January's Savings for the Children

In a very recent post, “Changing Lenses and Being Reminded of Life’s Equation”, I explained an ongoing project for saving extra dollars each month, with the goal of donating them to charitable organizations which provide critical necessities of life for children, both here and the world over.  So, guess how much we saved just in January?  $198.79!!  How cool is that?

We most likely will not be able to save that much each month.  We took advantage of some good January sales.  For example, Ale’s birthday is January 11^th.  We bought him a wireless printer while the price was marked down by $30.  I took advantage of some 50% off sales to pick up a couple of light weight sweaters that are particularly good to have in North Carolina.  (Several were only $5.18 before tax.  I do love a good bargain!)  I bought a few actual Christmas decorations that will be for a table design I am going to work on.   A package of 4 cost $0.70, for example.  I bought some hostess gifts for only $0.50 for a “girls’” get together I had.  One of our grocery stores gives a 5% senior discount every Thursday.  We buy pretty much only what is on sale (that we actually use, of course) and then get another discount by buying on Thursdays.  This month we saved $25.84 and got one free submarine sandwich!   We get “senior” coffee at McDonald’s for $0.42 a cup.  I gave up something I wanted that would have cost $12.  But I pretended I was living during the Great Depression and came up with a creative alternative using some things I had already.  I liked doing that.  I used to be impressed with ideas and practical solutions my Mom could come up.  (She was a child during the Depression.)  Etc.  Etc. You get the idea.         

I was faithful to calculate the tax we would have paid on any amount saved and added that into the “fund”.  We want to be able to send 100% of the total we would have had to spend for something; not an amount net of sales tax. 

The check goes out today, along with the $104.15 we saved in December, after having already made a contribution earlier in the month.  I have a picture in my head of some small child crying when receiving a shot against a childhood disease.  And to think those tears are possibly caused by our contribution!  But those tears might result in a little life saved or one sure to be far healthier due to receiving the medicine.   In that case, they are priceless tears, aren’t they?

Can’t wait to see what our February total is!