A Journey Through Unemployment, part 3

A continuation on our Journey through Unemployment.(since I do not know how to link to a prior post, click on the label unemployment on the right to see other posts)

Last week, I discussed our infatuation with Dave Ramsey and today I'd like to share some additional ways in which God provided financially through couponing and odd jobs.

Prior to unemployment, I began couponing.  I learned to score deals by doubling coupons with store sales, stockpiling and playing the drugstore game.  Some might even say that I became quite obsessed with the process.  I would have to admit that I did.

I scoured blog world and followed sites such as moneysavingmom.com and southernsavers.com.
Couponing helped me stretch our food and household necessity budget further.  I was able to stock up on basic cleaning supplies, toiletries and food items. I found coupons not only for necessities, but for splurges as well.  It's amazing how many free or nearly free meals we scored at restaurants as well as miscellaneous things such as coffee, movie, and gifts. Most of all, I learned how to spend less and spend wiser.  All skills I would need when our budget was dramatically decreased.


God provided a part time job for me.  A few months before the job loss I began substituting at the girls' school for something to do and some extra money.  I say God provided the job, because during the next school year I worked as much as possible.  It didn't bring in a large amount of income, but it helped.  The crazy thing is, that if I hadn't started working in the school prior to the job loss, I never would have had the opportunity to work the following school year.  You see, the county had major teacher lay-offs and did not hire additional substitutes for an entire year!


God also provided numerous opportunities for Kyle to work odd jobs.  He would do anything asked.  He hung lighting for a church ministry, ran wires for another, remodeled a bathroom, layed tile, screened a pool room, and so on.  He never turned down an opportunity no matter what the pay was.  He worked hard and took every odd job as a blessing. 

Just when we thought we couldn't make it, God would provide something for us.

In my next post I will share some of our blessings and struggles.