My Stockpile at Work

Most of you may not know this but I started a Facebook page for my business a few months back called Serenity Hill. When I did that I got connected with Jessica over at Penny Pinching Polly! She is doing an Adopt a Family for Christmas and has been getting other boutiques to come together to make Christmas wonderful for one family this year.

I love how even when times are tight we are still able to find ways to bless others!!

Sometimes we don't think we can afford to help others but if we come together and each pitch in where we can then we can make a difference in the life of One Family at a time!!

We aren't in a position this year to donate financially or to buy gifts for others. However, I have been able to build a great stockpile of items and help in a different way this season.

All the items above I will be mailing off to a family that is struggling this year. While others were able to buy the toys and gifts that this family needs I'm able to fill the gap of other necessities that this family needs.

So whats in your Stockpile that you can bless others with?

Stockpile Swap!!

Check out this Amazing Stockpile Swap Idea that Money Saving Mom posted about last week!!

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Right At Home Package!!!

I'm horrible about keeping track of where things came from....But I got a box from Right@Home today with these items in them!! Full size samples are always a blessing!!

Struggles of living within our means

Oh the struggles and frustrations of living within our means.

We are a family of 5 and a one income military family with a child with special needs. While Coupons have greatly helped us be able to stay within our means there are still times when it is hard to stick with the plan!

The Struggles ~

It's walking thru the store and struggling with the fact that I have to carefully calculate the price of every item that is placed into my cart because my Grocery envelope only has so much Cash in it while I watch dozens of others just place anything they want to in their carts without having to figure out their running total.

It's having to pass by some things on my list and make choices on what we can do without until the next payday because there just isn't enough money in the envelope for all the items I had wanted to get.

These are the things that I personally struggle with when going to the grocery store and I'm sure some of you have felt the same way at least once before. However, we have committed to "Live within our Means"!! Which means sometimes we have to pass by the snacks, expensive steaks, frozen pizzas, and yes the Soda/Pop in order to stay within our budget. (if you know me you know how hard that one is)

Living within our Means is tough! It's been really hard at times for us and we haven't always made the right choices and we have gone without a lot over the past 6 years. However, the peace that comes with being able to pay all the bills, feed the family and have enough gas to get to work and school is overwhelming.

We don't always do things right but when we do stay within our means we find blessings coming our way left and right.

My question to you is.....

1 ~ Are you living within your means? Meaning are you spending what you make? Or are you spending more than what you make each month?

2 ~ What are three things you could cut out or cut back on to help you get to where you are within your means? ie...cable, phone, shopping trips, eating out too much....

3 ~ Better yet do you know where your money is going each month? Take one month and keep track of every expense you spend money on. You'll be shocked I'm sure!

4 ~ Do you have a long term plan to help you get to the point where you are living within your means? Sometimes it takes a while! You may not be able to do it overnight but maybe within a few months or a year....set a goal and make a plan to get you there.

The choices you make today WILL affect you down the road. Stick with it! Keep your head up! And know that you aren't the only one out there having to stretch a dollar each month! Trust me I've become more of a pro at it than I would like to admit!!

**If you are struggling financially please take a moment and check out Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It changed our financial future 6 years ago.

Stockpiling for Giving

It's November and time for Giving Thanks for what we have! We also usually take a few moments and try to bless others by giving back to those who may not have as much as we do. I like to do this throughout the year not just at Thanksgiving time!!

I feel very blessed that God has allowed me to learn how to use coupons to save my family money. I stockpile like none other I tell ya. I stock up when I can on whatever I can....given I know my family will use it.

However, there are some things I stock up on for other reasons. I stockpile for Giving! What is that you may ask.......There are items that I know my family won't use but I stock pile those items for times like this when I can donate them to those in need. Or when the neighbor mentions they are having a rough month financially I can throw together a quick couple bags of food or toiletries and be able to Bless their home as well as mine.

There is something about being able to help a friend in need that will change your life forever! And when you Give your kids see that and it impacts them in a way you will never know!

Last night I spent hours doing our budget for the second half of the month of November. We do an overall monthly budget but this month the second half of the month needed to be majorly tweaked. You know those months you have two, three, or even four unexpected expenses come up and you just aren't sure how it's all going to work out. Well all that needs to be paid is getting paid!! Grocery funds were cut in half for this two weeks....not ideal but when you look at the big picture it's ok if there isn't chips, soda and dinners out. (yes I did just say it would be OK with NO Soda!) We may not always have what we want to eat but the Hill family will have plenty of food to last until the next payday.

I tell you this because I opened up my Son's backpack this morning and found this list of items that they are collecting to donate to a local charity that is in need of re stocking their supplies. It's amazing how God works thru a paper like this. We don't have extra funds this month to purchase donations....but notice the first two items on the list of needs....Shampoo/Conditioner and Dish washing soap....My stockpile has more than enough of those items along with the Mac & Cheese and Ketchup. Most of these items I was able to get for free or close to free.

So even when our budgets might be tight and we may seem discouraged God still gives us opportunities to be Christ to someone else in our Communities.

So my question/challenge to you is "How is your Stockpile able to bless others this season?"

Mail Box Check!

Free in my Mail Box today!

Mug
Coffee
Perfume Sample!

It's fun to get free stuff!