CCE Update 2: Shopping

I’m happy to report that my first big shopping trip doing the CCE experiment (Cash, Coupons & Envelopes) is successfully behind me.  Again, mixed bag–but it comes with a fun story.

I had been clipping all week, so Friday morning I bravely zipped up my puffer jacket, armed with my envelopes, my cash, and my list of what to get at each place.  Albertson’s, Rite-Aid, Winco, and Target.  It all actually went fine.  I’m amazed to report that I got our groceries for the month (including toiletries) for $140.  However, I’ll still have to buy fruit, milk, and fresh stuff thorughout the month at Safeway, but it’s safe to say I think I saved a little.

That part that was tricky was at Target, because I needed Christmas gifts for Dutch, a few things for Heidi, some toiletries, some stuff for women’s ministry, you get the picture. So I had them ring it up in 4 different totals, and I felt like it took an hour using my silly cash stash from my different envelopes.  Then, the register I happened upon didn’t have any change.  So she had to add up all my “cash backs” then get assistance to get her change and give me all my change.  Are you laughing yet?  Yes, I was sweating by the time I got out of there.  Then I forgot to use one of my coupons. Shoot!

But one really cool things was this: I had prayed on my drive there, asking God to just make me a good steward for my family, etc. and had also prayed (ok this sounds silly) for something to wear to this Christmas dessert thing I’m emcee-ing with Joy tomorrow.  You know my silly justifications: pregnant last year, clothing fast, blah blah…the bottom line? I just wanted something fun!  Well after using my coupons, I thought I’d stop by a consignment shop right by Winco.  I had a little bit of Christmas money my parents had given in advance, so I headed in.  In the parking lot I ran into a girl I knew who was new to Willamette, who I’d chatted with a bit. She’s a former pageant queen (read: she’s beautiful and has really nice clothes!). Anyway, she was dropping off some of her clothes at the consignment shop. We chatted, then I headed in. A few minutes later she came timidly up to me and said, “I feel sort of silly doing this, but I have all these clothes and they’re not going to buy them…would you like them?”  My jaw dropped.  Would I like them? Um, yeah!  I happily took her clothes, including one Bebe dress in brand-new condition.

So had to laugh because I think the lesson for me was this, an old lesson made new again:

The right way to budget/shop/steward our finances is whatever is by faith.

I can clip coupons out of obligation, obsession, greed, fear, wanting to get ahead–you name it.  Or I can do it by faith, joyfully, freely, whenever time allows, without fearing or fretting when it doesn’t work out, without stressing if I have to pay a bit more every once in a while.

I can also not clip coupons out of laziness, stubbornness, selfishness, not wanting to do what everyone else is doing (pride).  Or I can do that by faith as well–letting go of control and asking God to do what only He can do–take the material things He’s given us and multiply them for His glory and for furthering His kingdom.  Bottom line? My heart.

Of course we all knew this, right? But I just love how God reminds me over and over–it’s so much less about what I do and so much more about why I do it.

Conclusion:  I think coupons are great. I got another great diaper deal today–200 diapers for $22. That’s $16 cheaper than Costco. I also had a stressful coupon encounter at another unnamed store today–where the fine print made me want to punch the cashier in the face (would not have been good).  But I also want to make sure an obsession with saving doesn’t take me away from things far more valuable–like my kids (Speaking of, Heidi is chewing on the CHristmas lights right now–I better go!)

Thanks for adventuring with me!  More to come…