Benefits to couponing...

If you are into couponing, you know how much fun it can be... but you also know that you can end up with a lot of stuff. I enjoy sharing my deals with friends and family that don't coupon and showing them what I was able to get for free or close to free.

I have a friend who was living in Tokyo for 2 years for her husband's job. After the big earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor drama, she decided to come back to the states for four months with her two girls while things settle down and her husband stayed in Tokyo to work. She rented a furnished apartment and when she moved in a few weeks ago, I was able to put all the above pictured household and personal care items together in a box to help get her started. I figured that the retail cost of all of the items I gave her was around $65, and for everything in the picture I spent less than $10.

If you have any upcoming weddings or housewarming parties... think about using some of your stockpile items to make a gift basket of household or personal care items.