May Busy Beavers - May 2015 Frugal Chatter Thread

[Granger]

Yes, fans will be cheaper than AC. I don't know the dollars and cents behind DH's logic, but he always says that and sometimes I try not to argue with him. lol. I think it has to do with fluctuating temperatures and the actual furnace and other appliances, e.g. fridge having to work harder. It also has to do with people who program their thermostats often program them to be cooler when they are home than they should so they don't end up saving money. We don't program ours, although we have the capability. We set it and monitor the temperature. I hope that makes sense. We try to keep the home around 25 degrees in the summer and 23 in the winter (this sounds warm, but the thermostat gets a lot of sun and is in the warm part of the house) it is definitely in the teens where we are sleeping!

Splitting peonies. Once large, dig up entire plant, split into sections at root, replant and lots of water. I did mine at the end of the summer last year due to just moving in business. Peonies are best split in the fall and should have at least 5 shoots per plant when splitting.

[Granger]

BTW I am a jack of all trades, master of none. Some of my posts are this is what we do...feel free to chime in about more frugal endeavours or expert knowledge!!! I am a willing learner not someone who needs to defend my POV or current practice! lol.

[lilo0003]

Granger: thanks for the info we have one peony bush and I have never thought to split it.
I am so loving our new deck furniture, again I am sitting outside having some quite tie and a glass of whine, wait that's wine. Just feeling really financially defeated and it's everyone else finances. I am so grateful DH and I have been smart with money in recent years but seriously why can't others in my family smarten up. I feel like I am one small step away from losing my mind. I need to let it go, but it's stressing my mom and and so that stresses me out.

[bobbiegirl2010]

On the topic of heat and a/c

For heat we set the temp the lowest we can tolerate (70F) and leave it. We have a very old house (built in 1890 lol) so we can't set it any lower as the bedrooms would be below 60F lol. I have also heard that setting your thermostat and leaving it is more economical. The only time I lower the temp is if we are going away for more than a day then I'll lower it to around 65F.

For a/c we have window units not central air. We have one large unit that cools the main floor and a small unit in each bedroom upstairs. Window units have saved us $$ big time because we only cool the room(s) that we are in. We only turn the bedroom a/c's on at night and only the main floor a/c during the day (I wait until the main floor temp reaches 78F before I turn the main floor one on).

My Step Dad tried to convince us to install central air as he believed window units are going to cost us a fortune in hydro. He couldn't believe that our summer hydro bills are half in our current house compared to our old house that had central a/c! I believe the difference is being able to control which rooms you are cooling vs cooling the whole house all the time.

[sweet sparrow]

So it's more cost effective to set one temperature instead of lowering or turning off the AC when you're out? Ours is currently not working so I'm expecting a high bill for the fan trying to bring down the temperature while waiting for the AC repair at the end of this week.

I should try to explain the fan part. The fan I'm talking about is attached to the furnace/AC. It's supposed to circulate the cool air. If the AC isn't working, the fan will work harder and constantly to bring down the temperature in the house. I should have turned it off during the high-peak day periods. That's why we had hydro bills two and three times higher than our usual bill and how we lost over $100 a few years ago.

@Granger: do you cut the peony root with a knife, or are you able to manually separate the stalks?

QOTD: For all those who have been selling extra items, how do you price your things?

[Natalka]

Good morning!

After several days of temps in mid-20s, today's going to be a cool one - so that's a nice break - and more frugal, since the fans won't have to be on!

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning! I almost broke down and put A/C on last night but glad I didn't. When we got home it was cooler out so we opened the windows. The main floor cooled right down but the upstairs was a bit warm but we put our ceiling fans on. I should have kicked DS out of the basement!!! So nice and cool down there.

[Frugalbigmama]

QOTD- I guess I go by what I think I would pay? Depends on the item I guess and season. Before the season (soccer) started I posted soccer cleats (I had tons that DS out grew) for $5 each and they sold quickly. I have 1 pair left but the season has started so I lowered the price but I'm guessing it's too late.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning All,
Just when I thought things were go up and heading in a good direction this week has ed everything around on me. I went from I can make this work to well wanting to cry. Yet again it seems to be everything all at once, why can't home life fall apart and work be good or vice versa why does it all have to happen at once?

Mom is on board with the budgeting when it comes to my money, issue being her money (which she does not have any) is free to spend. So it has me feeling a big resentful. I am working my b*** off and well basically not even breaking even. I had to give Mom money again last week (long story) well this week she went off with a friend which is fine except as always when she gets to together with this friend the money seems to flow like water. They went out to eat twice, then to save money they stayed in to watch movies instead of going to the theater but went to bulk barn and were basically kids in a candy store, then the next day they decided to go to the mall shopping. I know ALL of this went on her credit cards. We went to Costco last night which was in our budget for this week as I did no other grocery shopping this week and I asked her 4 times how bad her cards are and she would not answer. Plus she reminded me the day after I gave her money last week that we have a house bill due in June she can't cover .

Work well work is work a long story I won't get into right now as I am at work.

The good news is we are now under budget 2 weeks in a row on groceries, if only I could get other areas to come down as well.

Have a great day everyone.

