For years okay, months, I resisted it. Facebook seemed like one more distraction I did not need. And while it can be a distraction if not kept in moderation, it has also brought many good things to my life.

Connections with old friends, sharing of information, a way to keep up with long distance family members… oh, and of course the freebies are a nice perk, too.

But what I most enjoy about Facebook is the “page” feature. Since creating a page for KingdomFirstMom.com, nearly 3,000 of you have clicked that infamous “like” button. There, I post updates, ask questions, share Bible Verses, and interact with my readers every day. Much to my surprise, it has become a community extension of my blog, which I love!

With that mission in mind, I was recently inspired to start sharing daily frugal tips on Facebook. Updates are quick and instant, and can be shared with a simple click. There I can help others “find creative ways to reduce spending”.

But I want your help! I would love to share YOUR frugal tips on Facebook. There are so many ways we can inspire each other to save more in order to give more.

So here is what I am asking. A call to action! Send me your simple, yet creative frugal tips. You can even include a photo or a link!

You can email them directly to:

facebook@kingdomfirstmom.com

I will choose one random tip to share on Facebook each day, with a shout out to the reader who submitted it! Each month, one random tipster will win a $10 Starbucks gift card that I have collected via Swag Bucks. That’s right, I am not above bribery. With coffee, no less.

If you have not yet “liked” Keeping the Kingdom First on Facebook, I hope you will join us. I look forward to learning and sharing more ways to honor God with our finances through this community!

Frugal Tips: on Facebook! is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

It is hard to believe, but the new Walgreens August Coupon Booklet will be out in stores starting this Sunday, August 1st. These coupons are valid 8/1 through 8/28.

Instant Value, or IVC coupons are considered Walgreens store coupons and therefore can be stacked with manufacturer’s coupons for even bigger savings! Be sure to include these coupons when planning your $5 scenarios each week.

Here are my favorites from this month’s book:

:: Grocery

• $0.50/1 Hershey’s Candy (8.5 or 9.2 oz.)
• $1/1 Poppycock (8 or 8.5 oz.)
• $0.50/1 Pepperidge Farm Cookies (7.2 to 8.6 oz.)
• $1/1 Combos (7 oz.)
• $1/2 Kraft Dressing (16 oz.)

:: School Supplies

• $1/1 Easy Touch Pro or V5 Retractable Pens (2 pk.)
• $1/1 Pilot Frixion Gel Pens (2 pk.)
• $1/1 Pilot Precise V5 Pens (2 pk.)
• $10.50/1 Uni-Ball 207 Gel Pens (2 pk.)
• $10.50/1 Paper Mate Profile Retractable Pens (4 pk.)
• $1/1 Fiskars Recycled Scissors (8 in., 2 pk.)

:: Household

• $1/2 Kleenex Anti-Viral Facial Tissues (75 Sheets)
• $5/1 Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap Kit (8.5 oz.)
• $1/2 Ziploc Freezer or Storage Bags (15-25 pk.) or Sandwich (100 pk.)
• $1/1 Glad Trash Bags (25-80 pk.)
• $2/1 Raid Ant & Roach Spray (17.5 oz.)

:: Beauty

• $1/1 Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (13 oz.)
• $3/1 L’Oreal Preference Dream Blonde or Color Expert Hair Color
• $1/1 L’Oreal go 360 Clean Cleanser or Exfoliating Scrub (6 oz.)
• $1/1 Maybelline XXL Pro Mascara or Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner
• $2/1 Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara or Perfect Point Eye Pencil

:: Baby

• $3/1 Enfamil RestFull (12.5 oz.) or Enfagrow (24 oz.) Infant Formula
• $1/1 Huggies Baby Wipes (64 or 72 pk.)
• $1/1 Pediasure Nutritional Drink (6 pk.)
• $0.50/1 Pedialyte (33.8 oz.), Freezer Pops (16 pk.) or Powder Packs (4-8 ct.)
• $5/1 Evenflo Comfort Select Auto-Cycle Breast Pump
• $1/1 Dr. Brown’s Bisphenol Free bottle (8 oz.) or Silicone Nipples (3 pk. )
• $10.50/1 Humphreys Teething Relief Tablets (135 ct.) or Strips (18 pk.)
• $2/1 Philips Avent Pacifier or Nipples (2 pk.) or Bottle (9 oz.)

