Donating items for a good cause: Share how you've blessed others recently!
Have extra brand-new toothbrushes lurking at your home that you'd like to donate to a good cause? Go here to read about an opportunity to donate them to a dental outreach for children in Honduras.
And while we're on the the topic of giving, I'd love to hear what opportunities you've had recently to bless others with your free and almost-free coupon bargains. Tell us about your random acts of kindness and generosity in the comments section and let's all encourage each other to take time to help out those in need!
I stocked up on diapers from Walgreens two weeks ago. After tax, they came to 8 cents/package. I use cloth, so I didn't need any for myself. I donated 10 packages to the local Pregnancy Resource Center, a non-profit that helps young mothers. I gave another 10 packs to a friend that could use a hand.
Posted by: Helen | July 17, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Recently a young family in my neighborhood lost all of their belongings in a fire. We were able to give them a few household furnishings plus some canned food and cereal from our overstock.
After I gave the lady the bag I asked that their needs were. And she said, "Basic things, like razors, shaving cream, stuff like that." I asked her to wait and ran home to get more. I stocked up another full bag of HBA items for her.
Also, I have enjoyed donating Johnson's Buddies soap to the pregnancy center and we recently sent two boxes to a Christian Ministry.
We could not have done these things without coupon and sale shopping. May God be glorified as we seek to become even wiser stewards of our time and our money.
Posted by: ModestforHim | July 17, 2008 at 01:39 PM
When my co-worker's youngest daughter graduated from high school, she decided to go into the missions field. She joined an organization called YWAM (Youth With a Mission). In the last 2 years, she has been all over the world ministering to and sharing her testimony with others. A few months ago she came home for a long weekend, so I put together a goody bag of my CVS deals and gave them to her. I told her if there were any items she couldn't use, she should feel free to give them to other missionaries serving with her. Missionaries face so many obstacles....finances being a big one. I figured I could serve God by blessing Holly!
Posted by: Leslie | July 17, 2008 at 01:41 PM
We give the items to our Church food pantry. the inventory for personal and household items seem to go just as quick as the food.
Posted by: Kelly | July 17, 2008 at 02:15 PM
When my co-worker's youngest daughter graduated from high school, she decided to go into the missions field. She joined an organization called YWAM (Youth With a Mission). In the last 2 years, she has been all over the world ministering to and sharing her testimony with others. A few months ago she came home for a long weekend, so I put together a goody bag of my CVS deals and gave them to her. I told her if there were any items she couldn't use, she should feel free to give them to other missionaries serving with her. Missionaries face so many obstacles....finances being a big one. I figured I could serve God by blessing Holly!
Posted by: Leslie | July 17, 2008 at 02:15 PM
I've been able to donate lots of personal care items, thanks to coupons and CVS (smile), to a local day shelter for the homeless.
Posted by: CHristi | July 17, 2008 at 02:16 PM
When my co-worker's youngest daughter graduated from high school, she decided to go into the missions field. She joined an organization called YWAM (Youth With a Mission). In the last 2 years, she has been all over the world ministering to and sharing her testimony with others. A few months ago she came home for a long weekend, so I put together a goody bag of my CVS deals and gave them to her. I told her if there were any items she couldn't use, she should feel free to give them to other missionaries serving with her. Missionaries face so many obstacles....finances being a big one. I figured I could serve God by blessing Holly!
Posted by: Leslie | July 17, 2008 at 02:16 PM
We tend to just give bags of free stuff to our friends. Every week, if there is something we don't use that I get free (like dog food or chocolate honey nut clusters - my husband doesn't like them ;)), I take them to church to give them to a specific person I have picked out ahead of time. Last week, I took at bag of deodorant, toothpaste, kids tooth brushes (we don't have any kids yet), etc to a family of 6 in our church. I am also saving up a bunch of stuff do use in the Samaritan's Purse Christmas boxes we do every year.
