Frugal March chatter (Marching on with Savings) cont'd Frugal Feb....

[Caseythegoalie]

The infamous super-secret perogie recipe from three generations of Ukranians: (super easy)
4 Cups of flour
1 tsp salt
-----------sift together---------

Make a "hole" in the middle of the powder.
Add:
1 Cup warm water
1 Cup warm milk
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup oil

mix all together. Add flour as desired.
When filled, drop in a pot of boiling water (add a bit of oil). When they rise to the top, they are done! (usually 45-60 seconds or so)
Then you just fry them up in a pan when you want to eat them.

[macw1960]

Do you earn any kind of travel rewards for those?

No, but you can keep track of your savings and put in a separate travel account.

[macw1960]

I like the jars or envelopes, this is an example of 1 weeks cash out (does not include my payments such as mortgage, car insurance, etc)
$150.00 for gas (as dh must drive 1 hour to work 5 days a week)
$100.00 for groceries
$20.00 for church
$25.00 for miscellaneous (clothing, stamps, movie rental (which we have not done in well over a month, anything that is not food related)
And if there happens to be a birthday or something I add it in)

THE GAS TAKES A HUGE BITE OUT OF OUR BUDGET!

I've never really been one to use credit cards (CC) only in emergencies and I must admit I have not EVER done a SDM redemption as I find that there is never enough sales at good prices to make it worth my while.

I don't go out of my way to get airmiles or other reward points but having said that I am rural and stores are 20 to 30 minutes away (Independent Grocers, WM, GT) and Sobey's and FB, Loblaws, RCSS are 1 hour away so it's not worth the cash/gas.

I also have OCD with driving issues so I cannot drive 1 hour away it's totally impossible to for me BUT dh does work only a few minutes away from the 1 hour stores but he almost always strays from the list...so ends up costing me a a little extra when I send him.

I am thinking about purchasing WM Gcs with my WM CC and then paying it off right away when they hand me my GC, this way I do get the 1.25% for shopping at WM, this is the ONLY credit card I find gives me the best rewards for my $ and I go to WM weekly.

I don't go out of my way either as I also kind of live in the middle of now where also. I try to use all my FPC's at Sobey's as I get Sobey's points for them. Takes me awhile to get them though.

I have not done many SDM redemptions although they are the cheapest place to buy milk if I am in the vicinity.

I also shop at WM, where I price match also but ours is not a Superstore so I have to buy my meat, veggies and fruit elsewhere.

Gas is so expensive and it seems to keep going up.

[Caseythegoalie]

I do laundry after 7 pm or weekends too. It becomes tricky when you are a shift worker and there just isn't time. I know on my long week when I work Mon, Tues, Fri/Sat/Sun 7-7 I run into problems because when I get home at 8 pm and make the lunches for the next day there is no way I'm doing laundry! Exhausted.

1-2x a week I will use the dishwasher during the day if I forget at night. Especially with all the cooking I have been doing lol!
My stove is gas and my bill has been creeping up the last month. I tried using the crockpot to cook my turkey stock and it worked ok...

[Caseythegoalie]

I don't go out of my way either as I also kind of live in the middle of now where also. I try to use all my FPC's at Sobey's as I get Sobey's points for them. Takes me awhile to get them though.

I have not done many SDM redemptions although they are the cheapest place to buy milk if I am in the vicinity.

I also shop at WM, where I price match also but ours is not a Superstore so I have to buy my meat, veggies and fruit elsewhere.

Gas is so expensive and it seems to keep going up.

I save my FPCs for Metro for the airmiles lol! Great minds think alike

[Caseythegoalie]

I am chatty today, sorry.
Forgot my question.

What is your opinion of Costco memberships?

[macw1960]

There is not one close to me so I can't help you on that one.

[SassyAshley]

The role reversal is something we have had quiet some time, As for permanent not too sure my mom constantly bugs me that I will never move out and this really bugs me but more and more lately by her actions I think it is more she does not want me to leave. Honestly I think a HUGE factor is there is a guy and she will not admit but I think there is some jealousy happening. Whenever he phones and she is around and I get attitude and comments when I get off the phone for awhile I was blowing it off as something else but I am pretty sure now it is jealousy and worry as he does not live locally and she knows soon I will probably start taking off for weekend at his place leaving her behind and I do not think she looks at the other side of it that he will be spending weekends down here too so I will be home those weekends but than again it might be the fact he will be here too meaning I am not all hers.

Thats a tough situation Been there but with a child instead of a parent.
Is this permanent for you?
Sending you a virtual HUG.

There really is a difference to rural living. There are some things that others do not view as a need but when you are living rurally they are a need and in alot of cases it is kind of just a different kind of living. I know for me there are alot of things I do not think twice about doing because for me it is normal, but those living in cities look at me like I am insane or have even been told the money I spend on gas is wasteful but what can I say No Gas = No Drive = No Work.