:: Personal Care

• $1/1 Aquafresh Advanced, Extreme Clean or Ultimate White Toothpaste (5.6 or 6 oz.), Iso Active Toothpaste (4.3 oz.)
• $7/1 Aquafresh White Trays (14 pk.)
• $2/1 Listerine Total Care, Advanced or Natural Citrus or Whitening Plus Restoring
• $1/1 Purell Hand Sanitizer (8 oz.)
• $2/1 Kotex or U by Kotex Tampons (18 pk.), Pads (14-24 pk.) or Liners (48-64 pk.)
• $3/1 Veet Hair Removal Products (5.1 to 13.5 oz.)
• $1/1 Men’s Zone 6 Blade Razor System or Cartridge (4 pk.)

:: Health

• $3/1 Bayer AM Aspirin (50 ct.)
• $2/1 Benefiber (6.4 to 16.7 oz.) Chewable (100 ct.) or Stick Packs (28 ct.)
• $2/1 Advil Pain Relief (80 or 100 ct.) or PM (32 or 40 ct.)
• $5/1 Johnson & Johnson All Purpose First Aid Kit (170 pieces)
• $0.50/1 Curad Non-stick pads or Hold Tite Dressing Wrap
• $1/1 A&D First Aid Ointment (1.5 oz.)
• $4/1 ThermalOn Neck or Back Wrap
• $2/1 Alavert Non-Drowsy Allergy Relief (48 ct.)
• $3/1 Benadryl Allergy Relief (48 ct.)
• $1/1 Robitussin or Dimetapp (4 oz.)
• $1/1 Clear Eyes Eye Relief (.5 oz.)
• $2/1 Blink Tears, Lubricating Eye Drops (.5 oz.) or Gel (.33 oz.)
• $2/1 Visine Eye Drops (.5 oz.)
• $3/1 Natrol Resveratol or AcaiBerry Diet (60 ct.)
• $3/1 Natrol AcaiBerry (60 ct.)
• $3/1 Natrol Melatonin Time Release (100 ct.)

:: Miscellaneous

• $5/1 Kodak Max One Time Use Camera Water & Sport (27 exp.)
• $0.50/1 Energizer Batteries 4x Lithium AA or AAA (2 pk.)
• $0.50/1 Energizer Max AA or AAA (4 pk.), C or D (2 pk.), 9 Volt (single)

:: W Brand Products

• $0.50/1 W Antibacterial Wipes (40 Sheets)
• $2/1 W Infant Gas Relief Drops (1 oz.)
• $10/1 W Digital Instant Ear Thermometer
• $10/1 W Temple Touch Thermometer
• $5/1 W Pain Relief, Assorted
• $1/1 W Green Tea Tablets (30 ct.)
• $1/1 W Organic Medicated or Vitamin C Lip Balm (.15 oz.)
• $2/1 W Children’s Gummies Multi-Vitamin (60 ct.)

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

You can find all of these coupons and more in my searchable Coupon Database.

Walgreens August 2010 Coupon Book is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

DaySpring’s mission is “to help you share your heart and God’s love.” Awesome, right?

They have some lovely items in their online store, and right now, you can save 25% off your entire order with coupon code THANKS2010 at checkout.

Offer valid through July 31, 2010. Shipping is free on orders of $50 or more and they do accept PayPal!

You must check out their unique selection of school supplies. There are binders, notebooks, pencil cases and more- all accented with scripture and artwork.

Visit DaySpring.com and see what inspires you. Also, if you have never seen DaySpring’s sister site Incourage, with writing by Christian women, it is a daily must.

DaySpring.com: 25% off Coupon Code is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Exactly two years ago this month, I made a big announcement. Our final credit card had been paid off completely after years of living with consumer debt. I have to say, I am so glad I publicly shared that success.  It has kept me accountable over the last two years.

Some people can manage credit cards effectively, racking up rewards points and paying off the balance each month. I am not one of those people. My husband is not one of those people. Occasionally, an offer letter will arrive in the mail or that friendly cashier at JCPenney will ask if I’d like to “save” on my purchases by opening a line a credit.

The old me would likely hesitate. Maybe even pause for a moment to consider it. But today, my readers are my accountability partners. I can firmly and confidently decline a new credit card without reserve.

Have there been temptations?

Of course. We recently moved into a larger home with our growing family and the addition of my sister to the mix. Financing a new sofa or rug would be so convenient.  Instead, we paid cash for those. There are other items on my “wish” list. Items that can wait.

In the meantime, we continue to enjoy a life without credit cards. The first few years of our marriage saw lots of plastic. Reflecting now on the last two years without them, I see major differences in our family life.