Posted by: Eden C. | July 17, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Two of my family members have been laid off, and I have a huge box of toiletries I'm taking to give them. As you all know, the $3 here and there (for the stuff you flush down the drain) are what skyrockets the WalMart bill. The value--as you all know--is many times what I paid for it...and I LOVE giving my stockpile away. The next time someone hassles you for getting something for next-to-nothing, you can share that you are giving these things away to those who really need it. By watching sales and couponing, others can also have nice things. It's not hoarding if you share! I know I'm preaching to the choir, but in these tight times, no one should feel apologetic/embarrassed for buying to put away.
Just yesterday on the radio I heard of a family burned out of their home, and the station was asking for items. I hope to build up a stockpile so that at a moment's notice, I can gather up a box to give away.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 17, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Its so funny you posted this today. I just mailed two boxes of toiletry items to Hope Children's Home in Tampa, Florida. It was filled with shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors (for teens and workers), band-aides, and more. I was so happy to clear out my "over-stock", but also to be a blessing. That's money they don't have to spend, and can put to other things. I try to do this every other month.
Posted by: Jen B | July 17, 2008 at 02:21 PM
There were several families in the town our church is in whose homes were destroyed by fire recently. Our church collected donations to gift to the families. I was able to give lots of toothbrushes, toothpaste, bodywash, etc. It was such a joy to be able to share my abundance with someone so desperately in need. We had a meal and invited all the fire victims. We gave them everything we had collected for them at that time. They really appreciated what we were able to do for them.
Posted by: Leah | July 17, 2008 at 02:22 PM
I donate to a church in a nearby city that is for the homeless - it's not a shelter, it's a church whose members are homeless. How cool is that! I send a package at least once a month full of men, women, and children hygiene stuff! It's such a blessing to be able to share the FREE or cheap stuff I can get. I also say a prayer over the stuff before I send it so that it may touch the lives of those people who receive it and that they will experience the presence of God in their lives. It's just a small way to share what I can and also be prayerful about those in need - and, of course, be thankful for the blessings I have.
Posted by: Andrea | July 17, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Our church's vacation bible school is being held this week and one of our fundraising projects is collecting non-perishable items for the community food pantry based in our church. This morning we took several boxes of Cheerios that I paid less than $1.00 each for along with deoderant and Dawn which were free from CVS. I also provided Gummy Life Savers (6 bags) as treats for the kids that were free from CVS when they had their BOGO about 3 weeks ago (I had BOGO manu q's). Its great to be able to bless others without breaking our household budget.
Posted by: Lori | July 17, 2008 at 02:29 PM
My best friend is in Papua New Guinea on the mission field. She and her daughter came to the States this past week so that they could bring the daughter to start college. I collected deoderant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, medicines, body washes, etc and made a box for the daughter and another for the mom to take back to Papua New Guinea. I got a free printer with our daughter's laptop that I gave the college girl. I plan to continue to send her packages of items during the year.
Posted by: Holly | July 17, 2008 at 02:32 PM
I was laid off in April so I started "hounding" just to stretch dollars. I've actually been going to a food pantry that is only open once per month just to stock up on odd and ends which also helps me stretch my dollars. When I get in on good deals for things like toothpaste, tampons, pads, cleaners, shampoos/conditioners I stock up and bring a box of them to the food pantry to "donate" to their cause. I feel as if it's my way to contribute and there is no way I would ever use 6 big bottles of shampoo in a month anyway. I don't have to stock all those extra bottles and I get a few groceries.. win/win!
Posted by: Melissa | July 17, 2008 at 02:37 PM
Recently I had a great opportunity to bless employees and others my husband works with. I know that many of them are living tightly just as we are. I made some gift bags up and tried to give items that would apply to their life. For those who had children I gave Johnson Buddies soaps, diaper wipes and baby products + some HBA items. For singles I gave only HBA items. They were received well. On the tag I wrote "to __ from __'s store". My husband told me one of the employees thought I had an actual store, which made me smile. I guess I kind of do!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 17, 2008 at 02:37 PM
I get all sorts of baby product samples, and pass them along to new moms. Any of the freebie/nearly free/sample Health & Beauty items I get, I box up about once a month and send them home with my mom when she stops by, she manages a senior apartment complex they just love those sorta little things, many of them are on fixed incomes and that helps them stretch their budget too. Whenever I stop at Redbox to rent a free DVD on Mondays, I always offer up the code to anyone who might also be stopping by to rent a movie. It's all about small things, I know I love it when I'm walking through the store and see that someone has left a coupon laying on the shelf for a product I need, so I try to find little ways like above to pay it forward!
