How Coupons Saved My Life
I am sharing a video with you today… a very personal video. A video I filmed back in 2012. A video I wasn’t ready to release.
Now I am ready. Ready to share my story. My story about addiction, depression, and how those little things called coupons have done so much more than save me money.
*Please keep in mind that this video may not be suitable for children.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdTiPNJM7JU] If you can’t see the video, click here.
If you are currently suffering from drug addictions, food addictions and/or depression, I strongly encourage you to reach out to a friend or family member, doctor, counselor or pastor and seek help.
Thanks for sharing this video. You have helped so many people with couponing and though these coupons are only a piece of paper, for many people it provided a meal for them. You are a true inspiration to us all.
You are so correct that social media makes everyone’s lives look so perfect. We all have our own struggles. Thank you for sharing yours! Very inspirational. God Bless.
Awesome job! I have seven kids and I’ve been saving money with you for years and we all have trials. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
What a journey… Thanks for sharing.
Hugs! Thank you for being real. I know some of these struggles, too. I am blessed to have a loving family around me just as you do.
Wow Collin, thank you for sharing. I have been following your blog since 2008. You helped me learn so much. I honestly wouldn’t be where I am today, if it wasn’t for you. I love your personality and am truly happy to see how far you have come inside and out. You are an inspiration to so many.
I love you even more now than I did before! We’ve all got something, and I’m so happy that you could move forward and get through it. You are wonderful!
Awesome video. Your such a strong individual, it takes a lot for someone to admit they have an addiction and confront it head on. I hope you continue to help others by opening up about this!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have been coming to this site every day for over a year, and you just feel like a friend. To be honest, I’ve never seen so many positive comments on a website before … you have so many great readers who are pulling for you always. I am not the only one who thinks of you as a friend. Thank you for your positivity and for saving us all SO MUCH MOOLA!!! :0)
What a truly remarkable story. Thank you so much for sharing! God Bless you and your family! <3
Thank You Thank You Thank You for sharing your story, your life.
Thank you for sharing your courageous video with all of us. While I have been lucky enough to not deal with addictions like you have, I do understand how some bad things in life can change the way you see life in general. I lost my husband at a very young age, was diagnosed with a major medical condition a year later, all while raising a young son. While coupons were a necessity for me as well, I do feel uplifted being able to use them and help others when I can too.
When I watch your videos I have to admit I am jealous of your peppy energy and excitement every time. It is true editing can be done to show things in a different way, but you can’t entirely hide your enthusiasm at helping others save. I know I appreciate it, and so many others do too.
Hugs Collin – keep up the fantastic job!
I have never suffered addiction but I did suffer in depression due to my poverty. Without couponing I would still be in that same spot. It’s hard to explain to people. I paid off my student loans of almost 40,000 making roughly 25,000 a year in a few years due to couponing, before that I couldn’t afford to make payments.. I never would have did it without your site. I have been able to give so much to family , friends and strangers. It is a life changer.It was great watching your video and seeing how you overcame. It was also brave to put it out there for the world to see.. You should be proud.
Wow. I am speechless. Your story is so heartfelt and so impactful. You could probably write an autobiography. You are intelligent and wise, and giving.
Thanks for sharing. I love your site and look at it several times a day. You keep strong and keep doing good in the world!
You are very brave and selfless to put out this video. You inspire me!
Oh Collin.. You made me cry :(.. Such an inspiring story… More respect and love to you…. Thanks.. HUGS!
I have so much respect for you for allowing others to know your story. So many people struggle every day and are either too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help. Life isn’t always pretty or perfect and it takes a lot of courage to lift the mask and allow what’s underneath to be seen. You are going to help so many people with this video, it goes way beyond couponing. Thank you.
Colin – you are an inspiration. Truly.
You are such an inspiration for all the people out there who suffer from something. But you came back and it made you a better person. Thank you for sharing such an incredible story and opening yourself up in that way
I applaud your strength and humbleness to share this video. Everyone has their own demons and somehow we are so blind to see them or feel compassion towards one another. I had my eldest daughter in high school. The overwhelming feeling of shame was always present. It made me work harder to prove all of the stereotypes wrong. I worked three jobs and finished school. I never went on government programs and worked until my body hurt, it all made me stronger.
I’ve only been couponing a year and can honesty say it has been a life-saver more than once. I was a workaholic and never home to now a stay-at-home mom of three. Instead of digging deeper into the feeling that I’m not providing monetarily to my family, I read everything about how to coupon. It makes me feel proud that I can stretch my husband’s hard earned money. I feel that I am also providing for my family and what better feeling is that?
It’s amazing how far you’ve come! Congratulations on facing your demons and showing them who’s the boss!
I appreciate, everyday, your hardwork and what it does for so many people. Thank you, Collin
Thank you for sharing.
Jeremiah 33:3
1 Cor 2:9
I know this comment was meant for Collin, but I greatly appreciate it.
What a beautiful story! Thank you for your courage to share it! Thank you for everything that you do! Thank you for helping me keep things in perspective today and recognize the blessings in my life! Lots of love!
Brutally honest. You are amazing. I love that your mom is now helping in the videos
Salute to u..!!!
COLLIN you rock, no matter what any of our our past holds, you have proven you can overcome and live life. Thank you for sharing your story and I’m glad your family and hubby stuck by you and gave you all the support you needed. When you find what you love- it shows. :). You found it. Enjoy!
I have been reading your blog for many years and have always loved that you are so giving and thoughtful in all you do…including this video. Thank you for sharing! You should be so proud of yourself and I’m certain that this video will speak volumes to many who are struggling right now. Prayers to you and your sweet, supportive (and fun) family and many others that are going through hard times!!
