Frugal June Bugs - Frugal Chatter continued

[alicia]

Well life just decided that, even though the last six to nine months have been absurdly busy (finishing/defending my PhD while working full time, interviewing for jobs from BC to NS, then the old job overlapped with another fulltime job 4.5 hours away (yay 80 hour weeks), moving, trying to sell a house,... you see where I'm going with this ) that the next month will be also crazy busy. Back to 60 hour work weeks... Oh well, at least I get overtime?

So my fiance is on domestic duty - we will see how frugal we can be with that. Fingers crossed my ways have rubbed off on him at least a bit.

[sweet sparrow]

(I tend to get in serious trouble when I get sick and miss family events because it is my fault I got sick and do it on purpose and do not see how rude my actions are). Sorry for my rant, back to shopping.

I am not feeling well and do not want to be shopping and for some reason mom decides she is going to wonder and needless to say something that should have taken a couple of hours took almost all day. Plus every time I turned around she put things that were not on the list in the cart and when we got to cash I was told I was paying. The worst part is she knows I need to be organized at check out or do freak out I start shaking and just kind of shut down (not my best quality I know) but you would think since she knows this happens she would not force the situation on me.

Oh my, that sounds so stressful. I get blamed for getting sick as well, but then I get yelled at for not taking public transit, which is where I get sick.

Sorry you had such a hard time. Family can be stressful. I know I'll be a little more edgy next month once my mother comes to live with us and I may have a few meltdowns with Mom, DH, and new baby while sleep deprived.

I am debating hiring my friend to give my house a good cleaning. (she is not working and could use the money) I just can't get everything done/keep up. (And I have a bad back that gest worse when I'm cleaning house/etc so sometimes I think it makes sense for me to hire someone now and then?) I work full time so spending a few $'s now and then I think makes sense instead of putting myself in pain and not being able to work? I can afford it but I'm just so frugal/cheap lol I'm starting to get at a point where I'm ok not saving every single penny (I still save and am frugal shopping but we enjoy life too, travel etc) Then I think I should just do it and save the $$$$. I can't decide.

That sounds really nice of you. If your friend could use the money and it would help you out, it sounds beneficial for both of you.

Really wish life would stop sh*tting on us. We are trying so hard to save money and it is like one bad thing after another keeps happening to us.

I can empathize a bit with you. At the end of last year, I thought I was doing well on the budget. Somehow, I lost $220 in cash, which I never found again. Then, I damage my wedding set, costing over $300 to fix. This year, I thought I'd just about recovered from last year, plus getting everything together for the baby's arrival, just to lose my gold pendant that I've had for a decade. I spent this morning filling out the police report and the weekend scouring the parking lots, trails, buildings, and places where it could have been lost.

I know it's hard but try to think of the thousands you've saved on the AC and furnace and all the other things you've done really well. You've done a heck of a job saving money.

I'm trying to keep in mind that it's all first world problems for me. My parents and other close friends and family are dealing with health issues and pains. My problems aren't really problems in the big picture and I should just call it a day and have some chocolate ice cream. There's nothing else I can do about these issues and I need to focus on other things.

[sweet sparrow]

Thanks for the good vibes! I am just very overwhelmed and anxious right now, more worried about the SIN that was in his wallet now he just told me he needs to get it replaced. I asked what it was even doing in there in the first place!

If it wasn't in the car, and fell out on the driveway, it is probably long gone by now as well. We had a huge storm last night and since our street is under construction we have no sewers, so our road was one huge river flowing east.

Think I may drive down to tim horton's and get an herbal tea, my anxiety is through the roof lately and can't take any of my anxiety meds while pregnant

Have you called the police station to see if it's been turned in? I had that idea as well, that my necklace may have been washed down the sewers with the heavy rains.

[jasperandchar]

I couldn't even imagine working all those hours and having to do household things, take advantage of your reduced work week and try and enjoy life.

Well life just decided that, even though the last six to nine months have been absurdly busy (finishing/defending my PhD while working full time, interviewing for jobs from BC to NS, then the old job overlapped with another fulltime job 4.5 hours away (yay 80 hour weeks), moving, trying to sell a house,... you see where I'm going with this ) that the next month will be also crazy busy. Back to 60 hour work weeks... Oh well, at least I get overtime?

So my fiance is on domestic duty - we will see how frugal we can be with that. Fingers crossed my ways have rubbed off on him at least a bit.

[cath007]

This afternoon I am just tired of everything.....

[saundyl]

I think they need to hold the deposit for 3 years so you should be ok after that

I had my secured card from christmas of 2011 and this spring i received my security deposit back along with a upgraded credit card. I was told a lot of it has to do with the on time not missed payments to the capital one card....even if your credit goes up if you miss a payment to the secured card it starts recounting. I've heard however of people having to fight to get their deposit back.

[blueeyetea]

ARRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!! For example, I could buy a Knorr rose sauce mix for less than $3 (x2) or make my own which costs twice that. But making my own isn't filled with yucky ingredients. Sigh....

