When it comes to making a donation to a food pantry or a food bank, I used to think it was a no brainer. My mind mapped out a Venn diagram of sorts that considered what my dietary staples included, what I knew to be non-perishable items, and then I tried to scoop up whatever … [Read more…]
Over the past month, I’ve gone back to clipping coupons. Not “let’s buy free contact solution even though no one wears contacts” couponing. Not “buried under a mountain of Sunday papers” couponing. I’m not even primarily couponing for things I need. I’m couponing for our food pantry.
Fresh fruit? Check. Almond milk? Got it. Brown rice? Better grab two. Each week, my grocery list includes a little something extra. Of course, I splurge on treats for myself (hello, chai tea!) and Mr. P (cheers, beer!) every once in a while. But those are not consistent extras. I do, however, routinely add items … [Read more…]
Mr. P and I are in the midst of a massive overhaul of our home. For the past few weeks, I’ve been a decluttering machine. Craigslist, Poshmark, Tradesy, local consignment stores. You name it, I’ve tried it*. I have also filled several trash bags to the breaking point and bequeathed them to my neighborhood Goodwill … [Read more…]
I was hooked. Sure, it cost some money up front. Sure, it got some strange looks from passersby. Sure, it even consumed my evenings and weekends. But I was saving money. I was stockpiling all sorts of necessities. I was guaranteed to never pay more than 50 cents for a tube of toothpaste ever again.* I … [Read more…]