Update: ( from one of my wonderful readers) My mother suddenly died last year. She was only 46. She was a wonderful single mother who cared so much for us and things were so rough financialy growing up. I love what you are doing and some of these stories truly touched my heart. I would love to donate to your cause in the name of my mother Karen. I’m offering another $100.00.
UPDATE: Matt’s Mom just donated another $100 bucks to giveaway to another winner! Thanks Mom! Now we have $200 bucks to giveaway to 2 readers each will receive $100
Late last night we reached over one million visitors to our site. When I started this little blog 8 months ago, I would never dreamed of how fast it has grown. I am honored that so many of you take the time to read my blog, misspelled words and all. As we reach this milestone, I hope that you have all realize the importance of saving money. I really enjoy passing along thrifty deals. But more importantly I hope you have learned how important giving back is to our family.
When my son was in the hospital having his 14 heart surgery’s, some days I felt as if the burden I was asked to endure was too great. It was the random acts of kindness from other heart moms, friends and family that got me thru that time in my life. We were in Phoenix and we were given a small truck to drive around instead of having to rent one. We were given baskets of food to help counter the high cost of eating out while away from home. Our family let us use a cell phone that way we could call home and not have to pay high priced calls.
Before that, I had enjoyed helping others. But I now know the huge impact a simple act of kindness can have on another persons life. I have promised myself that I will not only teach my children the joy of serving others, but try to give back in every way I can.
I hope my children will learn the things that really matter in life. Money may bring tempary happyiness, and the things it can buy. But true happiness comes from within, your realationships with others. It comes from looking beyond yourself and giving back!
Now here is the fun part, Matt and I have decided that we would like to give one of our readers a $100 cash.….Yes a $100. I have to admit I thought Matt was crazy when he came up with this idea. Everyone is welcome to enter, all you have to do is leave (1) comment telling us what you would do with $100 dollars and how you could impact the life of others around you. This is not what you are going to buy your kids, or how many groceries you are going to buy to put in your fridge.
Come up with ways you can pass along good acts of kidness. The person who can help the most people, or makes the money go the furthest will win.
We would also like to have video, or photos passed back to us, so that the rest of us can see just how it impacted your life.
Leave a Comment: 291 comments
Filed Under: ATM Giveaway, Giving back
Join our Free Forum
{ 291 comments }
Next Comments →
I’m teary-eyed as I read the comments that have already been posted. It is wonderful to think about all those who are willing to reach out and help those in need. I have been the recipient of many blessings during the holidays. There have been envelopes taped to my door with money inside at the times where I felt despair during the holidays. I would use this money to return the feeling of hope and joy I have felt at the hands of angels. I have taped envelopes to doors of those in need and would love to do it again!! Serving others is truly where we find our greatest happiness in life
Thanks for all the service you give thriftymom!! You are an angel!
Without a doubt, I’d donate it to the neediest animal shelter in my area. Some are so crowded they’re eauthanizing too many sweet,healthy
unwanted pets. Some are being forced to close because of lack of funds. Both of my dogs were rescues and I couldn’t have asked for better friends.
Oooh, I know what I would do with it. My parents have been having a rough time of it in this economy, with my mom not getting many hours at all at work, so I would use it to buy them as many groceries as possible. With coupons, it should at least get them 2 weeks worth.
BTW, I’m in Georgia, a long way away from you, but I still read your blog daily! You’re an inspiration for sure.
With $100 I would go to the store with the coupons to buy the groceries and give them to the needy family who have the children go to school. Plus if have any leftover money, I would give them to the same needy family to use the money to pay for their bills too. It is my heart to do this and would ask God to watch over the needy family that recieve the generous donate.
I would use the money to join the local Zontas Women’s Club to work with other women in my community to raise money and awareness to the local women’s shelter and crisis center. I believe that if I was in this group I could teach them that through couponing we could help even more women and children.
I feel that one of the best ways to help a large group of people with $100.00 would be to use that money to plant a large community garden. The $100.00 would be used to buy seeds and tools to use for the up keep of the garden, I would volunteer my own land and water to plant the garden, and then I would ask for volunteers. The produce that was left after a good harvest could then be used by the local food bank I feel that this would be a good way to use $100.00 to help a lot of people and give an opportunity for those around me to give service at the same time. All around a win win situation.
I have a friend you who has a daughter getting married at the end of the month and she is disabled and on a very very tight buget she is really struggleing right now and i know this would be a great blessing to her.
I am fairly new to your site. Did not realize all you had been through. I am glad to see how the Lord came through for you! He always does! I have been through so much myself and others have blessed me. I know so many people struggling. Some of my single mom friends, some just friends and yet I try and Listen and see where the Lord wants me to bless. Sometimes it is totally different than you expect.I would love to give back! Love to pay it forward! Still struggle, so don’t get to very often or in a big way and I live to give. Would be so fun! Blessings and thanks for all you do for us!
Pam
I too love your blog! I check in 2-3 times a day!
I am having a hard time choosing just one thing to do with the money were I to win, but I think I would choose a family in my ward and offer secret santa (with some additional funds from my own budget) to them! Last year we chose a family, and did 12 days of food storage items to stock their pantry! It was so fun to ring the bell and run! We had things like sugar, and flour to a whole frozen turkey and boxes of stuffing! We enjoyed getting them ready and us too(in the spirit), for the holidays!
Looks like you didn’t get my first comment. I am not adding a new idea just trying to explain better since it disappeared in ciber space somewhere.
) Hope I explained it well enough. Congratulations on your blog-I love it!
