May Busy Beavers - May 2015 Frugal Chatter Thread

[momof5boys]

For those who have tile and grout showers, what do you use to clean the grout? I know that the grout was sealed when we moved in 1-1/2 years ago but there are some areas that are definitely looking stained. I've tried various concoctions with limited success. And do you seal your grout every couple of years?

[Natalka]

Granger, congrats on !!!

Took another easy day - back is kind of okay, if I'm careful. What's different this time than when I've had a hurt back before, is that I can only stand like 2 minutes - it's very odd. Walking is not bad, though - I make sure I'm doing that.

Son Milan was here for supper - packed him off with bags of food to take home, he said he has no food at home. Payday is tomorrow for him. And yet he won't take money, not when he needs it and not to have as a cushion, even - grrr...

Rest of the evening has been tough - trying to stay awake, so I can hopefully have more than a few hours' sleep tonight.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Oh no now the stomach flu has come to our house My 4 year old DD was up all night throwing up and now has diarrhea and a fever. And we were supposed to leave for camping this morning

This wknd last year it was my oldest DD that came down with the stomach flu while we were camping. We just have no luck...

[coupon girl]

off to babysit -a long day til 6.30 when my son comes in from work -he asked me last night "can you give her bath mom "before her nap for sure-I may get hubby to ( as my one knee is killing me this morning (I injured it when I was 50 and the specialistsad it will make arthritis flare up more in this knee )just had a hot bath to help
-son is bringing me supper when he walks in the door -ahh-maybe a sub

[toronto166]

Good morning ladies! @Natalka - hope your back feels better soon. Sounds like you raised an amazing son. God Bless @bobbiegirl - Darn, hope the little princess gets rid of the bug in time for you to enjoy your long weekend. @coupon girl - Hope you have a good day with your granddaughter. Enjoy your supper (whatever it is)!!!

Have a good day ladies. May check in later.

[Natalka]

Good morning, everyone!

Glad it's the long weekend - weather will be crap here, but that's okay, we'll be staying in.
Husband's been working really, really hard - so it's great that he can have that extra day of rest - and yay for me to get him home another day!

Enjoy the day, all!

[jasperandchar]

Wishing everyone a wonderful & safe long weekend. @Natalka take care of yourself, @bobbiegirl2010 hope your little one feels better soon @coupon girl enjoy your day & treat

[Frugalbigmama]

TGIF and Happy Long Weekend everyone! Free Mulch and compost in our rec centre parking lot. Hope to get a few recycling bins full at least! Free is awesome! And we want to clean up the gardens so the timing is perfect

[Angela273]

Yesterday was my ultrasound at 26wks 1 day.
Baby boy weighs 1lb 15oz. He has averaged 3.4oz a week in weight gain since my last ultrasound 5wks ago. His heart rate was 150bpm.
Baby girl weighs 2lb 1oz. She has averaged 3.8oz a week in weight gain since my last ultrasound 5wks ago. Her heart rate was 128bpm, but the ultrasound technician said that was fine.
They were both fairly active throughout the ultrasound. I currently have 4lbs of babies.

[sweet sparrow]

Maybe this isn't very frugal, but we had College Pro here yesterday to clean all our upper storey windows/screens and also clean out the gutters. They did a fantastic job but bent one of the screens. I was told not to pay until they had this screen fixed - just found the screen under our mat in perfect shape Now waiting for them to come and pick up the cheque.

We figured it was worth having them come out rather than us getting up on ladders to quite the height. We're not young enough for such adventures any longer. I was impressed how College Pro took great care not to touch the gutters with their ladders.

I agree with the others in that it's *very* frugal. You got clean windows, screens, gutters, AND a new screen! You saved on time, materials, and any health related costs from any accidents that might have happened. I'm not sure what's not frugal about that!

Some things are worth paying for. Last year I paid a student $25 to rake up the leaves (and dog poop) in my backyard. Raking is hard on the back and my time is worth more

Also very frugal, considering a visit to the chiropractor is $40 - 60, not including the time.

For those who have tile and grout showers, what do you use to clean the grout? I know that the grout was sealed when we moved in 1-1/2 years ago but there are some areas that are definitely looking stained. I've tried various concoctions with limited success. And do you seal your grout every couple of years?

