I am cheap. I routinely shop thrift stores, Goodwill, consignment, and the 75% clearance rack. I love to get a deal! So when all this coupon craziness started happening I wanted in on it. Saving $300 on my grocery bill every month? Are you kidding? Sign me up!
And that’s what I did. I signed me up with every product out there. I also saved all the coupon circulars; got my mom’s extras and subscribed twice to the Sunday paper. I would then go to my favorite website, find the coupons that matched up with the sales, pull the coupons from my file, and print any others. A trip to the grocery store would take me at least four hours of preparation. Really.
But I would save soooo much! My savings averaged around 50-70 percent. I felt well rewarded for my efforts when that receipt total was $80 and my savings was $92.
So when I began to sense that God was asking me to let go of this money saver, I knew I must not be hearing right.
“No, no, that cannot be what You are saying, Lord. You know where we are financially. You know what a challenge it is to make it month to month. How could I possibly justify not saving ever possible penny? Isn’t that what good stewardship is all about?”
There never seemed to be a divine response to all my reasoning. God is funny that way.
But the next time I would be trying to balance work, writing, and the responsibilities of wife and mom, I would cry out to God, “I am overwhelmed! How can I do this?” That small, quiet voice would say again, “You need to give up the coupons.” And I would again say, “No, that can’t be what You are saying, Lord.”
I’m not sure how many times I went through this cycle, before I finally admitted, “Yes, that is what You are saying, Lord.”
What is ironic in all of this is that part of me HATED dealing with coupons. I hated the hours of precious time spent planning, printing, clipping, organizing. I hated going grocery shopping and spending an extra hour at the store making sure I had the right product and the right coupons. I hated telling the person behind me, “You might want to go to another line. I have coupons.”
Extreme couponing was not my idea of fun, nor was it what my God was calling me to do.
When God speaks, nothing else matters. And God was calling me to write. Carving out that time was extremely difficult. It meant getting up earlier or staying up later, so that I could have time to myself. Writing took concentration, quiet, and time. Preparing to use coupons at the grocery store took those same things, and then there was nothing left for writing.
God had to remind me that stewardship is about more than finances. He wants me to use my gifts also. Laying aside writing for couponing was not good stewardship for me. I was missing the best for the good.
There are only twenty-four hours in a day. It’s not a BOGO deal. In fact, I can’t buy time. I can’t make time. I can’t find time. I can only use it.
Time is a precious commodity. God’s gifts and calling are precious too. Bringing those gifts and calling under the limits of daily life is wise stewardship. Allowing other things to steal those limited resources is like giving away days for nothing.
I may be cheap, but that’s no deal.
By: Karen Cone, Soul Journey
Thank you for this – God and I have been talking about the only- 24- hours- in- a- day thing as well! It can be a lot harder than it sounds to let go of things that keep us from focusing on our gifts.
Thank you Jamie.
Wonderful devotion <3
Simply Living By Faith,
Stacey
Oh this is wonderful. thank you for your honesty and what an encouragement to see God work and speak even in this. He constantly amazes how he whispers into our lives and cares so deeply with the details of how we spend our time. Beautifully written.So glad he gave you the gift of writing and freed you up for your obvious passion and gift. WOW.
Elizabeth,
Thank you for the kind and encouraging words. What a blessing!
Thanks. I too was a couponer, before moving to NYC. There are few stores that accept coupons, and fewer that double them. I was discouraged about not saving the money anymore, but I didn’t miss the coupon cutting hours. And God has always met our needs. He brought us to NYC for ministry, and what we couldn’t do for ourselves any longer, He has done for us. It is an amazing journey. I appreciate your reminder that time is not a BOGO. I often forget that!
So interesting to meet you today, Karen!
Yes, here’s yet another diehard couponer who just stopped clipping after about 35 years! Back in the day it really worked for me when I was at home and double coupons and refunds made many purchases free! I stocked up when things were on sale, and saved every UPC seal – and sometimes all the packaging in case they wanted a box top or box bottom or something else to mail in to get a few bucks back! {Someone please tell me you did this, too!}
It was a fun game and it worked for me a long time! We furnished our living room with the dollars that came in the mailbox almost every day, and we were able to pay for a lot of little things along the way we otherwise couldn’t have afforded.
But after awhile, the companies stopped offering money back and the double coupon stores were hard to find, and it became a great big pain to clip and file and then look through hundreds of pieces of paper to save a few dollars. Old habits are hard to break … but the joy was gone.
Here’s my manic attempt to save $5 at the A&P last year –
http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post.html
One day I realized I simply.didn’t.want.to.do.this.anymore! It was not fun. It was a great big drag. There are just two of us now, I work outside the home, I shop at little stores that don’t take coupons. And I dumped my coupons in the trash without a second glance.
It was all well and good for awhile. But seasons change, and that’s ok. but the bargain hunter is still alive and well! And I’m glad I’m not the only one!
