My Story

This is us, well almost all of us. 

Were missing one, I am due to have our 7th in July. 

Crazy. 

This isn't really a good example of our family, no one is pinching anyone, at least that I can see. 

(Isn't that the cutest little baby boy you have ever seen?)

I began couponing about 4 years ago with the help of a friend who was a "coupon queen". Every now and then I would venture the 30 miles away to Costco and drool over the rotating can shelving that they had there. But, I never felt like I could afford it. I always put it on my Christmas list. 

Santa never brought me a set. 

Someone talk to my husband about that please. 

I had sets of gorilla shelving everywhere with stacks of cans piled in and never a system to rotate or even know what I had. I would repeatedly buy more cans of things I didn't need because I couldn't see what I had. 

About 2 years ago, my husband got laid off at work. O.K. no big deal, we will just find another job in his same field paying the same salary. WRONG. Out of the past 24mo. he has been unemployed for 19 of them. Our lives changed dramatically. What was a fun hobby, couponing became a necessity and literally saved us each month. My "stockpiles" and "food storage" were what we lived on (and still do). I learned to make dinner for under $1.00 a person and worked hard at cutting every corner. 

We cut our food budget from $1,300 a month for food and toiletries to $425 (in march of 2010) a month and are always looking for ways to make it even less. We found a few things that were very interesting. 

1. Statistics show if you go to the store without a list you spend on average 40% more.

2. If you have someone (usually husbands) run in on the way home to "grab a few things" they buy on average 60% more than what they came in for. 

3. You re-buy many of the items that you already have at home because you don't know that you have them. 

To sum it up: Those little trips to the store are nickel and diming you to death!

What we did was create our own little "Ivanovsky Mini-Mart" in our house. That sounds great and all, but you don't have room?? We didn't either. Our house is a whopping 2,000 square feet, with almost 9 of us and a large dog we are cramped! I had to make it work! I have food EVERYWHERE.

In January of 2010, I read an article about my beloved shelving. Hallelujah! It actually had a name! Shelf Reliance... 

WHAT! They were not going to be selling them anymore in retail stores?

I called the company to whine. 

Where would I get a set?

They informed me that they were only going to be selling them by way of home parties or on the website (home parties have much better pricing BTW) and they also carried long-term food storage items. They forwarded my name to a THE ONLY CONSULTANT IN TEXAS and the rest is history.

I was already writing my money saving blog (www.mylitter.com) and wanted to be able to pass on the savings to my readers, so they could afford a set or two of the shelving in their home that I had needed for so long. The best way and most affordable for my readers was for me to become a consultant. So I am. 

My home is now quiet and peaceful and all is good in the world. Wait. No. But it is now finally much more organized. We have stopped all the hemorrhaging of unnecessary trips to the store. With the Thrive food by Shelf Reliance I have all the "staples" at my finger tips all the time. No running to the store for eggs, milk, sour cream, etc. I have it all here, all the time. I have also saved so much time in my preparation of food. No more cutting and dicing of vegetable, now I just throw in a handful. In fact, my husband has gotten much more involved in the cooking because he doesn't have to cut up anything. 

So thats it. Thats how I became involved. I wanted to pass on the savings to you, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me, mylitter@mac.com 

P.S. Yes, I finally have my set of shelving!! Wooo Hoooo! It is a Christmas Miracle!