August Frugal chatter

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning All,
Feeling kind of lazy today, I am on my second cup of tea and watching a show on state fair food. They will deep fry anything and everything.

Not sure how much will get done today, I have to do laundry but not sure what else will get done. Just kind of doing stuff slowly so anything that gets done other than laundry I think will be a bonus.

[jasperandchar]

Good Morning All,
Feeling kind of lazy today, I am on my second cup of tea and watching a show on state fair food. They will deep fry anything and everything.

Not sure how much will get done today, I have to do laundry but not sure what else will get done. Just kind of doing stuff slowly so anything that gets done other than laundry I think will be a bonus.

Take the day off you deserve it

[MrsSunshine]

well it appears im working on sorting through stuff in the basement and pricing it for a garage were having in two weeks.. i swore i was never doing this again, however the whole family is participating to make it easier. be nice to have a whack of extra cash to put away for christmas.

[saundyl]

I'm a little slow posting this this month. My august goals - try not to spend too much while we have company for 10 days. My mom did send me 100 for groceries for when they are visiting which really does help offset some of the cost. I took the time to renew my CAA membership and we have decided that we are no longer renewing the costco membership as its 9 hours away and if we do go we go with family that has one so....saving ourselves $50ish a year.
continue to have my grocery mastercard fully paid off after each use.
We want to do a yard sale when the boys are at hockey camp. (theres toys that have been stored for a few years that they will decide they dont want to get rid of if they are present for the sale)
We still want to paint the living room and dining room areas of the house and remove the extra china cabinet from the house.
I want to stay under my snacks and entertainment budget for the month - not sure if i will manage it. I also want to make it to 3000 swagbucks so i can have my 25 dollar paypal and a 5 dollar amazon card with a bit of a step up on next month. So far im at 1002 points. I like to have it at my goal by the 25th of the month.
I am almost to cashing out out so many cents per litre at esso cash card. I have 2025 esso points as well...need 4500 for 25 dollars gas....

[Giseledta]

We gave up the Costco card 3 yrs ago. never looked back andwe are fine with it. good luck at the garage sale

[lilo0003]

not very frugal but still pleased with today. I just purchased our theatre tickets for when we are in the UK and they have a free event for children in August so for the cost of 2 tickets all 4 of us are going to see We will Rock You. Even the boys are huge Queen fans. Amex totally ticked me off as I was booking it declined my card, most likely as I used it yesterday to book the Harry Potter tour, we are going on our youngest 10th birthday. They will be so excited. So I use Swag Bucks to search Amex to see what's up with my card and I win 20 SB. Everything is fine so I call them and the agent reports it was f l a gged because of yesterdays purchase. Gee why don't you call and advise me then and make sure everything is OK. So she tells me it is cleared to use for ticket master. um no I already used another card. Now I must remember to take that card with me. Next DH is buying the football tickets as the premier league starts its season just as we arrive. This is why I coupon... we have saved for the past year for this trip and it is going to be awesome.

[lilo0003]

We gave up the Costco card 3 yrs ago. never looked back andwe are fine with it. good luck at the garage sale

lol, I am on my way to Costco now. But one has to be very careful there. I like to leave the kids and DH home.

[jasperandchar]

Hung the clothes out to dry, did groceries again with ds#2 - so I am way way overbudget as I did my normal groceries on Wed. so I am about $150.00 over budget on groceries so far....hoping the next few weeks have crappy sales (lol) not really as I still need to stock up on ground beef. I spent $110.00 on steak (freezer stock up) my plan is to have steak on every other Sat. and we are stocked up until Christmas time but it hurts to have had to pay it out all at once. Hope everyone is having a great day. I'm kinda of upset with the family "project freshstart" as when we went to deliver items on Tuesday she had to pry the guy off the PS3 she proudly told me but then mentioned it was being borrowed from his dad. I don't if I should believe that or not but none the less when I first starting getting furniture donations the list was minimal but has since increased by leaps and bounds as she is now claiming that all the furniture that they did have (which I was led to believe they didn't have any) is borrowed and needs to be returned. So I ask you ladies is enough enough? what should I do? Should I continue to get them donations which in my opinion are really not needed as they have furniture???

