Remember to be Frugal - November Frugal Chatter

[sweet sparrow]

Please start submitting your name submissions for the December frugal chatter thread....I think we will have tons of names to choice from (lol) with Christmas and all.

This isn't a serious suggestion, but for some reason, I remembered "Festivus for the rest of us" from an old episode of Seinfeld. It made me think of the word "Frugavus" for us savers. Ha ha! Please don't put that in the suggestion box, J&C. I'd be so embarrassed.

Inquiring Minds want to Know!!!

How are you planning your Christmas shopping?

Do you have a reason to your madness (1 gift per pay, 1 gift per family, ++++)?

Do you have a celebration bank account that you deposit into all year?

Do you make homemade gifts to lower your expenses?

Draw names or only by for the kids?

Or whatever else, please share your frugal tips!!!

Christmas shopping this year is going to be flying by the seat of my pants. Usually, I'm the one that's done by March, having done my shopping during boxing week the year before. Being sick with LO has changed all of that, plus, she's kept me homebound for most of the year so far. Sometimes, I wonder if I've become albino from not leaving the house. This year, my parents may be getting a digital frame with baby pictures from the first five months of LO's life. The frame was a gift for our wedding that we never used, and they always lamented not having any pictures of her or being able to see her. My sister may be getting a bag of flour (no, I don't hate her). She's been looking for unbleached flour at a good price, and being at a loss for a gift, I'm thinking of giving her my unopened 5 kg bag that I picked up for $2.77. She is completely okay with that.

My brothers, I hope to give something from Canadian Tire that I will pick up with the $5 off coupon. SIL will get a new pretty bottle of lotion she's never tried before from the stockpile, and BIL will get a book from Amazon with Swagbucks. That will save up the money for the nieces and nephews who will get around $20 each (there are four of them, plus one birthday, for $100). That leaves DH and his parents, plus a niece/nephew (name yet to be drawn), who we have a limit of $30 for.

No celebration bank account, just the main one that we keep saving into. All the homemade gifts seem to cost quite a bit. The year I made soap didn't turn out to be frugal, and DH's homemade gifts are very detailed (expensive). I hope he's not planning on anything homemade....

Lots of madness, little reason. One year, I bought DH's clothing gifts at a boxing day sale. Because there was a strict return policy, and DH likes surprises, I made him try them all on in the bathroom with the lights off. After that, they all went into storage to be brought out for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. There are no occasions near Christmas so he forgot all about them when the time came. I keep a stockpile of gifts for certain people so I'm not in a frenzied rush come Christmas/birthdays, but I have to admit the system doesn't work as well with the new baby.

[sweet sparrow]

Question of the Day???

Are you shopping this Black Friday or Black Friday weekend?

What is your sought after purchase?

What is your plan of attack? Get to store at opening, get someone to stay with the kids will you venture out to the store at the crack of Dawn, you get there when you get there?

Ask for a raincheque if available?

Order online instead?

what are your thoughts on this years Black Friday sales?

Just dropping in from hiatus to check in with everyone. We were a hairline away from exceeding our download limit on our computer this month. I missed the free Kinder eggs, but otherwise, was pretty productive on the laundry front.

We do need a few groceries, but apart from that.... I'll have to see what DH thinks about shopping.

I need a copy of NHL 14 for DH. I think that's it. It usually goes on sale around boxing day. I remember getting NHL 13 for $12 last year, when it first came out on a FS one day sale with a $10 GC win. DH was so impressed and I was so pleased.

I'm going online as much as possible. There's no way I'd get anything with LO. With her BF schedule, I'd have to leave the lineup when the cashier finally comes into range. Plus, there's no way with these 4 AM feedings that I'm getting up at the crack of dawn to get anything. They'd have to be handing things out for free with $200 GCs for me to even attempt it.

The only things that are black are my fingers from going through all the flyers... That's my thought on this year's sales. Ha!

[Frugalbigmama]

TGIF! Well we have one Ipad mini at $249. On the hunt for a 2nd deciding that both boys will get one. If another isn't found by the afternoon then I will order from apple.ca for $319 with free engraving and shipping and a $50 GC that I can use towards covers so still not a bad deal. And airmles I'm ok with that

[MrsSunshine]

I'm desperately trying to come up with some 'knock my socks off' gift ideas for dh. He's asked for the following. A webcam for his work vehicle. A lens for his phone(one that attachs)
plus there are other various things too, fill ins in video sets he already has.. ie Starsky and Hutch #2 of 1-5.
my word last year it was so easy. I was done already..yeesh.
I'm going today to take advantage of the Aftereight mints on at Foodland. either at WM or NF's both will accept a phone flyer picture. on for $3.99 plus i have 2 $1 off coupons. perfect to finish off my treat platters for xmas.

