Ready to save $100 - $200 every month on groceries?  Read this series, and we will show you how!

CouponMom.com

If you are not using CouponMom.com, there is a high chance that you are way overpaying for your groceries.

In our Financial Learning Experience events, I have the opportunity to share some money saving ideas.  Of course, I always wish I had ten or eleven hours to share as many of them as possible, but there is not enough time.

One that I ALWAYS mention however, is CouponMom.com.

Here is how it works:

1. Obtain Sunday newspaper coupon booklets (issued by SmartSource, RedPlum, and P&G)
2. Mark the date issued on the coupon booklets - do NOT cut the coupons
3. Sign up to CouponMom.com (click HERE to sign up - it is FREE!)
4. Every week, go to CouponMom.com and pull up your store's deals under the "Grocery Deals By State"
5. CouponMom.com will tell you which coupon booklets to cut coupons from and how to use them to obtain an average of 50% to 85% OFF!

It sounds too good to be true, but I use this myself!  I KNOW it to be true!  For example, this week I went to Publix (grocery store near my house) and had a bill of $69.00.  I received $33.98 OFF after using my coupons.  This was not for useless junk that I will never use.  This is for cereal, pickles, ice cream, vitamins, toilet paper, paper towels, and many other products that I would purchase anyway.

Have you used this service?  If so, share your victory stories!  If not, get started and save a ton of money.

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But not necessarily in a financial sense.  It is much deeper.  I believe that selfishness leads to poverty of the spirit and soul.

Are we not all born with a drive toward selfishness?

It is proven to me every time I am standing in a line at Wal-Mart for thirty minutes.  I want to cut in line to avoid waiting.  Let's say that I did cut in line.  I would have the immediate gratification of getting out of the line and not having to wait anymore, but there would be a moment later that evening when I would have to wrestle with the fact that I was out-of-line - literally and figuratively.

It is proven to me when my wife is suffering from morning sickness which has turned into all-day sickness.  The magic fairy that somehow transformed dirty clothes and dishes into clean clothes and dishes has ceased to exist.  The magic fairy that managed the household - mail, laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, library trips, activities with the daughter, shipping IWBNIN resources, managing the financial affairs …  It all stopped.  Now I realize that it was my bride all along.  Now I have to clean, wash, shop, etc.  Poor me.

You know what drives the pity party, right?  Selfishness.  You know what selfishness leads to?  Poverty of the spirit.

No one wants to hang out with a selfish person.  No one wants to hear the pity party.

If you want to lose friends and ruin relationships, be selfish.

Everyone wrestles with it.  If you do not believe me, watch your children when they are little.  "MINE!", is one of the most uttered words.

My friend, Jake Beaty, once asked another friend, Jamie Salmon, this question: "Why do you give?"

Jamie's answer rocked Jake's world.  When I heard it, it rocked my world.

Jamie said, "I give to keep from being selfish."

Well said, Jamie.  Well said.

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It is a book called "The Go-Giver".   It is authored by John David Mann.

It took me a couple of months to sit down and read it, but I wish I would have read it sooner.

Seriously, it is a fictional story the relays POWERFUL business (and personal) concepts related to giving.  It could even be called a framework for how one can have an amazing life.

I LOVED this book.  Here are some of the reasons why:

• It focuses on giving.  I love giving.  My wife loves giving.  I believe that everyone loves to give.
• It is highly focused on a few principles.  This book does not attempt to share too much.  I read this book one chapter at a time over a period of several days.
• It has caused me to reflect on how this applies to my crusade.  And I am making changes as a result of this book.
• It was short and to the point.  For some reason, I have difficulty developing the willpower to pick up a four-inch-thick book.
• I have seen it at work in my friend's life.  Casey (you should follow him on Twitter) has been applying this stuff as well.  He is FIRED UP about it!  So am I!

Have you read this book?

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Statistics show that over 60% of parents with minor children do not have a written will.

If you do not have a written will, the government will decide who gets what.  Even more importantly, the government will decide who will raise the children.

That is unacceptable to me.  That is why I have a written will!

You can get a written will for around a $100 or less using an on-line service.  In fact, a written will is one of the Top 5 Things People Lack In Their Financial Plan.

