Extreme Couponing

Have you seen TLC's new series called Extreme Couponing? I heard about it and was finally able to watch several episodes yesterday. I do think they are going to need a follow on show on how to use all those items purchased. For those who may not be aware of the concept, people collect massive amounts of coupons and after many hours of careful planning head to their grocery store and get tons of products for huge savings! In some cases they save 98% of their bill. We're talking about getting 46 containers of mustard and when you see their stockpiles, it is absolutely unbelievable!

So I got to thinking, what if I tried to concepts to at least save money on our usual grocery bill? It would help to have several of a product, but not 46! As my mind kept thinking and my family was discussing, what if we applied some of the principles for the purpose of feeding our community or filling the shelves of our local food pantries? I know I can't use 46 mustards, but I suspect they'd be gone in a week at our food pantries.

It also has me thinking about Lisa Downing's retreat session. She is a couponer and has wanted to start a coupon ministry at our church. I know I don't need the diaper coupons in my Sunday paper, but I suspect there are some of you who would love to have them.

So ladies, what do you think? What would you like? Would you want to have a coupon ministry where you could bring coupons you won't use to get some you will use? Could we help each other when we spot a great deal at a local market and a corresponding coupon? I doubt any of us has the 20-30+ hours that the Extreme Coupon participants do to plan, but what if we helped each other? And more importantly how could we impact our community without taking much money from our already tight budgets?

I'd love to know your thoughts and any tips you have that would be helpful to others in our church. Do you know of a great coupon website? Let us know!

I hope this spurs tons of dialogue - we could post our savings to encourage more of us on the bandwagon!

Happy Couponing!

It's About Time

"It's About Time" is our retreat theme for this year and I am constantly saying to myself "it's about time you..." The blank has been filled in many, many times and yet I haven't done many of the things that it's about time I do. Can anyone identify? Like take this blog for instance. It's about time I updated it. I suspect many stop looking at it because it is so outdated.

It's about time I go to be as it's going on 2 am and we have church in the morning, but I have a headache and have to send my oldest back to college tomorrow morning. Maybe if I stay up tomorrow won't come...but it already has. I'm actually dreading him leaving more this time than back in August when I was a college mom newbie.

It's about time my life settles back into a predictable routine, but that didn't really happen this week. My dad was hospitalized (he's home and doing well), my husband was away, I woke up to a very swollen, unexplainable swollen face. I'm sure if I could talk to you (though I do hope you are asleep) you would have your own list of things that were unpredictable this past week.

It's about time I get all the details lined up for our annual women's retreat the first weekend in March. I will be getting information out at the beginning of the week and please hold me to it! :)

What are your "it's about time" issues? I'd really be interested in knowing as I want our retreat to be as applicable as it can be. Many of you want to learn better time management skills. Take a minute and read through Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

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