Grocery Challenge

One of our biggest expenses this year is our trip to Belarus that we are planning to take at Christmas time (if all my documents are in place). I haven’t seen most of my family in Belarus for over 10 years, so you can only imagine how bad I want to go home to visit. This means that we need to save every penny for the trip and the easiest way to do it is to spend less. The month of April for some reason was not a very good month for us in the aspect of savings. So I made the executive decision to increase our savings during the month of May. As I debated how we are going to increase our savings, the only thing that I came up with was to cut our grocery budget in half. Most weeks we spend approximately $50 on groceries, so for the month of May we will be spending $25 dollars a week. This will allow us to put extra $100 dollars in savings.

I withdrew $100 dollars grocery allowance from the bank and will make it last us all months long. I am so excited because I won’t be able to cheat, since I will have you keeping me accountable (please, please, please…I need your help and encouragement). Because our kitchen shelves our stuffed with food, I will have to use my creativity in preparing lunches and dinners based on the food that we have (this will be a challenge). Each week I will update you on my progress so stay tuned.

Bucket Stealing Dogs

I was able to snag 5 buckets for my tomato plants from our local grocery store. Before I could start my planting process, I first had to scrub the buckets that were full of leftover sticky icing. One by one I took the buckets in to our kitchen sink, fill them up with soap and hot water and let them soak. I then would use a sponge to scrub, scrub, and scrub. My favorite bucket was full of leftover chocolate icing, but I was not the only one who thought that. Our neighbors’ dogs for some odd reason found the bucket with chocolate icing appealing as well. I noticed when the dogs came in and let them have leftover chicken. Usually they lie down on our porch for several hours before going back home. I guess they fill obligation to protect our house for at least several hours, since we are feeding them.

After eating their food, the dogs decided to take a nap. I took the bucket with green icing inside to wash. When I went outside the chocolate bucket was MIA (missing in action). As I looked around I saw two mischievous dogs looking at me with a chocolate icing bucket standing in front of them. The big dog must have dragged the bucket off our porch into our yard. They are famous for taking items off our porch and taking it to another neighbor’s yard. Thankfully they were caught before the chocolate bucket ended up in our neighbor’s property, who I am sure would not care for the bucket as much as the dogs and I care for it. Their stealing act made me laugh and sure enough made my evening.

Giveaway

From time to time I love entering giveaways, because I hold on to a tiny hope that I may actually win something some day. Someone has to win, right? Well, today is 1 month anniversary of this blog and you have a chance to win! Three readers will win a Bible courtesy of LifeWay Christian Book Store. The personal size gift Bible features a plan of Salvation, Words of Christ in red, textual notes, presentation page and full color maps. The value of the Holman Christian Standard Bible is $14.99. If you would like to win the Bible, please let us know in the comment section why you want to win it. The giveaway will end at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning.

Saving Money on Eyewear

Do have a problem with your vision and dread paying hundreds of dollars to buy contacts, glasses or both? Up until a week or so ago when I had my Lasik surgery, I too dreaded spending hundreds of dollars to keep my eyes happy. However, I discovered that there are ways to save money by simply doing a little bit of homework.

Contacts

My insurance did not cover my contact or glasses for that matter, so I always paid high price by ordering my contact through my eye doctor. I began to wonder if there was a way in which I could save some money on contacts. I started to search online for companies that sold contacts at a discounted rate. I came across 1-800-Contacts and decided to give a shot. I called and the first few words that came out of my mouth were, “Are you running a promotion that offers a discount?” I was told they would give me $50 dollars off if I purchase one year supply of contacts. I did simple calculation in my head and figured out that it would be much cheaper for me to order through this company. I was asked for my eye doctor’s phone number to verify my eye prescription. I received not only a great customer service but also a quick delivery. Look around and call different companies to find out who offers the best discount. If one company tells you that they currently do not offer a discount, simply say “Thank you” and move on to the next company. Companies are always looking for new customer and willing to give discounts to have your business.

Glasses

I was blessed and did not have to spend money on buying glasses. My employer gives an allowance to cover purchase of glasses with safety removable sides. I had several choices and although none of them were that attractive, I was happy that at least my glasses were free. Since I only wore my glasses at night around the house, free was good. However, if you are in need of stylish glasses you would absolutely have to visit Coastal Contacts. You can find cute glasses frames for less than $20; the added bonus is that the frames are actually cute.

Solution

CVS quite often has contact solution for free after extra care bucks (EBC). This means, when solution was on sale, I stocked up. There are always coupons in Sunday paper for contact solution, allowing you to score an even better deal!

God hears and answers

photo credit:Oli Haukur

"It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four solders each (that’s 16 soldiers for one person…crazy!!!! ~my comment). Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him". Acts 12:1-5

If you continue to read chapter 12, you will learn that the angel of the Lord appeared and Peter was able to follow Him out of the prison. Ok, so your initial thought may be "How cool is that?!" The Lord reassured once again that He is much bigger and stronger than any man. This can be particularly reassuring to us as Christian during tough times knowing that God has our back. However, when I read this passage, what the Lord impressed on my heart was the power of a prayer.

If we all earnestly prayed for one another, can you only imagine the power of a prayer that we would witness?!?!?!?! The church who earnestly was praying for Peter was able to witness a miracle, when Peter walked out of prison while 16 people were guarding him. We can also pray earnestly for each other. Do you have a prayer request or praise report that you can share in the comment section? Let's commit to care for one another and earnestly lifting each other up to our Heavenly Father to whom nothing is impossible.