Well I kind of explained this but what got me thinking about it is that as couponers we don’t usually get the most for our money to just take $100 and buy whatever we can get that day for it. With patience and time we can turn $100 into much much more. By using the $100 to buy only the best RR deals each week at Walgreens and saving the RR earned for the next week at least half of what is spent each week can be spent agin the next week. Then the giving can keep on going every week because with a little cash the RR’s will just keep on coming. I wouldn’t have to use coupons I need for my family or cash I need for my family. With just time (an your generous gift) $100 could become months of giving much needed items to the family homeless shelter. I may not need more toothpaste ect but they do and all those RR items most of us have already stocked up on are much needed items at the shelter. Stopping each week with a bag of necessities at the shelter would be a great learning experience for me and my three girls. We’d send you updates each week and hopefully by doing so inspire others to do the same by showing how much you can give with just a little cash each week. It would be amazing to see at the end of the $100 how long it would keep going and how much total it would give. I picture piles and piles and months of photos. It would be so cool. The shelter and Walgreens are not far from my home so this would be do-able and a lot of fun. (sorry for the two separate comments–I liked the one that disapeared best, but oh well–that’s my kind of luck
Wow, I don’t envy you the job of picking from these! My idea isn’t as generous as most of those I just read, so I don’t expect to win. But I’ll share anyway. If I won a surprise $100, I’d use it to get the Moms at my Mothers of Preschoolers group interested in the benefits of frugal living. We often talk about how to save money, and I’d love to be able to show them how with some of the inspirational success stories on your blog! I’d give them each $5 and links to coupon sites like yours, and challenge them to each see what they can start with their $5 to roll-over, like with ECBs at CVS or RRs at Walgreens. We could each bring in what we bought the next meeting, and donate it all to the local battered women’s shelter. This would help my fellow Moms to see what they can do with just $5, how they can save their family money on things they need, and how they can use a little time and energy and pennies to grow their donations to worthy causes. Not the greatest use of the $100, but the potential for growth is huge!
Happy picking.
I went to my first PTO meeting last night at the Wilson Elm School here in Caldwell. I was saddened by all the budget cuts that affect our kids! I’m a GREAT believer in field trips, educational and hands on. It gives something for the students to strive for and learn about. Anyway if I won the 100.00 I would first hold a HUGE bake sale the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, invest the monies into that in hopes to double the 100.00!! Then when the kids come back after break I’d then hold a food drive, the classroom who brings in the most food and non perishable items wins the original 100.00 plus what ever profit was made from the sale for them to pay for their field trips!! I would then devide up the the food and take it to LOCAL shelters, families, churches ect in need!! I truely feel like this is the gift that will keep on giving! It’ll teach our children to work for something they want, help those in need and hopefully bring our community and “school family” closer! I would then hope it would inspire other parents to get on board with making our school a better place, there’s always room for improvement and nothings ever too much when it comes to our childrens futures! I KNOW I could make this BIG and wouldn’t disappoint you!!
Huge thanks to you and thrifty dad for having this blog, you’ve saved me thousands! Good Luck, you have some awesome ideas to pick from!!
P.S. I won’t stop at just getting one class a field/educational trip!!
My comment isn’t showing
I just wrote a LONG reply please let me know if you don’t have it. I have thought on it alot and the short answer is I would use it over a period of weeks to help it grow so we could keep giving. Every week I’d take a giving envelope to Walgreens and buy RR deals and put the RR earned back into the giving envelope. That way each week me and my girls could take more to the family homeless shelter. The $100 could turn into $1000′s worth of product and at least 10 weeks of giving, maybe more. What a lesson for my girls. Could be done on any level (for those of us that don’t win and can’t afford $100 to start.) Each week we could check in and show you how much giving we did and how much we got back in RR to give more. (Hope you have my first comment that I can’t find–I explained better.) Let me know.
Sorry and Thanks
Tyree
ok, maybe I shouldn’t be adding another post. You can disqualify me if you want, but I just had another great idea! I would love to take my kids out to pick out toys to donate to the di drive that they do every christmas. they collect new, or gently used items so that families that are nominated by the bishopric of their ward can come and get presents for their family. I would buy as much as we could and donate it to them.
My family back home in the Philippines was hit by two typhoons in a row and the entire city was flooded, mud slide was reported as well. People are in need of the basic necessities such as food and water and clothes. I would send it to my mother to help out with other siblings and neighbors. I wish I could send her my stockpile in the pantry but that will take months to get there. So the quickest way to do it is to send money and that’s what I will do with the $100.00
What a great idea! You guys are so awesome, and I am glad to say I’ve been following you from the beginning. Thanks for all the hard work you put in every day! I have always thought it would be so fun to buy groceries for the person behind me in line. Or fill their gas tank. I don’t know why, but it has always seemed so exciting to know that you helped someone out. In this economy, we could all use a helping hand! Wouldn’t that be great?
I’ve been thinking on this for a while now, and as couponers we know the best way to save isn’t to go and spend $100 all at once it’s all about patience and stocking up on sales. That said I think I could help a LOT of people by using it at Walgreens toward register rewards. If I spent $25 on RR deals the first week and got $17 back in RR. The next week I could spend $10 cash and $17 RR. This way the giving could happen for many many weeks, I would say at least 10 weeks of giving. I wouldn’t have to depleat coupons I honestly need for my family and with just a little extra each week make a big impact. This is something someone who doesn’t win the money could even do with whatever amount of money they feel comfortable starting with (even $10 at walgreens used wisly could turn into $60 worth of needed goods for shelters.) Anyway we have a family homeless shelter called “The Haven” less than a mile from my house and each week I could take my giving envelope with the cash and RR from this $100 and get as many “free” items and new RR to put back in the giving envelope. That way the giving might never have to end. Each week my girls and I could drop off much needed goods to the shelter (I may not need more toothpaste and bandaids, but I know they do
) What a lesson on giving I could teach them by giving once a week to those in need. It is something I think we could all do to one extent or another. (We have a batered womens shelter I’ve been saving items for this year and it feels good to have curling irons, tampons, razors etc that will mean much more to them than the $2 or $.75 they cost me.) Anyway I would use it to help the couponer way and wait till I could make it go the farthest to help as many people as possible. Each week I could send a photo of what we got and what we spent and what RR we added to it. It would be such a lesson for my girls on giving and it would be so fun to watch the shelter and see how excited they’d be to get their weekly delivery thanks to “A Thrifty Mom.” I would love to do this on my own more than I am already but couldn’t do it on this level or scale with out the $100 to start. We can all do this on some level though. Hopefully I will at least inspire others to give this a try. THanks for this cool givaway. It is so much more fullfilling to give than recieve and we would definately get more back by doing our weekly Walgreens giving than by spending it on us. I hope I explained my plan well enough, but I really think this would be fun and it would be neat to check in each week and remind everyone how much a little can do for others. Congratulations on your blog-you do a great job!
