paying it forward...

I have just sent out a really long email to a very dear friend of mine that is pregnant. I sent her links to all of my baby blogs sites that I frequent and gave her lots of tips and advice that I find useful. I hope she can use some of the info and doesn't think I was being pushy. lol

Although, if she knows me at all, she'll know that I just get excited about good deals and I want to pass them along.

I'm a member of an online group that shares information on deals and coupons and sales around the country. I posted on there about my great 50% off all fabric, lace and trim sale at my local WalMart that I found this week. Because I posted this, I prompted several other people across the country to check their WalMarts and many others were able to take advantage of this great deal (sadly, not all WalMarts had this going on). I love coupons and sales and clearance sales. I love saving money.

Getting good coupons at the checkout or in the mail makes my heart skip a beat! :-)

About two months ago, at church, we had a 5th Sunday lesson that was combined with Priesthood and Relief Society. It was about budgeting and saving money and things like that. I was given the opportunity to teach on my saving and couponing skills. It was such a high for me! I felt like I was bouncing off the walls!!! I was able to give really good tips and advice to people that I really care about so they could save more on their grocery shopping. I taught some how to go about shopping with coupons and where to go online for online coupons and how to find sales, etc. I'm so passionate about it, I can't help it. The members were very excited, too. I got thanked a lot, even in the following weeks. The husbands even thanked me, saying they've been able to save more thanks to their wives listening to my advice. It felt gooooood!

Honestly, though, its been such a big help to our home's finances, that I don't know where we would be without the knowledge I have. I remember getting really passionate about this subject right after we got married. This is my way of financially contributing to our household, since I don't work outside the home. I try to stretch Ben's hard earned money as best as I can.

My mother taught me a very valuable lesson when I was growing up. She said, never turn anything down that you are given for free or for very little. If you do, you may never be approached again by that person with other offers, and then you lose the opportunity of helping someone else that may be in need with the goods that you are generously blessed with.

And I believe its true. Take what you're offered. If you can't find a use for it then pass it along, or find someone who is in need of it. I've become a resource for people around me. Its very humbling and very rewarding.

This is how I pay it forward!