Sharing Your Abundance…
I just received an email from a reader and wanted to share it with all of you:
I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work that goes into this site. I’m packing 9 boxes tonight that contain over 200 handmade Christmas stockings filled with candy and other goodies and games I have stockpiled during the year. I have 2 soldiers that I have adopted (these are # 7 & 8 over the last 2 years) and they will share all the goodies with their buddies in Iraq & Afghanistan. I couldn’t have managed this if it weren’t for all the savings that you help with. I’ve saved over $3000.00 this year on sales and coupons, so I can support my soldiers every month with boxes. Thank you, Thank you.
This email touched me deeply. Not just because my hubby is in the Military, but because these simple acts of kindness are just amazing! …And what a better way to pay it forward than to give to others who are so very deserving.
If you read my blog regularly, you are most likely very talented in the coupon department… and yes, it IS a talent! Use this awesome talent to give back and show others you care. Compassion, kindness, generosity… what amazing qualities to exude. And knowing you are touching someone else’s life in such a positive way… there really are know words to describe it!
If you’re interested in adopting a Military member, check out these links below:
*Adopt a US Soldier
*Any Soldier
*Soldier’s Angel
*HeroBox
On another note, it looks like Pay it Forward Day is tomorrow, 12/1! 🙂 (Thanks, Heather!)
That is awesome! Good for her! I love to read about stories of giving back!! Just went to the mall the other night to take a Christmas Angel to shop for. I figure since I’ve saved so much I can give some back. Thanks again for the uplifting story!
Love this! Thanks for sharing!
what a wonderful idea!!
This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
That is great!!!
I also do the Any Soldier. I have been doing it for 3 years now and your site (one year now)has made a huge difference in the amount of stuff I have been able to send..I am able to send more because your site helps me get the great deals..Thanks so much for all the time you put into saving ALL of us money…
So fun to read. Just a reminder of how good people can really be. 😉
As the mom of a soon to be deployed young soldier, this warms my heart. Much kudos to that reader for kicking butt with her shopping and for giving back. and THANK YOU to you for helping us all make things like this possible. Happy Holidays
What a wonderful, heartfelt thing to do! Very inspirational!
AWESOME!!!! What a WONDERFUL idea!!!!!
That is wonderful. I am using all of my free samples, extras, etc. and making stockings for kids this year!
My husband use to get a little annoyed when I’d come home with a bunch of stuff I’d get for practically nothing. He didn’t unerstand why I’d get extra when “we” didn’t need it. I told him, since he’d be deploying soon, I knew how he would always have a few of his men (and ladies) that didn’t have anyone to send them things. I told him I’d expect him to let me know who wasn’t receiving letters or care packages and I’d send them some of the things I was fortunate enough to get at little to no cost. He then had a better appreciation for picking up those extras!
Donated my extras–razors, shampoo, shave cream, Vick cough drops, toothbrushes to Packages from Home–at troop care package organization homebased in Phoenix, Arizona.
Thanks for this post! My brother is in the army and I know how much they appreciate the thoughts and prayers from everyone.
If you have a tight budget, you can also send your unused/expired coupons through the Military Coupon Program! Here’s the link: https://www.ocpnet.org/
If you’re overwhelmed by the website, you can send them my way. We’re shipping some out each month. : ) https://www.cleverlysimple.com/2010/11/lets-support-troops.html
When Collin posted the Active 3 $3 off coupon and somebody posted I have so much body wash I could puke I laughed and then another reader posted that she does the anysoldier.com I was instantly hooked. I adopted a female from WI since that is home for us and we sent out our first box 2 weeks ago for christmas. We have 2 more waiting to go out but my 10 year old thought it would be cool to wrap each item so it feels like they are getting presents. I know these 2 boxes will not be there in time for Christmas but it is still going to be fun. I have depleted half my stock and the other half is going to all my college cousins that I wouldn’t normally buy presents for. I would not be doing any of this if it were not for Hip2Save, Thank YOU!
