Helen Mohror
Holiday Giving The Thanksgiving and Christmas season motivates me to “winter clean” my house. Generally I go through all my cabinets and closets looking for items to donate. We are generous with the food drives conducted by the local schools and churches to replenish the Food Banks. An added benefit for us is the final result of uncluttered kitchen cabinets and closets (well almost!) Each fall a local church collects clothes to send to the Ukraine. I examine which items we have not worn in a year or so and have a “feel good” feeling about contributing to those who would gladly wear the clothes. A local prison ministry collects items for inmates to give to their children for Christmas. All through the year I set aside good deals earmarked for this toy drive in December. I collect inexpensive 75%-90% off items from seasonal markdowns. It doesn’t take much space to store Target’s highly discounted Christmas ornaments from year to year. During the summer months I add to the collection from Yard Sale purchases. I have found many toys and stuffed animals new-with-tags sold very cheaply at garage sales. (As a side note, if anyone is looking for a charity to contribute your bounty, I know firsthand that this particular ministry does a marvelous work in prisons throughout the USA. Here is the website if you would like more information on Jesus is the Way Prison Ministry in Rantoul Illinois: http://www.jesusisthewayprisonministry.org/index.html The picture that accompanies this article shows some of the Fisher Price items I purchased at Meijer’s using their $5.00 coupon. Most of the items purchased had an original price of $4.99 or $7.99. These will make great pre-school gifts. Thanks so much to Refunding Cents posters who called attention to this great deal. (The coupon was found on a Halloween coloring sheet on their website. I never would have noticed this page on my own!) I made two trips a week apart to obtain more of the $4.99 items. Not all of the toys that I purchased are in the picture. Some of the FP toys were already mailed off to my grandsons before the picture was made. These Fisher Price Little People and toys will make great gifts for the incarcerated mothers to give to their young children at Christmas. Also throughout the year I accumulate toiletries from all our favorite places. These are gifts either to be given to the prison inmates or items they can give their teenage daughters for Christmas. Sometimes these organizations use similar items as prized for Holiday Bingo. Often I contribute toiletries, new towels and bedding to a local ministry similar to the Salvation Army, that houses families in emergency situations. These items are used in a Welcome Bag distributed to the guests who spend the night or week with them. I am blessed to have an abundance of food and household items, thanks to all of you for posting the good deals throughout the year. Our family has much more than we actually need. It is so easy, plus rewarding, to give out of our overflow. I always enjoy reading of the creative ways that many of you obtain items inexpensively and the various ways that you distribute your stockpiles. I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. Helen Mohror Champaign IL