December 2016 Frugal Chatter thread (all welcome)

[jasperandchar]

J&C: I have a spread sheet with all of the investments. Only what I consider to be retirement focussed so the TFSA is counted but my ESP (employee stock plan) is not. Every three months I look at the investments and update the spreadsheet with any gains or losses included what we have added to it. Since DH & I both still work full time with employers that have a matching contribution our net worth can grow faster as we have no mortgage so we max out where ever possible. We both hope to downsize our careers in 6 years @ 55 so we are in full on saving mode. but not sacrifice mode, so like you we save before we buy. We are thinking of another road trip to South Carolina in March so I will start setting some money aside for that.
I only started tracking this about 4 years ago and this was the best year by far but any increase is encouraging. I found once I started tracking we seemed more committed to the saving.

That's fantastic, keep up the saving, you're doing awesome

[jasperandchar]

Good afternoon! well after much deliberation I switched my gas and electricity providers to ATCO, not sure if this is Canada wide or just Alberta but they are offering free gas and power for the month of January to old and new customers plus a 50.00 credit every January for 5 years. Not locked in to anything and I chose variable rates which I can change at any time so I couldn't see a downside to switching. I tried to get through 3 different times this week and was on hold for hours but managed to get through today to qualify for the savings.
Christmas is put away except for a few things on the Mantle I wanted out for a few more days, I am on a purge and get organized mission, I need to make roman shades for my office and the powder room so I may venture out to Fabricland tomorrow for their big New Years sale. Having dinner at my middle daughters home with her in-laws, they are an absolute riot so I am looking forward to it. I had made a double batch of hot spinach and artichoke dip on Christmas and froze one and I have a bag of Costco dried ribs and a bit of baking left over so will pack it up and bring it along. We are going to fondue tomorrow, I am still looking up recipes but so far we have a chocolate one and a cheese and will do an oil with some halibut in tempura and some battered mushrooms and zucchini.Should be low key and fun. I have nailed my husband down to go through his closet and purge some clothes tomorrow morning with me so I hope we can make some room, the closet is crowded!!
I am going to track my grocery spending more carefully this year, just out of curiosities sake and try to shave a couple hundred off our grocery bill a month. Just a personal challenge I wanted to set for myself. I believe meal planning saves me a bundle so I am planning on doing more freezer batch cooking.
Enjoy your evening everyone and have a safe and Happy New Year!!

The fondue sounds delicious and fun, enjoy.

Great challenge with the groceries and I always enjoy reading about your batch cooking.

Enjoy the savings on your gas/electricity

[jasperandchar]

hey ladies went to kelseys at 4.30 with hubby's brother and sister-in-law -I saved us 17.99 from the cpn so basically my balsamic chicken was free plus got scene points too
just totalled up my year savings
-coupon usage -only cpns I totalled 574.81 down from 800 and something the year before -okay I don't stock up as much
-other money savings $874.41-which includes shoppers redemption 3 times ,surveys ,aeroplan points ,plum rewards,p.c points redemption ,ebates etc
-refunds 6.97 -need to work on doing a few more this year
-checkout51 and caddle I made 348.10 for the year
-scoops I made 59.19 for the year
-kijiji I made 545.00 for the year

so a grand total of 2,408.48 for the year -down 400.00 less from last year -but then again I am buying less or found less coupons -who knows -pretty happy with the total amount thou for just a family of 2 in our house


happy new years ladies

That's a lot of savings, great job

[jasperandchar]

This was like my Mom's Mom she claimed she was not sentimental and did not keep anything. When you look at her house it looked very well organized and only special items on display. This was until we starting opening cupboards, closest, dressers and drawers, it is shocking how much she fit into that little house. Then we got to her shed which was full of anything and everything me and bro ever owned she kept it all.

I am hoping for full on purge this week with both of us but we will see how the week goes. First thing first is our living room we have some many things that do not belong in the living room. I have already emptied 2 large bins to start packing things in.

Good luck

[jasperandchar]

J and C. My husband tracks all our finances in Quicken-but I am sure there are other spreadsheets you can use too, to calculate the value of all your assets minus debts. This time I was really just looking at cash and investments and not including things like our house and car etc. Anyway it is quite motivating to track and see you are moving in the right direction.

TG-we switched to Atco too a few months ago to take advantage of another promo and are also looking forward to free gas and power for Jan. We drove back from my sisters around Didsbury this evening and lots of cars in the ditch-called the RCMP to come and assist some of them rather than risk stopping and being struck.

Just did online check in for DD-as she is too busy out with her friends for dinner in NYC-they won't be at Times Square though with all the heavy security and I heard people who wait there for the ball drop at midnight have to wait 8-12 hrs with no food, drinks or bathrooms right there-not my idea of a good time. Anyway DD should be back tomorrow evening so we are looking forward to having her back-although it has gone by pretty quickly with company, Xmas etc.