[SassyAshley]

I think this is a really tricky one. I know myself the fact that the story is now changing would really bother me. I think you need to ask yourself the following questions

1) What are they doing for themselves? You have mentioned they are both on facebook so they must have some form of internet access. Are they helping in the search in the search or sitting back and letting you do most of the work. Even if they are not comfortable using Kijiji or facebook pages (sorry I cannot remember where you said you are collecting the items) are they asking for help are they looking themselves to see what is out there.

2) Do they appreciate what is being done? Do they appreciate everything you have gotten them, will they accept anything or do they have wants that are not simply for function. Ultimately do they act like they deserve it.

3) Could they be using this to upgrade using your work? This one is a bit complicated and there maybe no straight forward answer but could it be they feel you can get them better things than they have so now they maybe getting rid of what they already to upgrade using your hard work (ie existing furniture will be thrown out or given away once they find something better)

4) Are they telling you the truth? This one sucks because it is all based on a gut feeling could they have purchased that PS3 knowing you are collecting items for them so they are not worried about buying them so now they get to treat themselves. Also could there be other items you are not seeing they are treating themselves too.

5) Are they still worried about working things out for themselves or do they just expect it to all fall into place? I find sometimes when someone is getting help they just expect it and now feel others will give them basic needs so now what money have is "free money" ie I don't have to buy clothes so if we want the PS3 buy it because someone will give us the clothes we need.

All and all the situation is tricky. Hopefully you can figure out what is the right choice for you and at the end of the day you have to do what is best for you. You do not owe them anything and if at the end of the day you are going to feel they are lying to you or taking advantage of you is it worth it?

Hung the clothes out to dry, did groceries again with ds#2 - so I am way way overbudget as I did my normal groceries on Wed. so I am about $150.00 over budget on groceries so far....hoping the next few weeks have crappy sales (lol) not really as I still need to stock up on ground beef. I spent $110.00 on steak (freezer stock up) my plan is to have steak on every other Sat. and we are stocked up until Christmas time but it hurts to have had to pay it out all at once. Hope everyone is having a great day. I'm kinda of upset with the family "project freshstart" as when we went to deliver items on Tuesday she had to pry the guy off the PS3 she proudly told me but then mentioned it was being borrowed from his dad. I don't if I should believe that or not but none the less when I first starting getting furniture donations the list was minimal but has since increased by leaps and bounds as she is now claiming that all the furniture that they did have (which I was led to believe they didn't have any) is borrowed and needs to be returned. So I ask you ladies is enough enough? what should I do? Should I continue to get them donations which in my opinion are really not needed as they have furniture???

[jasperandchar]

I think this is a really tricky one. I know myself the fact that the story is now changing would really bother me. I think you need to ask yourself the following questions

1) What are they doing for themselves? You have mentioned they are both on facebook so they must have some form of internet access. Are they helping in the search in the search or sitting back and letting you do most of the work. Even if they are not comfortable using Kijiji or facebook pages (sorry I cannot remember where you said you are collecting the items) are they asking for help are they looking themselves to see what is out there.

2) Do they appreciate what is being done? Do they appreciate everything you have gotten them, will they accept anything or do they have wants that are not simply for function. Ultimately do they act like they deserve it.

3) Could they be using this to upgrade using your work? This one is a bit complicated and there maybe no straight forward answer but could it be they feel you can get them better things than they have so now they maybe getting rid of what they already to upgrade using your hard work (ie existing furniture will be thrown out or given away once they find something better)

4) Are they telling you the truth? This one sucks because it is all based on a gut feeling could they have purchased that PS3 knowing you are collecting items for them so they are not worried about buying them so now they get to treat themselves. Also could there be other items you are not seeing they are treating themselves too.

5) Are they still worried about working things out for themselves or do they just expect it to all fall into place? I find sometimes when someone is getting help they just expect it and now feel others will give them basic needs so now what money have is "free money" ie I don't have to buy clothes so if we want the PS3 buy it because someone will give us the clothes we need.