On the second saturday of every month, our college group at church goes downtown and cooks a meal for the homeless and takes clothes and supplies for them. We do this completely on our own, and money is tight on a college student budget. We feed almost 100 people each time we go. Cooking a hot meal on a bugdet is difficult for that many people, but from the tips I have learned from this site, we are able to stretch it a lot further. We try to budget $50 a month on food. This $100 would allow us to not have to worry about the food and use the money to buy some material to make blankets for them for winter. Some of the children need shoes and we can get them discounted if we have just $20. It would be such a blessing to have this money and would touch the lives of so many people for more than just one day. Thank you for your sweet spirit and willingness to help others.
Our community is building a crisis pregancy center that needs funding for, our church is also building a family life center as we can due the the large fanicial burden that it will be on the church. There is also a group of solders wives that are asking for donations to send school supplies to the children of Iraq. Their husbands are asking for the supplies because the kids have a very limited amount of supplies to be able to learn to write and also have daily classroom learning.
With your help we could help three groups. Maybe luck will be in my favor…
I would use the $100 thriftly to help our monthly food budget last longer!…maybe with a little splurge at McDonalds for our 3 boys.
First off congrats that’s a great accomplishmnet! Secondly, when I was 16 I placed a child for adoption because parents wouldn’t hear of me having a child and not graduating school, so I would donate to the Adoption Agency that so graciously helped me through my rough times with my parents choice.
I volunteer teaching Home Ec to 5-8th graders and my daughters school. Most of my supplies come out of my own pocket so I would use the $100 to buy supplies
That is easy! I would give it to my friend. Her hubby has been unempolyed since March, and she just had baby number 7! She was a surprise.
My husband and I have been brainstorming what we could do and here is what we came up with.
We will organize a breakfast with Santa fundraiser. We will charge $10 a family for a pancake breakfast and to get your picture taken with Santa. My husband is a photographer so cost of the photos would be covered by his business. We will ask local businesses to donate items for a silent auction and raffle. For every can of food donated, you will earn a ticket to enter the raffle. The cans of food will be donated to the local food bank. We will seek donations for the breakfast food costs to be covered. All the proceeds from the breakfast and the silent auction would be used to purchase supplies on Primary Children’s Medical Centers Top Items Needed List (play-doh, match-box cars, legos, rattles, bubbles, etc.) Depending on the amount of money raised, we would like to save $100 to roll over to doing it again next year, enabling us to make it a community tradition. Thanks for making us think of ways we can help others!
A few years ago my parents started a new Christmas tradition. Rather than buy them something they don’t need, we use whatever money we would have spent and put it toward a charitable act. We then write them a letter that they open on Christmas telling them what we have done. Those letters have become my favorite gift of the season. Some of our previous projects are a sub for Santa, receiving blankets, school supplies for 3rd world countries, food & toys for the animals at the Humane Society, etc, etc.
We would add the $100 to the money we already plan to spend on this year’s Christmas project.
I must have found your site nearly the day you started it- I just love coming here. Congrats on having your 1 millionth visitor!
I am sitting here crying my eyes out. There are so many amazing people who want to give and so many people who need the help. It is really amazing.
With so many people wanting to do so much for others, this probably isn’t very original but here goes. There is a family with eight children in my ward at church who have been on unemployment for a very long time. They barely scraped by to begin with. I went over and taught the wife how to coupon but she hasn’t had any money at all and can’t do it. We have been giving them “extras” for a while now but my husband is unemployed, too and we are reaching a point where this just won’t be possible. There is something set up through the Church so they’ll be able to get Christmas presents but just the gas to get there (45 minute drive) might be impossible for them. I would give them the money for gas to get there and fill their house with as many groceries as possible. I think a few days of not worrying would be the best present of all for this family.
I think I would take it and my kids and buy toys for some needy children. What a great lesson for them. We do this every year but it will be tougher for us this year due to hubby out of work for 3 months
$100 is all I would need to pay the deposit to attend a Lamaze International Childbirth Educator Training next month in Seattle, Washington.
This may not mean much to most people, but it is everything to me. Upon my completion of the course, I can begin teaching childbirth education courses. So why is this significant?
I will be starting a program for low-income, less fortunate families in all of Eastern Idaho. So many women want to take childbirth classes, so they make a few phone calls, only to find out the cost is too great. My course will be available to all families, regardless of ability to pay.
Women need evidence-based information, support, and confidence throughout pregnancy and childbirth. Through making this available to ALL women in my area, I can help to empower mothers, improve birth outcomes, and serve the community. We’re not talking a few families over a few years. We’re talking *hundreds* of families, now!
All I need is $100 and it’s not a matter of ‘if’ I will better the lives of others, it’s *when*!!! This is the chance of a lifetime for me!
Congratulations and Thank You I have a new found love for couponing because of your site. Every winter when I drop my kids off at elementary school I watch so many kids walking into class without hats and gloves…if I were to “win” the $100 I would purchase as many gloves and hats as possible to keep as many fingers and heads warm this season.
We are already getting ready for Christmas! Our family adopts a family in need for Christmas every year. This money would help out. Thanks for all of your work.
Lana
There is one hidden need which most Americans are unaware of. We take pride in donating toys to children so we can imagine the smile on their adorable faces when the wrappings are removed. I agree, but I know something just as special. A happy tear in a grandma’s or grandpa’s eyes. When the elderly are unable to care for themselves and family becomes unable to endure the physical or financial burden, they are brought to nursing homes for care. This seems great, however, some are left and forgotten. Their healthcare and nutrition may be taken care of, but love and clothing are not part of the deal. I work in a hospital and see our elderly nursing home patients come in with holes in their clothes, zippers that do not work, buttons missing, stained clothing, or worn out material (like elastic). It is sad to hear the veterans say that we better not lose their clothes or grandmas asking us to have security put their clothes the safe. If I received the $100, I would love to go and get clothes for the forgotten grandma’s and grandpa’s along with a holiday card to let them know someone cares. I would love to share the thanksgiving and christmas spirit and share the giving experience with my almost 3 year old daughter and 7 year old god-daughter. I remember sharing carols and cookies as a girl-scout when I was younger and believe they would also remember sharing the joy of giving. I would do my best to get as much as I could for as many as I could. I believe in getting good quality for dirt cheap prices and sharing my joy in the process. Hope to see others share in caring for their elderly neighbors in need. Get out and show you care, you may gain some good friends, knowledge, and stories in the process.
It would be great if I can win $ 100 to make hug bags for Allison hugs project. Here is the website http://www.allisonhugs.org/How%20can%20I%20help.htm.
