Thankful for Savings - October 2014 Frugal chatter thread

[lizzie bargain]

I do not read my hydro meter. Some guy comes along and reads it remotely every month or two and I just assume it is correct!

[sweet sparrow]

^Sweetsparrow: For mitts on kids-see if you can find some stick on Velcro dots in sewing notions section? Maybe put the scratchy side on the outer lower sleeve and softer side on a mitt cuff so your daughter can just stick the mitt to her sleeve if she's not wearing the mitts. If she's keen on removing things on the stroller ride home, either have her put them into a bag/pocket or tell her she's walking the rest of the way home. It's not fair to you to have to retrieve all things as it's a long walk for you as well.

She's found recently that she can rip off her mittens using her teeth. Sometimes, she'll rip off articles and hold them over her head like she's handing them to me to put away. I'm thankful our stroller reclines, so most times, it'll fall into the canopy if she holds it straight overhead. Half the time, she holds things out to the side. Now we have a cover for the bottom of the stroller. If she kicks off her shoes, they fall there and I don't have to worry about picking them up.

She can't walk yet, so onlookers watching me telling her to walk home might be a bit cruel.

Thank you for the suggestions!

[sweet sparrow]

We do not read our hydro meter either. As long as our bills rise and fall in line with the ones in our history, I won't be doing extra shovelling in winter so I can read our meter.

Our meter guy has spooked me quite a few times. The kitchen window faces the neighbour's wall and the meter guy lets himself into our yard so he can read their meter through our fence. He comes at night, dressed in the all black uniform, black toque, and a flashlight. The sink is right in front of the window, so I jumped when I saw a dark figure with a flashlight and called DH. Seriously, I think they should call me the day they're coming! I also wish the neighbour's meter was on the other side of their fence!

QOTD: Municipal elections often deal with taxes and the candidates ideas on spending your tax money. Will you be voting in today's election?

[Crochetlady]

We do not read our hydro meter either. As long as our bills rise and fall in line with the ones in our history, I won't be doing extra shovelling in winter so I can read our meter.

Our meter guy has spooked me quite a few times. The kitchen window faces the neighbour's wall and the meter guy lets himself into our yard so he can read their meter through our fence. He comes at night, dressed in the all black uniform, black toque, and a flashlight. The sink is right in front of the window, so I jumped when I saw a dark figure with a flashlight and called DH. Seriously, I think they should call me the day they're coming! I also wish the neighbour's meter was on the other side of their fence!

QOTD: Municipal elections often deal with taxes and the candidates ideas on spending your tax money. Will you be voting in today's election?

We already voted online on the first day. I hope they do that for more elections.

[MrsSunshine]

going later today to vote.. our hydro reader guy always comes during the day.. even still scared the crap out of me. as our meter is just off to the side below our kitchen window.. one day bent down to get a new scrubbie out, stood up and BAM he was right there.

[Angela273]

The Grade 1 teacher from the Catholic school called me at 7:30am to teach for her, but I was already booked to teach Pre-K in her school. She wasn't able to find anyone on short notice, so I am teaching for her this afternoon because she is sick. The secretary asked me to stay for the afternoon for the Grade 8 teacher, but I was obviously unavailable since I will be teaching Grade 1. The Pre-K teacher asked me to come back for two mornings for her in November, but I am already booked for one of the days out of town and she would prefer the same person for both days (which I understand). I now have 16.11days this month and I still have two days to go before the wedding.

[jasperandchar]

Question of the Day????

Do you read your meter reading for Hydro?

I read my meter every month. They are "supposed" and I say supposed to physically read my meter every 3 month (March, June, September & December) but they don't.

They also don't read my meter remotely (ie. from the hydro office) which they are supposed to.

If I don't call my meter reading if they have way over estimated and I am charged overage (ie rate over the amount I normal use) plus this highly impacts my delivery fee, taxes, etc.

If I don't call in my meter and they estimate I can expect to pay atleast $20.00 more than if I call in my meter reading.

It's easy for me to read it as it's right on the side of my house at eye level .

