Several years ago I started using an online service that tracks what is on sale at my local stores with which coupons are available for the same products. The Grocery Game is helping me shave about 50% off my monthly grocery bills. When my friends told me about their savings, I thought it was too good to be true. I had never been a coupon clipper before, reasoning that it wasn’t worth the time for just a few dollars here or there. They convinced me to sign up, though, for a one month trial. It costs just $1 to try this program for 4 weeks. Go to www.thegrocerygame.com to sign up.

The Grocery Game relies on the idea of stockpiling. When things go on sale, you buy in bulk. Stores put different items on sale each week, and it takes about three months to build a good stockpile. Once your stockpile is established, you rarely need to buy anything that isn’t on sale, other than fresh foods like milk and produce. It may cost a bit more than you would spend in the beginning, as you are building your stockpile. At the end of my trial month, my husband and I looked at all my receipts. I had spent within $50 of my typical budget for a month, but had gotten over twice as much for it.

Now that I have been grocery gaming for a while, my stockpile is in full swing. I won’t touch toothpaste or shampoo unless it is free. I have so much that even 50 cents seems like too much to pay for those items. When I first started grocery gaming my husband was shocked when I brought home a six-month supply of my favorite laundry detergent. It was 75% off with my coupons, so of course I stocked up! I no longer spend my full grocery budget. Instead we rely on our stockpile of meat, frozen vegetables, canned goods, cereals, laundry detergent, paper products, toiletry items and the like–all purchased at a steep discount. I still ‘play’ the grocery game about twice a month to replenish my stockpile.

After the four-week trail, the cost of the grocery game goes up to just over $1 per week for one store. I pay about $3 per week to get lists for 4 stores, but I easily save hundreds every month, so it’s well worth it. I am using two different grocery stores and two different pharmacies in order to maximize my savings. Before The Grocery Game I only went to one store for all my shopping. It is more trouble to go to four different stores, but since I am saving 50% on my bills I feel it is well worth it. Now that my stockpile is well established, I no longer go to four stores every week. I only shop every other week now, and choose the two best stores for that particular week.

Some tips on implementing The Grocery Game:

* Don’t sign up today! Collect coupons for a couple of weeks before you sign up for your trial. The more coupons you have on hand, the more you will be able to save.

* Consider buying multiple copies of the Sunday paper. Stores that have “buy one get one free” sales usually honor double coupons…so even though one item is free, you can still use a coupon on it. This increases your savings even more. I have a big family, so I usually buy 4 to 6 copies of the newspaper.

* I don’t waste a lot of time clipping and filing coupons I won’t use. I put my coupon pages in a large folder with the date marked on the front page. When The Grocery Game tells me to get a Smart Source coupon from 2/17 I know exactly which paper to clip it from.

* The Grocery Game uses a color coding system to show what the best deals are. I usually buy blue or green colored items, as those are the best deals.

* Stick to the list. My family had to adjust to not always having their favorite things, especially in the beginning when their faves hadn’t gone on sale yet. As soon as my husband saw how much I was saving, he jumped on board and was glad to try some new things. As soon as my kids found out it was a game and I was winning, they got excited about it too! Their favorite cereals went on sale last week. They were 75% off with my coupons, so I bought 18 boxes. Patience paid off!

(Kellie’s  Note: A similar website that offers free membership is couponmom.com)

Some call it living frugally, others say simply, at MMCW we say abundantly! Living within our means with the resources God has given is not hard to do when it’s done one step at a time. Here are some links to enjoy…

Organizing Coupons…How to organize coupons in a way that doesn’t involve hours of clipping.

Miserly Moms…Joni McCoy’s site is filled with plenty of good resources including economical meal plans. There are also links to her recent Focus on the Family radio broadcast and webcast–marvelous mentoring to take advantage of for free.

Real Estate Rescue…Dave Ramsey is giving away $1,000 a day in May plus $10,000 to one winner at the end of the month.

A friend told me the story of a lady she worked with that we’ll call Stacey. Stacy was a fashionista with children who knew more about current fashion trends than most adults. Her home was decorated beautifully, but she was beginning to find it cluttered. Deep in credit card debt although she had a well paying job, she sought the help of a personal organizer to get her home in order.

The first thing the personal organizer did was look inside every closet. What she found was exactly what she suspected–hundreds of dollars in clothing and other brand new items with tags. When Stacey was asked why she had the massive amount of new, unused items, she said she did not have time to return them. Usually she ended up just giving it all away. The personal organizer was not shocked because she heard this regularly. This was the first area Stacey would face and organize.

Stacey made returns totaling over $700 to various stores around town. She paid the personal organizer a hefty portion of that money (her husband had been giving the same advice free for years) to tell her what we all should know–be wise financially and return unwanted items!

