My Savings at Publix

Wanted to start a new twist on my blog.  Money seems to be of great concern right now to everyone.  As believers, we are called to be "good stewards" of the money God has given us.  I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that I started using coupons during the time my husband was unemployed.  I can not imagine not using coupons now.  Yesterday my savings at Publix was 86 dollars, while I spent 101 dollars.  So, basically I saved almost as much as I spent.  Week before last I spent 79 and saved 68.  I will post pictures in the future to show what my purchases look like.  I often buy multiple items.  The key here is to stock when items are on sale so that you do not have to pay full price.  So for now, start cutting those coupons.  Check out my link to Southern Savers and start savings!

Tips to a Successful Yard Sale, Part 3

Well in my eyes, our yard sale was a successful one.  I have been out of the swing of writing for a few days because I have been recovering from the sale.  Lol! I always enjoy seeing what items sell and meeting new people.  Wanted to list a few things that seemed to sell well, some are typical while some are unique to the sale we had last week.  Items that seem to sell well are as follows:

1. Furniture and household items
2.  Baby clothing and toys
3.  Special interest items such as quilting magazines and scrap booking supplies
4.  Large appliances such as TVs
5.  Cd's, books, and sometimes educational material.

Remember you have decluttered, you don't want to take this stuff back into your house.  Bargain, bargain. Most people that shop yard sales are looking for a deal!  As a rule of thumb, I generally price my items high but have a lower price in mind if someone offers me a lower price.  Be prepared to wheel and deal.  Have fun, it is all worth it!

Tips for Having a Sucessful Yard Sale, Part 2

Oh yes, it is that time of year.  It is that time to clean out those closets and make a little extra cash selling those items.  In my first post about having a great yard sale, I emphasized the importance of advertising.  Next, you will want to make a clean sweep of all the rooms in your house.  Use trash bags to gather items for your sale.  Do not forget items that may be tucked away in kitchen cabinets, or pushed back in the closet.  A general rule for an item is if it hasn't been used in the last 6 months, it should be discarded.  Think logically about whether you could ever see yourself using this again. I think we as Americans tend to hoard stuff, but that is another post.  Tomorrow, I will discuss items that sell well at a sale.  While there is no rhyme or reason to what generally sales, there are certain items that will generally bring more cash than others.

Tip of the Day!

This weekend a friend and I will be hosting a yard sale.  I have done many a sale and it is a great way to declutter, and hey don't we all have something that we aren't using?  Your most important tactic when doing a sale is to advertise, advertise, advertise.  Of course, some may disagree but sometimes it depends on your location.  In the city where I live, I have seen city workers driving off with my signs and this is why I use other means of getting the word out.  For our sale we put it in the classified, facebooked friends, and also listed on Craig's List.  If your city has a local paper sometimes the ad will be free, so this would be another excellent means of advertising.  The more avenues you use the more people know about your sale.  It always seems to be a good deal of work to get your items out, so you want your time to be worth it and of course earn money for your stuff.  I will have more tips tomorrow, so stay tuned...

My Ground Zero

The days that followed after my husband lost his job I will look back and refer to as the "dark days".  I touched briefly on my husband's job loss in 2008 in my first blog.  This is one of the events in my life that prompted me to start this blog.  There were days of feeling hopeless and not knowing how God was going to provide.  There were days of uncertainty and anxiety, but through it all my hope was in God's promise through his word that he would take care of our family.  Let me say also, that we have a wonderful support group of friends and church members.  They were an incredible encouragement in those "dark times".  Following 911 this year, we watched a documentary on Ground Zero at our church.  It was a story of hope for the men that served at Ground Zero during this tragic time.  Some of you may remember this from the news, but at one point in the clean-up a steel cross appeared. To those men it was a symbol of hope at a time when things appeared hopeless.  As I look back on my dark days, Christ was my hope.  In no way am I trying to compare job loss to the loss of life that happened on September 11, 2001.  Loss is a part of life and happens in different ways.  I do know that in all situations in life, that hope lies in the very essence of what Christ did on the cross!

Tip of the Day!

If you are interested in couponing, start with today's Sunday paper.  There are several inserts, including Red Plum and Smart Source.  Start those scissors clipping, it will be fun.  You might also want to buy two papers or ask your neighbor for theirs! Enjoy! 

A New Creation

Most recently our oldest child was baptized.  Even though his "conversion" happened several years ago, he most recently made the decision to follow Christ in baptism.  The Bible says that when we decide to follow Christ, the old creature passes away and we become new.  Several days ago, I went into the bathroom to find my daughter had my curlers in her hair.  She wants to be made new (different hair that is)! It reminded me of our human desire to be transformed.  Are we ever happy with the way things are?  There is always something else to desire! As a believer, Christ desires to transform me.  Only through adversity (there is that word again) is he able to shape and mold me into becoming Christ-like.  I will never reach that goal here while on earth, but I thank God for willingness to transform in spite of myself!