, 2013
To the Victims of the Oklahoma Tornado
Dear Moore, Oklahoma,
Today, as I was boxing up clothes and supplies to send to you, I began to think about what I would say if I could speak to you in person. First of all, I hesitated in writing this at all, because I don't want it to seem that I feel that my own smaller tragedy can at all compare to a disaster of this magnitude that has affected an entire city and community. My own story does not compare, not in the least. However, on an individual and personal level, I feel like I can understand to a lesser degree how families are feeling who have lost their homes and belongings. I don't know that anyone from Moore, Oklahoma will read this anyway, but I felt compelled to share my story and experience, nonetheless.
When tragedies like this occur, and the loss and destruction is so great, my heart hurts because I know on a smaller scale what it is like to have lost everything. Nothing compares to the tragic loss of life and my heart breaks even more for those who have lost their dear loved ones.
You see, in 2003, about 5 weeks after my husband and I had gotten married, we woke up early in the morning to our home filled with smoke because our home was on fire. We had gotten a puppy a couple weeks after the wedding and my husband got up because he thought he heard the puppy whine to go out. When he opened our bedroom door, he was horrified to see smoke and flames coming down the hall, blocking our only exit.
As my husband broke our bedroom window for us to jump out and escape, I remember throwing myself on the floor to try to breathe. When I jumped out the window and landed on the ground, nothing mattered except for the fact that my husband and I were alive and safe. I saw a quilt that my grandmother had made hanging from the window. My husband had grabbed it and used it as he jumped out the window to help prevent some of the glass cutting him. It is interesting how your mind works in an emergency. As the events of the day played out, our home burned completely to the ground and we lost everything inside.
In the days that followed, I remember that it was so hard for me to just do normal and routine things. It was overwhelming to even try to go to the grocery store, let alone try replace every single item we owned. Doing the simple things was difficult for me, yet it was in doing the simple things that my life became normal again.
It took me a long time to feel safe. In my mind, I would tell myself that God had protected us from the fire and that He would do it again, but that didn't stop fear from rising up. I realized how little there is that I can control. Every time that my sweet husband would leave the house, I would be bombarded with frantic thoughts that this could be the last time that I saw him.
For several months, the smell of smoke or the sound of breaking glass would send my heart racing. It was many years before I would attend a bonfire because I would remember so vividly the struggle to breathe as I lay on the floor of a room filled with smoke.
As time passed, God comforted my heart and I knew that he was greater than my fears. He showed me over and over again that I could trust Him, even when it was hard. I continued to learn that no matter what happened, He would take care of me.
What I want you to know is this.
1. It gets better. It gets easier. Today may seem overwhelming, but take it one step, one breath at a time. Do the simple things.
2. You are not alone. You have so many thoughts and prayers of caring people all over this nation. The minute the tragedy occured, caring people sprung into action to help you. People you don't even know are doing all they can to help life get back to normal as quickly as possible for you. We love you.
3. Expect miracles, both big and small. Sometimes, you may not even recognize the miracle until you look back on it later.
4. Don't give up hope. Even if the journey is long, don't give up.
5. God restores. Soon after the fire, my mom gave me a framed verse. It first was the promise that I clung to, believing for life to get better. This is the prayer that I am now praying for you.
"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." Psalm 66:12
Today, as I was boxing up clothes and supplies to send to you, I began to think about what I would say if I could speak to you in person. First of all, I hesitated in writing this at all, because I don't want it to seem that I feel that my own smaller tragedy can at all compare to a disaster of this magnitude that has affected an entire city and community. My own story does not compare, not in the least. However, on an individual and personal level, I feel like I can understand to a lesser degree how families are feeling who have lost their homes and belongings. I don't know that anyone from Moore, Oklahoma will read this anyway, but I felt compelled to share my story and experience, nonetheless.
When tragedies like this occur, and the loss and destruction is so great, my heart hurts because I know on a smaller scale what it is like to have lost everything. Nothing compares to the tragic loss of life and my heart breaks even more for those who have lost their dear loved ones.