[SassyAshley]

As for how I price items I sell it all depends on the item and the condition of the item. I do admit depending on the item I may go a few dollars higher then my lowest price because I do people want to negotiate, so if my lowest price is $5 I usually post for $8 but depends on the item and how much I want it gone. Right now I have a pair of shoes on there I only wore once but due to injury my doctor said I needed more support for the awhile so I would go as low as $20 but posted at $30 as I know if I posted at $20 I would get offers of $5 and $10 which I am not willing to take.

For smaller items I just post what I want if they come in lower I then decide if it it worth it for me example some drinking glasses never used hard plastic with lid and straw posted at $3 would like $3 but if someone offers lower will see what happens.

Also one huge factor for me being in the country is delivery yes I am in a local group but it covers two communities 15 minutes apart, I refuse to delivery items under $10 especially if I have lowered the price. I had one item posted for $1 she offered $0.50 I said sure and then she expected me to deliver, nope no thanks I would prefer to throw it out then lose money delivering it.

Yes maybe I over think it but that is my gold personality, my theory is I can always drop the price if it does not sell. If it is an item I want gone now then I go to rock bottom price.

[Frugalbigmama]

I believe there is a buyer for everything! Sometimes you have to wait lol I am slowly getting rid of stuff and that's ok with me But it motivates me to keep posting and filling the "crap sold" jar with cash )

[jasperandchar]

Granger: thanks for the info we have one peony bush and I have never thought to split it.
I am so loving our new deck furniture, again I am sitting outside having some quite tie and a glass of whine, wait that's wine. Just feeling really financially defeated and it's everyone else finances. I am so grateful DH and I have been smart with money in recent years but seriously why can't others in my family smarten up. I feel like I am one small step away from losing my mind. I need to let it go, but it's stressing my mom and and so that stresses me out.

@lilo0003 have you and the family members who owe you $ on a repayment plan, I can only imagine how stressful this would be and of course stressful on relationships (spouse, brother, etc). Hopefully you will be repaid in a timely manner, the borrowers are extremely lucky to have you and your dh to borrow from.

[jasperandchar]

Good Morning All,
Just when I thought things were go up and heading in a good direction this week has ed everything around on me. I went from I can make this work to well wanting to cry. Yet again it seems to be everything all at once, why can't home life fall apart and work be good or vice versa why does it all have to happen at once?

Mom is on board with the budgeting when it comes to my money, issue being her money (which she does not have any) is free to spend. So it has me feeling a big resentful. I am working my b*** off and well basically not even breaking even. I had to give Mom money again last week (long story) well this week she went off with a friend which is fine except as always when she gets to together with this friend the money seems to flow like water. They went out to eat twice, then to save money they stayed in to watch movies instead of going to the theater but went to bulk barn and were basically kids in a candy store, then the next day they decided to go to the mall shopping. I know ALL of this went on her credit cards. We went to Costco last night which was in our budget for this week as I did no other grocery shopping this week and I asked her 4 times how bad her cards are and she would not answer. Plus she reminded me the day after I gave her money last week that we have a house bill due in June she can't cover .

Work well work is work a long story I won't get into right now as I am at work.

The good news is we are now under budget 2 weeks in a row on groceries, if only I could get other areas to come down as well.

Have a great day everyone.

Ashley hugs hun.

I really feel your mom has to grow up, sorry for being so blunt but she has to put her best foot forward, I know you have and still attempt to have budget conversations with her, however, I think you need to stop giving her an allowance per say ($ because she is short). I know it will be hard and her credit card problems are her own, I'm sorry to say, you are making your self sick and that is not a fair position for her to put you in given all your generosity and bailing her out.

I know I am not walking in your shoes so it's easy for me to say but I think you need to put your foot down, I would even go so far as keeping a $ journal and show her on a weekly basis and then monthly tally.

Great news on the grocery budgeting

[momof5boys]

Feeling a bit ticked off. We had someone here to look at our fireplace six weeks back because it was beeping nonstop. All the guy did was unplug three wires, wait 10 seconds and then plug them back in. The beeping stopped. We were billed $102! for the guy being here for 10 minutes - at least he could have offered to clean the fireplace glass. He initially thought this would be warranty work, so didn't bill me on the day he came. Now we get this bill in the mail because it isn't warranty apparently. I called the company and they say they charge minimum $98 per hour, even if he was here 10 minutes.

[jasperandchar]

re: selling items and question of the day!!!

like @SassyAshley I am in the country so I often will meet or deliver items if passing through town, some people will travel for the larger items so that's great

I put items a little more expensive than I expect to get again like others mentioned people like to haggle (and I don't blame them as I do). And also because often I do have to drop off/deliver which more often than not is a detour

I will lower the price after 1 week or more only if the item is something I feel I should lower the price on, sometimes I will hold out as like @Frugalbigmama mentioned there is a buyer for everything it's all about timing .

I posted 2 new items for sale this am so fingers crossed they move quickly, however, they are outside items so not taking up space inside which again a price factor re: an item in my house and in my way

Also clothes is not a big seller out in my area so I tend to sell cheaper but again people don't want to drive 20 minutes for a $5 shirt or skirt etc

Happy selling