The best part is the large flat rate boxes are $14.50 normally however if you are sending them to a soldier you get a $2 price break. I had to laugh because the box to ship at $12.50 is more than I spent for the contents inside. Tampons, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, razors all name brand products and it didn’t even total $12.50! 🙂
i love thiS!!!!!
I am just finishing up wrapping gifts for a Mom and her two daughters. Her husband is deployed to Afghanistan and her and the girls have had a lot of medical problems so I’ve saved all the free stuff I’ve “bought” during the year. I can’t believe I have everything from S.S. jewelry to toothpaste to makeup and just about anything you can think of. I haven’t even started on my own family yet. But I want this Mom to have a wonderful Christmas, and I don’t want the Dad to worry about his wife and daughters (12 & 14) so I’m taking the gifts over early for them to put under the tree and so they can tell the Dad they have lots of gifts. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces! This, this is Christmas.
thanks for sharing my best friends hubby is deployed right now. I was part of soldiers angels and you are suppose to send so many packages on a regular basis and that gets expensive. I dont know how but I clicked on a womans profile on one of the sites and they requested chapstick…I have about 200 of them sitting in my room going to waist. I cant wait to send them stuff
I just signed up for that one. Can you tell me more about your experience? And also when do I start sending things?
Feel free to email me: alicia.beck@gmail.com
Its so great to hear things like this!
I have supported various soldier program the past few years as well as adopting groups that I support (I’m a contractor for the EOD program) who are currently overseas in the field. Each and everytime we send packages the notes that come back are so touching and heartfelt, it is so easy to get teary eyed reading them. They all basically send the same message and I have heard it from so many friends currently in Afghanistan as well. “It is nice to know that even when we are so far away from our loved ones and life back home is moving forward without us, that you all still think about us as much as we do you. Sometimes the things that seem so small to you are so huge to us….the baby wipes so that we may be clean, the books so that we have something to take our minds away from our current surroundings, the Mr. Potato Head that provided hours upon hours of entertainment (this was the biggest hit in the box) when needed most, but most importantly the kind words from home to remind us we are not forgotten.” – Army Chaplin Greg Jones.
So to all my fellow couponers out there keep paying it forward, you just never know who’s world you might make a bit brighter! Happy Holiday’s Everyone:)
I was just speaking to a family member and I was telling them how much I wish people focused MORE on helping others during the holidays. I think this is truly wonderful! 🙂
This is definitely the season for giving and your blog helps a lot! I took advantage of the ESPN magazine deal and sent it to two people that I know are serving.
Gosh dang it, you need a like button, just like on Facebook 😉
ik, right!
I was thinking the exact same thing…lol. As I’m reading this wonderful post’s from all of these thoughtful people with tears in my eyes. Merry Christmas to all.
I support our soldiers this year i was able to get my daughters class involved in adopting a local national guard unit. I have never in my life seen so many 11 yrs so excited to do good. We mailed 20 packages a couple weeks ago. I was and am still so proud of them and I am proud to here all the good that everyone does
What an AWESOME way to use coupons!
I do a lot of my couponing to support our local food pantry and there is nothing more fulfilling that using the love I have for hunting down a good deal to benefit those in need. 🙂
Hope the soldiers and all you other couponers out there have a great holiday!
I just loaded up 2 baskets full of men’s body wash and bars of soap and took it to the homeless shelter in town. I bet there were probably 50 plus bottles and bars of soap. I can say I got them for almost free. The shelter was most appreciative.
One of the lessons that I learned from HTS was I went from having almost nothing in my home and living pay check to pay check a year ago to now having abundance and having more than enough to share with others.
Merry Christmas to everyone. Enjoy the holidays!