To name a few:

• Less mail: Far less paper clutter comes into our home without credit cards bills.
• Better sleep: New babies aside, we honestly sleep more soundly without debt hanging over us day and night.
• Fewer payments: This is rather obvious, but just having the basic bills to pay each month saves time and hassle over making payments.
• No surprises: When purchases are made, they are carefully planned and researched. There is no spontaneous splurge with a credit card.
• Less uncertainty: We no longer question how we are going to pay for emergencies, or even our upcoming (frugal) family vacation.
• More giving: Without hundreds of dollars going towards credit card bills every month, we have been able to be far more generous with our finances.

Two years later, I can look back and realize the peace that paying off that final card brought to our lives.

If you are struggling with debt, read how we stayed motivated by using visuals.

Note: In the spirit of full disclosure, my husband does use one company credit card for travel and business expenses as is required by his employer. But thankfully this is never part of our family finances.

Linked to: Frugal Friday

Giving Up Credit Cards: Two Years Later is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Back-to-school sales and deals are now in every store and August is right around the corner! This week is HUGE for bargains like FREE backpacks and more.

If you do score some extra free or cheap school supplies, be sure to donate them to a local backpack drive and share with those in need.

I hope you will check out my latest post on Lifetime Moms: 5 Ways to Save Big on Back-to-School Purchases.

Speaking of back-to-school, we are planning another huge giveaway event next month to celebrate the new school year! Check out and “like” the Facebook page for all the latest updates!

Now back to the deals:

Every Monday through August, I will be posting a Back-to-School Bargain round up to help readers find the best deals out there, shared by bloggers. The bargains are plentiful, if you know where to look.

Fellow frugal bloggers, feel free to link up your latest and greatest back-to-school deals below.

These can include school supplies, clothing, shoes, backpacks, or dorm room essentials.

To keep it neat, please link directly to your blog post, not your home page. Include the store name in your description to make it easy for readers to find. Links back to this meme to share with others are greatly appreciated!

Ready, set, GO!

(If you are reading this post via email or in a RSS reader, be sure to click through to the blog to see the links below!)

Back to School Bargains Week of July 25 is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Welcome, my fellow Walgreens fans! It’s Sunday, time for our weekly Walgreens $5 Challenge.  The place to come for simple scenarios with step-by-step instructions.

It is a tough week to stay under $5 this week, but let’s do this anyway! Grab your weekly Walgreens ad, a printer and some scissors to get started.

If you are new to shopping at Walgreens, and wanting to learn the basics, check out this post. New to couponing? Learn the lingo here.

If you are a first time visitor, here’s the lowdown:

Join me each week as I host The Walgreens $5 Challenge!

Seasoned WAGS shoppers: share your best scenario(s) for the upcoming week at Walgreens.

Your budget: $5.00 out-of-pocket cash.

Your mission: to grow that $5.00 into more Register Rewards (RR) to use in upcoming weeks.

Want to participate? Start by reading the rules here.

*********************************

Here is MY $5 Scenario for the week of July 25th:
*coupons in red (scenarios never include tax as this will vary by region)

Transaction #1
Buy 1 Gillette Fusion ProGlide @ $9.89
- $4/1 Gillette Fusion Razor Coupon (P&G insert 06/06/10)

Total After Coupon = $5.89

RRs Earned= $5.00

Transaction #2
Buy 5 Austin 8-pk, Cheez-It, or Keebler Crackers @ $1 ea.
Pay with $5.00 RR from above

Total After RRs= $0.00

RRs Earned= $1.00

Grand Total OOP=$5.89

Total Value= $14.98 with $1.00 Register Rewards remaining!

Keep rolling those RR’s for more savings!

*************************************

Let’s see what fabulous scenarios you come up with for $5.00 or less!

Simply post your scenarios on your blog, then drop by Keeping the Kingdom First and add your permalink to Mr. Linky below. (If you are reading via email or in a reader please click through to see the Mr. Linky)

Please link directly to your scenarios. Links directly to your homepage will be deleted. Linking back to this meme to share it with others is greatly appreciated!

Don’t have a blog? You can leave a comment with your scenario, too. I invite everyone to participate.

Walgreens $5 Challenge: July 25 – 31 is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Welcome, my fellow CVS fanatics and newbies! It’s Sunday, time for our weekly CVS $5 Challenge. The place to go for simple CVS scenarios with step-by-step instructions.