Why is it unwise to save time and just give items to those less fortunate or to Goodwill for a tax deduction?

If purchases were made on credit cards that cannot be paid in full monthly, those items will continue to cost you money. Return unwanted purchases and pay back credit cards. Do not allow slothfulness to drag you into debt!

Here are some tips on returning items:

* Keep receipts in your purse for easy access. If you do not have a receipt for a return, do not let it stop you. Instead of cash or crediting your card, the store generally issues a gift card in the same amount.

* Note receipts that have return deadlines. Macy’s will accept returns up to 180 after purchase for example.

* Have a tote or basket in your car for returns. To make sure I don’t forget, I put returns in the front seat beside me. I’ve been known to drag a basket of returns around for weeks before finally returning them. But if they stayed in the house, it would never happen.

* Use money from returns to pay off credit card debt. If you receive a gift card, use it for your own needs or save it for Christmas or birthday shopping. Check the fine print to make sure there are no penalties in holding onto the card for awhile.

* Turn those mistaken purchases into wise financial choices!

I hate spring cleaning.  I do it when I can only because I don’t have room for all the clutter that seems to gather over the winter.  I also really like the extra cash I can make when I get it done in time for our community Garage Sale.  The mess won’t motivate me nearly as much as the thought of enough money for some dinners out, a new outfit or a Starbucks card to keep in my purse.  (For emergencies only, of course!)

I choose the hardest room first.  For me that could mean biggest, messiest or the one that hasn’t seen a cleaning in a good long time.  Next I go through everyone’s clothing, the bedrooms, and the kitchen in that order.

I take everything out and do a quick Q&A with myself with each item.  Do I need to keep it?  Can I sell it?  Should I give it away?  Is it time to throw it away?

If I’ve decided it’s going to be a for sale item I try to mark it with a price right away.  Then it goes neatly folded or wrapped into a box.  The box gets labeled with the category of items listed (ie, clothing, kitchen, books, knick-knacks, etc.).  In big, very bold black marker I write ‘Garage Sale’ across several sides.  This is to make sure nobody accidentally takes it to the curb, donates it to the thrift shop or decides they really want it after all.

I collect these boxes from each room as I go and keep all the boxes in the same place in the garage or storage room.  This makes setting up for the garage sale very simple and straightforward.  Even a child could help you!

Choose your date and time.  Use posters, community boards, even free radio announcements if your local radio station announces garage sales.  You will want to advertise online as well.  If your community is having a garage sale, save yourself the work and join them.  They may ask for a few dollars to help pay for the advertising, but it will save you hours of time and energy.

When advertising for a garage sale, include items that draw bargain hunters.  Baby clothes, paraphernalia, furniture and toys are big draws.  Antiques, household appliances and specialty items will bring a completely different crowd.  Give people an idea of what you have for sale.

Set up tables in your garage or on your yard for items such as clothing, kitchenware, books and CDs.  Tools, toys and furniture can be on a blanket on the ground.  The more organized your sale looks, the more likely you are to get a sale and get the price you are asking.  During your slow times (if you have any) walk around and tidy piles and reorganize tables.  Nobody likes to show up at a sale and feel like there’s really nothing left because of gaping empty spots on your tables.

Make sure you have coins and cash ready.  Most people will bring cash, but decide ahead of time what you will do if someone wants to pay with a check or large bill ($50 bills and higher can politely be refused if you are concerned about counterfeit tender).

Ask a friend or the kids to join you.  There’s nothing worse than finishing your second cup of coffee and realizing you have to use the bathroom really, really badly but you can’t leave the sale alone.  Having a helper also gives you assistance should the shoppers come in swarms or if there’s an emergency of some kind.

People are drawn to music.  Fun, upbeat music will attract people to your sale.  It will also help them feel more comfortable talking amongst themselves about your items without fearing that you are listening in.  Silent shopping is never comfortable, even Wal-Mart plays music!

Have a plan for where the left-overs will go and when they will go there.  Don’t make the mistake of skipping this important step.  The last thing you want is a garage sale set up in the garage for three months while you decide what to do with it all.  Have boxes or bags ready before it even begins.  When your day is done, carefully pack everything away and label the boxes.  Have your assistant help you load them in the car and take them away immediately.  This might even be a good time to deposit that truckload of money you just made!

Happy garage selling!

To leave a comment:

• If you are reading this post in email form, click the article headline. This will take you to the article on MMCW’s website.
• Scroll down until you see the box entitled ‘Speak Your Mind’.
• Enter your name, email (it will not be published) and your website or blogsite if you have one (you do not have to have one).
• Click on the big empty space and then begin typing your comments.
• When you are done, click ‘submit comment’.  That’s it!  We look forward to hearing from YOU!