You see, in 2003, about 5 weeks after my husband and I had gotten married, we woke up early in the morning to our home filled with smoke because our home was on fire. We had gotten a puppy a couple weeks after the wedding and my husband got up because he thought he heard the puppy whine to go out. When he opened our bedroom door, he was horrified to see smoke and flames coming down the hall, blocking our only exit.
As my husband broke our bedroom window for us to jump out and escape, I remember throwing myself on the floor to try to breathe. When I jumped out the window and landed on the ground, nothing mattered except for the fact that my husband and I were alive and safe. I saw a quilt that my grandmother had made hanging from the window. My husband had grabbed it and used it as he jumped out the window to help prevent some of the glass cutting him. It is interesting how your mind works in an emergency. As the events of the day played out, our home burned completely to the ground and we lost everything inside.
In the days that followed, I remember that it was so hard for me to just do normal and routine things. It was overwhelming to even try to go to the grocery store, let alone try replace every single item we owned. Doing the simple things was difficult for me, yet it was in doing the simple things that my life became normal again.
It took me a long time to feel safe. In my mind, I would tell myself that God had protected us from the fire and that He would do it again, but that didn't stop fear from rising up. I realized how little there is that I can control. Every time that my sweet husband would leave the house, I would be bombarded with frantic thoughts that this could be the last time that I saw him.
For several months, the smell of smoke or the sound of breaking glass would send my heart racing. It was many years before I would attend a bonfire because I would remember so vividly the struggle to breathe as I lay on the floor of a room filled with smoke.
As time passed, God comforted my heart and I knew that he was greater than my fears. He showed me over and over again that I could trust Him, even when it was hard. I continued to learn that no matter what happened, He would take care of me.
What I want you to know is this.
1. It gets better. It gets easier. Today may seem overwhelming, but take it one step, one breath at a time. Do the simple things.
2. You are not alone. You have so many thoughts and prayers of caring people all over this nation. The minute the tragedy occured, caring people sprung into action to help you. People you don't even know are doing all they can to help life get back to normal as quickly as possible for you. We love you.
3. Expect miracles, both big and small. Sometimes, you may not even recognize the miracle until you look back on it later.
4. Don't give up hope. Even if the journey is long, don't give up.
5. God restores. Soon after the fire, my mom gave me a framed verse. It first was the promise that I clung to, believing for life to get better. This is the prayer that I am now praying for you.
"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." Psalm 66:12
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Notes From My Coupon Class
Saving Money With Coupons
How I Got Started
I was about to have our 2nd baby and we had made the decision for me to stay home and no longer work. Obviously, this meant that we would not have as much money and so I asked the Lord to show me how I could manage our money better and to show me ways that I could stretch the money we had. A couple of days after that prayer, I came across some very helpful websites and my money saving adventures began! It didn’t happen over night, but slowly and surely the savings increased…kind of like a coupon snowball. J
Take A Deep Breath
Begin with the attitude that you will gradually save more each week. It will take practice to perfect your shopping trips. Don’t overwhelm yourself by expecting to save 90% off your bill the first week. Gradually decrease your budget over the next few months.
Be Prepared---It Takes WORK
Take inventory of your pantry and fridge. Know what you have and what you need. When you find a good deal on items that you use, STOCK UP! On the flip side, don’t buy items that you will not use. Just because something is a good price does not mean that you have to buy it. If it just sits in your pantry, you have wasted money, not saved it. However….you can buy items that you know you can donate to charity, like we did recently for Pleasant Hills Children’s Home.
Look through your sales ads before you go to the store, so you can match up your coupons and find the best deals. You can look at your store’s ad online if you don’t receive a copy it in your paper. I look at my couponing as a type of part time job. So the more time I invest, the more I am able to save. At this point, after I have clipped my coupons, I spend an hour to an hour and a half preparing for my shopping trip (that includes all my stores that I am stopping by). A well planned shopping trip and meal plan for the week is key to saving money. I plan my meal plans around the weekly deals, not my shopping based on my meal plans.
