Online Coupon Codes Save Me Money

Recently, I shared that I purchased six pairs of shoes for $113. I was able to shop and save by shopping online, using coupon codes. Many well known stores like Kohls, Target, Barnes and Noble... have a place within their shopping cart for a "coupon code" that will give you a discount, a percent or dollar amount off your purchase. You can find these online coupon codes listed on sites on the internet such as Retailmenot and Dealigg. These sites offer a current list of coupons codes available to shop online at hundreds of stores.

To make the most of your online shopping venture it is important to know what you are looking for and stay focused on finding that item. Look first at the stores you would normally shop at in person. When I am looking for shoes I do not take the time to browse the other categories. Have a price point in mind and use the shopping menu which will allow you to view things at certain price i.e. lowest price to highest price or up to $20, up to $30 and so on. If at all possible take advantage of free shipping. As a matter of fact, if the store is offering free shipping if you spend a minimum $50 and the cost of the purchase is $4o and the shipping cost is $6.99, I would continue shopping, seeking clearance items first, to see if I could find an item for $10 to bring my total to $50 for free shipping. I would rather spend my money on an item instead of on shipping.


I prefer to shop online, especially if I can use coupons in addition to current sales and have my purchase shipped for free. Some stores will even allow you to use more than one coupon code per purchase. This is a great way to shop, it saves time and money, it even saves gas. Follow me on Twitter @fruitofherhand to keep up on the latest deals and discounts.

Tell us how you used online coupon codes and saved big.

To Love God Is To Obey Him

It is unfortunate that christian marriages end in divorce just as often as non-christian marriages. God ordained marriage. It is a covenant made unto Him as well as your spouse. Some people make this promise with very little commitment. When things get difficult or ugly and require long suffering, sacrifice, selflessness and forgiveness too often do people give up and give in to the destruction of the adversary. Satan seeks to kill, steal and destroy, especially marriages.

When making a covenant in marriage, we are committing to the union of one flesh, " And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. Mark 10:8, KJV. To deny this covenant is to deny one's self. Love is what draws two people together and when that spousal love fails it's the love of God that must prevail. When Walter and I had a difficult season in our marriage, I called on the Lord. I shared my frustrations, my disappointment and pain. My heavenly father lead me back to the Word, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15, KJV.

God is my first love and to love him is obey Him. Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy. My heart belongs to Jesus. I live to do His will, "...let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." 1John 3:18, KJV. In the midst of my storm my love for God is what kept me. Even when I felt I had the right to be angry, vengeful, hurt or sad, it was God's love and forgiveness that lead me unto love and forgiveness for my husband. I know the Word but He called me to be a doer of the Word, to obey Him.

Many people feel that to forgive, to press on and love their spouse who does not seem to love them back would be wrong. But this is exactly what God would have us to do, to trust Him and the plan He has for us and to obey even when we are right or when injustice is our cross to bear. My love for God caused me to surrender to His will..."What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Mark 10:9, KJV, and His way..."Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps 16:11, KJV. I humbled myself and faithfully submitted myself to God and to my husband. God's way brings peace and reconciliation, hope and joy.

Do you love God enough to obey, to submit yourself to Him and to your husband?

How To Use E-Coupons

Electronic Coupons or E-coupons are a new item in the coupon world. These are coupons that are downloaded to your customer loyalty card and then redeemed at the time of purchase. You now have the choice of saving money without clipping coupons. To get started you must first get a customer loyalty card from the cashier or service desk of your grocery store. This is the card you present each time you shop to receive discounts and specials. If your grocery store offers e-coupons you can find them on the stores website. Before you browse the coupons it is important for you to register and log into your account. You can then select the e-coupons you are interested in. Note the expiration date and the quantity of the items necessary to receive the discount.

Another way to find e-coupons is to visit e-coupon websites such as Cellfire, Shortcuts and Proctor and Gamble. These companies have contracts with a variety of grocery stores; when you register you will need to select your grocery store and enter the number on your customer loyalty card to redeem e-coupons.


Currently e-coupons do not double, thus you will not receive the drastic savings you may be used to if you clip coupons and receive double the face value of the coupon, but they are good to have when you are purchasing two items and you only have one paper coupon. When you are at the grocery store it may be difficult to remember what items you have e-coupons downloaded for so, when you make your shopping list mark the items with e-coupons with (e-c) in the left hand margin. E-coupons are great for items that don't normally offer coupons in the paper form. I have found to get the best use out of my e-coupons it is a good practice to make my shopping list online and then to browse e-coupons after I have made my list so that I can add them for the items I do not have paper coupons for.

Do you use e-coupons? If so, where and how?

I Just Don't Have Time For Coupons

I have been addressed at the check out counter many times by people who see the end result of my savings when I hand the cashier my coupons and the balance is about half the cost of my initial bill and they say things like, "I just don't have time for coupons". I gently respond and tell them, I just don't have time to work. I have a full time job, I am a wife and mother and I find it a privilege to be at home, available to keep a home for my husband and to train our children. Money is a necessity, but I don't have to have an income, I can contribute my time and my wisdom to what my husband provides for our home and that gives us an increase, not in what earn but in what we save.

I understand that cutting coupons can be a chore at first, but the benefits are worth keeping this a part of my lifestyle and weekly routine. One of my many tasks as administrator of our home is to manage the finances. This appears on my weekly to do list three or four days a week and cutting coupons is one of the items covered as part of that task. I also visit a handful of coupon blog sites each week to stay current on the grocery store and drug store ads and to print coupons. Here is a glance a my weekly schedule:

Sunday-Scan the Sunday sales ads and plan any purchases to be made this week, clip and file coupons, make drugstore shopping list

Monday-Host a coupon class and gathering (this is to add to our income), start grocery shopping lists

Tuesday-Enter household receipts in the computer

Wednesday-Read blogs and print coupons, shop at the drugstores

Thursday-Enter household receipts in the computer and pay household bills

Friday-Read blogs and print coupons

Saturday-Shop at the grocery stores

Having these tasks scheduled have kept me organized and current on the deals which allows me to save money in all aspects of spending money.

Do you manage the finances in your home, if so, how?

Virtue Family Fun Camp Is Not Just For Kids

About 14 years ago God laid it upon my heart to invite women to my home for dessert, a message and sweet fellowship. This was the beginning of the ministry Virtue. I opened my home for this occasion once a month for probably 3 years. Then the Lord lead me to have a bible study for women and their children at my home once a week. As a home school mom of multiple children this was feasible and enjoyable for our whole family. Even my husband enjoyed having the families attend each Monday. As time went on and we were blessed with more children the Lord lead me in a different direction and that was to have a family fun camp which would include a bible study or a book study for the moms, prayer and fellowship for 9 weeks in the summer.

This is my fifth year for Virtue Family Fun Camp and I am always excited to see what God will do each year. For the children camp includes a book assignment and book review, a craft and an outdoor activity each week and for the moms this year we are doing a book discussion and review on Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard our prayer focus is "Home Sweet Home".

My children and I look forward to Virtue each week. It gives us an opportunity to have sweet fellowship with other families. We are able to reconnect and learn and grow together for a season. Each week we encourage one another. I really enjoy having lunch together and doing crafts with our children, together. It reminds me of a village of women doing life together. I also enjoy the book discussions and prayer. There is just something about being vulnerable with my sisters in Christ that inspires me to stay the course. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to meet a new family at the park and invite them join us.

What family activities are doing this summer to reconnect with your friends and make new ones?