October 2015 Frugal chatter

[jasperandchar]

Morning All. Well there truly is no rest for the wicked. Got a call before 9:00 this morning. Our favourite customer was at Millbank Cheese late Friday afternoon and bought 27 towels. I had taken in 20 just a week ago and thought they would be good till I get the Christmas ones out next month. I had coffee last night so I was up crocheting til 3:00 this morning. Better get back at it. Have a great day everyone!

congratulations and wowzers no rest is right

[jasperandchar]

It has been a rough October so far for me. As I have already said, dh caught a cold and shared it with all of our young children. The babies are having a hard time breathing due to their very stuffy noses. I'm still the only "healthy" one in our household. Plus the twins had thier immunizations on Thursday, so they both have not been feeling well and are pretty cranky and demanding. I've been getting very little sleep at night. I'm still trying hard to avoid us eating out very often. Bills keep increasing, but our income has not.

Yesterday I made waffles and double chocolate zucchini and oatmeal muffins. The muffins are a new recipe and the amount/type of chocolate makes them somewhat bitter. I'd tinker with the recipe before using it again.

oh @Angela273 I hope you don't get the cold/bug going around, I find it amazing that you still make time to do baking plus the 1000's of things you do in a week...geez...you're doing amazing.

As for finances and incomes I believe you are not alone but it must be hard with the diapers etc....chin up - you're doing fantastic

[jasperandchar]

Today, I was talking to PC Plus and asked about points given when using reusable bags and bins. The CSR told me that you get a reduction of $0.01 per bag off your bill if you don't have a PC Financial card, and 10 points per bag if you do.

QOTD: Do you get PC points if you have a PC Plus card but no PC Financial cards?

I've never had a reduction on my bill in over a year for bringing bags (and not using a PC Financial card). The CSR suggested I call PC Financial because it was not a points issue. I can't even find it on google!

thanks for pointing the points out for those of us that did not know, me being 1 of them. I do purchase bags while shopping because I use them as garbage bags so to me it's worth BUT I will check my receipts about points for the bags as every little bit helps.

[jasperandchar]

Supper $5 pack of chicken drumsticks, $2 Cavendish fries on sale at GT (will have leftover chicken for dh and I) and 2 homemade apple struddles (free apples from roadside), 1 is going in the freezer for later consumption (haha) so $7 for a meal with leftovers not bad in my books, now to figure out the rest of the weeks meal plan.

[Angela273]

oh @Angela273 I hope you don't get the cold/bug going around, I find it amazing that you still make time to do baking plus the 1000's of things you do in a week...geez...you're doing amazing.

As for finances and incomes I believe you are not alone but it must be hard with the diapers etc....chin up - you're doing fantastic

Thanks. I have always loved baking and big brother enjoys "helping" me. This morning we made 2 loaves of banana bread. I borrowed the pans from my neighbour/friend because I don't own any. I know it might sound weird to some, but I don't want to pay full price to buy new ones so I just keep my eye out hoping to get some second hand.

Big brother and I spent about an hour in the garden this morning. They are forecasting 0 tonight, so we might end up with frost and I have chosen not to cover plants this year in an attempt to extend their growing season. I do have a friend who plans on coming by later today and digging up some of my zucchini plants and possibly tomato plants for him to try and put in his indoor garden. They really aren't very good at caring for plants, but I figure there is no harm in letting them try since frost will eventually kill these plants for the winter. We picked 14 small and medium sized zucchinis. We also picked 2 handfuls of peas that he then ate with his lunch. Dug 1/2 gallon of red potatoes. He was getting too cold so we came inside and mixed up the banana breads. I still need to harvest all the tomatoes. Unfortunately, I currently have ripe tomatoes on the kitchen table that are going to waste. I planned on washing and freezing them whole, but I just haven't gotten around to it.

[jasperandchar]

Update about Metro -

I called the manager this am and he was a bit of an ass, said that at the rising prices of beef it was an amazing price and that the butcher should have chosen his words better BUT no apology, the butcher has worked there for many years, yada yada....blah blah BUT no apologies. Also received a call from Metro head office who apologized over and over again, she said she was escalating my concerns and should hear back from her sooner rather than later.

[Frugalbigmama]

Wow. What happen to being polite to customers. You know where to spend your money going forward...not there!

