Frugal Festivities - December Frugal Chatter

[Frugalbigmama]

Hi all! Snowing like crazy here today. Went to RCSS and pm'd a few things. Redeemed a few FPC's I had left to use. We are having New Years with the kids, so making pizza (free) garlic bread and nachos for dinner and hanging out. PM'd the tostitos for $1.97 from Food Basics. Grabbed a few bags to last us the month. Hope everyone has a great evening

[Frugalbigmama]

oh and had a kijiji sale last night! $10 for DS's too small snow pants! Will start my 2014 selling crap we don't need envelope Maybe use the $ for garage sale or ?

[Angela273]

I want to express my frustration. I am very upset, frustrated, and sickened by the information that I just learned. This has cost me HUNDREDS of dollars this year.

I have been on expensive injection bloodthinners since Nov. 2007. I have received two different letters from the government in the last two weeks. One is for my Exceptional Drug Status - which helps to pay for my expensive bloodthinners. The second letter is my Special Support Program. I called and spoke to a woman on Dec 20th, when I received my SSP letter. I followed her information, which was partially incorrect. She told me that my coverage would be sort of backdated to the day that I faxed in my proof of income. I faxed in my pay stubs for the last four months on Dec 23rd & was told that I do not need to submit my husbands because his income has not changed.
I called today and spoke with a different woman at the same place. She re-assessed my SSP with consideration for my expensive medication. This is where I got extra upset. It turns out that the SSP calculates my coverage based on our income and the provincial average for medication costs. Problem is that MY medication is about $700/month before any coverage. Turns out that in order for my actual monthly drug expenses to be used in this calculation I need to personally call and get it adjusted...because they missed catching this error themselves. It cost me HUNDREDS of dollars extra this year because someone did not catch this mistake and I was not previously informed of it. This lady re-assessed my coverage based on my EDS, but did not have my paystubs, so that will be re-assessed at a later date. This decreased my portion of the medication by 10%. Problem is that I filled my prescription again just before Christmas and what this lady did is what the FIRST lady should have done for me. I guess this means that I will continue to call back in January. I asked if there was any way for this mistake to be backdated and fixed. She said that it certainly couldn't be fixed on the last day of the year. I pointed out to her that I talked to someone else at this number 1.5wks ago, but that doesn't make a difference. She said that she was working on paperwork from about Dec 8th.

It frustrates me to no end because I work so hard to try to reduce our expenses (in reasonable ways), and here the government is screwing me yet again. Sorry for that word choice, but I think that it fits in this situation. I'll tell dh about it all when he gets home tonight. I feel exhausted and currently don't have an appetite after all of this.

[MrsSunshine]

(((hugs))) Angela.. hopefully everything works out for you in the end.. keep records all papertrails, phone conversations, receipts. Good luck hun.

[SassyAshley]

((((hugs))) Angela, hope they are able to correct and back date it for you.

[Insane]

I like this idea too but do not think it would work easily for us. It`s great in the early weeks because you only put in a few dollars each week, but in the later weeks of the plan you are putting larger amounts away. I think I may try doing something similar but instead just make it something like $25 a week for the full 52 weeks. You still end up with $1300 at the end of the year but on a weekly basis it is a more manageable amount.
You just really have to do whatever works for you , but it`s a great idea.

Same. It's easy for the 1st have of the year, but the 2nd half would be too hard. People often forget the long term aspect of this.

[Crochetlady]

Hope you can get somewhere with this Angela. I`m on a government drug plan too and some things make no sense.

[coupon girl]

happy new year to all us girls -here's to a better year (2014 )for me-hopefully hubby and I can take a trip this year- I could really use one

-hey tallied up what I saved in coupon usage (just coupons only )n Ontario where there is no stacking I saved 1,784.52- a little less than last year but now there is only of us
-29.21 in products from using scop
-$399.64 from gift card promos from in the mail,credit card points,surveys,icoke show passes,pioneer points,esso points,traded for a few gift cards-again down to half from last year-but I didn't shop or do much when my mom was in hospital jan/feb/and march-plus then bought less cause only2 of us
-rebates I got 16.85-plus a few free shirts ,scarf,summer totes and a toque(not here yet)
so I am happy with what i have achieved

-oh yeah saved my son /wife about 100.00 in coupons for Enfamil A + formula-lactose free for my sweet grandbaby "aslyn"
-if you know of anybody who sill has some for trade -I am still interested-will trade a bit more coupons for them too

[jasperandchar]

sorry for the delay, I slept in , here is the link for the January chatter thread, Ring in the savings
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/375323-...a/#post5772161

[jasperandchar]

I want to express my frustration. I am very upset, frustrated, and sickened by the information that I just learned. This has cost me HUNDREDS of dollars this year.