[lizzie bargain]

Here is my frugal and not so frugal shopping so far
Great niece who is almost 2-outfit picked up on sale in June at Spokane Gymboree for $7 plus a wooden Melissa and Doug ballerina puzzle secondhand but in new condition for $1.25 on Kijiji
Friends Triplets who are almost 2- matching jammies this morning at Target $5 each plus Kijiji wooden puzzles for $1.25 each
Daughter 14-big splurge and not frugal here. Keith Urban ticket $105, Mac Book Air on sale for $899 and she will need a lightweight device for starting high school so figured we would call it an Xmas gift as well-for the last 3 years she has been using a second hand laptop which was given to us.
Husband-sleep pants today at Target $7 and Wrangler jeans at Target for $17
2 Nieces in US-sent a cheque( $150.00) for them to choose their birthday/Xmas presents
Student-will look for something small as her parents sent her a parcel
Stocking stuffers for extended family-perhaps free at SDM bonus redemption tomorrow

Total is looking like $1250-1300 which is about $900 more than I would normally spend because of the Macbook which was a planned purchase for 2014 anyway and on sale-in any case it is all paid for and I am glad to suddenly be almost done! My hubby and I don't spend much on each other but just buy things through the year as we need then and find a good price.

[Frugalbigmama]

Just ordered 2 things on Amazon. Season of How I met your mother for ds (bought Seasons 2-5 in the summer but waited till #1 was as cheap and Season 1 of Spartucus for BF

[blueeyetea]

I just plan to check out Apple.ca tomorrow to buy an Ipad for DS.

If you don't mind sharing, which one are you getting him? I was checking the site yesterday to see how much the one I want would cost. Yikes! If i included a protective case, it came close to $900. That was for the 64K iPad Mini. Maybe I should go through the list of why I want one again. Sheesh. It's making the Android tablets more enticing, that's for sure.

[blueeyetea]

If you collect airmiles, then don't forget to go through the airmiles shop for 10x the airmiles.

Good point.

I always wonder if those programs are worth it. Since one of my friends is always telling me that she travels on points, I decided to check out how many points to get a free night's stay at a hotel. By the time I have enough points, I will have spent over $20,000.

[Sunshyne1]

One year, I bought DH's clothing gifts at a boxing day sale. Because there was a strict return policy, and DH likes surprises, I made him try them all on in the bathroom with the lights off..

OMG that's hilarious! But such a smart idea! I love it!

[jasperandchar]

Hi All, got a ride into town with inlaws, got the 40" Phillips LED tv on sale for $298. + $35.00 eco fee + taxes - $265. in WM rewards, = great cheap gift for both boys from Santa, and a xbox360 Diablo3 game on for $39.99 + 3 scratch protector instead of $59.99, so pretty happy. Done shopping for ds#1 now to start shopping for ds#2 who only has 5 things on his list, 3 of which my mil just purchased . MIL purchased xbox Skylanders swap force at EB games today and purchased 2 sets of 3 guys at Costco last week, so it's a shared gift (starter kit) and then their own guys. Still waiting to hear back from the mechanic about the car, he told me yesterday he would have word today, I'm hoping he didn't send it out for a diagnostics or I'll hit the roof. Started my Christmas list and it's even more pathetic than usual , I would rather have things done around the house or items that we already have assembled (lol), it seems that if I ask for things to be assembled they get done.....a little pressure I guess but seriously I don't need or want anything that is in affordable price range, I would love a new couch but don't think the inlaws will buy me one (haha). Does anyone know what type of warranty that Lazy Boy offers, I know they are a very reputable brand and thinking it maybe worth spending a little more???

[jasperandchar]

Question of the Day????

Do you re-organize or re-decorate your house home by using items you already own? It could be moving your couch, chairs around in new set-up, anything goes, changing cushions, curtains, etc anything goes. What have you done or used elsewhere in the house?

Inquring Minds Want to Know!!!

Do you mail out Christmas cards to family & friends?

How do you decide who to send them to?

And do you send a card even if you don't get one back?

[jasperandchar]

Question of the Day????

Do you re-organize or re-decorate your house home by using items you already own? It could be moving your couch, chairs around in new set-up, anything goes, changing cushions, curtains, etc anything goes. What have you done or used elsewhere in the house?

Inquring Minds Want to Know!!!

Do you mail out Christmas cards to family & friends?

How do you decide who to send them to?

And do you send a card even if you don't get one back?

I am constantly moving furniture around the house in particular the living room as it's ackward with the fireplace bang in the middle of the room and a really low window where couches or whatever block it.
I used to mail cards out to everyone (family & friends) but now I only send to those that send me a card last year.

[MrsSunshine]

Question of the Day????

Do you re-organize or re-decorate your house home by using items you already own? It could be moving your couch, chairs around in new set-up, anything goes, changing cushions, curtains, etc anything goes. What have you done or used elsewhere in the house?

I mainly buy things at garage sales, that way its easy to donate older items when I replace them. The most disposable item we've gone through is tables.
Inquring Minds Want to Know!!!

Do you mail out Christmas cards to family & friends?
yes, close family and a few friends.

How do you decide who to send them to?
Usually the ones we've received the year before get them. keep the old cards and take them out for reference.

And do you send a card even if you don't get one back?
Depends, if we've already sent out a card to someone and don't receive a card back, the following year we won't add them.

speaking of which.. i really need to get my cards done. LOL

[thriftygranny]

Just mailed out my cards today and every year it seems I am sending fewer, partly because my Aunts and Uncles are passing away at an alarming rate!They are all over 80 so the list is dwindling. I do send a few to friends and of course my siblings that are out of province, and i hand deliver a few to friends and neighbors.

[Frugalbigmama]

I haven't done cards in years but I'm going to do some this year Will try and tackle that Sunday when getting ready to decorate.