That is AWESOME!! I too want to thank you Collin. I just want to let you know that because of your site, I too have a stockpile that I’ve sent overseas to the men and women serving our country. There is a World War II museum close to where I live that collects toiletry items and sends them over seas to those serving! Yes, they are VERY deserving!!
What great stories, everyone! You have inspired me 🙂
This is wonderful. It is such a blessing to be able to bless other people with items that used to be such a large part of our budgets! Thank you so much Collin. You have taught us well and your site reaches so many people that don’t even know about it through the kindness of the readers. It is so fun being able to give more!
As always you timing is great. I was going to look up online where to send things to servicemen. I am going to make up some care packages also. Thanks for all you do.
On a side note, where can I send my expired coupons for the military?
thanks
you can do that? I better get to the trash can b4 the lil kids get home from school & pile snack trash on em & or the big one from college & empties the coffee grounds YUCK! I just cleaned out my nov. coupons and I always get a lil upset to pitch all that work in the trash.
got em & still in order for the most part, I can use some of the envelopes I have been recycling lately like my Grandmother use to do (no pun here).
Yeah, I’m just not sure where to send them yet. They only can use up to 3 months expired I believe. So I wouldn’t sent them too old of ones. I got to get them out soon.
If you go on swapmamas.com and look up lee lynn she can tell you were to send them
Thanks Amanda, very much appreciated.
I signed up for a military family at the happy housewife dot com website. Emails can be sent to couponsfortroops@gmail.com. Send your name, address and that you would like a family to send your expired coupons to. Please remember this is one person sorting thru hundreds of emails on a daily basis and it takes time to get a response back. It took me about 2 months to receive a response. If you send more than a pound of coupons via the mail, you need to fill out a custom’s slip. The cost to send an envelope full of coupons was approximately $8.00.
Thanks for the awesome post! I have been passing along my expired coupons to a military family for just over 6 months now. Here’s where to find more information: https://thehappyhousewife.com/donate-expired-coupons-to-military-families-overseas/
If interested in a family, please send an email to couponsfortroops at gmail dot com. Please remember this is one person sorting thru hundreds of emails daily. It took about 2 months to receive a response.
It costs about $8.00 to send over about a 1 1/2 of coupons in an envelope. Anything over a pound via the US mail needs a customs form filled out. I hope this inspires many others to send their expired coupons to our service families across the world.
this reminds me to say my thanks to you too collin! over the last year you have saved my family so much money and gotten us great deals on so many things. thanks for all the time you take to do this blog! it is much appreciated!! God bless you and your family!
great causes! I’m so thankful for all of our troops’ sacrifices!
I don’t have a stockpile like some others (currently out of work) but I am planning on gifting teenage girls. It is a local shelter for abused woman and their children. I figure all women like nice shampoos, face washes, etc and I think they will truly appreciate these gifts. Glad to hear so many people are doing this.
I love reading stories like that. Thanks for the encouragement. I keep meaning to adopt a soldier but of course other things take front stage and I forget. This is a good reminder! Thanks for this and for helping us learn how to be good stewards!!!
Wow! What a wonderful inspiration! Our troops are so amazing and they need our support, in any way we can give it! God bless them all and all of you guys at Hip2Save, you truly are amazing and do a wonderful job with your blog and everything! I have only been reading for about 3 weeks now and I must say that I am impressed each day with the deal that you have taken the time to find and write about…keep up the good work because you truly are appreciated! 🙂
Can someone explain how the adotion of a soldier works? I am really interested but want to know what it entails so I know what I am commiting to before I actually commit. Thanks in advance for any help!
I sent Collin the original email never dreaming it would be put on the site! I use Herobox.org and have for over 2 years. I really like them. I checked out others sites but liked this one the best. Look up the site and it will explain it all or they will answer email or phone calls. Takes a few days but they always answer. You’re required to send only one box per month per soldier but can send more if you want. It doesn’t have to be a huge box and doesn’t have to be expensive. Herobox.org will assign a soldier and tell you what their “wish” list is and give you their contact info. It is so rewarding when I get email from “my” soldiers. Give the site a look-see. I think you will be impressed.
very inspiring story! thank you for sharing your stockpile with others! I am very excited to be taking my girls to deliver toys at children’s hospital this year.
