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Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part One

Part One Contains Ways I Save On Groceries

  • CLIP COUPONS. I do not have time to search the endless internet for all coupons. I use only three online sources: P&G ESaver http://www.pgesaver.com/Sites/PG_eSAVER/Page/HomePage , Shortcuts http://shortcuts.com/ , and CellFire http://www.cellfire.com/ . These are great because I can download them directly to my Kroger card – SUPER EASY. I get the rest from the Sunday edition of my local paper. At first, clipping coupons was very time consuming. Once I got the hang of it, I streamlined the process. Now, I never spend more than 30 minutes a week on clipping and organizing my coupons. Considering what I save it is absolutely worth my time.
  • PLAN AHEAD. I make a list and I stick to it. I meal plan two weeks ahead of time so I can make a list according to my coupons and the weekly sale paper. My list helps me avoid impulse buying and the meal plan helps me avoid wasting food.
  • STORE REWARDS CARDS. Sign up for a saver or reward card at your market. Many items on sale give an extra discount only to card holders. My local Kroger has a gas station. I save on food and an average of ten cents per gallon on fuel.
  • SKIMP ON CONVENIENCE ITEMS & JUNK FOOD. It costs a fortune & is soooo unhealthy.
  • DOLLAR STORES are a great place to save on toiletries, food storage items, and cleaning supplies. I rarely purchase non-food items at the grocery store.

These five things alone save me $20-$75 each trip plus I get the bonus of saving at the gas pump too!

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Frugality Is Godly

Face it: most of us have limited resources. The paycheck goes only so far. When we spend money on frivolous items we may run the risk of shorting later on the necessities. Using a budget can allow you to prioritize both wants and needs. We want to make the most of our money for our families, right? Making the most of and doing the most good with what you have is called stewardship. God is very clear that He will supply our needs (Philp 4:19); however, He expects us to maximize what He gives us. We are to give back a portion to provide for the needs of others (1 Cor 16: 1&2 and Mal 3:8-12). We are to demonstrate responsibility with what He has given us (1 Cor 4:1-2 and Lk 16:10-13). Since our homemaking tasks are ultimately unto the Lord (Col 3:23-24), we should carefully consider using and sticking to a budget. Juggling the family budget can be quite a chore but worthy of our hard work. The natural payoff: more for our family. The supernatural payoff: God blesses our obedience. Even if our spouses or children do not appreciate or cooperate with bugeting, the Lord sees our effort (Heb 4:13) and rewards it (Prov 14:23).