Ring in the Savings - January 2014 Frugal Chatter thread

[lilo0003]

my big 2014 goal is to catch up two years of the TFSA for DH & I, gulp. that's $21000. We did $16500.00 in 2013 and we have no big vacations planned so this can be done. its our own fault for not starting sooner

[Anna Michele]

Happy New Year Everyone. I dont usually follow these threads but I do occasionaly pop in for some inspiration. This year I need to make some goals and stick to them. I need to pay off my credit card. We are so close I can taste it. I have to eat better spend less and save more. I look forward to sharing ideas and saving alot this year.

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk

[coupon girl]

-granger so sorry about the garage break -in-I had a house break in in my first house -awful feeling-last summer our car was too -of course hubby forgot to lock car -regardless its an invasion of privacy
-yea anna for joining us -if you can taste the credit card bill almost paid off -you can do it girl
-lilo my goal is the same I will not buy shower gel or soap unless its .99 cents or under(even then I will thinking and hard) -with only 2 of us I need to focus on using up the almost 20 bottle's I have

[macw1960]

I have been following and/or contributing to these monthly threads for inspirations and ideas too but I get too caught in reading all the information and fall behind in other things that need to be done.

Hoping to pay off half if not more of our LOC bill this year by living on one paycheck only. I also want to keep downsizing stuff in the house so it will be less to move (hopefully this year). What I can sell will be hitting the consignment stores or if I can't the local thrift store.

Goals for today are to defrost the freezer and take down all the Christmas stuff.

[dreamcatcher1962]

I'm hoping to get our budget back under $450 every 2 weeks! I don't think its realistic though. As for milk, I blantantly refuse to purchase more than 5 jugs (here they aren't in bags, its 4L jugs) of milk a week. Many times come friday they are out. Too bad, no milk for your cereal then. And that doesn't include the toddler's milk because he still drinks homo milk. It drives my husband crazy, but I don't think 5 jugs for 5 people (really 4 cause I don't drink milk but I do cook with it) is unreasonable. Plus, where the heck would I put more milk??

I hear you on the milk. Last saturday I bought 4 jugs (4 of us all milk drinkers) and as of this morning I have about 1/3 of a jug left. (both kids had friends over for a few days) Normally 3 jugs will last us for the week. It's so expensive. Here we pay on average $5.75 a jug unless SDM has it on sale for $5.49 but no coupons on milk here .

On another note, I was thinking of talking to my mom about working together with our grocery shopping to make the most of the PC Plus program. We are both signed up on it and her offers have been different from mine each week. I was thinking that maybe once we have our grocery lists made up we should check our pc plus offers and if she has offers on something that I need, I could get her to buy it for me (and I reimburse her the cost) and she gets the pc points and vice versa.
We only live 5 minutes from each other so we could even make a trip together just for the things we would get points on.

Does that sound crazy?
I'll have to talk to her about it and think about it some more. Not sure it if would be worth the effort.
We'll see

[macw1960]

Freezer defrosted and inventoried.

[Anna Michele]

On another note, I was thinking of talking to my mom about working together with our grocery shopping to make the most of the PC Plus program. We are both signed up on it and her offers have been different from mine each week. I was thinking that maybe once we have our grocery lists made up we should check our pc plus offers and if she has offers on something that I need, I could get her to buy it for me (and I reimburse her the cost) and she gets the pc points and vice versa.
We only live 5 minutes from each other so we could even make a trip together just for the things we would get points on.

Does that sound crazy?
I'll have to talk to her about it and think about it some more. Not sure it if would be worth the effort.
We'll see

Thats what my mom and i do for our sdm personalized coupons but its more based on who has the money to spend lol

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk

[Frugalbigmama]

Good morning! Another cold day here. We have hockey this evening so probably will stay in till then. I am on a mission to clear out the freezer so I can be ready to redeem PC/SDM points in a month or two to restock. So plan is to only buy super sale items and fresh veggies/fruit dairy etc. Found 4 thick pork chops so will bake in the oven with bbq sauce. Canned corn and leftover rice from the other night. Dinner is planned! Did 1 load of laundry yesterday and hung it to dry. Not sure what I will tackle today. Just made coffee so will read here a bit and then get at something!

[lilo0003]

sad day here, I am back at work so see you ladies later

[Frugalbigmama]

sad day here, I am back at work so see you ladies later

I'M back on Monday. It's going to be hard after being off for over 2 weeks!

[Granger]

I too am back on Monday after two weeks off and right into report card writing.

My goals:
-don't make goals and relax (I am a very goal oriented person and do this without thinking…not purposely setting goals will help me focus on things that are important, like family)
-that being said…my areas of focus are:
-to buy a house and move (we are ready just need to find the right place)
-like Anna, healthy eating for a thicker pocket book and thinner waist line

Some inspirational quotes:
"Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action." -Chambers
"Victorious living is not some diet you suddenly blow. Victorious lives are built one victorious day at a time." - Moore (paraphrase)

Don't be discouraged about a bad day. It is when you let your bad day turn into bad weeks, months…etc.

[cdngal75]

jasper my goal is the same stick to frugal shopping-already got a few gifts boxing day at shoppers for the girls birthdays
-pay down loc loan
-lets hope n more expenses-like cars/house leak creep up -knock on wood
-want to save for a much needed trip
-try to bake more cookies from scratch-even for the 2 of us-yummy

Sounds like most of us want to pay down our credit line this year. That is my one main goal this year.

[Frugalbigmama]

Just had to book another hotel room for our hockey tournament next week (Silver Stick Nationals!) 1st game is 7:30 am in St. Catherines! We are over 3 hours away so are staying the Wed night now (PLUS Thurs/Fri/Sat night. Good thing I'm a saver Put the money aside for this so no worries about it. Will be bringing lots of food so we only eat out with team a few times.

[Frugalbigmama]

Just had my 2nd sale of the year. My old skates! Asked $5 but she gave me $6- didn't notice till after she left but really sorry I'm not a store, come with exact change lol. So $16.00 so far yeah! Putting it in an envelope and will save it up.

[LuvToUseCoupons]

Happy New Year Everyone. I dont usually follow these threads but I do occasionaly pop in for some inspiration. This year I need to make some goals and stick to them. I need to pay off my credit card. We are so close I can taste it. I have to eat better spend less and save more. I look forward to sharing ideas and saving alot this year.

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk

Yeah...welcome aboard Anna....
We have a great group of ladies here...
They are very encouraging and supportive.