A  New Year’s Resolution of mine this year is to give back more. I am doing this in honor of my Grandpa. He would work his butt off to make ends meet, but if you needed something, anything he would find a way to get it for you. He was always helping out family and friends. This is why he had so much debt.

So this year I am striving to do the same. But I am doing it as cheaply as possible.

Now I have some friends that have told me it doesn’t count as me giving to charity because I didn’t pay for it or I paid very little. Some look at couponing like I am ripping off the stores. Bottom line is the stores get their money back plus an additional 8 cents for each coupon. And I do give, maybe not my money but I give a lot of my time looking for the coupons, finding the deals and driving to the store to get them.

I am not saying everyone has to go all extreme. But when your clipping out coupons for your own shopping is it too much to get the coupon for the free dog or cat food and pick it up with your weekly shopping? Animal shelters are always in need of pet food. And even one bag would help tremendously!

Recently I had the opportunity to pick up 12 jars of baby food that were on sale. They were Buy one Get one (BOGO). And with my 3 $1 off of 3 jars coupons, 12 jars only cost me $0.42. I am sure a local food shelter or a shelter for single moms would appreciate even just those 12 jars or even 3 jars.

I am constantly looking for great deals on razors, shaving cream and toilet paper. These are things can be used at my home but also given to homeless or abused woman shelters.

Plus my children get the lesson of giving. When we go shopping and they see me pick up a toy, their first reaction is to get excited, but when I explain why we are getting that toy, they get even more excited to help others.

So thinking of all the good you could do with one coupon does it seem like too much?