[Frugalbigmama]

Dinner tonight is BLSL chicken breast (bbq'd or baked on stone in oven depending on weather) with baked potato, green beans and bruschetta bread topped with feta. Tomorrow night for the boys is taco Tuesday! I will make the taco meat tonight (took the beef out at lunch) Just need to grab more wraps which I will tonight on my way home but have everything else. They have both been asking for them for awhile so glad I can make with only needing the wraps! Hoping there is leftover meat for taco salad for Thursday night. Wednesday night we are planning pork roast with the fixings (mashed potatoes, carrots, gravy etc) Have lots of potatoes and carrots to use up

[Angela273]

@Angela273: I have no idea how you're managing. You're supergirl. Seriously.

With just one LO, we were struggling to get out the door on time on Sunday. We had a strict deadline to do a reading in church and LO was dragging her feet, had a few tantrums, visited the potty twice - with one very long visit, absolutely had to wear red sweatpants and I was just doing one of these: There isn't anything that matches red sweatpants when you've just done laundry. She left the house looking like she had dressed herself, if you know what I mean.

I threw on jeans and a hoodie in our flurry to get out the door, realizing how completely disrespectful I looked. Everyone must think I'm such a slacker, while I'm just happy to be wearing clothes at all, with a minimum requirement that they're just clean. Is it just me or does everyone have days like this?

One other new mom understands me. She said her new one month daughter is double the trouble that her two sons were. I told her if she was like mine, she won't get any less demanding and that I knew exactly what she meant.

@ sweet sparrow It certainly isn't easy some days. A lot of things are accomplished with many interruptions. Big brother can also have quite the opinions about what he is or is not going to wear some days. Right now he is not the most stylish child because I keep him in elastic waist pants to help him potty by himself. It always takes much longer to get out the door than anticipated. Trying to make supper at night is often an accomplishment and achieved disappointingly late. The house needs to be cleaned and the laundry needs to be folded. I try to pick my battles and many things are left for another day.

Our baby girl is my only child that has had a problem with spitting up. She often smells like sour milk and her sensitive skin reacts to it no matter how often I seem to wash her.

We don't know what my employment status will be come next fall. There are a lot of "what ifs" to consider. If Mulcair gets in and establishes $15 a day childcare, then it might be financially feasible for me to go back teaching, even if I am substitute teaching. If dh gets in as MLA, then we might also consider me going back to work even without a contract. He'd be gone to Regina a fair bit, but he'd be making a difference and earning more money than he is right now. If I get a full-time teaching contract, then we plan on me going back to work teaching. If none of the above 3 things happen, then it is not likely that I will return to work at this time because childcare would cost us more than I would earn in a month. I would then likely stay home with our children and possibly care for a couple of other children to make a small income. I might also start to tutor privately again, which pays a minimum of $20/hr. *sigh* There are a lot of variables that I do not have direct control over, so I just have to continue on and wait to see what will happen next for us.

[jasperandchar]

Dinner tonight is BLSL chicken breast (bbq'd or baked on stone in oven depending on weather) with baked potato, green beans and bruschetta bread topped with feta. Tomorrow night for the boys is taco Tuesday! I will make the taco meat tonight (took the beef out at lunch) Just need to grab more wraps which I will tonight on my way home but have everything else. They have both been asking for them for awhile so glad I can make with only needing the wraps! Hoping there is leftover meat for taco salad for Thursday night. Wednesday night we are planning pork roast with the fixings (mashed potatoes, carrots, gravy etc) Have lots of potatoes and carrots to use up

sounds more like burrito Tuesday vs. taco Tuesday (haha), dh & ds1 prefer taco shells and ds2 and I prefer the wraps but my guys are all tacoed out from years ago, however, I did make taco/burritos about 1.5 months ago without complaints but won't make it a monthly meal, etc.

[jasperandchar]

Can anyone that is a regular sdm shopper such as @coupon girl @Frugalbigmama and perhaps others, I used to get an offer that was good all week, I no loner receive this, along with this offer I used and still get Monday, Wednesday and Friday offers BUT no longer get the personalized offer which could be used all week, can anyone weigh in and tell me if they discontinued this weekly offer or perhaps since I have not been purchasing much at sdm because of finances/budgets, etc. (I posted this question in the sdm thread) but thought I would ask my frugal friends, thanks

[coupon girl]

-hey good news my brother is in a step down unit -my sister-in-law hasn't seen him yet she calls the hospital every day -she is sick and has no meds on hand -well I have no car or I would have taken a few things over to her -this news made me happy today