The monies will go toward buying the stuffs I can put in the bags (of course using coupons) Plan on sending it to our children hospital. I am sure it would be a blessing for the parents/caregivers
I would use the $100 to buy food and Christmas gifts for family’s in my very small rural community in Indiana! I would use my coupon skills to get the most for the money! That includes toys! I would have my 4-H club help with this! We got Christmas gifts and food for a family last year and the kids loved shopping and wrapping the toys and outfits for the kids. They spend 80.00 of there club money for this family so that they would have a good holiday! This is how I would make someones holiday alittle brighter in this hard time! Congrats on a great website!!!
If I won the $100 I would match it with another $100. and buy winter coats to be given to my son’s school to hand out to those in need. This would be a wonderful family project for my young boys to help with. Illinois is already starting to get real cold in the evenings and I see so many in need of warm coats. If I am frugal I should be able to buy many nice coats!
Our local rescue mission is having a difficult time right now due to a decrease in donations (food, clothing, personal items, $$$). Every year our family donates $$$ to help provide meals for those in need on Thanksgiving. In addition to our yearly offering, I would use the $100 to help provide 50 additional meals during this difficult time. Not only are people feed physically on Thanksgiving, but they are also presented w/ the Gospel.
Winning $100 to help others: FREE
Thanksgiving meals for 50 people: $100
Exposing those 50 people in need to the Gospel, and letting them know that Jesus loves them: PRICELESS
I would use the $100 in conjunction with a great Albertson’s sale and coupons to buy food to help stock the food pantry at my church. I always buy additional food for our church pantry every week, but this could really help out a bunch of families.
My high school friend MaeLynn was just diagnosed with terminal cancer. She is just 29 years old. She has 5 children, yes 5. All very close in age with the oldest 8 and youngest just 2 or 3. She only has 5 years to live. She is stage 3 and treatments don’t help cure or lengthen her life. She will never be able to see her children marry or even enter Junior High. Her family could use all the money they can get to help curb the costs of every day life and the doctors visits. I would give all the money to her.
Please visit her blog at http://maelynnsjourney.blogspot.com/
Congratulations on the awesome milestone! It seems like your blog has been around forever, certainly longer than 8 months.
For the last 5 months, I’ve been doing a once a month donation to our church’s newly formed food closet, Hope Station. Saturday, when I dropped off my trunk load, the people there picking up food swarmed me and started taking things off the table before we could even get it unloaded onto the shelves. The Pastor in charge had called earlier that day and asked to talk to me when I got there. She’s feeling really stressed because donations are down and need is up. She loves what I do with coupons and wants me to start leading a shopping group with volunteers from the food closet. However, there’s no budget for the shopping. Some of the things they need the most will not be free even with coupons (meat for example). Pastor Marci said she prayed asking God to send someone with the things they needed. Then I showed up with the exact items she prayed for. The thing that sent shivers up my arms was the Kleenex. I wondered if I was bringing too many boxes or if it was even something they wanted. Pastor Marci told me she had just had someone in her office crying and she didn’t even have any Kleenex to offer and then I showed up with them. I would love to be able to knock their socks off and bring them a pickup truck load with the $100 and coupons.
I would donate the money to the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Awareness Fund here in Huntsville, AL. My aunt and my mother-in-law both have beaten breast cancer. I’m running in a 5K (my first!) on Saturday in their honor. I would put the $100 into that. If that didn’t work out, I would like to do the Pajama Program again. They donate new pajamas to foster children, children who often do not have much clothing of their own because their foster parents simply cannot afford it.
Congratulations!! It is an amazing mark for an amazing blog. I betcha you hit 2 million visitors in half the time. =)
I have very personal connections to three non-profit groups. First, my husband is pastor at a small church. While we don’t have a true food pantry, we do have a handful of people in the community we help with food. Couponing has played a role in this assistance.
My big contributions go to my parents’ employers. My mom is administrator at a free medical clinic. Just like so many other assistance programs, their funding has been reduced and they struggle to help everyone at the level they need. Many of my true drugstore purchased go to her clinic. Everything from band-aids, cold & pain medications to blood sugar meters are in her stash box. Did you know that the blood strips for all those cheap meters can be over $1 per strip!?! No wonder why we can get them for free (or as a momeymaker). My couponing has been able to help the clinic by providing these over-the-counter products so they can use more of their money for prescription meds.
My dad serves in an institutional ministry. He and his co-workers provide ministry services to jails, nursing homes, youth homes, and women’s shelters. While his organization does a children’s Christmas gift drive, they also have a need for toiletry items. Shampoo, soaps, feminine products, and the like are in such dire need in institutions. While the jails and youth homes do have restrictions on what they can accept, the women’s shelters can take almost anything. Every time I give my dad a box of supplies, he is so amazed with how much I was able to purchase for so little money.
Couponing has become a habit, lifestyle, and hobby for me. But, most importantly, I have been able to help and touch so many people thru my efforts – the entire thought is just mind-boggling! The name of my blog says it all: “Couponing for a Cause”. If I were blessed to win this give-away, that blessing would be multiplied a hundred times over.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! How exciting!!! What I would do with the $100….so many things come to mind but I would have to say top on the list is the fundraiser we are currently involved with and that is raising money for our missionary in China. Yes, China! It cost $2 to purchase a Bible including shipping so we are trying to raise 2000 Bibles. This $100 would purchase 200 Bibles to go into a country where many have never even heard the name Jesus Christ and beg our missionary to just hold his Bible. If chosen the money would go directly to this cause. So many great post to choose from. Good luck and again CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
I’d use the $100 to pay for the laminating for the animal picture books I’ve made for my church’s humanitarian center. The books are made, I’m just waiting for extra money to get them laminated!
That is so incredibly exciting!! I can not believe the growth in just 8 months! I would love to share the $100 locally, in my community. There are so many people just outside my front door that need the help. I would love to contact a local school seeking out a few families with children that need help, either around Christmas or Thanksgiving. My family is huge into this and we go all out. With about 10 families participating, we have the ability to help multiple local families. With the economy the way that it is, we all feel it. With this money, we would love to be able to continue to help others that may otherwise not have an enjoyable holiday season. It is even more exciting that with multiple couponers in the family, we can really help others while stretching the $100 bucks.