I have been on expensive injection bloodthinners since Nov. 2007. I have received two different letters from the government in the last two weeks. One is for my Exceptional Drug Status - which helps to pay for my expensive bloodthinners. The second letter is my Special Support Program. I called and spoke to a woman on Dec 20th, when I received my SSP letter. I followed her information, which was partially incorrect. She told me that my coverage would be sort of backdated to the day that I faxed in my proof of income. I faxed in my pay stubs for the last four months on Dec 23rd & was told that I do not need to submit my husbands because his income has not changed.
I called today and spoke with a different woman at the same place. She re-assessed my SSP with consideration for my expensive medication. This is where I got extra upset. It turns out that the SSP calculates my coverage based on our income and the provincial average for medication costs. Problem is that MY medication is about $700/month before any coverage. Turns out that in order for my actual monthly drug expenses to be used in this calculation I need to personally call and get it adjusted...because they missed catching this error themselves. It cost me HUNDREDS of dollars extra this year because someone did not catch this mistake and I was not previously informed of it. This lady re-assessed my coverage based on my EDS, but did not have my paystubs, so that will be re-assessed at a later date. This decreased my portion of the medication by 10%. Problem is that I filled my prescription again just before Christmas and what this lady did is what the FIRST lady should have done for me. I guess this means that I will continue to call back in January. I asked if there was any way for this mistake to be backdated and fixed. She said that it certainly couldn't be fixed on the last day of the year. I pointed out to her that I talked to someone else at this number 1.5wks ago, but that doesn't make a difference. She said that she was working on paperwork from about Dec 8th.

It frustrates me to no end because I work so hard to try to reduce our expenses (in reasonable ways), and here the government is screwing me yet again. Sorry for that word choice, but I think that it fits in this situation. I'll tell dh about it all when he gets home tonight. I feel exhausted and currently don't have an appetite after all of this.

oh Angela that's so frustrating & upsetting to say the least. You shouldn't have to argue with them, they should have electronic records of everytime you call in (they are supposed to update your file) maybe they don't do this, however, it does sound likes you have taken careful notes, jotting down the dates you called, etc.

There is absolutely no excuse or reason for them not to fix the error even on the last day of the year, the govement fiscal year only ends March 31, 2014 to be honest and this change can and should be updated to reflect their year end.

Hope you get this resolved as you should not have to be out of pocket HUNDREDS of dollars for someones laziness or their mistake.

[jasperandchar]

happy new year to all us girls -here's to a better year (2014 )for me-hopefully hubby and I can take a trip this year- I could really use one

-hey tallied up what I saved in coupon usage (just coupons only )n Ontario where there is no stacking I saved 1,784.52- a little less than last year but now there is only of us
-29.21 in products from using scop
-$399.64 from gift card promos from in the mail,credit card points,surveys,icoke show passes,pioneer points,esso points,traded for a few gift cards-again down to half from last year-but I didn't shop or do much when my mom was in hospital jan/feb/and march-plus then bought less cause only2 of us
-rebates I got 16.85-plus a few free shirts ,scarf,summer totes and a toque(not here yet)
so I am happy with what i have achieved

-oh yeah saved my son /wife about 100.00 in coupons for Enfamil A + formula-lactose free for my sweet grandbaby "aslyn"
-if you know of anybody who sill has some for trade -I am still interested-will trade a bit more coupons for them too

great job on tracking your savings coupon girl and the amount you saved for you & dh and your son and his new family. Every little bit helps.

[jasperandchar]

sorry for the delay, I slept in , here is the link for the January chatter thread, Ring in the savings
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/375323-...a/#post5772161

bumpg

[LuvToUseCoupons]

Fortinos has Eggos waffles and Pancakes for $3.99 (16), Longos has them for $2.49 (8), and Sobeys has them for $2.99 (8).

Metro and FreshCo carry Natrel Baboo, and I think SDM as well.

Thank you.
Still wasn't able to find the Natrel Baboo milk.
Tried a lot of stores only found it at the Metro, but they didn't have the 1L, only the 2L, so I wasn't able to get it as the coupon was only for 1L, but thanks for the stores suggestions.

[Caseythegoalie]

Well hello Murphy.
1) heater in my car stopped working so fun times driving home in -20 with windows down!
2) furnace not working at home-husband had to call repairman. Paid $120 for him to tell husband he put the tarp on the unit wrong-was blocking the exhaust. So yay for heat in the house.
3) ? Not sure yet waiting for it to happen.
Time to cry.

[Linkon]

Nice post. You have done a great job. I really like it.