The thanksGiving Series part 4

(Here is the Saving Jar after the first three days. Already, it contains $32.49)

In case you missed the beginning of this thanksGiving series, we are focusing on the "giving" part of thanksgiving this year. Because fiscal responsibility and good stewardship of the blessings God has entrusted to us have been themes of mine recently, I've started trying to make consistent efforts to cut back on my spending, while still living well. The idea behind the Saving Jar is to corral those daily savings in one place and, at the end of the month, use that money to invest in the Kingdom of God in some way. 

Today's savings started a few days ago, when I wanted to roast a chicken. I have a great recipe which I will share at another time. Since I was going to Sam's, I thought I'd find a good price on a chicken. It turned out that the only whole chickens were in bags of two. They were lovely chickens, but they were $13.88 for two, which averaged out to $6.94 per chicken. I might have gone for it if the rotisserie chicken rack hadn't been in my line of sight. The Sam's rotisserie chicken, reported to be the best in town, was only $4.98 per chicken, it is a big bird, and it's already cooked! What's not to love? It put it in the basket, and saved $1.96. 

With the $1.96 I saved on the chicken and the $32.49 I had already saved this week, the Savings Jar now holds $34.45 after only four brief days! Just imagine what it will hold by the end of the month! Just imagine what kind of good my efforts to be frugal can yield! 

I have used that chicken to make a big pot of chicken and wild rice soup, chicken quesadillas, and eaten it plain with stir fried vegetables. And there is still a little chicken leftover for chicken and white bean chili! The chicken was delicious and I, once again, have lived well. I didn't miss my roasted chicken at all, and I especially did not miss cleaning the roasting pan! 

This business of spending less and saving more is not as hard as you might think, and it builds up faster than you might imagine. Why not join me in the effort? Working together, we can do amazing things!