And I’ve always felt a little bit ashamed that I don’t crazy coupon. But I’ve also known deep down I wasn’t willing to trade the time for it. Thank you for reminding us all that there’s never a best way – there’s only the right way for the right season.
I agree with Lisa-Jo@thegypsymana. While I’m a savvy shopper, this isn’t my season! I’ve tried and it doesn’t work for me. I’d rather spend the hours riding bikes, playing sports or sewing for my children. When you work 40 plus hours a week outside the home it is hard to fit it all in. We also don’t purchase many prepackaged items which limited the coupons I needed. When they offer them for fresh veggies, fruits and meats, I jump in on that!
Amen sister! I’m right with you, I’ve found that most pre-packaged foods that coupons are available for literally make me sick. Combine that with the time investment and it’s just not worth it for me. If they ever do them for fresh fruits, veggies and meat, I’m all over it!
Thank you Karen for sharing!
So yeah. I needed this today.
Sometimes…even good and positive things need to be layed down. Sometimes…it is those things that keep us from our callings – that keep us all tied up and distracted.
Good for me to read. Thank you 🙂
– Kate
Thank you Kate.
Really great piece – thanks for it. I’m glad you stopped couponing if it makes time for writing like this…I ,for one, was blessed. Keep on!
Thanks Shannon. I appreciate the encouragement!
I rarely use coupons. I am also the sole vegetarian in my family. The food items that are often featured in coupons are mostly chemically laden. Instead, I buy meat for the meat eaters and then go to Sprouts Marketplace and buy bulk grains and good quality eggs, veggies and fruits. On Saturday morning I get up to go to the local farmer’s market and get more vegetables and some really good medjool dates. I think people need to realize what they are really feeding their families when they buy junk that has a lot of artificial ingredients or worse…bug juice that colors commercial yogurts pink in most supermarket brands.
How we spend our time is important to God and He really wants the time to be invested and not frittered away. (which I am guilty of sometimes.) But that also doesn’t mean we have to make ourselves so busy that life zooms by and we are left exhausted. I think it’s all about balance.
I have this quote as a post it on my computer screen: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” JRR Tolkien.
That probably looks very different to each of us, but I am in total agreement that we have to be careful about how we spend our time. When God whispers, we must let go of the good for the better. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the quote. I love it!
As a blogger who teaches thousands how to save money (using coupons), I feel led to comment. 🙂
I do agree with what others are saying about being in a season of life that may not warrant the time to use coupons (which in reality can be 60 minutes a week and nothing more). However, it sounds like the focus of this article is exactly what Danelle shared previously – where we are spending our time (and not necessarily about couponing). Hopefully we all listen to God’s call to our heart and do His will with whatever He wants our talents to be used and shared.
Also, for many people, couponing is out of necessity, as it was for our family. And it was God who opened my eyes to the potential savings. It was also God who helped me balance doing it all (couponing, being a wife, parenting, working, etc) in a normal and realistic way, which is the only way I would support and teach. I would encourage others to find that balance with couponing, and life in general so you can take the time to listen when your hear His voice.
God has been talking to me also about how I spend my time, mostly in the mornings before work. Used to get up and spend extra time playing computer games. I would frantically run out the door off to work, drive fast & be in a bad mood because I might be late for work.
Now God has me watching the clock a little better & I use the time mostly to exercise, which makes me feel better & puts me in a good mood for the day.
Thanks for a great post!
God has been talking to me also about how I spend my time, mostly in the mornings before work. Used to get up and spend extra time playing computer games. I would frantically run out the door off to work, drive fast & be in a bad mood because I might be late for work.
Now God has me watching the clock a little better & I use the time mostly to exercise, which makes me feel better & puts me in a good mood for the day.
Thanks for a great post!
There was a moment in time when I was trying to save money and did that crazy coupon thing. It was about 6 months into it when I starte to feel burdened too. I didn’t need to save because we ae doing fine but I was trying to save thinking I was being a good steward like you… Then I felt convicted. Husband said it’s too much work, lay off it, etc… So I knew It was time that I stop and give my attention to the things that was more important and trust God. Then came my blog and it proved to me that it was God all along he wanted me to focus on my quiet time with him do I would learn and grow in wisdom so that I may pour out to others. So glad im not the only one God called to do something else.. Since then God has really blessed our income and even more so my time with family…
Sure I’d love to save more money, but by budgeting I can also save too.
Amen! Thank the father for redeeming our time and our capabilities!
Thanks so much for sharing this post. Today I am a puddle of anxiety working myself up to “coupon” and add match because we are really broke and I feel that is the only way we can eat. but it does steal my peace. And I also am a writer in hiding…under coupons….God used you to speak to me today. Thank you my sister!
Kerry,
I prayed for you this morning. I totally get that “working yourself up” to coupon thing. And I get being really broke too. I prayed that God would grant you the peace to release this burden and to walk in what He has called you to. I also prayed that He would miraculously provide for you this week. He is still Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides and He knows your need before you speak it.
Thanks for the encouraging words, friend.