Guest Interview: Saving to Give

I would like you to meet a wonderful mentor and friend, Alisha. She is a young wife and mother of 3 spunky, beautiful girls. Alisha is one of my "coupon buddies"! I'd like to share Alisha's insights on how she lives frugally and teaches her girls to love giving.

Is saving money (especially on things like food, toiletries, and clothing) a priority for you and your family?

Like everyone (whether college student or mom), you find yourself trying to balance LOTS of priorities! But yes, it is a priority, and I have been able to find great deals, learn to coupon, and know which stores I can get the lowest prices on particular items. There are certain things (like shampoo and toothpaste, for example) that I haven’t had to buy in two years because I got them for free with coupons. But another priority for me is to use my time wisely, and so that shapes which deals I go for. I am not going to drive to a store 15 minutes away because I can get a tube of toothpaste for free. The gas expense certainly comes into play here, too! I try to do what I can, using both money AND time wisely.

How do you teach your girls how to use money and/or save?

I hadn’t realized that my “shopping style” had rubbed off at all. But one day at the store, my daughter (who was four at the time), saw a man grab a product off the shelf and walk up to the register to pay for it. She gasped aloud, grabbed my arm, and said, “Mom! That guy bought something, and he didn’t even LOOK at the price!” I laughed a bit, and then felt badly for my kids for all the minutes they have had to stand there while I price compare, etc. On a more serious note, I am burdened that my daughters learn the difference between a “want” and a “need." I also want to teach them to balance frugality with JOY in giving - to find ways to give to others in a way that is within their reach. It could be as simple as making a card for an elderly person or bringing flowers or a small gift to brighten someone’s day.

Do you believe trying to save money by finding good deals and couponing is biblical?

Having a good business sense and using both time and money wisely certainly fits with what we learn about the woman in Proverbs 31. The Bible also has lots to say about debt and seeking to avoid it. But God’s Word has even more to say about giving - to others and to God. Balancing frugality without becoming a “tightwad” is a necessary priority. Being frugal is good. Being a giver is better. Balancing those two things is challenging.

If you could give any advice to college-aged girls and young families on the topic of saving money, couponing, and/or budgeting, what would it be?

I think it is an absolute must for everyone to have a budget. There are lots of resources out there to learn the best way to do that for your particular family. Without a budget, you have no visual accountability for how you are spending your money. As for saving money/couponing, how each person does that will vary. Find a good resource/website (such as Dave Ramsey, or Crystal Paine’s moneysavingmom.com) and learn all you can. Establishing a budget and learning how to use your money wisely in college is great training for the future. Do what you can with the time you have, and have fun doing it!

Interview with MoneySavingMom

Crystal Paine's blog, Money Saving Mom, has become my #1 resource for couponing tips, frugal ideas, and the Biblical response to handling finances. In this short video, Crystal interviews Chris Seay, a pastor who has written a book on the impact of giving and came up with a unique 40-day challenge that changed the way he viewed those in need. [This is Part 1 of a 4-Part mini-series; check out the other videos on Vimeo.]

Watch this and be motivated to GIVE.

Guest Interview: Frugal Living

I would like to introduce you to my dear friend, Kristi. Kristi is 22 and oh-so-happily engaged to the man of her dreams. As she prepares for married life, Kristi is finding many creative ways to use her money wisely. Get the inside scoop on some of her frugal tips!

Everyone loves a good bargain. Would you consider yourself a “bargain shopper”?

     I don’t usually shop UNLESS it’s a bargain! I love finding the best deal for my money and getting great quality at a great price. 

What are your favorite stores to shop at to get good deals? What have been some of your best deals?

     My favorite stores to shop at are thrift stores! I even work at a consignment shop part-time, so that shows a little of how much I love thrift shopping! I love finding name brand clothing for just a few dollars. One time I found a brand new Nike running jacket  with the $70 price tag still attached, unworn, and got it for around $9. My closet is full of secondhand finds from my favorite brands like Ann Taylor, Tommy Hilfiger, The Limited, and Abercrombie, and I’ve never paid even close to full price for any of it.

Do you take advantage of free samples that come in your mailbox? How do you make use of these items?

     I don’t get as many free samples as I used to, since I’ve been making changes toward more natural/organic things and those kinds of samples aren’t as readily available. But when I can find them, I definitely grab them! I always look for samples of food, too, as weird as it sounds…but they almost always come with good coupons. Actually, for Christmas I filled my Dad’s stocking with K-cups for his office Keurig and gave a friend another bag full of K-cups for theirs, all for free because I’d been collecting the sample packs! 

I know you have won a few blog giveaways/contests in the past. Do you always enter giveaways, and if so, do you believe it is worth it?

     I’ll let you in on a secret I found a little while ago. I found this website called Tight Wad in Utah, where the blogger posts low-entry giveaways ending within the week. I started entering as many as I was interested in, and so far I’ve won two books and some coupons. I’d definitely say it’s worth it! Especially if it’s a low-entry giveaway, because you have a better chance of winning. But I usually enter the ones from the bigger blogs I follow too, because you never know. My first win ever was from a big blog, and the prize was a $50 credit to an online store called Antique Farmhouse, and I got two cute artificial topiaries for free with it!

Is “frugal living” a priority for you and your fiancé’s future home? How has the Bible impacted you when it comes to frugality (if it has)?

     Frugal living is definitely a priority for us! My fiancé and I are firmly convinced that God requires us to be faithful and wise stewards of what He’s given. (Especially since we’ll be pinching pennies as newlyweds very soon!) As I prepare for our future home and becoming a homemaker, God’s been teaching me a lot about living simply and naturally to the best of our ability. There are a lot of Bible verses and principles that support this, but one passage that really stated it simply for me was Ecclesiastes 2:24-25: “Nothing is better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This, also, I saw, was from the hand of God, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” It just really brings home the point that everything, even the simple things of life, is from God, and that we have the responsibility to live according to the means He gives us and honor Him with what we have. This looks different for everyone according to their resources and situation, but the concept is the same. I really believe it’s another way we as Christians can make an impact, by living in a way that is different from the materialistic, wasteful, artificial ways of the world. Both my fiancé and I want to be the best stewards possible and save money not just so we can be wise with what we have, but also so we can give generously to the Lord’s work and to others.

Thanks for sharing your tips and heart with us, Kristi! If you'd like to hear more about Kristi and her frugal journey, check out her blog,  Dreams on the Porch Swing. 

I hear Kristi is also a fabulous photographer... ;) 

Check out her photography blog here: KLT Photography.