Rose sauce is nothing else than tomato sauce and whipping cream. Very cheap to make. All you need is an 8 oz can of tomato sauce to which you add garlic and herbs, and about 1/4 cup of whipping cream more or less to taste. (Milk is too thin and doesn't provide the same consistency, that's why the Knorr sauce has cornstarch and wheat flour.) That's about $2 worth of ingredients.

I used to make this often when I could eat wheat. I'd buy a pound of fresh tortenelli, split it into three plates (one each for me and hubby and a spare for lunch the next day.) and that was that. Quick, easy and tasty.

[blueeyetea]

Those scammers called me again from microsoft on Thursday I told them where to go and to make a note that I don't have a computer. They call every 4 months or so.

What happens if you give them information, what happened to your FIL's computer? just curious

Enjoy your visit.

If I'm not mistaken, they tell you to go turn on your computer and go to the link they tell you so that they can access your computer remotely. Last time they called I told them I knew it was a scam and that my phone line was being monitored by the RCMP for fraudulent activities. They never called again after that, so I'm thinking my little ploy worked, but it could be just a coincidence.

[Angela273]

I was quite happy with my purchases at Sobeys. They have their 1/2 off sale this week. I picked up Black Diamond Cheese slices 500g for $2.94 each (bought 4 of them). They each had $10 in coupon in it along with a pin for their online contest. I picked up 4. I wasn't sure what the coupons were inside. Opened it up when I was home and discovered that one of the coupons was $1.50 off the cheese that I just bought...debating picking up more because they are $1.65 each with these new coupons.
I also purchased 1/2 price Shreddies (my favorite, so I bought 8). Each of them had a pin for their contest. I just entered 3 pins and won another box of cereal. The expiration dates on the cheese and Shreddies is a long ways off, and we will certainly eat it before then.

[saundyl]

If I'm not mistaken, they tell you to go turn on your computer and go to the link they tell you so that they can access your computer remotely. Last time they called I told them I knew it was a scam and that my phone line was being monitored by the RCMP for fraudulent activities. They never called again after that, so I'm thinking my little ploy worked, but it could be just a coincidence.

On occasion they put key tracking software on as well to gain passwords....depends on how far people let them get. i have always recommended to anyone who fell for it and brought their pc into the shop to call the banks and let them know - i know of a family who let them run to completion and even gave them a credit card number. They didnt think anything of it until they went to the bank to with draw funds and found out all their accounts they accessed within the week had been emptied of funds. The chequing the joint savings and both of their daughters accounts.
I always recommend to change all passwords AND security questions to emails bank accounts and any credit cards. I personally would go so far as to change the one for points accounts as well.

[blueeyetea]

Really wish life would stop sh*tting on us. We are trying so hard to save money and it is like one bad thing after another keeps happening to us

I totally understand where you're coming from.

I should check astrological charts to see is Mercury is in retrograde these days. We just found out two weeks ago that we need to have our oil tank replaced, and on Friday we came home to find that part of the tree in the backyard had fallen, which means the rest of the tree that is still standing problably needs to come down as well. All in all, we're looking at about $4,000 in expenses...

[jasperandchar]

Oh cath007 hope things turn around soon for you!

This afternoon I am just tired of everything.....

[Caseythegoalie]

I had my secured card from christmas of 2011 and this spring i received my security deposit back along with a upgraded credit card. I was told a lot of it has to do with the on time not missed payments to the capital one card....even if your credit goes up if you miss a payment to the secured card it starts recounting. I've heard however of people having to fight to get their deposit back.

OK, well they increased my pathetic limit of $300-$1800 in the first year(June 2012) and then this year nothing.(so far). My payments have been on time (I'm pretty sure) and usually I make 3-6 per month to avoid interest as I just like the convenience of not carrying cash,etc. Fingers crossed. It was $300 so it would be nice to get it back!

[Caseythegoalie]

I was quite happy with my purchases at Sobeys. They have their 1/2 off sale this week. I picked up Black Diamond Cheese slices 500g for $2.94 each (bought 4 of them). They each had $10 in coupon in it along with a pin for their online contest. I picked up 4. I wasn't sure what the coupons were inside. Opened it up when I was home and discovered that one of the coupons was $1.50 off the cheese that I just bought...debating picking up more because they are $1.65 each with these new coupons.
I also purchased 1/2 price Shreddies (my favorite, so I bought 8). Each of them had a pin for their contest. I just entered 3 pins and won another box of cereal. The expiration dates on the cheese and Shreddies is a long ways off, and we will certainly eat it before then.

Awesome! I was there today too. Used my $15. in points so total oop was $6.37 for my lactose free milk 2L, one case of water, two bags of apples, two boxes of eggo waffles and a carton of coffee cream I also got a SCOP for a package of turkey pepperettes that scanned wrong. yay.

[jasperandchar]

good grief blueeyetea, tree removal is so costly if possible consider renting a cherry picker and having someone (dh or friend) take the tree down with chainsaw, this may not be possible given the location or size of the tree but if so something to consider.

I totally understand where you're coming from.

I should check astrological charts to see is Mercury is in retrograde these days. We just found out two weeks ago that we need to have our oil tank replaced, and on Friday we came home to find that part of the tree in the backyard had fallen, which means the rest of the tree that is still standing problably needs to come down as well. All in all, we're looking at about $4,000 in expenses...