Be aware that it will take you longer to shop once you are in the store. You need to make sure you get the right size item that the coupon indicates. I am getting faster, but I usually end up spending a couple hours in the store for a “stock up trip” which is a full basket of groceries. If I am only getting a few items, I still know that I need to budget at least 30 minutes.
Try not to be brand loyal. There are a few items, such as make up, that I am brand loyal to. However, if you are not brand loyal, you will be able to save much more.
Take your coupons with you to the store. You never know what deals you will find at the store that were not listed in the sales ad.
Know what a good deal is. Be aware of what the regular prices are for items. Just because something is listed in the ad as “on sale,” does not mean that it is. I have seen items “on sale” that are actually higher than the regular price. This comes with a little practice and experience of being watchful of prices.
Also, look out for marketing scams, such as 10 for $10. Most of the time, you don’t have to purchase 10 items because the items are priced individually for $1 each. So just buy the amount that you need.
Shop weekly. I have tried to only shop once a month, because it is difficult for me to shop with my kids in tow, so I try to go when my husband is available to watch them. By shopping once a month, however, I found that I was not able to save nearly as much money because I was limited on what deals I could take advantage of. I now shop once a week, occasionally stretching it 2 weeks. Many times, I shop late in the evening because that is the only time I am able to leave the kids.
However, sometimes, the sale for the week is not worth driving into town for, so I do sometimes stretch my shopping trips to every other week.
Make the system work for YOU. What works for me and my family, may not be feasible for you. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time or energy to work the system exactly the way that I or anyone else does. Your time is also valuable. So don’t stress if you don’t have a lot of time to invest. You are not a bad steward of your money if you are not able to use the coupon system to its full potential. Use the resources I am giving you, and then do what works for you and your household. A lot of the tools I am giving you, do a lot of the leg work for you, so for those of you who have less time, the sites listed should be beneficial.
Tips and Tricks
Tip #1
Buy what you need, BEFORE you need it. The key to saving money with coupons is to buy the items you need from the store when they are on sale and you have coupons for the item. Most stores have rotate the items that they have on sale on a 6-8 week rotation, meaning that the item will be on sale every 6-8 weeks.
So, when you get your coupons, don’t use them immediately just because you have them. Watch your sale ads and see when it goes on sale.
Tip #2
Shop the stores with the best coupon policy. I personally shop at Kroger and CVS primarily, unless I see a really good deal elsewhere. However, these are my 2 store that I focus on. Try to find a store that has a DOUBLE and TRIPLE coupon policy. Our Kroger stores have this policy and so I am able to save the most money there. More on Kroger and CVS in a minute.
NOTE: I have found it helpful to focus on only 2 stores. If you shop every grocery store in town, then you are taking a lot of time and will be stressed out with no energy by the time you finish. If you have time to shop each store, then you will most definitely get the best deals, but most of us do not have a lifestyle that accommodates that much shopping.
There are other good deals available at other stores, but your time is also valuable. I do look at other store ads to see if there is a SUPER deal (such as low cost meat) and will make an extra stop for items such as that, but as a general rule, I limit my shopping to those 2 stores. You may enjoy shopping at other stores, but these are the stores that I have had the most success with.
Obviously, I keep an eye out for great sales at the mall for holiday and birthday gifts as well. I have had great success at JC Penney and Kohl’s with their sales and newspaper coupons.
Tip #3
Use more than 1 coupon on the same item. Depending on the store’s coupon policy, many times you will be able to use more than one coupon on the same item. I call this “stacking.”
EXAMPLES:
1. You can use a manufacturer coupon AND a store coupon on the same item.
2. Load electronic coupons on your Kroger card. You can go to shortcuts.com or cellfire.com and load electronic coupons on your card. These e-coupons will deduct on top of any coupons used for the same item that you bring to the store with you. If there is more than one e-coupon for the same item on the different sites, my understanding is that Kroger will take 2 of them in addition to your paper coupons.
3. BOGO: When you have a BOGO coupon, most of the time you can use additional coupons with the item. The store reads the BOGO coupon and deducts the price of the second item because it sees that you purchased two items. You can then use additional $off coupons for one or both of the items. Many times the store computer calculates the BOGO coupon separately, enabling you to use a coupon per item in addition to the BOGO.