With the holiday’s coming and so many families affected by this terrible economy, I would definitely use it (and my great bargain sense) to help needy families. Be it food, or toys so their children can have something at Christmas. If I won the money, this would definitely be a family project. I have been discussing a lot with my children during dinner time how we are fortunate to have the things we do have, and I try to explain to them that there are so many people who have so little or nothing. It is a hard concept for their little brains to wrap around. (they are 5 & 7) This would be a great opportunity for our family to learn the importance of helping others, along with how to make that $100 go as far as we can make it go by shopping frugally with it. After finding your blog (and so many other’s who share HOW and WHERE to find all the great money saving deals) my family has saved so much money. It has changed our whole attitudes about finances in general (we don’t impulse buy so much anymore…have not stopped completely yet though!). I want to instill in my children the value of providing for our family on a budget AND being able to help others when we have “excess”.
The holidays can be such a stressful time for people. Either they simply do not have money for even simple things like a nice holiday dinner, or many people stress because they *think* they have to buy a present for everyone in their family and everyone they know…sooo not what the holiday’s are about. Yet I hate to see families with little ones who have to go without while their friends are bragging about the new Nintendo DSi they got with all the latest accessories, or the new $100 name brand shoes etc…
I could go on and on but I am sure you know exactly what I am getting at here. I think this is a WONDERFUL idea for you and your husband to give like this and ask that the winner simply gives the best way they can.
Kudos to you!
Congrats on passing the 1 million visitors mark!!! Keep up the great posts, I enjoy your blog very much.
Best wishes,
Susan
I would use the $100 to buy toys for Toys for Tots at Christmas time. Would love to see how much I could get with the new toy coupons!
My students cook dinner at our local Ronald McDonald House here in Orlando, FL, several times a year. We are cooking on Tuesday, November 3rd for the 60 residents there. We are also having a cereal drive to collect 100 boxes of cereal for the people staying there while their child is in the hospital to have breakfast in the mornings.
I would use my coupons to find the best deals and purchase $100 worth of cereal, oatmeal and some milk (which the nursing Mom’s really need) to deliver on 11/3/09 to the RMH!
Ok, I can’t believe you have only been doing this blog for 8 months……. because you are a pro at this stuff, it seams to come so natural to you guys.
Your blog has become a houshold name and if I say I saw it here. my husband will not roll his eyes like he used to when I would tell him to use coupons and where! He has seen the difference in our food bill and its been at least one third less than it used to be by using the tricks I’ve learned here.
However we always talk about how if we had extra money to spend we would buy toys for this particular toy box that they have at the hospital in the pediatric cancer clinic. Our son Donald got Leukimia when he was 2 1/2 and after every treatment he would get to pick a toy from the toy box (this box was made in honor of one families son that passed away). the toy box was locked with a little gold lock and the cancer patients would get to use a special key to unlock it and get their toy. — when my son was first starteng treatments he ONLY wanted a hotwheel car— that was all he looked for and there were times when there seamed to only be “girl” toys… so my mom would sneak in while he was getting his chemo and put in some hotwheel cars. But he is over getting his treatments and only goes once a year. But he sure remembers his toy box times. I would shop the target dollar spot and watch for things to go on clearance or check othher stores that has toys on sale — like the hasbor toys and use the hasbro coupons to get as many toys as I could to fill that wooden toy box for all the new kids that have to have weekly chemo treatments.
There is a group here in Las Vegas/Henderson that helps teens who live on the street because it’s safer than living at home. These are great kids, who go to school, keep good grades and stay out of trouble. They always need little bottles (like the samples or travel sizes) of toiletry items. They also can use individual food items like pop top microwavable foods, cereals, milk, noodles, tuna bottled water, etc. They also need quilts, hooded sweatshirts, warm sweaters and knit hats with the cooler weather coming up, too.
I absolutely love your site! I have read numerous books on the subject but your site has really helped me find the deals more locally. Congratulations on such a large following! I work at a nonprofit that provides crisis and respite care for children birth-6 (we are open 24/7), I would have to say that I would use the money to donate it so that more than 10 staff can have their flu shots paid for. The insurance doesn’t cover it and there are limited funds to cover it for all the staff. We work hard for our community and I think it would be nice to take care of those that care for our children. The more staff can prevent illness the better we can care for the kiddos and the more children can come through our doors. I do believe that everyone has good ideas and I wish everyone the best!
I would use the $100 to put with my other donations for the American Heart Association Heartwalk coming up. I do this walk each year and have done so for the past 7 years. I do this to honor someome’s memory who I loved very much and was going to be married to. He died suddenly from the worst type of irregular heartbeat that a person can have. The paramedics said there was noting that I could have or they could have done. I was with him at the time that it happened.
My husband, Matt, and I are in the process of becoming licensed as foster parents and we would use the money toward getting our home ready to have children in need, in our home. We would use it to buy toys and a dresser for the kid’s room.
I found your site in February, early in your blogging days. I have saved so much money since then, stocked my storage room, and have been able to give so much to others. A family in the neighborhood had a fire and I was able to go to the storage room and stock their pantry with food and toiletries, without putting a dent in mine. Thank you! Since that time, my sister has left her husband to keep her 4 children from the abusive relationship. She struggles financially and I have been able to send her care packages, again without denting my storage. I’d like to put together a binder, stocked with coupons, to teach her and get her started. With $100, I would begin by helping her get started couponing, then help others get started. I have given others “fish” for a day, but I’d really like to teach them to “fish” for a lifetime. With $100 I should be able to help 10 people get a binder set up and teach them to coupon. Then I would challenge each of them to teach 10 people. Then we’ll have lots of “fishers” feeding themselves and teaching others. Thanks for all you do and thanks for teaching me to “fish”.
I would donate it to my undergraduate college’s ministry CCF. They’ve recently started a 24hr/day coffee shop that’s run on donations by students. http://www.carrollccf.com
I love your site and would use the $ for NAC (Northwest Animals Companions) they are awesome people that do great things for animals.
I would be able to send gifts boxes to Iraq, for the Iraqi children with our next mission trip there from church! There’s a huge revival going on among Iraqi Christians, and $100 could go a long way in blessing them!
I am a teacher in St. George, Utah. We have a pretty big Samoan population and a lot of the students have had family members that were affected by the tsunami that his the Samoan Islands. They have been collecting donations to send to Samoa. If I had the $100 I would combine that with my coupons and great sales to get as much stuff as possible to send. It would not only help those people in Samoa, but it would help my students here know that people care about them and their families.
