Second Job?

Is anyone else getting inundated with Facebook invites from friends that have taken the plunge into multi-level marketing companies? Don’t get me wrong. Most of these companies are legitimate, and sell great products that have been around for decades. Tupperware, Avon, Mary Kay, you know the drill. But of course the trend being that in this economy people are looking for a “second job” as it were to supplement their income. The only problem is that most of us are in the same boat and can’t afford to treat ourselves to a $50 candle.

It is always interesting to watch from afar the American mentality that dictates if you can’t afford something, you must find a way to make MORE money, instead of finding a way to save what you already have. This usually entails a second job. But my philosophy is so much different now that I have been couponing.

In years past I have always shopped, in every aspect, on a ‘need to’ basis. Food, clothing, school supplies, and of course and especially Christmas.  Shopping in this way means that the store gets to tag you at full retail most of the time, unless of course it is your lucky day, and you never cut your spending because you waited until the trip was a necessity. Now, I am not saying that you should run out and buy Calcium supplements because you “might” get osteoporosis (although my mother actually has it.) However, even though I am not a psychic, I can predict many things about your household. They are as follows:

1: If you have children, someone in your house WILL get sick this winter season.

2: At some point you will be cleaning your stove.

3: You ABSOLUTELY will be needing toilet paper in the next week or two.

4: In the next few days you are not going to be in the mood to cook dinner for everyone.

5: By the end of the month you will get doinked with an unexpected bill that will leave you foaming at the mouth (not in a good way.)

6: You will go to reach for something and find that you are out of it. Band Aids, paper towels, toothpaste, pain reliever, skin cream, lip balm...

7: You will say one time this month, “There has GOT to be a better way.”

Well, you know, there is. And you know what my answer is going to be. For as many hours as it takes someone to focus on how to make ‘More’ money, they can be focusing on how to ‘Save’ the money they already have. And at least two of three things will happen, if not all three. They will get more useful and necessary household products for much less money, they will be prepared for things like a sick day instead of having a spouse run to the drugstore and shell out more than ten bucks for a cold remedy, and they might actually have the extra money to buy that $50 candle, to help a friend who chose to get a second job instead of clipping coupons. The choice is yours.