A COUPONING YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE

This past year has brought an increased awareness of couponing. We have seen news coverage, television shows, store policy changes and a greater number of people clipping the savings. Some of these things have brought positive results, while others have left a negative opinion and result for many. Unfortunately, even something meant to be beneficial can be misunderstood, misused and challenged by others. We cannot change the way things are perceived, but we can change the way we handle the perception. By this I mean, let’s not look at all the negatives of couponing, but let’s focus on the positive and look for ways to educate others so they can achieve success along with us. Success is not found in an undertaking, but rather and attitude towards the undertaking! If you want to succeed, a positive attitude is the key ingredient.

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:2

I have been reflecting on the benefits of couponing in my own life over this past year in regards to the year before. I have had the opportunity to share with more people than I ever imagined and see their lives changed through couponing. I have seen those who had no hope develop a new hope, even an excitement that their current situation was only temporary and would change. In my own home I have seen the principles I teach give us stability and availability to meet other’s needs. I can truly say this year has been blessed by God with opportunity, ability and strength.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,   the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint,   and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

Isaiah 40:28-29

Journey with me now to what couponing has meant to you and your family this past year. What was your life like before couponing? Have you been able to help more people this year than you did last year? Have you been able to get a stable and functional budget operating within your  household? Did you take a trip (with your savings) that you had only thought possible in your dreams? Have you been able to start a savings account, emergency fund, or pay off a bill? Please share your testimonies with me on how couponing has changed your life! You can email me directly at ann@livinginabundancecouponing.com or leave a comment below.

 

“And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

Revelation 12:11

 Remember progressing does not mean you’ve conquered every obstacle when you take a new direction. Unfortunately, it often means you will encounter new challenges when you set out in a positive direction. Maybe you are still challenged with the amount of time couponing takes you. Maybe you still can’t figure out how to keep a rotating stockpile. These are both legitimate concerns and often frustrations. However, it is crucial to your success that you focus on the benefits you have achieved and your hope for more benefits and not the challenges. When you focus too much on the challenges, you will many times find yourself giving up. This happens in all areas of life and will keep you from reaching success. (I often remind myself of this.)

“Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:23

 In the New Year I will be helping you with these concerns by focusing on specific challenge areas encountered with couponing.

At this time I would like to tell you my articles will not be appearing in the weekly paper. However, I will continue to write weekly articles to keep you motivated and these can be sent to you by email. If you would like to continue to receive these, please go to my website and sign up on my email list for my newsletter. (You will find this located on the left hand side of my website below my picture.)  Every Monday morning I will send out a link to my article and you will be able to read it there. ( Your email will remain confidential) The web address to receive my articles is annhaney.com.  I want to thank all of my faithful readers, you have been a source of  motivation to me and the reason I will continue to bring these articles to you.  I would also like to tell you about another direction Ann Haney Ministries will be going in 2012. God has blessed me and patiently taught me to conquer many obstacles and achieve many successes throughout the years. I want to pass on to you, my friends, the lessons I have learned. In the New Year I will be teaching on many new subjects based upon my experiences as a mother, home school teacher, writer, author, product creator & designer, publisher, and work from home mom. A new 5 part series entitled, “Changing Your Life Through Couponing” will also be released on DVD along with a corresponding workbook. This series will also be available live in classes for churches or organizations wishing to schedule one. Continue to visit my website for these changes and availability for different subject themed classes. If you are interested in having me speak at a specific event (Mother’s Day, Women’s Retreat, Business Luncheon, etc…) or to your business , church, organization, etc…please contact me for further information.  I am so excited about this new direction in my ministry and hope to help many people get motivated to achieve the things they thought only others could do. Let me just provide you a little insight here; if someone would have told me years ago, my life would include all of these things I would have told them they were crazy. The biggest lesson I have learned is “ with God ALL things are possible for everyone and never say never .” We are our biggest obstacle to the impossible!

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26

 Stay faithful to God and to your couponing, your reward is assured!

 

“And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.”
Isaiah 65:21-23

 

I pray direction, abundance and happiness for you in 2012. It has been a pleasure serving you in 2011!

KEEP CHECKING MY WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS IN 2012. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

                                                             PASSING ON THE SAVINGS

If you are one who has been blessed by the bountiful abundant savings experienced through Couponing this past year, your mission has begun. The single most important reason God blesses us with abundance is to allow us to give to others. You see, when we learn to share what we have been given, we are given more. This is the purpose of the blessing and the reason for its continuance. If you have attended one of my workshops this past year, the one thing I hope you have learned is this: when you give out more will be given unto you. This may mean more food, money or opportunities and may come in the most unexpected places, ( it doesn't always come where we expect it), but be assured it will come. The one thing you do not want to do is hinder the flow of the blessing. When you fail to see the need of others because your blessing blocks the view, your blessing becomes an obstacle to your future success.

“God is able to make all grace come to you in abundance SO THAT you will be furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.”