We would give the $100 to my mother-in-law. She has been unemployed for almost a year and needs all the help she can get!
2 years ago, I started helping out at our church youth group as an adult small group leader. One night, God put it on my heart that I could make soup to feed the adult leaders who often came right after work and didn’t have time to eat, and the kids. For some of these kids it is the only hot meal they get all week, and for a lot of them, it is the only home made soup they have ever eaten. God has blessed us with our own meat for the soups and stews, and lots of veggies from my FIL’s garden. I would use this money to get extra things to go with the soup, like crackers or chips to go with chili (tonight). We usually have between 75 and 150 kids come to our youth group weekly. Depending on the soup and week, I wash 20 to 40 bowls afterwards!
Congratulations on a million readers! If I won your $100.00 gift, I would utilize my coupons and the money to help patients where I work to pay for medications and food. I work in a facility where a lot of patients are homeless, unemployed and do not have family or friends to help them. My heart breaks quite often, when they can’t afford their much needed medications to help them get better. They don’t even have a place to call home most of the time, so I would be able to give them some support with this money and my coupons. This would be my chance to pass it forward. Thank you both, and please keep up the great work.
If I won the money I would give it to my Mother-in-law(even though I don’t get along with her). She can’t afford to have to gas turned back on, so the kids are freezing. I would make sure they got a electric heater/or wood for her fireplace. I have done all that I could to help her so far,but it just doesn’t seem to be enough.
I would love to “win” the 100.00 dollars! I have a niece Libbi who is a “heart” baby just like your son, she had her first open heart in September. What a rollercoaster ride. As a family we are trying to put together Libbi’s Christmas Gift for other kids at Primary Childrens Hospital. We are putting together baskets with all kinds of different things to make a families stay at the hospital durring the Christmas season a little better. I was put in charge of the books and had an idea to do books that had a cd that reads the story to the kids. There are 50 beds in the picu and we would like to do a basket per bed, and include all ranges of age. The 100.00 would be a great big help! Thanks again for your great Blog and helping us all save a little and give big.
IF you want to check out Libbis Blog go to
http://www.libbisblog.blogspot.com
Montay Dixon
My husband and I have three children, and every year for Christmas, we adopt a child from the angle tree. We have been truly blessed in our life, and enjoy giving to others. Whether we received the money or not, we will continue helping others; but if we received this money, we could provide a wonderful Christmas for more than one child.
I would use it to buy goodies for men & women who’ve returned injured from combat tours. Those who are patients at WRAMC (Walter Reed Army Medical Center). In many ways, as the war has become more un-popular (not that it was ever super popular), they’re often forgotten. I want those brave soldiers to KNOW that they’re not forgotten.
Every season of the year, my friend and I hit downtown Fort Worth, and hand out “goodie bags” of necessities to the homeless that wander around down there. In the Summer, we give mesh bags (2/$1 at the dollar store!) filled with trial sized toiletries, manicure kits, hats, glasses, sunscreen, water bottles, etc. In the Winter, we give hats, gloves, chapstick, a Christmas card letting them know someone cares, mini travel coffee mugs, blankets, etc. We do ALL of our shopping at the .99 cent store for these items, unless we get them for free with our coupons. $100 could EASILY allow us to go to downtown Dallas, as well this winter. We can never afford to do so!!
I would use $100 to help have a food drive in my community. I would use some of it to pay for signs and things to tell the community and the rest donate to the drive. I would attempt to get the community involved and donate as much food as we can. I think I would even work on showing how to do a basic coupon trip to the store so that people can get food cheaply and donate, since it is a turn off to people who don’t have much money.
My kids and I would use the money to fill boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We have the forms on the fridge to do three but it would be great to do more!
Last year during Christmas our family was all together, enjoying our family time. After we opened our gifts we realized how lucky our family had been that year and that some where out there, a family was going without anything. Thats when we decided to collect our change throughout the entire year, so everyone has been doing this. We hope that we can give more than one family something to help there family enjoy christmas. We have be couponing essential items, in hope that this family can use the money on something else, like christmas dinner. We will be looking for that perfect family starting the last week of november, we would love the extra $100!!!
Hi there. I only discovered you about 2 months ago through a friend. This is a great thing you and your husband are doing. If I were to win the $100 I would use it to help some families at Primary Children’s Hospital. We lost our son 4 years ago to Neuroblastoma and every Christmas season we call up the social worker we worked with during our son’s treatments and ask if there are any families with kids who have Neuroblastoma up there. We ask to help out the families with gifts for their kids and siblings all annomously( my husband doesn’t like the attention-it’s still hard for him). We will have a harder time this year due to the fact that my husband was asked to work fewer hours and has had his salary reduced by 10%. Even if we don’t win, we will still find a way to continue doing this for our son. Thanks for your consideration, your blog and all your hard work to help us all save a little more. Thanks Krystal Hansen
Love…love…love your site!! I work in an OB office and come into contact with about 20 women a day. I share my love for couponing with many and direct them to your site. Many are soooo strapped and sad right now due to job loss and the associated tribulations that come with such but they are sooooo grateful and excited to hear about the money saving couponing can bring. With the $100 I would purchase the wonderful coupon binders Costco has for $12. I would set up the binders with labels and fill them with some GREAT initial coupons … a bit of hope in their world of despair. My belief is that this will be a never ending gift to these women. It is a life long skill and will allow the art to spread and spread to their families and friends alike. Thank you for your continued kindness and generosity. Sharing your coupon ideas has been soooo very valuable to our frugal family and the many people I meet daily.
I would give the $100 to a family that has touched me that I have never meet. I followed one of her friends’ blogs for a long time. Her 4 year old daughter is at Children’s hospital with cancer. Their bills are pilling high and I would love to do something for them. I don’t have much money but I would also price match that $100 to give them $200 to help them out. Her caring page website is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahgracecrumby/createorsignin
I’m not commenting because I want to enter, but I entirely love “Family Frugalness’s” idea of helping people out with dental work. So important, yet so expensive—and unfortunately doesn’t become a top priority when Rent takes a toll. One vote for her. (But maybe because i’m in that situation as well,)
With my $100 I would continue to buy items for the pantry in a faith-based health clinic while using Albie’s double coupons, Rite Aid and Walgreen’s RR. Today I dropped off nineteen boxes of toothpaste and seven toothbrushes and I’ve also donated shampoo, detergent, deoderant and razors etc. I was going to have to stop because of financial difficulties.