Posted by: Melissa | July 17, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Every once in a while, I take part in a deal or giveaway of health and beauty or cosmetic type products. Frequently, it's a package deal type of thing. I set aside the items that I don't care to use, and when I have an accumulation built up, I will donate them to women's rescues or other shelters. I hope I can brighten someone's day or make them feel a bit better about themselves.
Another idea that I saw once, but can't take credit for ... A woman in our office was a tremendous coupon clipper and routinely got LOTS of products for free. More things than she and her husband could every use. When a second woman was in the process of getting married and setting up her first house, the coupon clipper presented her with a repurposed Staples paper box chock FULL of cleaning supplies. Get it? A box of household "staples"? In a Staples box? Ok, it was funny at the time. Anyway - there must have been $20 to $30 worth of cleaning supplies, and she hadn't spent a single penny on them. I thought it was a very nice gesture as a housewarming-type of present.
Posted by: Laurel | July 17, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Right now I am hosting a food drive at work. With the rising costs of food and gas charities are in serious need of donations. So far we have collected 10 boxes of food as well as over $100 in donations. For all of you who are considering donating think about this - our food bank (the food bank of central and eastern north carolina) can disperse $8 worth of food for every $1 donated.
Posted by: Ashley | July 17, 2008 at 02:53 PM
After cleaning out my closet this week (thanks for the encouragement!), I had two big garbage bags of sell-able items to donate to our local help center store. And along with them, I have a bag full of toothpaste, deodorant, soap, sanitary napkins, etc. for their pantry for needy families (all free at CVS!).
Posted by: Tiffany | July 17, 2008 at 02:55 PM
I have been able to bless the preachers wife, my niece, my sisters niece and my daughter with almost free diapers from Walgreens. I have preordered diapers for the sale next week so I can bless two other preachers wives and a missionary. We go to family church camp next week and I will bring along the diapers. Its so much fun to do this. It helps them so much and I love it. Debbieo
Posted by: Debbie Olson | July 17, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Funny that you should mention this. Just last night I took a box to my church to give the our Food Pantry. I had just been adding to it and since the box was overflowing, I finally got it up there! It had lots of toothbrushes, toothpaste, deoderant, razors, barbecue sauce, relish and so much more! I pray that it will bless many people in need!
Thanks for this post! I believe it is so important to give. We are blessed to be a blessing!
Posted by: Marli | July 17, 2008 at 03:06 PM
I'm working on a post about this, but I made a "Giving Box" for our homeschool and each week, we all contribute things to the box...gently used clothing, toys, some of our free CVS goodies, etc. Then, once a week, the girls and I take the used clothing and toys to the local mission and the toiletries to the Family Shelter. We also take our recycling to the recycling center and sort it that day as well. We want to raise "givers" and this seemed like a good way to get them thinking baout sharing the abundance God has blessed us with in a tangible way. They get really excited about it now!
Posted by: Jen | July 17, 2008 at 03:07 PM
I pack goodie boxes for lonely soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, whose names I find through the Web site www.booksforsoldiers.com. I send toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine products, and other stuff as well.
Posted by: Heather near Atlanta | July 17, 2008 at 03:19 PM
I sent three boxes of toiletries to the battered women's shelter. The majority came from my CVS sprees and I ran out of room to store it all! So, I kept a bottle of everything, and donated the rest. I enjoy the bargain hunt and the warm fuzzies.
Posted by: Valerie | July 17, 2008 at 03:22 PM
when the USPS had a recent food drive, i was able to put together a great bag of food and personal care things. and i always give a few things to my neighbor who gives me her coupons.
