The 3/50 Project

Ironically, I read about The 3/50 Project on an online scrapbooking sight. With today's economy in the shape that it is, this really makes a lot of sense. You get something that makes you happy, and you help out the local businesses in your area. It's a win-win proposition! So get off the Internet, head out to a local store, and SHOP...SHOP...SHOP! If you'd like more information on this project, here is the link: http://www.the350project.net/home.html

Oh, and since I'm talking about helping others out, here's a little something else to chew on. A couple of days ago, I was buying groceries in the commissary. I live about an hour away from it, so I tend to REALLY stock up when I go there. (I try to buy as much as I can in the local stores, but we love certain things from the US, and other things just can't be found in the local markets.) Needless to say, my total bill was pretty intense. The cashier looked at that amount, then at my three measly coupons, and declared them to be "pathetic". I had to agree with him. I'm used to having a big wad of coupons when I check out, and quite frankly, it was a little embarrassing (and costly!!!) to have only three. Here lies the problem. We don't have newspapers here with coupons for groceries. The Commissary gives us a little flyer with some in it, but nothing like we're used to getting in the Sunday papers back home. Then the cashier did something amazing and unbelievable kind. He handed me an envelope with a huge wad of coupons in it. They were cut out by a group of people in the US and mailed to the Commissary here to help out us service people. I thanked him profusely, and promised to only take out what I could use and pass them on to other members of our base. It's hard to explain how much this act of kindness touched me. I'm sure most of you have never thought about how something this simple can affect another person. I thought that maybe if you had a few minutes on Sunday afternoon, you could cut out the coupons in your Sunday paper and just set aside those you don't use. Maybe in a few weeks or so (when you have a nice little stack), you could send them to a Commissary overseas. We are allowed to use coupons that are 6 months past their expiration date, so if you have some that have expired and you can't use them, then send them along as well. I am attaching a link to commissary locations worldwide, so you can chose any one in any country that you like. It doesn't have to be ours. Family and friends, if you'd like to send yours to me so I can share them with the families at Kleine Brogel, that would be appreciated as well. http://www.commissaries.com/store_locator.cfm