Is it my imagination or are prices for everything from gas to groceries going up every single day? It’s real and it’s really scary.
As though that weren’t bad enough, I’ve noticed that many of the shelves at my local supermarkets are not as full as they used to be. I’m not saying that there are food shortages in the U.S., but the stores are not stocked as well as they once were. And the selection of varieties and sizes of products are more limited.
Whine, whine , whine! I can’t help it. I must have a gene that predisposes me to complain.
With the demand for oil increasing, there doesn’t seem to be any ceiling on its price. So, the cost of everything will rise accordingly. As bad as it is for those of us above the poverty level, feeding a family and paying bills for life’s bare necessities must be an overwhelming burden for those very low-wage earners who must depend on the kindness of others to get by.
Community food pantries/banks across the country have reported that the number of people seeking assistance has been skyrocketing. Demand is up and donations are down.
It’s a very depressing situation. But rather than sit back and whine, I am clipping coupons.
In the past few months, my family has donated bags and bags of baby food, breakfast cereal, canned goods and personal hygiene items (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.) to a local pantry. Are we wealthy? No. Are we extremely generous? No. But we have decided to spend a little extra time each week cashing in on some deals at area stores and sharing the bounty with those in need.
Each Sunday, we cut out coupons from the newspaper. A few times each week, we stop by online couponing sites to get the latest on supermarket deals and availability of printable coupons. For just a dollar or two a week, we are able to take advantage of excellent BOGOs (buy one, get one free), new product introductory deals and stuff that turns out to be free or almost-free (after rebate or when you buy another product made by the same manufacturer).
When we have stockpiled a bunch of bargains, we bring them to the pantry. On the grand scale of things, it’s really not much. But if everyone clips some coupons and uses them to keep the pantry shelves full, it’s a start.
The feeling I get on the days that I find an especially great deal at the grocery makes me stop whining for a while and actually makes me feel like a winner. Try it. You’ll like it.