Doesn’t it feel so good to give?!!!
This gave me goosebumps, and inspires me to give back!
This is awesome! I think I am going to send some things on Any Soldier! I like how it lists what they need and you can choose which one to send it to. My brother is a Marine and is stationed in NC. It is sad that he is so far away during the holidays, but I just can’t imagine what it would be like if he were overseas!
I LOVE it!!
Tomorrow is Pay It Forward day? I didn’t know that!! I’ll have to be sure to celebrate it! 🙂
Colin, I have a question for you. I have 4 girls and I want them to be able to fill 4 boxes with items and sent it. Because these boxes seem to cost a ton, I was trying to see if there is a way to send just care packages to any soldier with a group or organization. All in all we will send out 4 boxes. I live in Gainesville and Fl and I wanted to be able to fill the boxes! Thanks:)
This is truly a wonderful thing to do. My daughter sends a package a week to marines in Afghanistan and they love it. They are filled with all kinds of goodies, and the coupons we used are great. I also send all my expired(plus ones that haven’t expired and I won’t use) to a lady in Germany(that’s where her husband is stationed). They can’t get coupons and can’t print any off. The commissary will accept expired coupons for up to 6 mos. Last weeks box weighed 11lbs with all the coupons. And it was only 12.50 to ship!
Always great to hear people doing this bluestarmothers.org Is another great one. And There may be someone in your area that U can take the stuff to instead of Spending $$ to deliver them.. I did this early this year and It was great because I had so much stuff!
Yes, this is a group in our area too! We happened to ‘find” it by chance last year when my 15 yr old daughter was looking to do volunteer work. We donated lots last year, but LOTS More this year! They have a list of wanted/needed items and collect all year long, then have a packing day! It is a wonderful group & I can’t even tell you how much Joy it gives me to collect for them. In fact, I have a big box for next year already, because they did this years packing 3 weeks ago! (Plus as a mom of teens, I would like to think someone else in America, cared for my child, if he/she were deployed.)
Thank you for the post! I just went through my stockpile the other day and have 5 huge bags of items…I’ll be donating to Soldier’s Angel.
I’m going to adopt me a soldier. Thanks I always wanted to do this but never knew how.
I love this! Thank you all that pay it forward, I feel blessed to read a blog that is so caring and giving towards others. My stepson just finished Marine bootcamp and I know at some point he will be overseas; I am thankful that he and others will have plenty of support from “home”. I used most of my stockpile to help a family here at home. My son has a friend whose family is having a very hard time so I packed a huge box for them. Hopefully, his friend will be a regular visitor at our home so I can send him away with things each time he comes to visit.
I have been donating my over-abundance of free stuff to several charities – the women’s shelter, Potter’s Wheel (Christian based drug rehab center that runs solely on donations), and the homeless shelter. Thanks so much for the links to adopt a soldier – I am going to do that as well. My son just finished boot camp at Parris Island, and is currently in his job school, so this subject is near and dear to my heart as well.
Another idea, and I hope it’s okay that I post this… is check with your local National Guard. I am a Veteran, and have served Veterans for the last 9 years. Often the National Guard is forgotten after deployment. In our state alone 60% of our NG soldiers came home to Unemployment due to this economy, unlike active duty soldiers. Our state is currently looking for such donations for the holidays.
Where are you located or do you have suggestions as to how we would find the same in our area to donate? I know there probably are NG units where I am located and would love to help out.
I am a member of Soldier’s Angels. My soldier is in Germany and she just LOVES all of the body washes, lotion, etc. that I get for free or nearly free from this site. I highly recommend Soldier’s Angels if you are looking for an organization like this.