She had charcoal black hair, olive-toned skin, beautiful black eyes, and a smile that could light up a room.  As Elizabeth approached me at the Desperate for God women’s conference she began by saying how blessed she had been the night before by the message.  She had been living the last year of her life trying to be sure she gave God complete control of her life.

In August 2008 Elizabeth’s husband had lost his job.  Elizabeth’s family is from India. They have no family here, so they have had to make it through this difficult time relying on their heavenly Father.  The couple has three children and the financial demands of life have been the same even though they have had little money coming in.  One time in particular Elizabeth remembered calling out to God.  The baby had no diapers and they had no money to purchase any.  She no longer had detergent and the basic things the baby needed.  Within a few hours of Elizabeth’s petition to God, an unbelieving friend showed up at her door with diapers, wipes, detergent, baby wash and shampoo. Elizabeth’s eyes shined as she said, “Jehovah Jireh provided for me.”

That evening she received a call from a survey company asking if she would answer a few questions.  For her time they sent her diapers and a $20 check.  The survey was ongoing and each time she answered the questions she was sent diapers and a check for $20.  She reached in her purse and took out a check for $20 and said, that has been a year ago and I am still receiving diapers and a check each time.

Another time her children needed clothing.  Again she cried out to God, and an anonymous donor left a gift card on the front door of her home.  The sender of the card signed the name, “From the Lord.”  God had used human hands once again to meet their needs.  The card was for $250 and they were able to buy their children the winter clothes they needed.  God sent clothes again through a lady in neighborhood. Elizabeth remarked that they were “better brand names than we could ever afford.”  Isn’t that just like God to send the very best?

There is not enough space to write about all the ways God has blessed Elizabeth’s  family. Through the process, God has allowed her to tell many about how God is taking care of her family’s needs.  She has witnessed to several Hindu friends who need to know that God is real and that He answers the prayers of His children. Please pray for Elizabeth and her family as well as many in our country right now who are experiencing financial difficulties.

If you are one of those struggling financially, ask God to provide for your needs.  As God provides, be sure to share your blessings with others.  God may use your testimony to draw others to Himself.

Here are a few ways my family has been saving money:

1) We switched all our light bulbs to long-life environmentally-friendly compact fluorescent bulbs. By changing all the bulbs in the house we are already saving about $10 a month on our electric bills. CFLs cost more than regular bulbs up front, but they last 8 to 10 years and cut electricity usage dramatically.

2) We recently reduced our cable, internet, and telephone bills by 30% through comparison shopping and bundling our services.

3) Pay attention to mortgage rates and consider whether it makes sense to refinance. Don’t assume that you could never do better on your mortgage rate. We were surprised to find that we could!

4) Evaluate the interest rate on your checking and savings accounts. Shopping around might get you as much as 2% more in interest elsewhere, which can add up to hundreds of dollars yearly.

5) If you use credit cards, consider a card that gives cash back. We earn a significant amount of money yearly by charging all of our regular bills (such as utilities, mortgage, groceries, etc.) and then paying the card off at the end of each month. If you are not disciplined enough to pay the bill each month, consider using a cash-based system. You won’t get the cash back points, but you’ll save money in the long run by not racking up high interest payments.

6) Start drinking water in restaurants. When our family of six dines out, we save over $10 by not purchasing drinks. We also frequent restaurants like International House of Pancakes, where kids eat free on weeknight evenings.

7) Meet your husband for a lunch date instead of dinner. In nicer restaurants, prices are frequently lower at lunch than they are at dinner.

Kellie Renfroe
Oasis
Most coupon organizers are too small and wear

Photo by Kellie Renfroe

out quickly. Putting coupons in my purse makes a mess and I end up with a bottomless pit of crumbled coupons I cannot find when needed. The manila file folder I once used to keep coupons in was big, bulky, and ugly. What’s a mom to do?

Using a plastic accordion style file folder with velcro I already had on hand gave my coupons a home of their own.

The tab dividers have been labeled for each of the coupon circulars found in the weekly newspaper.

Photo by Kellie Renfroe

Smart Source, Red Plum, a tab for loose coupons, and the last tab is blank for current weekly sale fliers, scissors to cut out coupons, and weekly grocery list.

This is an old file older bought at Wal-Mart about five years back for around $4.88. Now these types of folders can be found in decorative colors. I especially like the way it closes nothing falls out.

To keep my coupons up to date I spend about 10 minutes weekly doing coupon housekeeping.

* I clip all the restaurant coupons from new circulars and put them in a business card holder in my purse.