Well, If I had $100 dollars that I could spend on anything to give back, I would use it to help my community fend off the flu this season. Working in a hospital myself, I know how big the flu has gotten. Not to mention how easily it can be prevented. I’d use the money along with my coupons to buy disenfecting wipes & pocket size hand sanitizers and pass them out in the community. Maybe even creating a print out of how to stay healthy this season to attach. My husband and I would hand them out(he’s already on board:)) at our colleges, shopping malls, outside grocery stores, and maybe even the library.
Where I live, there are so many people out of work and struggling to survive on a single limited income. If one person gets sick, they all could. Not to mention the sore situation they are in if the main bread-winner gets sick.
And you know, since I have been a subscriber to this website, I have learned a lot more about couponing. I could also include a link to your website on the handout! That could bring more people to the blog and help people save even more later.
I know I could make a good use of the money, and have fun doing it:) Hope I can help the people here in Oregon stay healthy this season!
How wonderful! I think is site is so awesome. It’s obvious that you come from a place of kindness and giving. I’m not sure I have an idea worthy of the $100, but I will think about it. That is such a wonderful thing to do, and I’m certain good things will come from it!
i didn’t even have to think twice, as to how i’d use the money. my bil had an accident 2 yrs ago (he is 23) and was paralyzed from his neck down. He has had amazing courage and an awesome attitude through it all. He even went back to college to try and complete his law degree. We cannot even imagine how difficult his life is now. He is in great need of a special muscle stimulating bike (that is made for quads) and would help him with many issues he’s had to encounter (spasms, phantom pain so severe he cries, high BP and the list goes on). The bike is $15,000, so $100 seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the total cost, BUT i know that even a little bit helps! Your site has helped me live well now, so that i am in turn, able to live and give like nothing else! What a blessing!!
Congrats on having so many readers. That is always a great feeling knowing you are helping others. I myself have always been the “GIVER” and when my husband came ill with kidney failure with a lifelong disease we thought it was too much to endure at the time. 3 little kids and had to be in another state off and on for about a year. Well I can say we could not have done it without friends and neighbors they did fundraiser etc…We are grateful for them without their generosity it would have been overwhelming.
In these times we are in with so many that have lost their jobs and etc… if I were to win the $100 I would give to a family in our neighborhood that lost his job and is trying to support a small family. I have been in their position but, with and illness and know how hard it is to ask for help…It is great to have others that are so generous so we don’t have to ask out loud. Thanks for your consideration, your blog, and I love how you have it all laid out for us to shop and save. Thanks again Stephanie
I would use the money to help people afford Christmas. I live in an area where a lot of people are not going to be able to do things for their kids for Christmas so I would use this money to help those families as much as I could this holiday season.
My kids and I decided we would use the $100 to purchase toys for a family in need for Christmas. There are many families that we personally know won’t have a Christmas this year because of financial difficulties.
My husband’s grandmother lives in “affordable housing” for seniors. Once a month they are given an apple box size box of food. It usually has pastaroni, rice-a-roni, dry beans, and that type of stuff. Often times, these items are passed their expiration dates. I found out on Sunday that several of those seniors rely soley on those boxes for food for the month. There was one lady who was so excited that she received cereal in her box for the first time. And then, with a just a little sadness in her voice she said she wished she had some milk so that she didn’t have to eat it dry. If I were to receive the $100, I would use it, with my new couponing abilities, to help fill the cupboards of those individual with food that is not expired, some soups, canned fruit and veggies, some milk for their fridge, and some powdered milk so that could have milk later. I was very saddened to hear how these elderly were suffering, and with my family’s current financial status, I knew that there was not much I could do but have empathy for them. It would be a blessing to me, and a life line for them, if I were to win this giveaway.
I would use your great toy and food coupons to buy items for needy families at Christmas. Children shouldn’t go without food or Christmas gifts during the Holidays. It’s not about the gifts but the joy it will bring to a child in need. I would use it as a learning lesson for my children. I would include them so they would understand Christmas is about giving.
I have been wanting to adopt a family this Christmas and give them some of the things that they want and need, but cannot afford. This money would go to them for clothes and toys and other needs.
I work in group sales at an attraction. So, many people call for donations of tickets, or sponsorship money so that their low income facilities can bring their kids to tour the attraction. We have blown through our free tickets because of economy right now. So I would use the money to help a youth group come and take our tour. So many schools just cant come up with any extra money for field trips this season.
As the holiday season approaches, we always try to spend some time and money, helping others have a Merry Christmas. I would use the money to help another family/families have a fun holiday.
I would like to put together a few very welcoming welcome baskets. I live on an airforce base and have been in the military lifestyle for four years now, I dont think many people realize how the different the military lifestyle is. When my husband joined the airforce and we moved away from everyone and everything we have ever known we started out with nothing, and for the first year we really didnt have anything and it was a very lonely change. It is pretty hard to get to know people around new bases. Usually people eithor already know each other or they dont know anyone. I was very lucky to have a neighbor come over one day and invite me over. It made me feel like for once maybe this change wouldnt be so bad. I want to do this for others. I try to meet new people at each new base and let them know they are welcome to come over, but i think it would be a great gift to be able to have something for the new members to have and to show them that yes it is hard to have this lifestyle but there can be great experiences with it. and who knows maybe me doing this for them can help them do the same for others and so on.
Melissa
cutiemd143@yahoo.com
If I had $100 I would use it to put my new found couponing skills to work and and go shopping for the food bank. I always have tons of coupons for things that I don’t need or my family won’t use that could be put to good use by another family. Even now I keep a container for items we won’t use, but I needed to buy as a “filler” item for a specific promo. As the container fills I take it my local food bank.
What I would like to do is buy cat and dog food. With all of the foreclosures, many owners are leaving their animals behind and the shelters are overwhelmed. I see so many deals to get cat and dog food for under $1 and the majority of time I buy the cat food and donate it but having this $100 it would enable me to purchase coupons from couponclippers.com and buy 100 bags of cat and dog food. I just got a few more Chef Michaels coupons so I now need to find the Target ones so I can get .25 bags of dog food. I don’t have a dog so all of these bags I will get will automatically be donated.
Thanks for this great giveaway and congratulations on your 1 million visitor.
