April Showers of Savings the sequel - 2015 Frugal Chatter

[lilo0003]

FBM: what was the ketchup brand on sale at GT?

[Frugalbigmama]

GT Ketchup- It is their brand

[Granger]

Chatty group today!

I am fighting a cold. Am feeling run down today. Hoping the kids go to bed easy tonight and I can complete a little course work and snuggle up in bed early.

TFSA - don't have one at this time (it is a next step for us), after RRSP there isn't extra anyway (especially when I keep having babies and going on EI)

Budget - Losers - federal service, revamping sick leave...they don't know what they are talking about. This was tried provincially with the Ontario teachers, where our sick leave was halved and a retirement gratuity program (incentive to not use sick days was stripped). We HAD 20 sick days per year which could be used, banked for future use (a longer term illness or surgery) and anything unused by retirement resulted in a gratuity. We now HAVE (under the imposed contract from McGuinty) 11 sick days, non-bankable, plus 120 days for longer term illnesses at 90%. Both renew at the start of each year. It takes a no brainer to know which is costing more money. The new system is costing the government a 170% increase. I say just dessert. I have always used about 5-6 sickdays (sick or dr. apt). This year I have been booking my prenatal apt. in the middle of the day, forcing me to take a full day of work off. I will use close to all 11 by June. Sorry contracts are a hot topic for me given the times, skip over my pro-union bias if it bothers you!

[Angela273]

The support staff in our public school division just started their full strike action today. This includes bus drivers, librarians, custodians, and educational assistants. I'm teaching tomorrow, so I will see how that school is currently being affected.

LO slept for 2.5hrs. I slept for a little over an hour.

[Ciel]

I have not purchased ground beef recently but when brother did for the taco kits during winter, the Walmart package was $10 and there was enough beef for two taco kits. I'll have to visit the meat section tonight to see what price per kg is showing on regular ground beef and lean ground beef.

I'll see if I remember to find the Food for One meatball recipe that makes 80 meatballs that you can finish in one of three ways and post it tomorrow. Margo Oliver wrote the book and that is one of two recipes I copied for my recipe binder. Her book was published in the early 90s or late 80s, so libraries are not likely to have it around.

I agree with the tip to buy beans for 99c and I also get diced tomatoes at that price to use in curried lentil stews (I use some vegetables but skip the onion/garlic and do not have meat in them). Quality mild curry spice is a must! It really does impact the flavour of the stew, so get the McCormick one! Clover Leaf flavoured tuna when under a dollar is a pantry staple worth having: with tortilla chips, on bread, in wraps.

There's a pork recipe for a bean salad that uses cubed meat but it tastes good even without meat. Will dig that out to share.

[jasperandchar]

Hey all,

We got a last minute invite for supper at the inlaws to celebrate bill's birthday so that worked out well as I did not get around to marinating the moose steaks so win win....I'll have all day tomorrow to marinate the meat .

I called my superannuation department and CPPD and was able to change my banking information over the phone, 1 of the 2 will be deposited at the end of the month as she was able to update before next weeks pay . My other source of income pension from Sun Life would not update over the phone I need to fax, I just thought it was ironic that the gov't will update over the phone but private insurance would not .

Yes @bobbiegirl2010 that Ben & Jessa are expecting .

DH & BIL are off to the cottage for 1 night (tomorrow), it will be nice to have 1/2 the day to myself tomorrow as Logan will be home on Friday as he doesn't want to attend the school field trip.

Well I'm off to watch survivor, I'll check in later

[jasperandchar]

Hey all,

We got a last minute invite for supper at the inlaws to celebrate bill's birthday so that worked out well as I did not get around to marinating the moose steaks so win win....I'll have all day tomorrow to marinate the meat .

I called my superannuation department and CPPD and was able to change my banking information over the phone, 1 of the 2 will be deposited at the end of the month as she was able to update before next weeks pay . My other source of income pension from Sun Life would not update over the phone I need to fax, I just thought it was ironic that the gov't will update over the phone but private insurance would not .

Yes @bobbiegirl2010 that Ben & Jessa are expecting .

DH & BIL are off to the cottage for 1 night (tomorrow), it will be nice to have 1/2 the day to myself tomorrow as Logan will be home on Friday as he doesn't want to attend the school field trip.