All and all the situation is tricky. Hopefully you can figure out what is the right choice for you and at the end of the day you have to do what is best for you. You do not owe them anything and if at the end of the day you are going to feel they are lying to you or taking advantage of you is it worth it?

you. You do not owe them anything and if at the end of the day you are going to feel they are lying to you or taking advantage of you is it worth it?Thanks for your feedback it's greatly appreciated and as they say "great minds think alike"since some of the points you raised I was starting to ask myself.

She said the PS3 was borrowed but I don't know anyone kids or adults that have a game systems that could or would be willing to lend it out (this is in the circles of people I know) and those things are not cheap like $300.00 or so plus the games and whatever.

She also told me that the bell satelitte people were out but couldn't do the install that day . Plus they have a landline & internet which are not cheap.

We just got satelitte in December 2012 and it's expensive.

I don't think they are looking or posting that they are looking for items on facebook or freecycle. She told me she signed up for freecycle and posted some stuff but I never saw the post which I would have seen because I belong to those groups and only today did I notice the guy post that he is looking for baby gates and someone posted they had 2 for $15.00 each and he said to email him but when I've asked if they needed a crib or whatever it's always been we don't have $$$$.

I was told that the leather couch they have which looks pretty new is borrowed and the person wants it back. This was only told to me once I started bringing them donations of furniture and now she tells me they need a couch. I told her straight out the big stuff like couch, freezers, mattress no way as my dh had back surgery. Yet today when I pointed out that there is someone on freecycle local emptying a cottage and is giving all contents which would fill a cottage/house she said I'll take....and I said no I told her to arrange to get someone they know to pick the items up for them (it was a freezer, table, vacuum++) I am almost positive that they won't make arrangement to get the stuff.

I do feel like I am being take advantage now and I know if my husand was here he would say enough is enough if I really feel that they are taking advantage of me.

SO I guess my gut is telling me enough is enough, time to stop the gravy train.

[coupon girl]

jasper go with your gut feeling for sure -wow ps3(who knows if its borrowed) bell satellite-hmmm your right enough is enough as your hubby would say-well today have done 3 loads of laundry -also did my daughter`s yesterday when they were her for 3 hours-I like to help them out they are so busy -I also went to visit my sonéwife to take them 2 blankets and 2 outfits made by my mom (who passed away in march ) he girls I didn't cry either -that made my afternoon -then I went to metro and rexall then home -got a few good deals -bragged in the bragging section about them

[lilo0003]

J & C- I agree with the others, trust your instincts. You have done a lot and it seems like you are doing more than the couple is doing. That to me would be a huge concern. If I am helping someone in need I would hope they are working just as hard as I am.

[jasperandchar]

J & C- I agree with the others, trust your instincts. You have done a lot and it seems like you are doing more than the couple is doing. That to me would be a huge concern. If I am helping someone in need I would hope they are working just as hard as I am.

thanks agreed - our gut is usually right, thanks for taking the time to comment and give your opinion I appreciate it.

[jasperandchar]

jasper go with your gut feeling for sure -wow ps3(who knows if its borrowed) bell satellite-hmmm your right enough is enough as your hubby would say-well today have done 3 loads of laundry -also did my daughter`s yesterday when they were her for 3 hours-I like to help them out they are so busy -I also went to visit my sonéwife to take them 2 blankets and 2 outfits made by my mom (who passed away in march ) he girls I didn't cry either -that made my afternoon -then I went to metro and rexall then home -got a few good deals -bragged in the bragging section about them

so thoughtful & kind of you to do your daughters laundry and help them out, I am sure they really do appreciate it. So glad you brought the blankets & outfits over and you didn't cry (crying is okay by the way - tears of joy are fantastic). I'll have to go and read your brag. thanks for your kind words and comments about the family I am helping it's appreciated.

[cdngal75]

same with my car (well dh drives her now) my 90 escort.. ya google that image.. and she just wont' die, he took her last month for an etest.. and the freakin thing passed.. i still say there was a glitch in their system.. however. 2 more years one more try and if she passes..oh my word.. i still get to drive his ford taurus, darn things is sweet to drive. hard on gas but i dont drive far..
anyway.. for today, going to finish laundry, vacuum our room. start working on baking. just really wish i could find mini loaf liners.

That is amazing. How many kilometers are on it?