It is an easy week for newbies at CVS. All you need is an ExtraCare Card, a CVS ad, a printer and coupons to get started. Be sure to register your CVS loyalty card with Upromise for extra college savings.

If you are a first time visitor, here’s the lowdown:

Join me on Sundays as I host The CVS $5.00 Challenge!

Seasoned CVSers: share your best scenario(s) for the upcoming week at CVS.

Your budget: $5.00 out-of-pocket cash.

Your mission: To grow that $5.00 into even more ECBs to use in upcoming weeks.

Want to participate? Start by reading the rules here. Curious how to do multiple transactions at CVS? Read this post.

*****************************

Here is MY $5 Scenario for the week of July 25th:
*coupons in red

Transaction #1
Buy 1 Dove 2-pk Beauty Bar @ $3.00

Total= $3.00

ECBs earned= $2.00

Transaction #2
Buy 1 U by Kotex @ $4.99
$1.00/1 Kotex U Product Printable Coupon
Pay with $2.00 ECB’s from above

Total After Coupons & ECB’s= $1.99

ECBs earned=$4.99

Grand Total OOP= $4.99

Total Value= $7.99 with $4.99 ECBs remaining.

Keep rolling those ECBs for more savings!

*********************************

Now let’s see what fabulous scenarios you come up with for around $5.00!

Simply post your scenarios on your blog, then drop by Keeping the Kingdom First and add your permalink to the Mr. Linky below.

Please link directly to your scenarios. Links directly to your homepage will be deleted. Linking back to this meme to share it with others is greatly appreciated!

Don’t have a blog? You can leave a comment with your scenario, too. I invite everyone to participate.

CVS $5 Challenge: July 25 – 31 is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Happy Saturday! There will be 2 inserts this weekend, 1 SmartSource and 1 Red Plum.

Keep in mind that coupons always vary slightly by region.

All new coupons have been added to the Coupon Database.

If you are in need of more coupons this week, check out my coupon resources page.

Here are my favorite high value coupons you can expect:

SS
$1.00/1 2000 Flushes Toilet Bowl Cleaner
$1.00/1 Colgate 360 Sonic Power Toothbrush
$1.50/1 Farmer John Bacon
$1.00/1 Goof Off Brand Product
$4.00 off Opti-Free Solution
$1.50 off Post Cereal AND Milk
$3.00/1 Schick Disposable Razor Package
$5.00/1 Schiff Move Free Advanced
$1.00/1 Softsoap Body Wash
$1.00/2 Ziploc Brand Bags

RP
$3.00/1 AcneFree Kit
$2.00/1 Cheer Bright Clean
$2.00/1 Flintstones Multivitamin
$1.50/1 Goodlife Recipe Food for Cats
$1.00/2 Kellogg’s Eggo or Cinnabon Frozen Item
$3.00/1 L’Oreal Collagen Micro-Pulse Eye
$2.00/1 L’Oreal Magic Perfecting Base
$1.00/3 M&Ms Chocolate Candy
$1.00/1 M&Ms Pretzel
$3.00/1 Nivea Happy Sensation Body Lotion
$1.00/2 Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
$2.00/1 Sun Crystals All-Natural Sweetener
$3.00/2 Therma Care
$4.00/2 Venus Disposables
$0.50/1 Whole Fruit Fruit Bars
$0.50/1 Whole Fruit Sorbet

In other coupon news:

• Make sure you are up-to-date with all the newest printable coupons.
• Have you uploaded the latest Cellfire e-Coupons?
• “Like” the Better Oats Facebook page and you will be able to print a coupon for B1G1 Free Better Oats Product.

For a preview of Walgreens deals next week, stop by Couponing 101. For the scoop on CVS, visit Deal Seeking Mom.

Join me tomorrow for our weekly $5.00 Drugstore Challenges!

Coupon Insert Preview: July 25 is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

The following is a guest post from Molly Ruby of the new (and fabulous) blog Go Running Mom. Molly and I are former colleagues and real life friends.  I asked her to write on the topic of frugal exercise and I am honored to share her voice with you all.

When my kids started their spring activities this year, not only did we shell out the big bucks for team registration and classes, but then came the additional money for equipment: baseball spikes, jerseys, helmets, and dance leotards, tap and ballet shoes. Which of course is typical, but last year, my son grew out of one pair of spikes before the season was even over!

Thankfully there is an effective, frugal form of exercise that women and moms can enjoy where all the equipment (other than a good pair of shoes) is self-contained and readily available…Running!