Since you are willing to “donate” $100 to a reader I would turn around and buy crayons and color books and donate them to Seattle Children’s Hospital. This will supply a lot of sick kids some happieness in their life while they are in the hospital. I know this place is close to your heart so I will be passing on your kindess to them!
Sheri
My 17 year old son has set a goal to make 25 Operation Christmas Child boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse organization. He has used the money he made from his summer job. Each box needs $7.00 included for postage. I would love to be able to pay for the postage for each box he has made. I want to encourage his compassion and gift for helping others. Thanks!
Hello –
Just found your site on a link from moneysavingmom.com I just saw on DD’s school website that they are collecting for the troops again. I have already given her permission to go through our stockpile to take what they need, but to let her go shopping with my coupons and your $100 would add to this mission by more than I can imagine! I will be checking out your site regularly! Thank you.
Hi,my name is Mary and I started couponing a few months ago and am in love with your blog,I tell everone about it and love it when others love your site. Anyway, I would use the $100 to help my friend get started with a coupon binder and a subscription to the Sunday paper. Then I would show her how far $100 can go. She is a busy mom supporting herself and I know if she had a head start on couponing she wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed. Once again thank you for all your hard work.
I can’t believe I am the first to leave a comment. Currently $100 cash sounds like a mountain of cash to my husband and I. We were married a little over a year ago and both going to be graduating from college in April 2010. Sometimes it seemed like we would never make ends meet, so a 21 year old (me) used couponing to save whatever bits we could. Today we’re in a better position than a year ago. What else could you ask for other than improving each day?
It would be easy to take $100 for ourselves and get away with it. We aren’t rich by any means, but what fun would that be? Why not with each gift we receive, give back?
My husband works at a middle school with wayward children. One of the kids he works with just hangs around him at lunch and won’t go sit at a table with anyone else and eat lunch. When asked why, the boy told my husband it’s because he doesn’t have any lunch money. With the $100 my husband and I would pay for this boy’s lunches. It isn’t impacting the world, but this lunch may be only healthy meal this boy will eat during the day.
Thanks for the blog and making it easier for me to save money! Here’s to a million more views to come!
A few weeks ago my 3 elementary school children game home with their annual cookie dough fundraiser. Unfortunately, I just can’t afford to buy even one package of cookie dough from each child at $15/each. The money that it would raise is for such a good cause, I wish I could just donate money to the school. The money raised is going to purchase a yellow blinking caution light for the school zone. Because of where we live, the town can’t afford to put in the light. The school is located in an area that tends to be extremely foggy in the winter months. Although no children have been struck by a vehicle in the cross walk, the cones have been hit and the crossing guard has had some close calls (even while holding a blinking stop sign). There are several subdivisions within walking distance of the school. Because we have so many children that walk home, it is so important that we raise enough money to put in the school zone light. I wish I had the money to donate the light myself. Even with both my husband and I working, we just don’t have any extra money at the end of the month. If selected, I would like the $100 to be donated to Mill Creek Elementary in Middleton to help pay for the school zone light. Thanks so much for taking the time to consider all of our ideas.
Last Christmas my parents gave each of their children’s families $50. The money was not to be used for the families, but instead to do some good in the community or for someone else. Last year we used the money to do the 12 days of Christmas for a family that was out of work. It made Christmas that much more meaningful. This year my husband is out of work and we would love to be able to do something for others, but are worried we might not have the extra cash. This would be a great way to do just that . . .
You had orginally posted an article for us to think about who we would give the $100 to. I was thinking about two organizations: the local Red Cross or my L.I.N.K.S. group. After much deliberation, I have choosen L.I.N.K.S.
L.I.N.K.S stands for Lifestyles, Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills. It is an organization for Marine Corps families, including the parents of Marines. It is run by all volunteers. I do believe we have over 200 hundred volunteers! We range from the newlywed spouse to the spouses who have been around the Marine Corps since the 1970s. L.I.N.K.S basically teaches familes what is available to them at each duty station and the benefits of the Marine Corps.
The $100 would help not only the current volunteers, but also the future participants that come and sit through our sessions. As of right now, we have about 6 more sessions booked for the rest of the month; with two new sessions in the works. The books we use are provided by the Marine Corps, but we also feed the participants while they are learning.
I chose L.I.N.K.S because they were there with smiles and open arms when my husband and moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina almost a year ago. These ladies are amazing! I could not think of another organization that would be able to do a lot of with the money.
Hi Congratulations on achieving your success! I really enjoy reading your blog everyday.
I work in a dental office and I see alot of people in need and it breaks my heart seeing people pass up treatment due to not haveing enough money to get the services they need. It would be fun to surprise someone and pay for some of their treatment. And maybe it would be a life changing for them too!
I would use the money to see how many things I could acquire and then donate to charity. Think of all the school supplies, toothpaste, hygiene products and non-perishable food items you could get for that much money and coupons. It would be fun to put it all together and take a picture of the loot before donating it. That’s one of the things I love most about couponing. I’ve never been able to give so much really great food and sundries before and not have it kill my budget. Thank you for all you do. You are the one who inspired me to start and it has changed my life.
How exciting, and to think, I only discovered you 3 months ago!!!
I know exactly what I will do if I’m picked. There is a group outside of St. Louis that our church supports – full of after school activities for kids – and in our bulletin (for the past month or so), there has been info posted to adopt one of these kiddos for Christmas. These kids don’t have the same opportunity for family time and their Christmas morning isn’t filled with packages topped with big bows like my children wake up to. Either $100 can be donated for (1) child, or they’ve sent lists (which, isn’t that exciting!!!) that we can spend $100 (or more) for your sponsored child!! Since we’re only 100 miles away, I am planning to be included when delivery is made. There are very specific stories of lives being changed because of this center. Now adults, many of the kids that were there when the center opened have returned to provide volunteer services…some are *doctors, nurses, pastors* because of the opportunity and love they were shown. $100…
We would put it into our adoption fund. We are adopting two siblings from Ghana and really are doing this without having the money but we know we are to do so, we hope they will be home by January!
I am sure this is not the most original idea but the first thing I thought of was to use the $1oo.oo dollars and my coupons and go shopping for a food bank or a family in need. We are approaching the holiday season and there are many who go without. With what I have learned from your site about couponing I can do amazing things with $100.00 dollars!
Next Comments →
Comments on this entry are closed.