For the fun of it I got my MIL to read her meter 1 month and not call because she can't be bothered and she waited until she got her next bill with their estimate again and strangely her meter reading was nowhere near what they were estimating. She never read her meter before and never paid attention to their readings being estimates and not actual readings. To be honest she ended up calling because after getting her next bill she wanted to know what was going AND they told her they hadn't even read her meter for the past 6 months so she ended up getting a catch up bill with a whole whack a doodle of back paying at higher rates, delivery fees etc.
.

[coupon girl]

-we don't read our meter
-walked to vote today for sure

-yippee just sold 4coats fall/winter,necklace ,some spoons on kijiji (a repeat customer )sold them really cheap made 45.00 awesome

[coupon girl]

-ahhhh my son just called my granddaughter took a few steps tonight -so sweet -she is just past one -hopefully she will do it for me on wed /thur this week when I babysit
-he is such a proud daddy he got her to say "blue"she already says dada,papa, owwwl-oh my goodness she loves the owl book I bought her for her birthday

[Insane]

She's found recently that she can rip off her mittens using her teeth. Sometimes, she'll rip off articles and hold them over her head like she's handing them to me to put away. I'm thankful our stroller reclines, so most times, it'll fall into the canopy if she holds it straight overhead. Half the time, she holds things out to the side. Now we have a cover for the bottom of the stroller. If she kicks off her shoes, they fall there and I don't have to worry about picking them up.

She can't walk yet, so onlookers watching me telling her to walk home might be a bit cruel.

Thank you for the suggestions!

Check out Stonz mitts. We love them. They can't get them off.

[Angela273]

I received a text message about 10min ago. I am teaching in a school 1hr away tomorrow. I'd better hop in the shower and get to bed. Dh will have to take LO to daycare in the morning. I already sent an e-mail to say that I won't be attending the volunteer meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

[Andit]

Good morning, everyone.

Got all but one errand done yesterday. Debating whether today should be a housework day or a go out & play day (have til Thurs to clean, that's when company is coming over). Think I'll wait and see if it clears up (not raining any more, but it is still gloomy out there).

Brats have both gone back to bed (thinking I should do the same). Maybe they're annoyed our idiot counsellor got re-elected. We'll see what the future holds.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[Andit]

wrt the Qs:

I voted first thing yesterday morning, not that it did much good. The useless counsellor got re-elected. Sigh.

As for hydro meters, the condo doesn't have individual meters, was on a committee to check into retro-fitting a few yrs back & discovered it wasn't worth it. When the condo was built there were a few oopsies made (some equipment was for a much larger building) so in terms of efficiency, it's actually decent. We are also tied into long term contracts for gas & hydro, so it doesn't really affect us, unless every single person decided to go all out & use every appliance at the same time. Which would be more likely to cause a blackout in my neighbourhood, given our history (silly folks replaced the gas lines a few yrs back when they were working on rejigging things for the new developments and cut through them - they cut through the lines 2 more times, despite the huge yellow sign that said to check to for gas lines before digging).

[Natalka]

Good morning, everyone!

Busy day here today - it's our son's 23rd birthday, so I have a cake to bake and have to do some cleaning/clearing before he comes over for supper.

Gosh, these years have flown by SO quickly. Those of you with little ones, cherish EVERY minute! (yes, even the ones which are difficult!)

I had gone into the hospital the evening before he was born, for the first induction, but that didn't work. They put me on the drip the next morning, I was in labour all day, then had to have an emergency c-section because his heartrate was too low. All was fine, but the cord was wrapped twice around him - so very grateful all turned out well! He was born just before 6 p.m.

The Sunday when I went into the hospital, we had walked over - our apartment building was just a field over, so we walked over green lawn.
However during that Monday, it snowed and snowed - it was absolutely crazy how much piled on through the day - so much so that my Mom couldn't come travel to see us til that Wednesday, and my sisters a few days later.

So here's my boy, as a little one and now:

[Frugalbigmama]

Hello Everyone. Hope you are having a great day. Rainy day here but working so fine with me.