Frugal Friday - Coupons for overseas military

Have a ton of expired coupons? Hate throwing them away?  If they are American coupons and less than six months after the expiration date, you can send them to US military stationed overseas! Military grocery stores, called a Commissary, will accept expired manufacturer coupons.   There are also retail stores, called Base/Post/Navy Exchanges (BX, PX or NX) that will also accept manufacturer coupons. 

A few notes:

• You can send any amount of coupons, whether one or one million!
• Coupons are accepted at the base stores up to six months past the expiration date; however, it does take time for those coupons to arrive at the overseas bases.  Because of this, it is better to send coupons that are not more than two or three months past their expiry dates.
• You can mail clipped coupons or whole inserts.  Clipped will cost less, as you will have a smaller amount of unnecessary paper, which can add up quickly!
• Sorting the coupons into two groups is extremely beneficial to the people receiving them.  You don’t have to sort into many small groups.  Just put the coupons in two separate piles: Food Items and Non-Food Items.  It is best to put the sorted coupons into plastic baggies, as paper clips, rubber bands and similar holders can be separated during mailing.
• Not sure if an item would be considered food?  If it is usually consumed by humans, it is food.  Candy, gum, snacks, etc. would be food.  Pet food, vitamins, etc. would be non-food.

Where can you send those expired coupons?

There are many websites dedicated to this cause.  Here are a few:

• http://thekrazycouponlady.com/coupons-for-military/
• http://grocerycouponsforfree.org/military.html
• http://ocpnet.org/
• http://www.grocerysavingtips.com/expiredgrocerycoupons.htm
• http://www.operationexpiration.net/

Additionally, there are several Facebook groups:

• https://www.facebook.com/ExpiredCouponsforOverseasMilitary
• https://www.facebook.com/couponsforthecorps
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coupons-for-Military-Overseas
• https://www.facebook.com/OverseasMilitaryCouponGroup

This is a wonderful way to support the military and to keep those coupons from going to waste.

Scent-sational Saturday - Spring Catalog Alert!

Gold Canyon’s Spring catalog started earlier this week.  There are a lot of great new and returning scents and items!  I know a lot of people, including my mom, who will be thrilled to hear about the return of Lilac.  I am excited that Dazzleberry is available again.  Then there is what I think will be my new seasonal favorite, Pitanga Peach.  Yummy!!

Thankful Thursday

The holidays were busy, as usual, and life is getting back to normal…or what qualifies as normal in my world.  I thought it would be best to return to the blog with a bit of gratitude.

Today I want to share my thankfulness for having a job that I truly enjoy.  There are times when something happens to drive me crazy and stretches when the stress levels skyrocket.  Then there are occurrences such as the one that transpired Tuesday evening. 

It was five-o’clock…time to go home.  I was about to turn off my computer and gather my things when I saw Sam walking towards the Youth Services office.  I’ve helped her a few times over the past several months.  A senior in high school, she leads a busy life between school, work and social events.  She loves to read, though, and tries to find time for books. 

I don’t even think we started the conversation with hellos!  Sam told me that she LOVED Where Things Come Back – one of the books I suggested.  She didn’t like The Chocolate War – another recommendation, but really wanted to read Paper Covers Rock.  So we went over to the branch’s Teen Central and found the title and I recommended a few more.

I left work about 15 minutes late that night, but I left with a smile.  Here is a busy teen that comes to the library and looks for me because she trusts my recommendations. 

So I am thankful for Sam – and others like her – that have me leaving work smiling, not because I’m going home, but because I know I’ve chosen the right career. 

Wordless Wednesday

Miscellaneous Monday

Blurry photo of Uncle A with his treats.

My month of giving started a bit early.  On Thanksgiving eve I baked cookies and made some candy for my mom to take to one of my uncles.  Every time Uncle A saw me he would ask where his cookies were.  Mom delivered them on Thanksgiving and snapped a blurry photo of him grinning while holding the goodies.   Mom also delivered a box of goodies (of the non-edible variety) to a cousin for her two youngest.

I haven’t really been keeping track of my random good deeds.  That’s not the point of the project.  I can share some of the things I’ve done.

• Made banana cakes and took slices to three departments at work (well, two were actually branches where I was working that day).
• I also took a plate of banana cake slices to a local pizza restaurant.  My staff and I have our meetings there about every two months.  We have lunch and then discuss whatever work things we need to go over at that time.  We are rarely there less than 2 hours.  The owner of the restaurant also donates coupons to be used as a Summer Reading prize.  So I figured it would be nice to show my appreciation.
• Gave a woman and her granddaughter a coupon from my Entertainment book.  I was seated near them and heard the younger one order an appetizer.  The coupon was for a free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees.  They were surprised and delighted.
• I also gave a couple of coupons to a coworker.  She and her husband like to go roller skating, so I passed along the coupon I had for their local rink.  As they are both gluten free, I also passed along a coupon for a pizza place that I know offers a GF pizza that they both enjoy.
• The hubby and I choose a child’s wishlist from a giving tree and purchased several items. Thus far this has been the most expensive act of giving.
•  I pulled two cards from another giving tree and will be donating a $10 gift card for both Walmart and Giant Eagle (a grocery store in our area). 
•  Sponsored a Night Night Package with ProjectNight Night. This idea came from The Bloggess.
•  Gave several coworkers Gold Canyon air fresheners for their cars.

I’ve few other ideas mulling in my head, but haven’t yet put them into action.  There is still time, since there is still three weeks until Christmas.

Thankful Thursday

For some time now I have been thinking of starting some new holiday traditions.  While I love to receive gifts, I enjoy giving them even more.  This holiday season I want to start something that I hope to continue for the rest of my life.  I want to make it truly a season of giving.

Therefore I am trying an experiment between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Every day I will perform a Random Act of Giving.  I want to go beyond the gifts for friends and family.  Now to just figure out how! 

My reasoning for this?  I am thankful for all I do have.  Hubby and I have had our struggles over the years, and, as life is always full of them, I am certain we will come across more obstacles as time goes by. Beyond the physical objects we possess, we are rich in other, just as important things: love, friendship, humor, joy...Those feelings that are there even when times seem dark.

Starting on Sunday, November 25, I will begin my Month of Giving.  Feel free to join in …and to share your Random Acts of Giving as well.

Miscellaneous Monday

At a recent crop I decided to make a few cards instead of scrapbooking. I made five cards that night.

I am going to another crop this Friday night.  My big plans are to make Christmas cards.  Once upon a time I made Christmas cards every year.  That was when I sent out over 100 cards - and had them all ready to be mailed by December 1!  I know.  That's just crazy.  Well, my list has gotten a lot smaller (as postage prices have increased) and this year I plan to make about 50 cards.  I might not mail all of them, but I will have them in case I want to!