Using this method, a couple of weeks ago, I bought 2 Steamfresh Meals for Two, priced at $5.49. I had a BOGO coupon and then two $1.50/1 coupons. So I got both of the Steamfresh Meals for $2.49. This deal could have been better if the store had also had the item on sale BOGO. J
This week, there was a special on Tide for $5.88. I had a BOGO, plus a $3/1 and a .35 (tripled to $1.05) so I was able to get to full size bottles of Tide for $1.89!!!
*Also, be on the look out when you are the store for items that have a coupon sticker on them. A lot of times, the store will accept the sticker coupon in addition to the coupon you already brought with you. I was able to get some Nestle Toll House cookies very cheap this way.
Tip #4
Check the clearance bins. I get almost all of my meat at Kroger from the discount section and save 50%-75% routinely. I have also found good deals in the clearance bins that I have had coupons for, so I always make sure that I take all of my coupons with me to the store.
Tip #5
Stock up! When you find a great deal, stock up on it! If you need to do separate transactions according to the store’s coupon policy, then do it. Take advantage of the sales. We have done this many times with our local Market Basket when they put their chicken on sale for .30/lb. or less. Brad and I will both go so that we can get double the limit.
Tip #6
Go for the younger checkers. This is kind of sneaky, but my experience has been, as has also been indicated on many blogs that I have read, that if when you check out you go to a teenage (preferably male) checker, they are not as likely to question you about your coupons. They usually just scan them so you will hurry up and be out of their line. Also, I make an effort to go to the same checker every time I visit the store. He know that I am honest and am not trying to scam the store by using expired coupons. By making an effort to have a friendly relationship with the checkers, they are less likely to hassle you and most of the time will go the extra mile to make the coupon work if there is a problem.
In saying that, I am always nice to the store employees. If there is a coupon that they refuse to take, for whatever reason, I don’t argue with them. I shop there all the time and I don’t want to get the reputation as the mean lady with all the coupons who holds up the line. I also try to shop at a time when the store is not as busy and if I can, I will let other customers go in front of me so they are not frustrated by how long I take. Most of the time, the customers behind me are very nice and are impressed by how much money I saved.
Why I Love My Kroger Store!!
The primary reason that I shop at Kroger is because of their coupon policy. They triple up to .39 and double up from .40 to .50. Everything over .50 is face value. They also have Mega Sale Events where they mark their items down CHEAP and I usually have coupons for a lot of the items on sale.
I also love them because they mail me coupons about once a week that are based on my purchases. My Kroger card keeps track of what I buy and then the store sends me coupons that they know I will use.
I can also load electronic coupons on my Kroger Plus card that can be bundled with other coupons.
Although I don’t meet the requirement yet, if you are 55 or older, you get a 5% discount every Tuesday…maybe I should start using my mom’s card….
The manager at my Kroger told me that the coupon limit was 10 per item type. So if I have 10 boxes of Cheerios, I can use 10 coupons. He did tell me that the cash register will automatically stop accepting the coupons if you try to use more than that. However, this is a big limit and there are not a lot of items that I would need to use more than 10 coupons on.
I have had nothing but positive experiences with this store. They are very helpful and never hassle me over my coupons. They are usually excited to see how much money I save.
Getting Paid to Shop at CVS
I get a lot of questions about how I save so much money with CVS. So here is the scoop on how the system works. The following links explain it in detail. But I will give you an overview of how I use it.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/qa-making-cvs-w.html
Basically, the store offers Extra Care Bucks (ECB’s) on certain items each week. ECB’s are store credit. So you buy items that generate ECB’s and then use the ECB’s to purchase items the next visit that will generate MORE ECB’s and the process continues. Once you start the process, you just continue to buy items with your ECB’s and when combined with strategically chosen coupons, you save money. I very rarely spend more than $5 out of pocket at CVS. Most of the time, after the ECB’s that I make on my shopping trip, CVS had more or less paid me to shop there.
