October 2015 Frugal chatter

[Frugalbigmama]

Unplug the chargers when not in use. Our hydro had a pamflet that said unused chargers use up to 7 dollars each a month in power. Xbox wii etc use up to 50 if left on all the time

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Yes! I need to remind everyone, thanks!

[YOU AND ME]

Cool rainy day here,i think i will make some turkey soup as i have all the soup fixings yummy can i say i just love soup almost any kind

Nat a lovely picture of your parents.

Well i think i will try and put a first coat of paint on my inside bottom cupboards and hopeful next week a 2nd coat.well of to make an early lunch not sure of what i'm making

[Frugalbigmama]

Went to GT on my lunch (I shouldn't! I need to stop grocery shopping!) Anyway not the best bacon but the bunker was full so I could pick and choose. Spalding 500g on for $1.99 Also bought reduced 4 pk of the fancy buns we like for garlic bread for $1.40 reg $2.97. Will wrap for the freezer. I'm guessing we will have pasta this weekend since I bought fresh peppers and basil and told him to make sure to use them this weekend lol

[jasperandchar]

Yes I have noticed an increase in my Hydro and Enbridge bills the past year. I know rates have been rising. Still sucks. When I moved into my house 5 years ago my Hydro bill averaged $33 month (and it is a 2 story 4 bedroom house) but the kids were younger and in bed early and so was I! Now the rates have gone up, they are up later, TV's, computers, Ipads and cell phones charging all the time so I'm sure that adds to it as well as the higher rates. Average is still under $100 (around $75-85 I think) but I miss the cheap days! (but on a side note my neighbours Hydro bill was $170 when I was paying $33. Their kids were teens at the time so I wonder what it is now (they still have one kids living at home)

I will admit I am jealous of your hydro costs, we are rural and on a 2 tier system (no time of use here yet), I read my meter every single month like clock work, I don't use my dryer, our hot water tank is propane and our main source of heat is wood.....anyways my bills range from 150-180 per month. It costs $45 just to be connected to the hydro poles...anyways enough complaining

[jasperandchar]

I will admit I am jealous of your hydro costs, we are rural and on a 2 tier system (no time of use here yet), I read my meter every single month like clock work, I don't use my dryer, our hot water tank is propane and our main source of heat is wood.....anyways my bills range from 150-180 per month. It costs $45 just to be connected to the hydro poles...anyways enough complaining

And forgot to mention a delivery fee of on average $90 a month...sucks....AND we didn't even have the window ac in this summer at all.

[Frugalbigmama]

[QUOTE=jasperandchar;6488556]I will admit I am jealous of your hydro costs, we are rural and on a 2 tier system (no time of use here yet), I read my meter every single month like clock work, I don't use my dryer, our hot water tank is propane and our main source of heat is wood.....anyways my bills range from 150-180 per month. It costs $45 just to be connected to the hydro poles...anyways enough complaining[/QUOTE

Sorry, lol but to make you feel better my property taxes are very high. I am looking at moving to the sticks and it's the utility bills that scare me! The last few places do not have gas so heating was oil or propane- Neither I am interested in!

[coupon girl]

hey all hit up 3 stores this morning left at 10.00 came back 12.45-hubby eaves for work at 1.30-1.45
got my daughter 23.00 from pluto & kijiji total clothing store that buys clothing from you from age 17 to 29 guys or gals -they bought 2 dresses and 2 pairs of shoes oh and 4.00 of that I got from kijiji sold a clutch for her
got chicken breast for 30% off at food basics -ticked they don't price match but didn't want to run around when I am on a time frame -plus oxi powder 3.99-2.00 cpn =1.99 for the tub -awesome price
then value village got myself a hoodie and a top 5.59 each after I had a 30% discount plus puzzles for 99-30%=.69 cheap enough for my relaxation past time of doing jigsaw puzzles

sweet sparrow -toilet training is hard I remember not that much with my daughter but ohh my son wow took awhile
they haven't started ashlyn yet -she just turned 2 -I guess its up to them when they want to train her - she does say "kaka "after she goes the odd time -I guess that will be part of my job when I am babysitting her -ohhh fun times but again I have way more patience with my grandchild then I did with my own kids -plus I was young then too 23 and 25 when I had mine

-well have a potential sale of an evening dress I bought 2 years ago paid 100.00 (I know what was I thinking but I had lost 20 pounds and wanted something really nice -plus it was on sale from 140.00 at the bay)
-well lets hope I get the 30.00 I am asking tonight -meeting her at hortons

[Granger]

Our hydro is between $100 and $230 a month. We just started equal billing for gas $140 a month. We are in a 60+ year old rural bungalow home with a crawl space. 2800 sq ft. Yep, I am up there...but I also know I am paying same or less as hydro and gas wasters in much smaller homes. So I feel good about that. I often do laundry at mid peak, so I could save there on weekdays, but I would rather keep abreast of it all than let it pile up for weekends. I use the timer on the washer, but the dryer doesn't have one.