DH and I will have a quiet NYE at home-not big partiers and I don't imagine either of us will be up until midnight!! In fact he just wished me a Happy New Year and it is only 7 p.m., so clearly we will not be ringing in the New Year at midnight! It would appear that 3 of my sisters 4 children will be getting married in the next 18 months, so I imagine my sister and BIL will need to fly back from Argentina a few times! Of course all the weddings seem to be staggered about 6 months apart.

Thanks for the information.

I hope your daughter had a great time visiting her friend.

That's a lot of weddings in short period.

[jasperandchar]

I'm watching Homesteaders Rescue marathon (haha), I enjoy a variety of shows but I love the off the grid ones a lot.

Every New Year eve, it's my own tradition I rid the house of all the garbage, to me it represents a clean start. Doe anyone else do something like this as a tradition/fresh start?

Dh was on a cleaning binge today, I'm not complaining

Happy New's years to all and to all a good night

[thriftygranny]

J and C. My husband tracks all our finances in Quicken-but I am sure there are other spreadsheets you can use too, to calculate the value of all your assets minus debts. This time I was really just looking at cash and investments and not including things like our house and car etc. Anyway it is quite motivating to track and see you are moving in the right direction.

TG-we switched to Atco too a few months ago to take advantage of another promo and are also looking forward to free gas and power for Jan. We drove back from my sisters around Didsbury this evening and lots of cars in the ditch-called the RCMP to come and assist some of them rather than risk stopping and being struck.

Just did online check in for DD-as she is too busy out with her friends for dinner in NYC-they won't be at Times Square though with all the heavy security and I heard people who wait there for the ball drop at midnight have to wait 8-12 hrs with no food, drinks or bathrooms right there-not my idea of a good time. Anyway DD should be back tomorrow evening so we are looking forward to having her back-although it has gone by pretty quickly with company, Xmas etc.

DH and I will have a quiet NYE at home-not big partiers and I don't imagine either of us will be up until midnight!! In fact he just wished me a Happy New Year and it is only 7 p.m., so clearly we will not be ringing in the New Year at midnight! It would appear that 3 of my sisters 4 children will be getting married in the next 18 months, so I imagine my sister and BIL will need to fly back from Argentina a few times! Of course all the weddings seem to be staggered about 6 months apart.

I am glad you made it home on the highway, it isn't nice out there tonight. A woman was killed just a few days ago when she stopped to help a semi that went of the road and another semi slipped off and killed her and the semi driver who went off the road first. So sad. I hope your daughter gets home safely and she had the time of her life!!

[lizzie bargain]

-reposted to Jan

[Natalka]

Good morning! Happy New Year to everyone!



Lizzie, that's very open of you to share all of that info.

Just realized this is the wrong thread, lol!

We're back in the deepfreeze today, ick!

[Ciel]

Ciel-if you can't use your education credit this year can your parents?

No, not likely. Think it`s only full time tuition tax and book and education credits that can be shared with other family members. My credit is from one night course I took in 2008 but I did not have a need to use in subsequent tax returns (too low of income).
My parents have carried some donation credits for years-not sure why tax preparers are not maxing them out each year.Well, maybe when Dad passes, the credits will help with the estate return.

[saundyl]

I may have to disagree with this one, as I sit here immobile. One preschooler is in the room adjacent, lightly asleep, but won't sleep with the door closed any longer.

The other is a 13-day-old newborn and is asleep in my arms. With the two of them, I can't get out to get the mail or the doorstep to get the paper.

So, the big news, our new arrival came on December 10th somewhere between Natalka and Frugalbigmama's posts at 8 AM. She came too early to get to the hospital and was delivered at home by DH and LO. She may work in the medical profession when she's older. Completely not bothered by blood, needles, and the like. Even the quantity involved in childbirth. DH on the other hand, claims to have PTSD. The night I was in the hospital, he woke every hour reliving the experience and feeling rushed and tense.

So, at about 7 AM, I woke with what felt like a cramp. By 7:15 AM, I got up to use the bathroom. At 7:30 AM, I had no idea what was going on but I felt quite in distress. DH left to wake LO, thinking we should get ready to go to the hospital. He passed me the phone so I could time any contractions at 7:45 AM, but there were none, just a constant cramp. Then, I felt like I had to push. I told DH less than a minute apart and he dialed 911.

I was moved to the bed, against my better judgement, and the paramedic told him to get towels and string. Soon, I was told to push, and our new girl was born at 8 AM or 8:02 AM. As soon as she was out, the paramedics were storming up the stairs. Everyone says that they'd never be able to do what DH did, but when there is no plan B....

I've heard that the second delivery is faster than the first, but this is extreme! It's been quite busy, but we've had daily hospital and doctors appointments. LO #2 is very much below her birth weight and a poor feeder. She may have reached the turning point though, as we had quite a positive appointment today. We desperately needed it as DH is back at work and Mum is going home tomorrow. Dad just had a hospital visit and now has limited mobility.

Just an update on a healthy delivery!

Congratulations! Glad she arrived safely although quickly!

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