Support Military Families By Bringing Expired Coupons to The Bling Thing

You know that stack of expired coupons you forgot to use and you’re about to toss out? Bring them to downtown boutique The Bling Thing, 131 E. Michigan Ave., Saline, instead. You'll be helping the family of a U.S. military service member.

Bling Thing owner Anne Brandon is collecting recently expired coupons and shipping them to a group that gives them to military families abroad. Military families can use coupons six months beyond their expiration at the commissaries. Brandon was surfing through Facebook when she saw a posting about Coops for Troops.

“What a great idea. They have no value to us anymore. But they can really help out our troops and their families. A lot of military families are struggling right now,” Brandon said. “For the service they provide for our country, it’s the least I can do, really.”

Brandon used her Facebook and Twitter accounts to announce she was collecting coupons at her store. The response was almost instant.

“A woman from the Flint area saw my posting on Facebook and she asked for my address. The next day, her husband was at my store with a giant wad of coupons,” Brandon said.

Brandon, whose business does a significant amount of volume through its website, ships each day. So she figured it wouldn’t be much trouble add a drop box and ship the coupons as they came in. She does ask that donors separate coupons for food from the coupons for other items, like cleaning supplies, pet products, hygiene products and paper products. Donors are also asked to cut out the coupons before donating them.

The Bling Thing is one of just five drop-off locations in the U.S., according to the Coups For Troops website.

Using her business to spread goodwill is nothing new for Brandon and The Bling Thing. In April, she hosted the “Passion for Fashion” show at Stone Arch Arts and Events. The event helped raise money for Dress for Success Michigan, a group that helps lower-income women find the attire they need for job interviews. Earlier this year, she held a birthday party for her dog and raised $100 for the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

According to the Coops for Troops website, the program accepts manufacturers’ coupons for food, baby products, personal care, cleaning supplies and pet products. Coupons for specific stores are not accepted. Printed coupons from the Internet can be used. Because of the time it takes for packages to get to recipients, donors should send coupons that have only expired in the last month or two.