Welcome to Centsable Savings Stories and Struggles! Earlier this week I wrapped up the week long Food Stamp Challenge during which my family and I lived on a food stamp budget. Near the end of the Challenge, Tracey emailed me to tell me her story in the hope that it might encourage or help at least one person. Due to a set of unfortunate health problems, Tracey and her family buy their groceries every week using food stamps. I admire her bravery in facing her difficult situation every day and her positive attitude.
If you’d like to share your story, I’d love to hear from you. Please email me at centsable.katherine[at]gmail.com. More details are at the end of this post.
The Health Problems Begin
My name is Tracey and my husband’s name is Michael. He was the sole provider for a large family of six including me, his wife, Tracey and four children: Robin (22, at college), Timothy (20, at college), Amanda (20, at college), and Mackenzie (13, she thinks she knows everything:). On January 7, 2008, I had to drag Michael to the hospital for what we thought was an ear infection because he was real dizzy. After a CT scan they found that he had a brain aneurysm. He was transferred to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan by ambulance, with me following closely behind, a nervous wreck.
At the hospital, after hours of testing, it was confirmed that the aneurysm was 9 mm, and two additional aneurysm were found in his brain. He stayed there to have surgery on January 8, 2008. After three hours of surgery, they coiled largest of the aneurysm and Michael was sent home to recover for the next surgery scheduled for May 28, 2008. Again, they cut into his head and clipped the second aneurysm and he came home only two days later. The very next day he had a stroke, the most scariest time in my life. He went back into the hospital. He has recovered as well as can be expected, and when we went back in the hospital for the check up they saw that the first aneurysm needed to be operated upon again. He had another brain surgery on December 2, 2008.
It’s now June 2009 and on the June 16 he has to go back into the hospital and have another surgery. Our life HAS changed and we ARE on food stamps. There are three of us who live in the house not counting when the older children come home from college to visit, and each month on the 8th we receive $245.00 which works out to be $61.25 a week. I MAKE it work. I have to. Michael JUST got on Social Security. That is a blessing. The $1300.00 a month is issued on the 27th of each month.
My Life Now
I cannot go back to work. I have to take care of him. He has NO short term memory. You know that movie 50 First Dates? Well, it’s kind of like that but not half as funny. He can remember what happened twenty years ago, just not yesterday. I try to find the positive in things; I can feed him the same thing everyday for dinner and he would never know, UNLESS the 13-year-old rats me out: “MOMMMM NOT hot dogs AGAINNN.” 🙂 We lost our six bedroom, two staircase, three fireplaces, 1832 eight acre farmhouse and now we rent a home that my wonderful mother purchased for us. (I honestly think she would have done ANYTHING for us not to move into her basement. 🙂
My Savings Tricks and Tips
I use coupons regularly. I take them wherever I go. I am lucky enough to have a Kroger grocery store by me that double $1.00 coupons! There is also a Meijer’s that doubles coupons up to $0.50. I compare prices at each store every Monday morning online using the stores’ websites. Then I look at my coupons to see what I can get free or close to it. I stock up when things are under $1.00. That is my rule; I don’t buy anything that is over a dollar. When I purchase meat products I buy in bulk when it is on sale. I put it into freezer containers, date them and label them. In the winter to save on propane, I cook meat on the wood burner and freeze it that way.
I have other things I do to save money using coupons. Here are a few… The top and bottom shelves have the most clearance items and I use coupons on clearance items. I don’t go shopping when I’m hungry. I am not brand loyal. When a product is on sale for four for $10.00 you can almost always purchase one for $2.50; in other words, you don’t have to buy all four. Store coupons can be used with manufacturer’s coupons. I always give store coupons first. Walmart price matches and if a storebrand item is on sale in another store Walmart will match it with their storebrand item. Walmart does not double coupons, only face value. I keep coupons with me at all times. I cut all coupons out even if I think you don’t need it, or if I don’t usually buy it. I think of my coupons as cash. I organize coupons alphabetically, not by aisle because every store is different. I read the print on the coupon instead of just look at picture because the manufacture usually puts most expensive item in picture. I can add electronic coupons on my Kroger card using Cellfire, P&GeSavers and Shortcuts. When an item is advertised as buy one get one free, I can often use two coupons because I’m still buying two items. (Meijer’s does give me a hard time on this.) If an item is out of stock, I get a rain check. If I behind with the cutting and organization with the coupons, it becomes too much work and I would be tempted to stop doing it so I try to stay organized and on top of things. I always start off with a flyer from each store or I go online to the store’s website. (BeCentsAble note: BeCentsAble’s Grocery Gathering is also a great place to start because you can find a list of deals with coupon match ups already put together for you.)
I hope this helps at least one person. Take care.
Each week we feature a different shopper’s story. Centsable Savings Stories are the stories of people just like you who are working toward reducing their budgets, bargain hunting, living a more frugal lifestyle and constantly learning along the way. If you are interested in sharing your family’s successes and struggles, please contact me at centsable.katherine[at]gmail [dot]com. Bloggers and non-bloggers are both welcome to participate. Click here to read the stories of shoppers featured in the past.
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