I got into couponing about 11 years ago.
I was in $20K of debt and after selling my company (that I didn’t want to sell) to pay the debt off, I started to take my money situation seriously so I never had to be in that situation ever again.
I turned to couponing because it just seemed like the right solution to my problems of overspending.
I started ordering coupons online, from eBay and other sources, started hunting them down in the stores, joined a bunch of couponing communities and I got to work.
:: I saved THOUSANDS of dollars a month.
:: I walked out of stores having them pay ME for my groceries. (Seriously.)
:: I had multiple shelves FULL of products at home, many that I got for free.
:: I became a leader in the couponing industry and was dubbed The Canadian Coupon Queen by many.
:: I had not one, but TWO binders full of coupons and I took them with me everywhere I went.
:: I became well-known at my local stores as the “crazy coupon lady” and half of the cashiers hated me and all the extra work they had to do when I pulled up to their till.
And I’m not gonna lie, it was fun for awhile. Couponing became my DRUG. I got high all the time on that shit! I shopped all day long, and some times, in the middle of the night. Whenever was the best time to get a score.
But there are some other things that happened in addition to getting the couponing HIGH –
I ate like shit
My house was clean, but always smelled like chemicals
I would irritate people in the stores by taking dozens of a single product and leaving none for anyone else
I would hold up the line in pretty much every store I shopped at
I spent 12+ hours a day hunting for deals online and in stores, every day
I would get annoyed when I had to pay full price for anything
I always felt like the stores were trying to screw me over
I thought that money was something I needed to HOARD because it would be taken away from me if I didn’t
I truly believed that the only way to live a good life was to save money
But the truth? The truth is that eventually couponing took it’s toll on me. It made me feel like crap. It made me feel like I was abusing the system. It made me feel poor.
Let’s not forget how it affected my mindset!
>> Money is limited
>> Save your money!
>> Don’t spend too much
>> Save more than you spend
>> Buy used everything
>> Rich people are greedy and take all the money
>> Taxes are too high
>> I’m so broke
>> I have so much debt
>> I will never get out of this hole
>> I am useless
>> Life sucks
It was a big, huge, downward spiral and after years of living with this mindset I just up and said “FUCK IT, I’m not living like this anymore”.
I was sick of always being scared to spend money
I was sick of never having much money to begin with!
I was sick of having to use coupons to buy groceries
I was sick of the struggle, really!
And I made the big, scary decision to stop the blog. To give up couponing. To start something NEW and actually enjoy my life again!
I threw away my coupon binders.
I let go of the women helping me with the couponing blog.
I stopped updating the site.
I rid my stockpile of the nasty food and products I got for free.
And soon after making this decision, I discovered the world of online coaching (this is what happens when you simply MAKE A DECISION that things will be better, opportunities to make them better just fall into your lap).
COACHING SAVED MY LIFE.
That is no exaggeration.
Once I discovered the coaching world, got immersed in it, started working with my dream clients, and making money doing what I loved (talking about business and making money!), my life changed.
I was able to talk about what I was SUPER passionate about
I was able to help other people change their lives
I was able to put my marketing and sales talents to work in a big way
I was able to buy healthy, organic foods, household & beauty products without looking at the price tags
I was able to go on multiple trips yearly (in first class!)
I was able to make a difference in the lives of others
I was able to finally be PROUD of myself
I discovered just how wrong the couponing and frugal living world were for me because I didn’t whole-heartedly agree with the whole “save every penny you make or you’re a failure” mindset (I always knew I was meant for BIG things, I pictured myself in gorgeous homes, in private jets, going on lavish vacations, and I knew that was a big NO NO for those in the frugal living community!).
And I also discovered how RIGHT the coaching industry was for me because it would not only allow me to have pretty much EVERYTHING I want in life in terms of experiences and physical “things”, but mostly because I would be able to change someone’s life in a HUGE way, and I would get to do this for MULTIPLE people.
This is what drives me, this is what keeps me going –
It’s YOU. It’s knowing that if I stop sharing, I’m doing you a disservice. You aren’t getting everything you need to succeed. And so I show up and HUSTLE, day after day, to show YOU what you can have. To show YOU what you can be. To show YOU what you can do.
And quite honestly, to show YOU that you can really and truly have it ALL.
Thank you for showing up for yourself.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for doing the work.
Thank you for being the best version of you that you can be.
Thank you for being a leader.
Thank you for doing what you know is right.
Thank you for your work in the world.
You are EVERYTHING.
You deserve everything.
And you know what?
It’s yours! You may not see or feel it right now, but it’s coming. It’s on its way to you. I hope you know just how important your work is in the world. How many lives you are changing. Don’t ever stop putting yourself and your message in front of as many people as possible because SO MANY others need you in their lives.
Keep moving. Keep pushing. Keep doing what is necessary.
This is your time. Take action NOW.
xx,
Cassie