Hi Collin,
Thank-you so much for sharing your story! It was very timely for me. After being laid off 4 yrs ago, it has been a real struggle. So many ups & downs and deep, deep depressions. So many people do not understand what is going on inside you and some even were “how dare you feel that way”, which made it even worse. You understand, you’ve been there & it is absolutely NOT EASY to get out of the grip of depression.
Today was not a good day for me and I just clicked on your blog to get my probably 7th Collin fix of the day. I am running late, but I was compelled to watch your video and cry & rejoice with you! I am so glad I did, I did not feel so alone. I can’t express how you helped me today…….just by being honest and sharing “the way it is” that it isn’t all perfect.
I could go on & on, but I needed to tell you from the bottom of my heart how very thankful I am to have you in my life – even from afar (I live in Enfield, CT). You bring joy and quirkiness and so much else to all of our lives. You picked a good day today. I truly needed to hear your story. As others have said, you are an angel, you bring joy & help & all kinds of fun things to our lives with couponing and deals. Thank-you – Thank-you – Thank-you!!
Love,
Kathy Edwards
Thank you for being so brave and sharing your story! You are an amazing human being! May God continue Blessing yoh and your beautiful family!
You are absolutely incredible & such an inspiration! I feel so lucky to get to be part of the Hip2Save community! Thank you so much for sharing, really puts things into perspective for me!
WOW…..I loved you before and I love you even more now. Thank you for sharing. This was a very brave thing for you to do. xoxo
You are totally beautiful, inside and out!
Thank you for sharing! So brave of you to share and help other women who may be going through this. I have always felt like every other mothers life is perfect when mine was a big mess, but we are all human. Again, thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for posting this video. It was courageous to put this out there and show your vulnerability. I was crying by the end thinking of my own struggles and how couponing got me through some of it financially, but also mentally.
I absolutely love your site – it’s the best couponing/saving website I’ve ever used and I’ve been doing this for over 10 years, so that says a lot.
But also – I just enjoy your personality. You’re the kind of person I wish I had as a friend.
It was also so refreshing for someone to finally say what I’d been feeling about all the “perfection” on the internet these days. Thank you for sharing something so personal and thank you for “keeping it real” – I have always appreciated it.
You are one strong and incredible person! You have come a long way and I am happy that you have the support of a great family and wonderful friends. You are truly an inspiration. Stay strong!
God bless you Collin! Your story is so touching. You never know what someone has been through until you hear their testimony/story. Thank-you for sharing!
Dear Collin, Thank you so much for sharing.
You are one of the most brilliant people I “know”. You have figured out things that most people never do: 1) Everybody has something they struggle with; 2) You had the insight and personal strength to better your life; 3) Giving is the most important part of a happy life
You are absolutely BRILLIANT. I have been following you for years and have turned many people on to your blog. You help so many people and, even more importantly, help others to help people. I have been able to give more because of the awesome savings you pass on. I supply personal care items and Christmas presents every year for entire houses full of disenfranchised youth. It has touched their lives in such special ways. Kids that don’t have more than some clothes and a few items they carry from house to house in black plastic garbage bags. You may think that a few trinkets at Christmas and a new backpack aren’t that big of a deal, but it can make a difference in these children’s lives. You, Collin are the reason I am able to do these things.
I have never met you, but I see your face every day. I admired you long before you posted this video, but this video makes me admire you 10 times more. You go Girl!!!!
Colin, thank you so much for sharing. I had no idea. It truly is amazing all that you have overcome at such a young age. You are an inspiration! You have helped me greatly in a low point in my life for about the last 3 years. I’m on disability but me and my hubby are living within our means are putting money away for emergencies and his retirement. Your blog is largely responsible for that. Thank you! Hugs to you and your family!
You may never know how many people you have helped today. Thank you for sharing your story.
Collin you are awesome. I am glad you were able to overcome your struggles. Thanks for sharing your story. Great job.
Wow Collin, you have me in tears here at work. I am suffering from depression lately and just yesterday was talking to my husband about looking for help… Thank you for sharing your video. Will Watch it again tonight when I can cry my eyes out without people thinking I am crazy.
Beyond beautiful!
Wow Collin, thank you for sharing this. You have been through so many struggles, I had no idea. I have been a loyal follower since 2010. Thank you for your dedication to helping us all save!
All I can say is that you never had to do this video, you could have let us go on viewing the “edited” version of your life. I am glad you felt enough trust to put out this video and you had enough confidence in yourself to do this. You are right, it is difficult to stay upbeat and we all have our various struggles. I appreciate the work you do and I hope you realize the impact you will have on people by releasing this video. Not only are you smart, you are a brave, kind soul. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your story, Collin. And thank you for reminding us of the human aspect in a world so detached and isolated by social media. Everyone struggles, and everyone is imperfect, I love that you celebrate that! 🙂
“H” is for the Honesty you’ve shown – “I” is for the integrity you have – “P” is showing us we don’t have to be perfect – “2” is helping all of us double our savings – “S” is for being our savings superhero – “A” is for ALWAYS being AWESOME!!! – “V” is for your vivacious personality – “E” is showing all of us EVERY day how much you care. Thanks for including all of us in yours and your families lives. You have touched our lives more than you could ever imagine.
So cute! 😊
Awww…. nice.
Collin, you are amazing!!!🙏
Wow, very nice and uplifting video. This made me cry so much. I’m so thankful to have found your site. Bless you Collin!
Thanks for sharing this video Collin. I am speaking for all of us but we are all here for you if you need us. Hugs and more hugs!
Blown away. You are such an amazing and brave woman and I so appreciate it. You have irreparably changed my life with your blog and the crazy coupons–for the better. Thank you. I cannot say enough. All the wonderful things I have to say would last thousands of pages….