-supper is steak on the bbq - a treat for hubby and I with corn ,mashed potatoes as last night we had breakfast for supper

-nancy -I got 2 offers this week til oct 4 20 times when I spent 30 or 20 times when I spent 50 -didn't use either and they expired yesterday -but I also got
-600 on breyers ice cream
-10 times on secret deodorant
-any p.c cookies 500 points
-wonder bread 400 points
-Palmolive dish soap 200 points
-1,750 on vitamin c

I may use the ice cream and the wonder bread -I guess every week I get personal offers plus a few 20 times -I go to shoppers at least once a week -its 7 minutes around the corner lately thou trying not to spend as holidays are coming -and again our income may change soon -drop -so trying to be frugal somewhat

-oh made 11 blueberry muffins from scratch today(used frozen blueberries cause not interested in paying 4.50 to 4.99 now in stores ) didn't put the crumb coating on top either -don't need that much sweetness-hubby at 3 and I had 2 gonna freeze the rest

[lizzie bargain]

Today another mother and I were volunteering at the high school and organizing the band uniforms prior to giving them out later in the week to about 150 students. Just made a turkey pot pie for the first time so we will see how that turns out-my $9.75 turkey has provided many meals! I saw on the news last night that hardwired smoke detectors should be replaced after 10 years-yikes ours are 14 years old so ordered 3 new ones for each level of the house including the basement. Firefighters were going door to door in some communities giving out free ones-but not in ours! Also booked a free inspection of our furnace, hot water heater and gas fireplace by the gas company. Booked lab work, Dr apt and vision apts for DD and I-amazing how the day just disappears!

The new twin Mum called me last night-she started to bleed at 25 weeks and has placenta previa-has to stay home now on "house arrest" and is called every day to check on her and the babies-also wears a lifeline so she can summon medical help with the push of a button and has a lock box on her front door so the paramedics can get in without breaking down the front door! Hopefully none of that will be necessary! The nurse comes every week and the mobile lab comes and takes blood every 4 days. She is now 27 weeks so hoping she does not deliver her babies too early. She expects to deliver around 36-37 weeks in Dec if she can hang in there. Luckily she lives about 5 minutes away from our high risk delivery unit and NICU. I will be helping with the newborns and her two other children once the babies arrive. That will put me up to 3 famillies I work with and about 28 hrs per week which is plenty for this retiree!

[Frugalbigmama]

Can anyone that is a regular sdm shopper such as @coupon girl @Frugalbigmama and perhaps others, I used to get an offer that was good all week, I no loner receive this, along with this offer I used and still get Monday, Wednesday and Friday offers BUT no longer get the personalized offer which could be used all week, can anyone weigh in and tell me if they discontinued this weekly offer or perhaps since I have not been purchasing much at sdm because of finances/budgets, etc. (I posted this question in the sdm thread) but thought I would ask my frugal friends, thanks

I'm noticing the offers are few and far between now. And before that some were only good for 1 day which sucks!

[Frugalbigmama]

@ sweet sparrow It certainly isn't easy some days. A lot of things are accomplished with many interruptions. Big brother can also have quite the opinions about what he is or is not going to wear some days. Right now he is not the most stylish child because I keep him in elastic waist pants to help him potty by himself. It always takes much longer to get out the door than anticipated. Trying to make supper at night is often an accomplishment and achieved disappointingly late. The house needs to be cleaned and the laundry needs to be folded. I try to pick my battles and many things are left for another day.

Our baby girl is my only child that has had a problem with spitting up. She often smells like sour milk and her sensitive skin reacts to it no matter how often I seem to wash her.

We don't know what my employment status will be come next fall. There are a lot of "what ifs" to consider. If Mulcair gets in and establishes $15 a day childcare, then it might be financially feasible for me to go back teaching, even if I am substitute teaching. If dh gets in as MLA, then we might also consider me going back to work even without a contract. He'd be gone to Regina a fair bit, but he'd be making a difference and earning more money than he is right now. If I get a full-time teaching contract, then we plan on me going back to work teaching. If none of the above 3 things happen, then it is not likely that I will return to work at this time because childcare would cost us more than I would earn in a month. I would then likely stay home with our children and possibly care for a couple of other children to make a small income. I might also start to tutor privately again, which pays a minimum of $20/hr. *sigh* There are a lot of variables that I do not have direct control over, so I just have to continue on and wait to see what will happen next for us.

$15 a day daycare? Is this something that will only happen out West?