Well I'm off to watch survivor, I'll check in later

[avoncallingu]

Well - step 1 - good news. The internist says that DH is no longer contagious and that the anti-biotics that he has been taking might have been causing the symptoms after the first couple of weeks. Whew! So now we are set to go to the other specialist on Friday to do the surgery follow-up. I can`t even imagine how our life will change if everything goes well! Freedom 65!

THANKS for all your good wishes and prayers! I really appreciate it!

I knew we would be late tonight after the dr. appointment so I put together a meal in the slow-cooker this morning.
I dug through the freezer and found some turkey that I had saved and needed to be used. We had no potatoes or carrots so I used a can of chick peas and added a can of vegetable soup, some chicken broth, some chopped celery and mushrooms. I also through in a handful of rice. I added a bit of Everglades Seasonings. It was actually very good and very cheap! And we have enough for another meal.

I confirmed another wedding today - so I have 3 in May now. Have to keep on top of things. I don`t usually get them so close together.

My BIG DEAL of the day was buying 8 packages of Easter Sugar Cookies at RCSS Reg. $5.00 on sale for .54 each per package of 18!

I`m going to give them to the Garage Sale Refreshment stand. Kids will love them and keep them busy while parent shop! (Sorry they are now all gone.)

[lizzie bargain]

Avon-so glad things are improving for your DH!!

[Andit]

Good morning, everyone.

Anyone else feel like time is just racing past? I swear, I wake up, make everyone breakfast, take both brats for walks, and the next thing I know, it's time for bed. I honestly don't know where April went.


bff's Dad is still in hospital (I was hoping he'd be home by now). They think there might be some sort of infection/inflamation in his intestine. They're holding off on doing a scope (to check for a tumour), since they gave him blood thinners when he first went into the hospital. bff is going home to see him on Friday, unfortunately I have a previous commitment, so I can't go with her. Since he's awake & walking around, I'm hoping she'll be seeing him at home.

Off to pick up the package the parcel postman didn't bother delivering (found out yesterday that 2 other neighbours had the same issue ). At least I'll get in a little exercise.


Better go cuddle with the brats before I run off - one month from today, I'm off on my big trip that I was supposed to take last year. The short one will be sooo angry with me when I get back.


Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good morning! Told my teen to make sure he was home for dinner tonight so we could all eat together since it has been a crazy week. He asked what we were having. I asked him what he wanted (because I hadn't planned anything yet lol) He asked for chicken perogies! Good! So will make ceaser salad and I have green beans in the freezer too! Will make the boys garlic bread too! There, dinner planned!

[Frugalbigmama]

$8 in pick ups yesterday. Have a $4 one planned today. Every little bit adds up.

[sweet sparrow]

I was up until 3 AM last night with a relentless cough. Waking up for 6 AM for work was not fun either. This might be the worst thing about having young children. They're little germ factories. Since the pregnancy, I think I've been sick 70% of the time and LO is not yet 2!

DH gets to spend a lot of time with LO because Mommy is always too sick. Yesterday, LO asked me to skip with her and I had to tell her Mommy wasn't feeling well (again!). I hate being sick, cold after cold, flu, throwing up, and all the rest of it. DH manages to only catch maybe 30% of our colds and ends up being the "fun" parent.

Being sick is not helping the budget either. I end up taking the bus each day instead of walking which adds up to a lot per month.

Hope everyone else is well!

[Frugalbigmama]

@Sweets parrow. It gets better! I NEVER got sick before kids and then when mine were younger I would get whatever they got. Now that they are older (knock on wood no one has been sick in years) no more sickness! I really try and remind my guys to stay away from friends when they are sick and to make sure they wash their hands all the time etc. But that is the life with little kids but it will pass Don't beat yourself up about taking the bus . You have to take care of you . Soon you won't be paying daycare and feel rich

[coupon girl]

sweetsparrow -I was never so sick as this past winter -2 really bad colds ,strep throat ,sinitus -yes cause I watch "ashlyn" I am sure that its so true they are little germ magnets -as my nurse called it
-at least I had blood work done and now know it was just i was run down and watching the baby was why I was so sick
-maybe taking care of my mom for almost 7 years(and working 30 to 35 hour a week) -then off for a year then "ashlyn" was here -maybe our bodies need to recoup
-and when some people ask me am i bored -yes they do ask-heck no I love watching her 3 days one week(off the next week)
-my heart just warm up when she see's me and goes to kiss and hug me right away and says "ohhh nana"

-off to giant tiger they have a few good deals -roman lasagna 4.99(cheaper than making it)only one hubby likes too