How often do you clean? If every few days, I use dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub any stains. If I'm doing a more through clean, I'll use a bleach solution with the toothbrush, let it soak, then rinse. We've never sealed our grout (you can do that?) but are looking to have the bathroom redone in a few years.

My sister has always wiped down her walls after every shower. After two decades of daily showering by multiple people, her grout is still stain free, no bleach needed. Cost: one absorbant sponge. When we get our tiles replaced, I'll switch over to her method.

Oh no now the stomach flu has come to our house My 4 year old DD was up all night throwing up and now has diarrhea and a fever. And we were supposed to leave for camping this morning

This wknd last year it was my oldest DD that came down with the stomach flu while we were camping. We just have no luck...

I hear it's common to have bad luck with large families and camping trip. Another family I know always gets rain, no matter what. I hope your LO feels better soon!
@Natalka : I see more massages in your future.
@Angela273 : Two more months to go, isn't it? How very exciting for you! Hope you can still get some sleep!

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning All,
Trying to find the excitement in it being Friday but it just ins't there probably because I am working tomorrow. Normally I do not care it is what it is and even for a long weekend I know I have to do 2 this year, but this one really has me down a bit. I am feeling over whelmed and run down and a long weekend right now would be awesome to just unwind and relax. Now I start the count down to the August long weekend which I have off, but August just seems to far away. Probably a mind over matter thing and I need to stop thinking about it but my body seems to be a constant reminder right now, I am feeling so run down that my whole body is aching and has been for a bit now, I am doing my best to ignore but have noticed more and more I am taking something to help as it is just painful to sit all day.

So far I have no clue what is on tap for this weekend, Mom has the whole weekend off and actually does not go back to work until next Thursday (oh what a tease, just saying). Mom is going to some concert tonight and wants me to go with her, I know it is to get me out of the house but I just do not know if I have it me. She promises I would be home by 9:30 at the latest but lately I have been in bed around 8 or 8:30 at the latest. It would be nice to get out but I just don't know if I can physically do it especially since I am working tomorrow.

Good news budget wise is I see next to nothing we need this week. A few things I might pick up but even those items if we get them great if we don't so be it. Will see how frigidity Mom is when I get off work tomorrow. Kind of feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place right now on grocery shopping, I have started to send Mom during the day so it does not lead to eating out which is a huge expense I need to cut out of our budget right now. The down side is I send her to Food Basics for $15 worth of groceries and she comes home with $45. So I really feel like there is no winning here. Will try to talk to her this weekend and see what she says.

Time to get back to work have a great day everyone.

[Frugalbigmama]

@SassyAshley - Didn't you mention before that you have 3 deep freezers full of food? If I were you I would make do with what you guys have and spend minimum only on fresh stuff. Really plan meals with food on hand. Use up frozen and canned veggies. There are always sales and only 2 of you. I would be doing this and saving the grocery money for the future. Having those freezers plugged in must be costing you hydro too? Just my not asked for opinion

[bobbiegirl2010]

@SassyAshley Just a thought but is it an option for you and your Mom to start paying for groceries with cash only to keep your Mom within the grocery budget? Your Mom sounds like the type of person who is too easily tempted to use credit and debit cards and overspend. She may not like it but if staying in budget is a necessity then going the "cash only" route may be the only way for her to stay on budget.

[momof5boys]

Oh no now the stomach flu has come to our house My 4 year old DD was up all night throwing up and now has diarrhea and a fever. And we were supposed to leave for camping this morning

This wknd last year it was my oldest DD that came down with the stomach flu while we were camping. We just have no luck...

I feel for you - isn't that what happens. Last year summer, we finally had two days holiday to go camping and one of our sons broke his arm the night before. Ended up in emerg until 3 am but we still went camping - no fun really for him though. Hope your DD is well soon!

[momof5boys]

Good morning, everyone!

Glad it's the long weekend - weather will be crap here, but that's okay, we'll be staying in.
Husband's been working really, really hard - so it's great that he can have that extra day of rest - and yay for me to get him home another day!

Enjoy the day, all!

Hope your back feels better soon! A sore back affects everything for sure. What a blessing for you to have a hubby and son that are gems. I am blessed with the same