Posted by: make art every day | July 17, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Me and my Aunt are working on saving up tioletries for the military in Iraq. After reading a local article in the paper we decided to start. So many woman and men go to the small px there to get what they need only to find that everything is gone. This will be our little way of paying them back for what they do for us every day.
Posted by: Christina | July 17, 2008 at 03:33 PM
A lot of the ladies in our church have recently gotten hooked on couponing. We have placed a cardboard box in the lobby at church labeled Give One Take One box. We donate items we don't need, take what we do need, and donate the rest to charity at the end of each month.
Posted by: EmilyV | July 17, 2008 at 03:37 PM
In addition to donating food items I also purchase pet food when there are free coupons. I take bags of these items to our town animal shelter.
Posted by: Jodi W | July 17, 2008 at 03:44 PM
My neighbors recently had a drive at their business for the firefighters here in northern california. They were collecting toiletries, snacks, and magazines. I was able to supply soap, toothpaste, deodorant, eye drops, cereal, etc from all the freebies/extras I had around.
Posted by: Summer | July 17, 2008 at 03:50 PM
When Target had Gerber coupons, it made jars of baby food 2 cents per jar. So I grabbed all of my co-workers and took them to Target so we could max out the coupon limit. So then we took 100 jars of baby food to the local Infant Crisis Service, then we went to lunch. We all had a great time, and spent around 20 cents each to help hungry babies in our community. This was the beginning of my love for coupons. I just posted on http://www.maternalmaddness.com about my favorite organization and why I decided to "go frugal."
Posted by: Cindy | July 17, 2008 at 03:51 PM
Every time my hubby gets paid, we keep out a certain amount of money to buy food for our local church's food and clothing pantry. Even If you think you don't have enough, 2 dollars will buy 4 cans of food at the dollar store that can be donated.
Posted by: Jennie Atnip | July 17, 2008 at 04:03 PM
I save up whatever I can to send overseas to soldiers from my husband's previous post. They have a hard time finding the things they need and want, so I send as much as I can to them through www.anysoldier.com and I also donate food to our Christian Food Bank at least every other week to help keep up their cereal and condiments.
Posted by: Samantha | July 17, 2008 at 04:13 PM
A couple of months ago I saw a box in church requesting personal items (razors, shaving cream, soap, etc.) for the seminary so I brought in some of my "stash" and dropped it in the box.
Also, I just started as an Ambassador for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The LLS did a lot for us when my child was being treated for Leukemia, so I'm giving back!
Posted by: WorkingHardMom - Volunteering | July 17, 2008 at 04:16 PM
I have been able to donate deodorant and a battery powered razor to our church's military drive thanks to the great deals I have found at CVS and Target from this website. It is great being able to help our troops!
Posted by: leslie | July 17, 2008 at 04:17 PM
One of my favorite things about couponing and doing the CVS "game" is that I've been able to stock a charity box...VERY quickly...and with GREAT things that I know are needed! Before I had my kids I worked in social services running group homes for teens that were pregnant...I know how needed lots of these items are...so I'm so excited to be passing along the good fortune!
I also read the post about sharing the coupon love :)... and walked around WalMart with my kids last week...handing out coupons to people around me... giving out the $30 worth of formula checks was especially pleasing... and taping coupons to itmes in the grocery isles!! Its like being a coupon Santa! LOL
Posted by: Jenn | July 17, 2008 at 04:25 PM
I was excited to learn about a new shelter for homeless teens in our newspaper the other day. I think I'll call and see if they'd like some CVS health and beauty aid donations. Also, I've been able to help out my younger brother (age 20) who lives alone on a tight budget. I donate toiletries occasionally to my church's food pantry too.
CVSing is a fun hobby for me, it helps my family's budget, and it's rewarding to help out others too!
Posted by: Erika | July 17, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Hey Crystal and Fellow Comment Posters,
Sorry that my comment posted three times! I was having difficulty getting it to post and didn't think it went through the first two times!