* Write the date on the front of the circular (found on its spine) and file. I put the current week circular at the front.

* Throw out all the junk pages in the new circular as you look through it. You know the pages–labels, dolls, support shoes.

* Throw out last week’s grocery sale ads and put in new ones.

Keeping my coupons organized has been a source of frustration over the years as system after system failed. It seems I have finally hit on a keeper! The folder is kept in the mini van so it is always available. I get it out once a week to make out our grocery list.

Photo by Kellie Renfroe

If you are wondering why I write the date on the front of the circulars and even keep them intact instead of clipping favorite coupons it is because I use a free online site, CouponMom.com. CouponMom matches up weekly sales with newspaper coupons. The sales listing tells readers what coupon circular and the date it was published. By keeping the circulars in tact it is quick and easy to find the right coupon. CouponMom is an excellent way to literally cut a grocery bill in half!

Kellie Renfroe
Oasis

In time past many of us would laugh off the thought of thinking ahead to Christmas in July. In July it is easy to be proud procrastinators.

Today’s economy has changed that privilege for many families. Nowadays everything we can do in advance serves not only to save money but our time too. Taking time this month to think ahead will pave the way for a more peaceful and rewarding holiday with family and friends.

Special Occasions Binder.
In 2005 Anita Cramer shared the idea of creating a binder to keep up with all the lists and ideas associated with Christmas. Taking her idea a step further, my binder includes all the events my family celebrates throughout the year. I can now quickly pinpoint family holiday recipes, card lists, gift lists, or party menus without tearing the house apart. Better yet, I have a place to put ideas for family gatherings that I compile during the year from magazines and online reading. My binder is a simple $4 binder from Wal-Mart. Sections are divided with tabs and include: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Gift List, Christmas Card List, Homemade Goodie Ideas, Christmas Recipes, Christmas Parties, New Years, Valentine’s Day, 4th of July, Birthdays, and Mother’s/Father’s Day. I use page protectors to house pages torn from magazines, recipes, and gift receipts. If you do not have a binder, set one up this month. Just putting copies of your family’s favorite Christmas recipes in one spot will save you time come December.

Right on Schedule.
Take a look at your calendar now in July. Odds are you have few events scheduled presently for November and December. Guard as many of those free days for your family as possible. Be intentional during the months ahead and use your time–and your binder–to stay ahead of the holiday rush. Pencil in events you know will be happening during December in the margin of the calendar. Only list events that are essential and feel free to set a boundary now around your December time.

Strategize Now.
Sit down and write your gift list for 2009 and assign a monetary amount to each person. Be realistic–do not forget Christmas stockings gifts too! The beauty of planning Christmas in July is that you have plenty of time to find a $25 gift for $5. Do not put down a $25 gift amount when you know that your budget is realistically $5.

Make the hard decisions this month. If you cannot afford to give gifts to extended family this year, have the discussion now. Choosing to draw names or set a spending limit are alternatives too. You may be surprised to find everyone else just as relieved about the change.

Having a list along with a budget will help to avoid the burden of over spending in December.  Keep a master list in your binder and a small copy in your purse. I keep my list on a folded piece of paper in my wallet.

Eyes Wide Open.
The key to Christmas in July is keeping our eyes alert for deep discounted summer sales. Around July 4th I visit the Disney store for 75% off beach towels and toys. During the same time period Target begins clearing out to make room for Christmas toys. By the first of August, Christian bookstores such as Lifeway mark selected home decor, books, jewelry, and CDs anywhere from 75% to 90% off. With the economy in its current state, do not be surprised to find deeper discounts than usual at the mall from clothing retailers. There are great fall and weather clothing sales to be had now at name brand stores. Just last weekend, I bought two fall blouses and a pair of jeans for $16. Finally, don’t rule out yard sales. I once bought four American Girl dolls in mint condition for $25 each at a yard sale. Never underestimate the power of the Lord to provide just what you are looking for within the budget you have.

Every Little Bit Counts
Do you have craft projects that would make perfect Christmas gifts? July is the perfect time to pull them together. If you like making homemade goodies, right now is time for gathering jars for blueberry jam or maybe fig preserves. Are you a scrapbooker? Use extra supplies to create some gifts for teen scrapbookers in your family or even make an album for someone special. Make a photo CD set to music of last Christmas to give as gifts this year to family. Pick up a $5 Sonic gift card or maybe $10 iTunes cards. (Yes, $10 iTunes cards exist. They come in packs of three at Wal-Mart.)

Taking the time in July to develop a plan for Christmas will pave the way for a more peaceful and less stress-filled December.

If you are interested in more Christmas in July ideas, visit Kellie’s blog this month at Oasis.