                                                                       2 Corinthians 9:8

You see, you have so that you can give! This time of year it is easy to give to those we love, it seems only natural, but giving should extend beyond our families to charities and to those outside our circle of friends and family (and it should not be just seasonal).

This Christmas I want to give you the best gift I can and that would be this advice--Give others what you want to be given yourself and give it those you might not be used to giving to!

When you do this I will have helped you achieve the real savings. By definition savings refers to "a reserve put back to protect from loss". If you want gain and protection from loss you must learn to give. Your reserve will continue to be fed when you apply the following principle:

"Remember this, he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly and he who sows generously so that blessings come to someone else will reap generously and with blessings."

                                                                        2 Corinthians 9:6

True savings is found in true hearted giving!

My challenge to you this Christmas is to give in a designated area you may not be used to giving. Every year my family chooses an area to specifically designate for passing on blessing, this year we have chosen the Veterans. I encourage you to give( because you have been given)-- to a cause, a widow, a veteran, a needy child, a needy family, etc... God gave to us (the needy), now let us give because we have received!

This article may seem different from others in reference to coupons or savings, however it is necessary if we are to reach our goal of "Living In Abundance!"

May you be blessed abundantly this Christmas and always as you continue to use the resources God gives you to save!

There will be no inserts in the Shelbyville Times Gazette Paper for the rest of December. There will also be no workshops the rest of this month, however they will resume in January. Contact me if you are interested in scheduling a workshop for your church, business, school, women’s group, etc….

FILLER UP: UNDERSTANDING THE WALGREEN’S FILLER

I have been talking a lot lately about the benefits of using the drug store reward programs. For many these stores pose a great challenge when it comes to discovering how to get the most for your money and correctly work the deals according to the store policy. Unfortunately, many will stop attempting to understand these stores when the first challenge faces them. In this article I want to uncover the principles that will help you achieve success when working these deals and using the “needed filler item.”

First of all, let’s define what we are talking about when we use the term “filler.” A filler is any item that we buy that equals out the number of items we are purchasing with the number of coupons we are using. The reason this is so important is simply this—the number of coupons used can never exceed the number of items being purchased. Well, how could this happen you may be asking? According to Walgreen’s policy you may use a store in ad coupon with a manufacturer coupon or a store IVC (instant value coupon) with a manufacturer coupon on 1 item.  As you can see this would naturally cause your coupon count to exceed the number of items, thus the “filler” is needed. Also, to add to this a Register Reward counts as a coupon. Now you can see we have many things which could cause our count of coupons to exceed the items.

Before I go any into further detail regarding the “filler”, let me explain the types of coupons we are talking about.

1)      In Ad Coupon—these type of coupons are located in the weekly circulars. There is no need to cut these coupons, however it must be shown to the cashier to receive the discount.  Some things to watch for on these coupons are: 1) Limit of items that can be purchased 2) TWO for a specific $ amount deals (sometimes these will allow you to buy one at the sale price listed, however sometimes it will say 1 at different amount. Here’s an example:

                        EXAMPLE:        2/$5 or 1 at $2.79

 It is important to note that these coupons will count as  “a one count coupon even if you purchased 2 of the item.” You will however receive the discount off of both items.

 

2)      IVC Coupon—these type of coupons are located in a Walgreen’s Coupon Booklet usually found in front of the weekly ad in the store stand by the carts. These particular coupons do not need to be cut either and are good for a full month. (At the beginning of each month you should pick up a new booklet.) Coupons may be used over and over throughout the month. Again these must be showed to the cashier to receive the discount. It is important to note that these coupons will count as  “a one count coupon even if you purchased 2 of the item.” You will however receive the discount off of both items.

 

3)      Register Reward Coupon—this is what you receive when you purchase a specified in add item which has a “cash back value.” In other words this coupon is considered cash in the hands of the couponer.

 

Now you should have a better understanding of what type of coupons the store offers; it is time to look at using the “fillers” when making our purchase. Here is an example to better explain how this works:

EXAMPLE # 1—2 pkg’s  of paper towels

1“In ad coupon” (will come off twice, but count once)

            2 “ Manufacturer coupons”

TOTAL COUPONS—3              TOTAL ITEMS—2        FILLERS NEEDED—1

EXAMPLE #2—2 pkg’s of paper towels

            1 “IVC Coupon” (will come off twice, but count once)

            2 “Manufacturer coupons”

            2 Register Rewards (to pay for the purchase, remember these count as a coupon)

TOTAL COUPONS—5              TOTAL ITEMS—2        FILLERS NEEDED—3

The above examples let us know how to add the fillers to make a smooth purchase. Another important fact to know is –an additional “filler” may be needed if the final total is not high enough to cover the tax. Tax on the overall purchase must be paid by the customer, therefore it may be necessary to use an extra filler to allot for this. Usually, if you know you have counted all of your items and coupons correctly and the register still beeps at you, this is generally the problem.

