This Formula Would Only Cost You $2

My church is currently collecting items to send to Haiti for earthquake relief efforts. A member of my church has an aunt and uncle who run the Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation which has worked for years to end child slavery in Haiti. They are now setting up a clinic and working to keep the children safe after the earthquake destroyed so many buildings and lives. To aid this foundation’s efforts we are collecting items like blankets, non-perishable food, baby food and baby formula. The items can be dropped of at the Christian publishing house Ambassador International from now until February 5. The offices are located at 427 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Greenville. You can stop by Monday through Friday from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-2.

Today only if you become a fan of Babies R Us on Facebook, you’ll receive a free $5 e-gift card that can also be used in the store. The coupon will be sent to your email inbox after you sign up. It’s good until 2/20, but why not go ahead and use it now to pick up some free baby food or discounted formula to send to Haiti? According to what’s available online you’ll be able to score lots of free food or an 8-pack of formula for just $2 after you use your coupon. It won’t cost you much– or anything at all– and you’ll be helping a great cause!

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church, Good Deals, Shop for a Cause, coupons

Last night I held my first coupon class at my church, LifePoint. About 20 people turned out to learn how to save more and give more than they’ve ever done before. My main goal was to encourage and inspire people to turn something as seemingly routine as grocery shopping into a task that can bless others and serve God. I’ve been thinking about teaching a class for a while now. But it wasn’t until my church recently brought in two big bins for us to fill up with food to give Miracle Hill Ministries that I realized that now would be a great time to teach others about couponing. Our local food banks are dangerously low so my desire would be that even in this tough economic time people would use couponing as a way to continue to give– and give big!

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church, News, coupons

Even though I may have thought of myself as a Bargain Hunting Expert it feels good to have someone else call me that. I was interviewed for an article with Digital Trends, a technology news site with 50 million unique views a month. Reporter Nick Mokey asked me questions about how to find great bargains in retail stores– especially when it comes to gadgets and tech items. Take a look at the article and let me know what you think!

And since I am now officially a bargain hunting expert, consider coming to my free coupon class on Monday, November 16 from 7-8pm at LifePoint Church in Greenville. LifePoint is located at 25 Woods Lake in the Green Gate Office Park in unit 8. It’s something that God laid on my heart a while ago as a way to help others give more, help more, and, of course, do more with their money! I’m really excited about this opportunity to encourage and teach others about something I’ve got a passion for. It’s hard to believe that you can serve God with coupons, but you really can! So come to the one hour class and you’ll leave feeling that grocery shopping is not a chore– it’s an opportunity to bless others.

Posted under Church, News, coupons

I wish I was a September baby after reading about BorninSeptember.org. Last year, 800 people born in September gave up their birthday gifts raising $950,000 for Ethiopia. One of those was 32-year-old Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water. Over 96,000 people in 240 villages got clean water. This year they want to do even more. Watch this video:

The September Campaign Trailer – 2008 from charity: water on Vimeo.

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church

I’m happy to say that my numbers keep getting better when it comes to buying for charity. I don’t track my personal spending as closely, but I’m sure that would show that I’m getting better at that, too. In all, I donated $120.18 worth of items in June and spent just $4.08 out of pocket. Here’s a list of what I was able to purchase:

One Bottle of Mouthwash

One Bottle of Pain Reliever

One Bottle of Soft Scrub Cleaner

One Bottle of Worcestershire Sauce

One Bottle of Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner

Two Bottles of BBQ Sauce

Two Cans of Soup

Two Bottles of Dish Soap

Two Nail Clippers

Three Vegetable Seed Packets

Three Knorr Side Dishes

Four Sticks of Deodorant

Six Tubes of Toothpaste

One Hula Umbrella (This helped my total significantly as it was a $39.99 item I paid $.29 for. Without it, though, my giving value still would have been more than $20 higher than May with an out of pocket expense that was $.38 less. By the way, I donated this to my church for use at the upcoming Vacation Bible School.)

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church, Good Deals

I don’t normally go to Rite Aid because I just can’t get into their Single Check Rebate system. But I found a tip on Deal Seeking Mom that sent me there yesterday. The hula umbrella was regularly $39.99, but on sale for $29.99. I used a $5 off any $25 Rite Aid coupon, plus another $25 off hula umbrella coupon and ended up paying just $.29 for this fun purchase. It almost makes me want to have a luau just so I can use it. Or I might donate it to my church to help set the scene during their upcoming Vacation Bible School. Oh and I’m sorry to say that this deal expired yesterday. If it makes you feel any better, I got the last one at my Rite Aid.

Posted under Church, Freebies, Good Deals

You have GOT to watch this film. It’s Nooma 023 | Corner, the latest from Pastor Rob Bell at the Nooma team. It tackles Deuteronomy 24:19 and how our overflow can quite possibly be someone else’s necessity. Take 11 minutes to watch it and your life will be changed. I promise.

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church

I’ve heard it said many times that it is almost unimaginable what the church could accomplish if everyone tithed 10 percent like the Bible commands. I know giving is down at our church, which is why  this story is even more powerful! Late last month a church of 22000 people collected $19 million over a span of four weekly services! That equals out to nearly $900 a person!

What’s even more amazing is where this church is. No– it’s not
an American mega-church. It’s a church in Singapore! New Creation Church holds services in the Rock Auditorium in Suntec City Mall and will now build a new church in the city’s Buona Vista area. Now, what can God do in your church?

photo credit: gnondpomme

Posted under Charitable Giving, Church