SOY JOY BAR Example
Buy 4 Soy Joy Bars, get 4 ECB’s (limit 5) This means I can get 20 bars
I had 3 BOGO coupons and 15 ECB’s.
My out of pocket expense was $2 and they paid me $20 in ECB’s.
So I made a profit of $18 in store credit.
CVS accepts coupons at face value, however you can “stack” the coupons on a single item, like I explained earlier. When I spoke with the manager, she said that they don’t have a coupon on the amount of coupons that you use in your visit. They do reserve the right to limit you, however, the sale itself will usually set a limit on how many deals you can take advantage of to get the ECB’s, even if you still use coupons for items that are not on sale.
Obviously, the first time that you shop at CVS, you will not have any ECB’s to get items for free, so you will have to spend some money out of pocket. However, once you start the process, it works very well.
They also have a green bag tag that you can keep and scan each time you shop there for using a bag you bring from home. Every 4th visit, you get 1 ECB.
You can also join the CVS advisory panel and they will reward you with ECB’s for providing input for them.
Walgreens
Although, I don’t use the Walgreens system, it pretty much works the same way. The link explains their system.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/01/walgreens-101.html
I should add here that stores are not losing money when you use coupons. The manufacturer reimburses them for the coupons. The managers at Kroger and CVS both said that they encourage customers to bring their coupons.
How Do I Get a Coupon Stash?
My experience has been that once you start looking for coupons, they are really easy to find!! Here are a few ways that I get mine.
Sunday newspaper
Online sites (coupons.com)
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com, cellfire.com, Kroger.com)
Ordering from websites (The Coupon Clippers, Coupons N Things)
Looking inside or on boxes of products I have purchased
Blinkie machines
Joining product and restaurant websites email lists (They send you coupons and links, email and regular mail) (vocalpoint.com)
Call or email companies and ask for them
Checking my blogs (they always post links)
Magazines (All You is a great one! This month’s issue had about $50 worth)
Ebay
Catalinas
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com and cellfire.com) also Kroger has some on their site
Swapping with friends
Coupon trains
Coupon Organization
There are several different ways to organize your coupons. I have tried a couple. I have used the method used by coupon mom, which is where the site tells you what is on sale and what coupons are in each flyer from the newspaper. You don’t clip coupons. You write the date on the coupon flyer and then you reference the site to see which coupons match up with what is on sale. This method was a great starting method for me and it helped train me how to work the coupon system with my stores. I still use the site some.
I outgrew that method because I had many more coupons than just my Sunday coupons, so I was not able to use the system as effectively. Currently, I am using a card box with my coupons clipped and organized by category. The card box is small enough to carry with me into the store and I am able to get to the coupons that I need quickly if I find additional items on sale.
However, I am told that this method is yet another stepping stone and that I will soon outgrow it as well and have to step up to another method. J
Here a link that describes some of the organizational methods that are used.
http://moneysavingmom.typepad.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/organizational.html
Helpful Websites and Blogs
www.moneysavingmom.com
www.couponmom.com
www.myfrugaladventures.com
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/
www.afullcup.com
http://www.frugalfreebiesanddeals.com/
http://savingandgiving.blogspot.com/
http://discountqueens.blogspot.com/
www.southernsavers.com
Electronic Coupon Sites
www.shortcuts.com
www.cellfire.com
www.kroger.com
Sign up for free samples and coupons
www.vocalpoint.com
www.buzzagent.com
Find out what next weeks coupons are
http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/
Order extra coupons and flyers.
www.thecouponclippers.com
www.couponsthingsbydede.com
On Facebook, you can find our group under Deal Finding Divas.
The God Who Sees Me
When I was a child, my school went on a field trip to see President Ronald Reagan speak. Afterward, we lined the pavement where he would pass as they drove him away. As the car passed by, President Reagan was waving at all of the people.
As my parents questioned my sister and I about the field trip when we got home, they asked if we were able to see President Reagan at a close distance. My sister, who was younger than I was, calmly informed him that yes, she had seen the President, but not only that, he SAW HER and waved at her.
