I came to church last Sunday morning at Powell United Methodist, where Jesse works during the week and on Sunday mornings, and I quite enjoyed spending the morning with him.  So I decided to come again this week, but since Jesse works here, and we only have the one car now, that means I have to be here at 7:30 and stay until 12:30.  So I decided to get my usual Sunday morning routine done in his office while he works.  (I attended the first service.) This is where I’m hanging out.

It’s pretty cozy for a church office.  I decorated this two years ago, when Jesse was hired, with about $25.  Today I’ve been huddled up in here watching The Office, clipping coupons, and planning this week’s menu and shopping lists.  This is how I do it:

First, I clip all the coupons from Sunday’s paper, usually found in Smart Saver and Red Plum.  Then I hop on over to coupons.com and print all the coupons I think I’ll use.

One last trip to Kroger.com to load virtual coupons onto my Kroger card, and the couponing task is complete.  (I then print a list of the coupons loaded on my card so I don’t forget about them.)

Now for the planning.  This is when I take a gander at the handy circulars found in Sunday’s paper.  Kroger is my favorite, because they double all manufacturer’s coupons under fifty cents.  I also take a look at Food City, Wallgreens, CVS and Target.  With the instant rewards systems at Wallgreens and CVS, you can often find items that are essentially free, especially cosmetics / toiletries.

I peruse the sale items and match those up with the coupons I have.  I try only to buy what is on sale AND for which I have a coupon.  Double whammy every time.  I plan my menu according to what is on sale, and then I make shopping lists for each store I’ll be visiting.  I list the quantity, item, sale price, coupon, and total cost on my list, taking note of which coupons should be doubled (only applicable at Kroger) so that I make sure to get the most bang for my buck.

I attach the coupons I need for each store on their respective lists with a paper clip, and I’m ready to shop and save.  Bada bing, bada bang.

The best deal I’ve gotten so far was a few months ago.  I spent about $50 and saved about $60.  It’s such a thrill to see those numbers, and it becomes a really satisfying game.  I’ve gotten loads of stuff for free (mainly toiletries) with coupons, sales, and instant rebates combined.  It’s fun to try foods I might otherwise skip over were it not for the coupons.  Something I’ve loved: Sara Lee Deli Flats.  Something I would advise you to stay far, far away from:  Gogurt.  Even if it is practically free and comes with a free music download, the stuff is toxic and revolting.  And I like what Ellen has to say about it (start at 1:45):

I wish I was as funny as Ellen.  The good news is, according to one terribly inaccurate face-recognition website, I have a similar facial structure to that of her wife, Portia.  We’re all pretty tight.

Happy couponing, and steer clear of Gogurt,

Mary Ann

This was the first Sunday Greg’s been gone since his resignation two weeks ago. Some committed volunteers stepped up to guide the music team in his absence, but a palpable nervous feeling measured heavy on the minds of those of us behind the scenes this morning. As I know the story, Greg elevated the service from a church with good intentions to a church with polish. And so the nervous feeling around the church asks, “Who’s going to shine the shoes now?”

That’s a frustrating place to be in because there’s a realization and grief period that everyone who enjoyed the fruits of the last four years has to go through. Working under Greg was a training ground for me as I learned the ropes of the job. It was a great place to participate in a beautiful service for the music and tech teams. Greg has the skill to let people practice, and mess up, yet tie up loose ends and make sure things go well anyway, so the pressure has stayed low on me and others for the past two years.

Today was a day of healing because after a good service I had a brainstorm with three different band members, and already the sadness from this event has been cut by exciting ideas for the future. I’m one for a challenge and I’m looking forward to creating a good Sunday service at Powell Church. With polish. I say, bring on those dirty shoes—I’ve got loads of Kiwi in my office.