I don't do the jars but have been keeping track of everything I spend and it sure does add up quicker than you think! I wish I could get DH to do the same but he says "he knows".......sure sure

I have a terrible track record with money and am slowly starting to get my feet wet with credit,etc. Every year that passes I celebrate small victories, no matter how silly. Last Christmas was the first time we paid CASH for gifts, didn't borrow a cent. It was amazing. I am hooked! When I pay my MC bill off next week, my goal is to never carry a balance.
Sorry to get off topic.
Our gas bill is atrocious as well. Both Dh and I commute to work and I believe our gas a month is close to $700 depending on how much extra we are driving. Its disgusting but to live outside a big city is worth it I guess. We could never afford to live closer to his work (Milton) where townhouses are over $200K.

[dreamcatcher1962]

The infamous super-secret perogie recipe from three generations of Ukranians: (super easy)
4 Cups of flour
1 tsp salt
-----------sift together---------

Make a "hole" in the middle of the powder.
Add:
1 Cup warm water
1 Cup warm milk
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup oil

mix all together. Add flour as desired.
When filled, drop in a pot of boiling water (add a bit of oil). When they rise to the top, they are done! (usually 45-60 seconds or so)
Then you just fry them up in a pan when you want to eat them.

Thanks so much.
I would never have known that you had to boil them first, I just assumed that you could fry them right after they were filled.
Am I correct in assuming that these can be frozen ?
Thanks again

[amandabananda]

I tried to save my FPC's for Metro too, but I find they scrutinize every little thing that it's not worth it for me.

We do laundry on the weekends here too, and dishwasher overnight. Ours has a delay feature so we can 'set it and forget it' lol

We've been looking at a Costco membership too and there's not much information for Canada. My MIL has one and says the fruits/veggies aren't the best, but the meat is great quality.

I'll work on my menu plan tonight! I have a ton of FPC's burning a hole in my pocket so I might use those up I need to update my trade list too, it's been too long!

[Insane]

I am chatty today, sorry.
Forgot my question.

What is your opinion of Costco memberships?

When I lived down the street from a Costco we got a membership. The savings on milk alone paid for it. But it's a dangerous place. Very easy to impulse buy. I buy a few things online from them now. (The vaccuum sealer bags are dirt cheap!) But you don't need a membership to order online from them.

Before I filed bankruptcy (actually a consumer proposal, but the end result is the same), I used to have an aeroplan platinum or something. It had an annual fee but we accumulated aeroplan miles like crazy. I also used it for business travel that my employer reimbursed me. They had a no fee one, but the perks to the fee one was what made it worthwhile for me. It had car rental insurance when we rented a car and it also had delayed bag insurance. So if my bags got lost (and they do ALL the time-although knock on wood, they haven't in over a year!), I could go buy some clothes to last me until my bags got to me. This is particularly important when you arrive at a business conference and the only thing you've got is the jeans you are wearing-eek! There is a competitor website that has a certain primairy colour in it's name that has a detailed analysis of the various credit cards.

Today is meal planning day. I noticed the sugar I buy is onsale this week. Just in time-I opened the last pack just the other day!!

[Caseythegoalie]

Thanks so much.
I would never have known that you had to boil them first, I just assumed that you could fry them right after they were filled.
Am I correct in assuming that these can be frozen ?
Thanks again

Oh yeah. The dough is quite sticky so I throw down quite a bit of flour to roll it out. I also use a glass to cut out my circles of dough. They are more uniform that way.
They freeze wonderfully too! Enjoy

[Insane]

Our bills are divided up by beginning and middle of the month. Although I get paid every 2 weeks, so every once and awhile it doesn't line up perfectly. For us using cash/gc works really well. Everything from cat food to misc expenses comes out of our cash "float". Once that money is gone,there is no more until the next withdrawl date. But it keeps us from impulse buying cause you only go to the store with so much money in your hands!

We don't have time of use here. But our hydro bill was $260 last month! EEK! The highest it's been in at least a year! Our hydro is weird. This month it's 27.6cents/KWh (plus all the silly fees). But the rate goes up and down a bit depending on how much electricity you use. The rate is LOWER if you use more and HIGHER if you use less!! Doesn't that seem backwards to you? Like where is the incentive to save electricity?? The hydro company says it's "supply and demand". It's totally messed up in my opinion. We are propane heat, not electric thankfully!

[SassyAshley]

I think Costco all depends on your families needs. My mom buys all her icing sugar as it is cheaper and we buy on occassion we will buy other things there like magazines, books and various other things. You really need to know your prices to shop there some things are cheaper some are not.

When I have found costco extremely handy is when you are throwing a party and cannot wait for sales. You will be buying everything in bulk and it does work out cheaper if you cannot wait for sales on most items.

Also there is meat is amazing or so I am told. I am too cheap to buy it cause it does cost more but everyone says it is great. Have had their steaks a few times and I was impressed by these.

The big thing is does the membership pay off, for us it does over the course of a year but I know many where it does not.

I am chatty today, sorry.
Forgot my question.

What is your opinion of Costco memberships?

[lecale]

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