When I think of the passage where God is named "The God Who Sees Me," I always think of the time when President Reagan "saw" my sister. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. However, when it comes to God, we can rest assured that He is a God who sees us and is intmately aquainted with the details of our lives. He cares and wants to be actively involved. He is not a God that is far off and does not know or care about us. He is the God who sees.
Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
1. Sometimes life is a struggle
The angel asks Hagar 2 questions.
Where are you coming from?
Where are you going?
She answers where she came from, but she does not know where she is going.
She is pregnant.
She is alone.
She is in the wilderness.
She does not know what to do.
Her future is uncertain.
Whoever said the Bible is not interesting? This story is filled with all the elements on a daytime soap opera!
Part of the situation was out of Hagar’s control. The whole plan to conceive a child was Sarah’s idea. Hagar was obligated to obey her mistress.
Part of the situation was Hagar’s fault. The Word says that when she saw that she was pregnant that she despised her mistress. She made Sarah mad. She did not handle the situation in the wisest manner. Sarah decided to play tough and sent her away.
2. God sees our struggles.
Genesis 16:7 says The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. Hagar was homeless, hungry, broke --- all alone and pregnant in a vast wilderness. She was a “nobody” with nothing to offer.
Worst of all, the very people who should have helped her … Abraham and Sarah … the people who knew God … they were the ones who were hurting her. But God did not abandon Hagar. God went to her … right where she was. Notice how specific this verse is. God knew exactly where Hagar was, and He knew just the moment when she would be ready to listen to what He had to say.
In your darkest moment, when your problem seems too ugly and twisted and complicated to solve, God sees you. God knows exactly where you are --- and He will come to you. Hagar didn’t expect it. Genesis 16:13 tells how she reacted: She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Hagar gave God the name “El Roi” – the God who sees. This is the only time this Title is applied to God, and it came from a runaway slave who found herself in the middle of a hopeless, tangled mess. God sees your heartache. He sees your struggles. He understands your turmoil. God is there with you at your lowest point. He is YOUR El Roi – He is the God who sees you.
3. God offers us a solution.
Like a knowledgeable Consultant, God always knows the changes we need to make. He knows exactly what will make things better … and He knows exactly what will make things worse. In Hagar’s case, the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." Genesis 16:9
Hagar did part of what God told her to do. She DID return to Sarah. But Hagar did not do ALL God told her to do. If she had truly submitted to Sarah, things would have gone a lot better for her. As it was, hatred grew between Hagar and Sarah. Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael had to leave the protection of Abraham’s home. They ended up back in the wilderness … in the same desperate situation Hagar was in before. (We’re still suffering the ramifications of all this in the Middle East today!)
Sometimes God’s solution is not what we think it should be. I’m sure Hagar would have loved for God’s solution to be something else, like sending a rich and handsome man to fall in love with her and sweep her off her feet and carry her off to a castle and live happily ever after.
We see continuously that many times, the path that is best for us is not the easy one, but the road less traveled. But we have all lived long enough to know that the things in life that are worth having are worth the struggle. Any woman who has given birth can attest to this fact. J
However, we know that when we do things God’s way, even when it is not the easiest, the rewards far outweigh the cost.
CONCLUSION:
The main thing I want you to hear today is this: no problem is too big for our God. You will never hear God say, “I can’t see any solution to this big mess. Why don’t you just give up!” God knows exactly what you need to do to turn your problem around.
I’ve known people whose lives were completely transformed after they “Consulted” with God and followed His plan for their lives.
On the other hand, I’ve met people who started out doing what God said. But then --- after things got better --- they decided they didn’t need God any more. And --- like Hagar --- they ended up right back where they started.
When you face difficulties in your life, are you aware that somewhere above you is the watchful eye of “El Roi,” the God who sees? Will you allow God to be your Consultant? Will you obey Him?
No matter how ugly or complicated or hopeless your situation seems, remember that God sees YOU. He will show you what to do --- step by step --- if only you will listen and obey.
As my parents questioned my sister and I about the field trip when we got home, they asked if we were able to see President Reagan at a close distance. My sister, who was younger than I was, calmly informed him that yes, she had seen the President, but not only that, he SAW HER and waved at her.