Lead Me to the Cross

During the summer break from college Daniel (my now husband) and I along with our friends went on a double date. We had a great time playing putt-putt and before you know it was dinner time. We were seated by our host and while looking through the menu we were enjoying each other’s company. Before you know Daniel was trying to get my attention. He told me to look to my left, where a young mother with a child was seating. What was so unusual about this situation was that the young mother was crying, while eating her dinner. Daniel asked me to go and speak to her. “No Way Jose” was I going to speak to the stranger and put my nose in her business.

The easiest thing for me was to just ignore this stranger but my sweet Daniel would not let me. Time and time again he would encourage me to speak to her. Well in return I also encouraged Daniel to go and speak to this woman, since obviously the Holy Spirit was speaking to him and not me. But before you know the Holy Spirit began to work on my heart pressing hard to go and speak to the stranger. You see, God knows how stubborn I am and He used Daniel to audibly convey His message as the Holy Spirit was working on my heart.

Listening to the message was easy but acting upon it was much harder. I love what James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” At times it is so easy to talk the talk but hard to walk the walk. In this particular situation I was overwhelmed by fear of what this young mother would think of me. By the way, 2 Tim 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” As I was looking at the table across from us I felt a knot in my stomach and my knees felt weak. I was no longer interested in the conversation that we were having at the table. Instead I was still battling with God letting Him know all the reasons for why I am not equipped for this job (I do that quite often). In that moment I was doing the same thing what Moses did when God chose Him to accomplish a task (a pretty big one at that). I was the queen of excuses. But you know what, just as God promised Moses that He would be with him (Ex 3:12 “Surely I will be with you”) that promise was extended to me too. God’s Word is true today as it was true thousands of years ago.

Even though quite a few years passed since that day the picture in my mind of that evening is so fresh as if it happened yesterday. As I was trying to give all the excuses in the world to not take up the opportunity to speak to the stranger, I noticed that a waitress from a different section of the restaurant came up to the young mother and started to speak to her. At that moment I felt like I just failed the mission. Also at that moment I knew that God really doesn’t have to have me to accomplish His will. It will be done one way or the other, but He chose me (big time sinner) to minister to this broken mother. I failed His mission but as I mentioned God’s will be done and He chose a waitress from a different section of the restaurant to minister to the young mother. And what an honor it is to be used by God!!!! Let me say it again…what an honor it is to be used by God. Even though I failed (happens quiet often…well every day to be exact) I am glad that God is a God of second chances. He forgives and forgets.

The second chance was extended to me that day. As the waitress left this young mother, I was still debating if I should go and speak. Before you know this young mother finished her dinner, got up and left. Well, I told God that next time I will definitely not miss out on an opportunity if He asks me to do something. And guess what happened next? I see this young mother walking back to her table, because she forgot her left over food in the boxes. And guess what I did? I chickened out again. That night when Daniel was taking me home I cried and cried and cried. I couldn’t help but wonder “what if…”? What if I only obeyed what God called me to do? What is this young mother needed a word of encouragement? What if she needed to know that God loves her? Even though several years have passed I have not forgotten that day. I still wonder “what if…”? So my friends, next time the Lord asks you to do something, don’t tell him No. He may have a task for you that is completely out of your comfort zone, but trust that He will be with you as you are accomplishing it. If He is asking you to do something, He has already equipped you to do it. Isn’t it cool?! You have all the tools to do the job, you just have to trust and act upon the call. And let me tell you something, my friend, God will bless you beyond your imagination for answering the call, but the best part is that He can will use you to be a blessing to someone else. Is God asking you to do something today?



TO BE CONTINUED….

TIGHTWAD'S SAVINGS

Since I spent very little on groceries last week, I had extra money to play with this week. I had to drive to Atlanta this week, so I decided to stop by Publix on my way home. My proudest purchase was value size breakfast bars that were B1G1, plus I had $2 dollars off peelie allowing me to score a box for $0.75! Since my husband loves Sun Chips and they were on sale also for $3 a bag, I bought 4 bags and used four $0.55 coupons. Peanut butter was not on sale, but my husband has been begging me to buy regular and not organic peanut butter for some time now, so I splurged. All five packages of yogurt were only $1.25 ($0.25 per pack) after $0.50 coupon. I paid $1 dollar for English muffins after I used $1 off coupon. Finally I very much splurged and paid $4.99 (ouch!) for a container of Mexican cheese.

I didn’t have much that I needed at CVS this week, so I just picked up 2 packs of toothbrushes which were free after ECB.

Ingles was good to me this week. I was able to buy reduced for quick sale salmon and meat. Organic apple juice was also on my list to buy this week, since my husband can drink 4 bottles a day. A bag of apples were on managers special for $1.99, so I purchased 2 bags with hopes of making homemade apple sauce.

Finally my last stop was at Bi-Lo. I have been holding on for my free Eddie’s ice cream coupons for several months now and I felt very good to finally redeem them. Bi-Lo was running a special B1G1 Eddie’s ice cream, so I was able to score 4 FREE containers! I also utilized $0.55 cents coupons off Land O Lakes natural eggs and I had no coupons for Ray’s BBQ sauce.

All in all I had fun grocery shopping this week. My total spent $59.97, while my total saved $105.07