My Friday Night

So I run a fan page called Operation: Expired Coupons to Overseas Soldiers & Families.  The reason I do this is because plenty of them have told me how hard it is to save over there and how difficult it is to actually get the coupons they need even after going through all the boxes that people send to the base itself.

Here are two messages I got from our families:

"I'm stationed overseas in Okinawa, Japan with my Marine husband and my 10 month old baby boy. We don't get Sunday papers with coupons in them so we rely on people back in the states to send out coupons either to individual families or to the commissaries on our base. It is very helpful to all of the military families out here. Most military families out here are a 1 income family so they have to save money anywhere possible. Things are very expensive due to having to ship everything out here. Couponing is our only way to save money out here since we have no other stores available to get great deals or price match. I use coupons for almost every item that I buy. I usually save anywhere from 30-50 percent off my total purchase. That wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for all the people who have made a group to send out all their unwanted or expired coupons. Thank you so much for what you do to support the troops and their families."

"My family is currently stationed at Naval Base Guam. My husband is a Federal Firefighter/Paramedic. We got on island April 1st of this year.
I am a stay at home mom of a 4 yr old and a 5 yr old. In the States, I was able to cut our grocery bill significantly by using coupons and sales. This was very helpful since I don't bring in any income. However, here on Guam, there are no coupons. The newspapers don't get coupon circulars, and most of the websites don't recognize Guam on their states drop down lists, so I can't get any sent to me.The prices on Guam are really expensive. Everything needs to be shipped in. I shop the commissary so the prices are better than out in town, but they are still WAY MORE than stateside. For example milk is usually about $5 a gallon for regular milk, not organic. 
Our commissary takes coupons - even manufacturers coupons up to 6 months expired. I would love it if someone could send me some of their expired coupons! It would really help us out.
Thank you,"

 

So I took on this monster of a task. My first batch of 10 envelopes went out and I even got a letter from a family that really touched me and made me want to keep going with all of it.  I then realized how costly it does become to do it all by myself.  I attach 2 stamps per envelope to allow me to send a lot of coupons in them, and that adds up to $8.80 for just 10 envelopes.  I have 48 families signed up at this point.

 This is my tote of expired coupons I literally dig through to get the families the ones they ask for. :D

 

 

Now today I was truly truly touched to receive a card from a "volunteer"(if they send me coupons I consider them vonlunteering) letting me know she thanked me for doing what I am. Inside the card she also put in a book of stamps, that means I can send 10 envelopes right now! So that's what I spent my night doing, stuffing and more stuffing.

 

Now here's the better news guys.  I spoke with a friend of mine and told her my woes with this, she then told me she wanted me to write an email about it and she was going to forward it to a person who wanted to help.  After some emails back and forth he has said he wants to donate stamps to send at least a couple times to everyone! 48 families will be getting coupons all at once guys! Is that not amazing!?!?!?

Tomorrow morning I will be putting these 10 in the mail though and soon my mailbox won't be enough to put 48 envelopes in. I am still looking for a more permanent way to get them shipped.  Please be sure to share the facebook page and let people know!  To those that haven't received coupons yet do not worry I am working down the list I promise!