When I think of the passage where God is named "The God Who Sees Me," I always think of the time when President Reagan "saw" my sister. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. However, when it comes to God, we can rest assured that He is a God who sees us and is intmately aquainted with the details of our lives. He cares and wants to be actively involved. He is not a God that is far off and does not know or care about us. He is the God who sees.
Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
1. Sometimes life is a struggle
The angel asks Hagar 2 questions.
Where are you coming from?
Where are you going?
She answers where she came from, but she does not know where she is going.
She is pregnant.
She is alone.
She is in the wilderness.
She does not know what to do.
Her future is uncertain.
Whoever said the Bible is not interesting? This story is filled with all the elements on a daytime soap opera!
Part of the situation was out of Hagar’s control. The whole plan to conceive a child was Sarah’s idea. Hagar was obligated to obey her mistress.
Part of the situation was Hagar’s fault. The Word says that when she saw that she was pregnant that she despised her mistress. She made Sarah mad. She did not handle the situation in the wisest manner. Sarah decided to play tough and sent her away.
2. God sees our struggles.
Genesis 16:7 says The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. Hagar was homeless, hungry, broke --- all alone and pregnant in a vast wilderness. She was a “nobody” with nothing to offer.
Worst of all, the very people who should have helped her … Abraham and Sarah … the people who knew God … they were the ones who were hurting her. But God did not abandon Hagar. God went to her … right where she was. Notice how specific this verse is. God knew exactly where Hagar was, and He knew just the moment when she would be ready to listen to what He had to say.
In your darkest moment, when your problem seems too ugly and twisted and complicated to solve, God sees you. God knows exactly where you are --- and He will come to you. Hagar didn’t expect it. Genesis 16:13 tells how she reacted: She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Hagar gave God the name “El Roi” – the God who sees. This is the only time this Title is applied to God, and it came from a runaway slave who found herself in the middle of a hopeless, tangled mess. God sees your heartache. He sees your struggles. He understands your turmoil. God is there with you at your lowest point. He is YOUR El Roi – He is the God who sees you.
3. God offers us a solution.
Like a knowledgeable Consultant, God always knows the changes we need to make. He knows exactly what will make things better … and He knows exactly what will make things worse. In Hagar’s case, the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." Genesis 16:9
Hagar did part of what God told her to do. She DID return to Sarah. But Hagar did not do ALL God told her to do. If she had truly submitted to Sarah, things would have gone a lot better for her. As it was, hatred grew between Hagar and Sarah. Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael had to leave the protection of Abraham’s home. They ended up back in the wilderness … in the same desperate situation Hagar was in before. (We’re still suffering the ramifications of all this in the Middle East today!)
Sometimes God’s solution is not what we think it should be. I’m sure Hagar would have loved for God’s solution to be something else, like sending a rich and handsome man to fall in love with her and sweep her off her feet and carry her off to a castle and live happily ever after.
We see continuously that many times, the path that is best for us is not the easy one, but the road less traveled. But we have all lived long enough to know that the things in life that are worth having are worth the struggle. Any woman who has given birth can attest to this fact. J
However, we know that when we do things God’s way, even when it is not the easiest, the rewards far outweigh the cost.
CONCLUSION:
The main thing I want you to hear today is this: no problem is too big for our God. You will never hear God say, “I can’t see any solution to this big mess. Why don’t you just give up!” God knows exactly what you need to do to turn your problem around.
I’ve known people whose lives were completely transformed after they “Consulted” with God and followed His plan for their lives.
On the other hand, I’ve met people who started out doing what God said. But then --- after things got better --- they decided they didn’t need God any more. And --- like Hagar --- they ended up right back where they started.
When you face difficulties in your life, are you aware that somewhere above you is the watchful eye of “El Roi,” the God who sees? Will you allow God to be your Consultant? Will you obey Him?
No matter how ugly or complicated or hopeless your situation seems, remember that God sees YOU. He will show you what to do --- step by step --- if only you will listen and obey.
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