Leslie
Posted by: Leslie | July 17, 2008 at 04:34 PM
With our work, we lived in a motel for 5 months last year and collected all the toiletries. When we got home, we donated them to the 'Family Abuse' shelter where women and their kids go to hide from violently abusive spouses sometimes leaving with just is on their backs.
My mom's dance club is collecting school items for the flood victims in the midwest and she buys from the 1 cent sales to donate.
Posted by: Laura | July 17, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Every year at VBS our church has a mission project and all money given by the children during VBS goes to the beneficiary of that mission project. This year a local home for abused, abandoned & medically fragile children and teenagers was chosen. In addition to the money they asked families to donate items that could be used by the home. I was able to walk into my pantry and fill bags with soaps, shampoos, body washes, cotton swabs, cotton balls, deoderants, toothbrushes, toothpastes, etc. I also am able to drop a bag of food items in the local food bank collection bin at my grocery store almost every week. What a blessing to be able to give like that.
I have already started rebuilding the giveaway stockpile and plan to donate to a local women's shelter this Christmas as well as increasing the number of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes we donate this year.
Posted by: Janet | July 17, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Not only have I been able to be a blessing to others with our freebies, but I have been blessed over and over in return. It seems like everyday I talk to someone who shares something with me and I am able to say, "Oh! I have that! Let me just go to our linen closet and get some for you." I LOVE THAT!
Posted by: Alisha | July 17, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Being blessed with frugal shopping skills has helped me to donate non perishable food to the post office food drive a month ago; food and toiletry items to a local food pantry, and school supplies to Metropolitan Ministries Backpacks of Hope drive!!
Posted by: Cheryl | July 17, 2008 at 05:39 PM
I give to some friends of ours who have very, very little income. I hope to do this regularly.
Posted by: Delores | July 17, 2008 at 05:52 PM
We are pastors of a church and I am often blessing the women in our congregation with free goodies from CVS and Walgreens.
Posted by: Rose | July 17, 2008 at 06:06 PM
I've passed on fun things to our ladies at church (toe separaters with a verse attached about how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace; made wedding baskets and baby shower baskets full of practical things; have restocked our church mission closet (and was overjoyed to get to take a missionary wife through the closet, and see her excitement at getting kid-friendly toiletries for her six children); gifting family and friends for no reason at all; and even amassing a care package of cleaning supplies for a college-bound freshman from church.
This is my new hobby, and I love it!
Posted by: Julie | July 17, 2008 at 06:26 PM
I went to Office Depot and Staples and stocked up as much as I could on all of the items for 1 penny. I have 2 neighbors that are elementary school teachers and I gave them each all of the items I had. I know they buy school supplies with their own money for their students (which isn't always financially easy). This was just a small jesture, but I wanted to use this opportunity to help them out in any way that I could. Praise God for this opportunity to love on my neighbors.
Posted by: Amber Roberts | July 17, 2008 at 06:40 PM
Just this week a local fire dept. advertised in the paper that they were looking for donations to take to the people whose homes flooded in Iowa. I had been looking for a place for my stockpile, so next week I'll take it over there. In the fall my daughter's preschool collects items for a women's shelter, so my next box of goodies will go to them. Share the love, pay it forward!
Posted by: Suzy | July 17, 2008 at 06:41 PM
A family at my church had an accident a few weeks ago. They were jet skiing and their 12 year old son was on the back boogie boarding. Somehow he hit a dock and has been in a coma since. He is making progress everyday but is still not totally conscious. He is being moved to a place that will require his mom and dad to travel a good ways back and forth. I am giving them a $25 gas card that my hubby won. I also do the CVS deals and aquired many many toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc... I took a large stash to my bible study and let everyone dig in.
Posted by: Kim C | July 17, 2008 at 06:54 PM
I recently sent two boxes to soldiers through www.anysoldier.com.
I also mentor a little girl and give her family items.
Posted by: Becky@FamilyandFinances | July 17, 2008 at 06:54 PM
I picked up 20 boxes of free Meijer pasta last week and donated them to our church's food pantry.
Posted by: SJ | July 17, 2008 at 07:00 PM