November frugal friends (2014)

[sweet sparrow]

well I'm stuck with this stupid Christmas tree (sigh) oh well the one in the WM flyer is a Charlie brown tree. The problem with the existing tree is the metal hooks which I put on ornaments to hang don't stay on the stupid branches, there is no flex to the branches and the ornaments fall off or you need to use ribbons, anyways....

I think that's my problem with the trees I've seen lately. Most of them look like overgrown pipe cleaners wrapped around a few times and I cringe a bit at the price tag. I think the names are funny, like blue spruce or douglas fir when they look nothing like the real thing. The Virginia Pine seemed pretty at Target, but I only saw them in 4' and 7'5" sizes which are too small and too large. Maybe there is an intermediate size I missed?

My sister tells me there's nothing like a real tree, but I fret that LO is going to eat the needles as they fall off. They're free the closer you get to Christmas, but we'd have to buy the stand, and the skirt (I'm not that great at sewing). Oh, and sweep every day.

My parents had a very pretty tree that was entirely plastic. All the branches plugged in like lego. It was decades old and when the stand finally broke, my dad held it upright with string. It still looked pretty good but no one could breathe on it. That was a good thing because it was so old it smelled of cheap plastic and cardboard box. Such a great tree with lots of room underneath for toys.

[coupon girl]

-get a load of this I have an artificial tree that's 40 something years old -it was mine when I was little (see my mom was very frugal -she must have toted this tree all over canada as my dad was in the army)
-nancy I was going to look at the walmart one for 20.00-glad I didnt go
-I am actualy afraid to buy a new tree -#1 they are all $100an up -not in the budget-not sure if want prelit or not-not sure I will like the new ones
-every year my grown kids make fun of this green 4 feet and a few inches tree-because we have a cathedral ceiling but know what I dont care-it brings memories of my mom,I can see it in pictures when I was 10years old-and the branches just poke in the wood slots -mind you a few wooden slots are getting bigger
-i think i will not worry this year about it funny last year i told hubby we would look into buying after xmas -never did

[SassyAshley]

Nancy I am sorry but I had to laugh about the comment of the tree being a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, my mom found a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in Costco she loves but it is either $140 or $180 and we already have a brand new tree that has never been out of the box so yeah not happening.

[Crochetlady]

I got rid of my 6.5 ft tree a few years ago. Had absolutely no room for it...got different living room furniture. I now have a 24" fibre optic that I love. It has white snowflakes on it that also light up. I added tiny gold balls that stay on. After Christmas I put a garbage bag over it and voila! next Christmas all I have to do is remove the bag and it`s ready to go.

[jasperandchar]

coupon girl they certainly don't make things like they used to obviously this includes christmas trees as well and the memories like you said are priceless, I would not purchase a new tree especially if the old one is funcitioning and works what the heck, eh.

[jasperandchar]

Ashley glad you had a chuckle (lol) but seriously I don't know what I expected for the $20.00 but sad looking tree super narrow and shabby looking but if you are starting out or making do it would work

[MrsSunshine]

speaking of trees. finally finished putting up both of mine. next year..probably a 2 footer...too much work.
spent the day putting one up, fielding people taking items that were posted on kijiji for free, dh is cleaning out the basement.
i seriously need a clone.

[MrsSunshine]

Tree number one in my dining room.


Tree number two in my living room.

[cdngal75]

Yes I plan to. The lawyer I called charges $395/hour I almost died! He said if I come to him with the agreement drafted it probably won't take long. The mortgage will stay in his name for now-it has to.
Merry Christmas!



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$395 an hour....wow!!!!!!! Wonder if it's too late to become a lawyer?

[cdngal75]

Perhaps put an ad or call a college/university and see if you can get a paralegal or law student to draw up the agreement of course your soon to ex has to agree to what will be included otherwise you will need to make changes which of course take time and cost $.

Also not wanting to pry as it's non of my business but here are some other things to cons

Is your name of the title of the house? If not I would strongly not agree to leaving the home in his name without your name on the title somewhere because and please don't take offense.

If you re-marry down the road before your kids are 18 years of age your ex will no longer be obligated to pay any child support, the new husband is now a provider for your children
2) your ex will under go a credit check when looking to rent a place or purchase and he may not qualify depending on the type of income he has
3) don't take the $1800.00 as a fixed amount because if your ex purchases another home the courts do take into account his income and expenses and if he has 2 mortages (he has 2 mortgages) not you that is a considered factor
4) if for some reason your ex declares bankruptcy (could happen you never know) that home will put for sale to recoop monies.
5) if your dh maxes himself out or if he goes on sick leave or gets his hours cut this is all taken into account when a mandated amount is decided for child support.
6) if some of the children are not biologically his he may not has to pay for that childs child support
7) if your dh is on sick leave, etc or goes on EI that child support amount will greatly be reduced.
8) if the house is in your ex's name and god forbid but he passes away if you are not in his will or have title on that house you may be evicted
9) If the home was purchased before you were married by your ex technically the house is his and you have absolutely no claim unless you are on title

not meaning to make you worry more these are just some things that you may not have considered.

I studied law for 2 years not a lawyer but equivalent to what is now considered a paralegal, all of Canada follows the same laws with the exception of the province of Quebec.

Great advice.

[Ciel]

I noticed the new store flyers are showing some sales on trees. Just curious if anyone bought the palm trees from Sears because that sight would be something to talk about! Very few pre-lit trees seem to have indications that they are LED lights, as only clear or multi-colour incandescant lights seem to be shown. I think I only saw two LED trees on websites and one was a spiral 24" frame for outdoors?

Natalka, I will PM you the Robin Hood Chiffon cake recipe (from the 80s when RH mailed out a series of 6 baking booklets!). I made it with cocoa and spices but since I did not have the cooking oil, cake was a bit drier than usual though the crumb texture was fine. I no longer use the quantities indicated in the recipe because the resulting cake top would peak 1 " or more above the tube in the pan so I adjusted quantities and cake does not crest above the pan.
Instead of quick rolls, I slapped together a pizza crust from a Five Roses cookbook recipe and used one of the pizza sauce cans bought at Food Basics two weeks ago. Used up brother's remaining shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend and a quarter of a orange bell pepper and lunch was ready in an hour. I had made a cup of tea when I started the yeast and after the pizza was in the oven was I able to drink tea and eat cake while waiting for lunch (was very hungry and had slim pickings for breakfast). My hands need hand cream (tonight's indulgence)!

[Frugalbigmama]

$395 an hour....wow!!!!!!! Wonder if it's too late to become a lawyer?

That's on the cheap side compared to my firm. Crazy I know

[Frugalbigmama]

Hi all. Trying to get the laundry dried and put away. Kind of forgot about it. Other then that not much getting done tonight. Have a stuffy head.

[saundyl]

That's on the cheap side compared to my firm. Crazy I know

The firm i work for ....is 450/hr unless its lsb or ocl

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning All,
All I can say is TGIF, not sure if it is the snow coming or what but yeah wow seems like it has been a VERY long week.

I will post with more detail a few things a little later in the day as my morning so far has been a bit insane trying to sort through what came in after I left the office yesterday (no I did not leave early) but emails do not stop when I leave as we still open until 5 pm and than so many people have lap tops and blackberries that they don't stop than either, plus different time zones. WOW I can fall so far some days after hours.

Hope everyone has a great day.