I have been a runner for many years now, but I really started running regularly again just this past year. In doing so, I realized that of all the activities a mom can do to get some exercise, running is one of the very best because you simply need to lace up your shoes and head out your front door to enjoy all the physical and mental benefits that running has to offer.

Let’s discuss those benefits…

Physical benefits: Sustained cardiovascular activity which is good for your heart, lungs, muscles, digestive system, and extremely effective for burning calories!

Mental benefits: Adrenaline and endorphins are exerted and produced when you run, helping you to feel a rush of energy followed by a calm, relaxed state. That release of adrenaline and production of endorphins is why when you talk to a runner, they will tell you that running just makes them feel happy. Personally it also helps me to be more calm and patient with my family throughout the day.

Those are merely just a few of the benefits that running has to offer, but what will it cost you? The fact that you can run almost anywhere keeps the cost down so low that if you already own a pair of comfortable, supportive shoes, your only initial investment is your time.

If you simply invest 30-45 minutes, you should be able to run 3-4 miles AND reap all of the benefits above. Even if you start out walking, you will soon notice an increase in your endurance and can then add a few minutes of running. Moms can even invest this time wisely by pushing your little one in a jogging stroller – you can burn up to 10% more calories, soak up the sunshine and Vitamin D for you and your child!

If you are new to running, there are numerous resources available to help you get started and to educate and train you along the way. Here are a few of my favorite FREE running resources:

::Runner’s World Magazine – When I first started running I checked out back issues at my local library. Runner’s World online offers a wide array of resources from Nutrition: Meal Plans, Recipes, Calorie Counter to a Shoe Finder and Training Logs.

::Run Injury Free with Jeff Galloway – Jeff Galloway is a former US Olympian, founder of the Galloway Marathon Training Program, Coach and Author – Jeff’s site is filled with valuable information on how to Run Injury Free until you are 100!

::Famous Footwear – okay, so the shoes are not free, and YES, they bear the budget-breaking price of $100 or more in specialty running stores, BUT here is my frugal shoe shopping tool: Famous Footwear Gold Rewards – the rewards club is free to sign up for and there are several top brands and styles of running shoes to choose from.

The best part is that Famous Footwear often runs a Buy 1 Get 1 Half off sale and you can use Gold Member reward certificates ($5 or $10 off) in addition to store issued $ or % off coupons. If you cannot find your size in the store, they will even ship it to your home for FREE!

Hopefully these resources as well as the physical and mental health benefits I have shared will encourage you to take your first steps as a frugal and FIT mom and will motivate you to Go Running Mom!

Molly Ruby is a running mom of three and wife to an incredible husband who encourages her to go the extra mile in life! Go Running Mom is a forum to share her passion for running with moms and women who want to take charge of their own health and their family’s fitness. She hopes to inspire, motivate and challenge moms to Get Up, Get Moving, and Go Running! Be sure to “like” Go Running Mom on Facebook if you enjoyed this post.

For more frugal ways, visit Life As Mom. Running is definitely a Finer Thing!

Running: Frugal and Effective Exercise for Budget Savvy Moms is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First

Happy Freebie Friday! Here are a several fun freebies to kick off your weekend:

Vista Print’s great offer for 140 free custom address labels has returned! Pay just $3.16 total for shipping. Great way to label those school supplies!

Sign up with York Photo, a new online photo processing site and receive 40 free prints in your account.

Get ready for a free backpack from Staples next week. {Backpacks are free after Easy Rebate.}

Download the free 40 Healthy Snack Recipes Cookbook.

Use promo code G418A for a free one night movie rental at the Blockbuster Express Kiosk.

Choose your free Kotex sample pack.

Here is another sample of Nexxus Therappe Shampoo, Humectress Conditioner, and Deep Conditioner.

Grab a free sample of Oxy Clinical.

Download your free copy of The Skinny Cheese Cookbook.

Teachers and HomeSchool Teachers can sign up for a free fitness kit from Subway.

Sign up for Groupon, a daily email containing coupon savings of up to 90% for restaurants, stores, and more in your area.

(Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom, Fashion Cents for Mom, For the Mommas, iGOBOGO, and Surviving the Stores!)

For more freebies, check out Coolsavings. As always, I recommend using a separate email address when signing up for free samples and offers.

Don’t forget every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Friday! Search and win with Swag Bucks to win big and earn free gift cards and more!

Freebie Friday: Kotex, Staples, and More! is a post from: Keeping the Kingdom First