Helping Others

When most people think of couponing, they think they are only helping themselves and their bottom financial line.  That doesn't have to be true.  Here is how you can use coupons to help others:

Do you know a person who is just starting out?  Grab some stuff from that stockpile and create a "starting out box" for them.  I gave my brother one of these once.  He seemed to really appreciate it.  This can apply to recent graduates, newly married couples, or folks who are "starting over" when the life they had planned didn't turn out quite like they planned.

Do you have a coupon that makes an item free but you won't have any need for that item?  I bet a homeless shelter, Ronald McDonald House, or non-profit could find a use for the item!  Donate it!  Claim the donation on our taxes for that year (so keep your donation receipt!).  Chances are, even if you paid taxes on the "free item", overall you will gain more in tax credit than you spent! 

Use coupons to put together "help bags".  Some coupons do not restrict you from buying trial size items.  Most times, this allows you to get the trial size items for cheap or free.  These items make great items to put in "help bags" for people you might come across in need.  Think about that guy holding up the sign at the traffic light.  You know, the one that has the sign that says "homeless, please help!" that most of us just roll on by because we are too skeptical to hand the guy money.  What if you hand him a help bag full of shampoo, conditioner, a snack, etc instead?  As a side note here, I have an abundance of law enforcement people in my family.  Most of them would not be happy (from a personal security point of view) to know I was lowering my window for some stranger on a street corner.  So...pick and choose your opportunities.  Be smart about where you are and who is around as you offer these help bags out.  I personally choose to not lower my window if my child is with me.  AND, I only lower my window just enough to hold onto the bag while it is outside my window.  Again, be smart and stay safe in these situations! 

Trial sizes are often also collected by missionary groups to take overseas or for "care packages" that will be sent to random military folks...so there is always somewhere to donate those! 

Uh oh, did your coupons expire?  Don't trash them!  Military folks overseas can use coupons up to six months after expiration at most PX sites.  If you want more information on how to locate military families who will use these expired coupons, please let me know!