Seriously.  If you do not have a written will, do not hesitate one more minute.  Make an appointment with a local attorney or prepare one on-line TODAY.

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Here's this month's update!

Total Squares:  2,426

Paid-For Squares:  789 795

Squares Remaining:  1637 1631

% of House Owned By The Sangl's:  32.5 32.7%

% of House Owned By Wells Fargo:  67.5% 67.2%

Here is the updated "Sangl Home Pay-Off Spectacular" (Click on the picture to view the larger, cleaner version)

How are you doing on YOUR house payoff spectacular?  If you do not have one, you can get one here => Pay Off Spectacular - House.

Read previous Sangl Home Pay-Off Spectacular Updates

Here is a list of the finance web pages I read every single day:

• CNN Money  This is where I obtain a lot of excellent information regarding legislative changes that impact personal finances.  I also like the regular features on "Millionaires In The Making"
• My Money Blog  Jonathan writes excellent detailed blog posts that relate to how he is using his cash to fund his short-term and long-term dreams.
• Lazy Man and Money  The Lazy Man writes about personal finances as well as how to earn money on the internet.
• Saving Freak  This guy is a FREAK when it comes to saving money, and if you read his blog you will find out how to save a ton of money also!

Those are the four personal finance web sites I read every single day.  Which ones should I add to my list?

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Here is the line-up:

Thursday, June 25, 2009 4:30PM - 5:00PM

Guest on the Don Kroah Show on WAVA, 105.1 FM.  You can listen on-line, if you want.  I will be talking about I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. and the Financial Learning Experience being held at Fair Oaks Church on Sunday.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Hang out with family in DC.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Speak at Fair Oaks Church at 5:00PM service (Pastor David R. Stokes)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Speak at Fair Oaks Church at 9:00AM and 10:45AM

Teach Financial Learning Experience from 2:00PM - 4:00PM.  It is FREE and has FREE CHILDCARE!  You can register HERE.

I am PUMPED!

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This type of article is why I get up FIRED UP and PUMPED UP to do what I do.  I am passionate about helping people make GREAT decisions with their financial resources so that their children can be PROUD of how their parents managed their "stuff".

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Here is something I have discovered as I speak to people throughout the nation.  Many pastors are struggling with their own finances.

This leads to many issues, and here are some of them:

• Fear.  Scared to talk about money because they are intimidated by their own financial situation.
• Hypocrisy.  Teaching on the Parable of the Talents while mismanaging their own money.
• Loss of call.  When one is perpetually broke, it is hard to stay committed to one's call.
• Stuff-itis.  When a person is broke, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that some "stuff" will satisfy and make things better.  It is a lie, and the pursuit of "stuff" can easily tear one from their true calling.

Maybe you can add more, but here is the deal.  I believe that Christ-followers should manage their finances according to God's Word.  You can call me crazy, but I believe that the leadership (pastors and staff) should MODEL this.  Pastors should not be highly leveraged in debt and trapped in stuff-itis.

And here is the key:  It does not have to be that way!

If you are a pastor who is struggling with your finances, we want to help you.  My team is available to provide FREE confidential one-on-one financial counseling for you.  We provide this service on-line, and it works.  We are not going to sell you anything.

Of course, our time is limited, so we only want to counsel pastors who are COMMITTED to making a change in their finances.  Your commitment is to participate in at least three consecutive monthly sessions.  The first session will last 1.5 hours.  The following sessions will last less than one hour.  Your commitment is also to have your spouse participate in all meetings.

If you need help, and you do not know where to turn.  We are here to help you.  If this is you, click HERE and request counseling.

Tell us the following information:

• Your name (and spouse's name)
• Your church
• Location
• Why you feel that you would benefit from financial counseling
• Your commitment to the process

We have been counseling pastors for the past three years, and the results have been AWESOME!

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What started out as a dream to teach 100,000 people in the first five years of this crazy ridiculous crusade is becoming a reality!  We are nearing 1/2-way there!!!

I have two things to say:

• I could not do it without you - the only way this crusade works is by you carrying the word to others!
• I can't believe I get to do this for a living!

I have had many people ask how they can support the crusade.  Here is my answer:  Buy these resources and give them away to others.

Thanks so much for making this possible!

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