You may be wondering, if I have to additional items that I had not intended upon buying, is this really a savings in the long run. Here is the short of it. Use cheap, clearance, or items you will use as a filler! A great filler might be the $.33 carmels, a holiday discounted item (usually these will be as high as 80% off and allow you to get ahead on your holiday decorating for next year without paying full price, or these can be an item you frequently use at your house that you are not using a coupon for. Be sure and check out the drug store end caps for some great clearance items.

I hope this has given you a better understanding of how to use a “filler” at Walgreen’s. If you have tried Walgreen’s before but couldn’t grasp the understanding, try again. The only one who loses out is the one who does not keep trying. Once you have worked a few of these deals you will get the system down and the savings will start rolling in. Learn the principles, apply the knowledge God has enabled you to learn, and trust Him for success in all you do. Abundance is achieved through using God-given abilities that are instilled within all of us!

"And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him."
1 Samuel 18:14

 

There will be no coupons in the Shelbyville Times Gazette on Dec. 18^th  or Dec. 25th.  Be sure and check back after Christmas to see what you can expect. I pray you have a blessed week!

NO UPCOMING WORKSHOPS IN DECEMBER!

Stockpiling During the Holidays

 

Christmas is only a few weeks away and most of us are now in full swing of Christmas shopping. With all the excitement of shopping and holiday baking we can get so busy we often forget about the basic staples for everyday life. Many times this is when our stockpile can suffer. The cushion we have acquired can quickly diminish as we are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. Manufacturer coupons are often more plentiful and can many times have a higher face value during the holidays than any other time during the year. This can mean some extra savings for stockpile building when you take advantage of them.

Here are 3 tips for keeping up the stockpile during the holidays:

      1. Ad match for ease in one stop shopping during the holidays to save time. (Stores like Target and Wal-mart will do this. This can often save you a trip to the grocery store, however, be sure you use a higher value coupon if you have one since these stores do not double coupons.)

 

   2. Use the drug stores reward programs to build the stockpile with items like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoos, etc… These items are often highly discounted with close to full or full rewards back for the total price paid. Let me give you an example:

 

                 Crest Vivid White Toothpaste: Sale Price $2.50-  Rewards Back $2.50 -Coupon $1.00

                  (Regular Price--$4.79)                                              ( Profit of $1 on each item purchased)

 

NOTE: Rain checks are not given on RR items, however a manager may write you a rain check for the advertised price. In the above case, this would be a great deal. In the end you would pay $1.50 for the toothpaste even without the rewards.

 

      3. Continue to purchase the weekly Sunday paper. Buy a minimum of 2 papers, however do not purchase more than 5. In most cases this is quite sufficient for even a large family. If you need an extra paper or forget to get them on Sunday, stop by the local newspaper office and pick up a copy Monday through Friday. (The Shelbyville Times Gazette has back issues you can stop by and purchase at any time during normal business hours for $1 each)

These tips will help you keep on top of the savings even during the busy Christmas season. Be consistent, determined and committed to your savings! A steadfast shopper can balance the busyness of the season when they remain committed to their goals.

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”

James 1:4

 

Be sure and pick up next week’s Sunday paper for 1 Smart Source Insert to keep up with the great savings. Don’t forget to glance inside the Parade insert for a possible coupon every week. (They often appear)

 

UPCOMING “FREE” WORKSHOPS:

Thurs., Dec. 8--6-8 PM  MURFREESBORO, TN   -- SHONEY'S RESTAURANT 1950 S Church St. (The Couponer's Christmas Party Workshop) This will be a Holiday workshop filled with informative shopping tips online and instore. There will be many giveaways throughout the night and free coupons!! Come join me fellow couponers and let's celebrate the season with savings and fellowship.

Dec. 15—12-1 PM  MURFREESBORO, TN—710 Memorial Blvd CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP

(This is your last chance for attending a holiday workshop and getting in on the great ways you can still save just in time for Christmas. These workshops have tips for online savings, smart phone savings, rebate sites, ebay, drug stores, and more…)

 

 

 

SCOPING OUT CYBER MONDAY FOR SUPER SAVINGS

If you didn’t head out to the stores this past Friday to take advantage of the Black Friday specials your opportunity for savings is not over. Cyber Monday is this Monday, which means internet sales will be featured at some great discounts on many hot items. Cyber Monday is basically Black Friday online. For those who didn’t beat the crowds to that hot item jump online for that special gift and take advantage of some low prices! Some stores to check out especially on Cyber Monday will be the major retailers: Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Best Buy, Sears, etc…. These stores will most likely compete for sales on many electronics including: TV’s, laptops, tablets, and cameras.

Although Cyber Monday will offer some great savings it is important to educate yourself on what to be cautious of. Here are some tips to help you proceed with caution:

     1. Compare the product you are planning to purchase with other retailers to make sure product specifications are the same. For instance; buying a computer—one website may offer the same computer with less USB ports. Make sure you get what you want.