[Frugalbigmama]

Our hydro is between $100 and $230 a month. We just started equal billing for gas $140 a month. We are in a 60+ year old rural bungalow home with a crawl space. 2800 sq ft. Yep, I am up there...but I also know I am paying same or less as hydro and gas wasters in much smaller homes. So I feel good about that. I often do laundry at mid peak, so I could save there on weekdays, but I would rather keep abreast of it all than let it pile up for weekends. I use the timer on the washer, but the dryer doesn't have one.

The past few months I have done laundry during the peak time too. If I'm off work and getting stuff done I want it all done and not wait till 7pm to start! (because then it probably won't get done!) I am going to try hard to keep up now so I don't do that anymore.

[jasperandchar]

[QUOTE=Frugalbigmama;6488595]

I will admit I am jealous of your hydro costs, we are rural and on a 2 tier system (no time of use here yet), I read my meter every single month like clock work, I don't use my dryer, our hot water tank is propane and our main source of heat is wood.....anyways my bills range from 150-180 per month. It costs $45 just to be connected to the hydro poles...anyways enough complaining[/QUOTE

Sorry, lol but to make you feel better my property taxes are very high. I am looking at moving to the sticks and it's the utility bills that scare me! The last few places do not have gas so heating was oil or propane- Neither I am interested in!

I'm afraid to say that property taxes in the sticks are actually quite expensive, I would imagine cheaper than you are currently paying BUT not at all cheap. The taxes where I live are $2800 no water as I'm on a well, not on sewar as we are on septic (need to get pumped at the cost of $250 each time). No garbage pickup so you need to travel to the dump. The roads get plowed when they get around to it around Noonish and if lucky before then. My inlaws who used to live 20 minutes away had water, sewer, garbage pickup and paid less than they currently do in the new home they built 3 years ago. And of course the house insurance are much higher because most rural properties have volunteer fireman and of course commuting expenses (gas) and vehicle insurance also increase.....sorry to be a bummer.

In the end it's cheaper to live in the city in my opinion

I would definitely ask to see property tax bills and assessment for the last 2 years.

And if you are thinking large parcel of land, I would ask for a survey as we didn't have 1 for our land and lost 20 acres which the price was based on ie 87 acres and actually had 67.

Just some friendly advice.

[Frugalbigmama]

[QUOTE=jasperandchar;6488661]

I'm afraid to say that property taxes in the sticks are actually quite expensive, I would imagine cheaper than you are currently paying BUT not at all cheap. The taxes where I live are $2800 no water as I'm on a well, not on sewar as we are on septic (need to get pumped at the cost of $250 each time). No garbage pickup so you need to travel to the dump. The roads get plowed when they get around to it around Noonish and if lucky before then. My inlaws who used to live 20 minutes away had water, sewer, garbage pickup and paid less than they currently do in the new home they built 3 years ago. And of course the house insurance are much higher because most rural properties have volunteer fireman and of course commuting expenses (gas) and vehicle insurance also increase.....sorry to be a bummer.

In the end it's cheaper to live in the city in my opinion

I would definitely ask to see property tax bills and assessment for the last 2 years.

And if you are thinking large parcel of land, I would ask for a survey as we didn't have 1 for our land and lost 20 acres which the price was based on ie 87 acres and actually had 67.

Just some friendly advice.

Thanks Yes, I have purchased/sold many houses in my time and have dealt with all this. Depends on the township for taxes etc. And for the most part the properties were more then 1/2 what my taxes were with more land. I thought you always had to have a survey to close a deal? I have always had one.

[thriftygranny]

Well Alberta tops the taxes. We pay 5000.00 a year for an 800 square foot cabin with electricity and seasonal garbage pick up. It was 800.00 a year in 1987 when we bought it. Our house taxes are about 4500.00 a year for a 2800 square foot 20 year old home in a nice neighborhood. WE rent the cabin out for 3 weeks a year to cover a portion of the taxes, if it was up to me it would be gone, however my husband bought it with his mother back in the day and since she passed he says he can't do it. He loves the place but gosh I get tired of yard work and maintenance of two dwellings that are only a half hour apart. we talk about building a home there but I feel to move to a rural area at this point in our lives makes no sense so we are at a stale mate. Sigh

[Frugalbigmama]

You are really talking me into staying put! lol My house really is cheap to run

[thriftygranny]

It may be different in Ontario and our cabin is a lakefront property at a popular lake but it is still way too much in taxes for what we get in return.

[thriftygranny]

Well one more week and the golf course is closed, so I will have some free time on my hands, it has been such a beautiful fall here.
My specialist appointment went well yesterday, I have two 50% blockages one in the vertibral artery and one in my subclavian artery. I guess the protocol is having them repaired when and if they get to 70% blocked. This is why I have a huge blood pressure differential, so I guess I just have to get used to the pins and needles and dizziness and brain fog. I may never need to have them repaired because we are controlling it with medications right now. I guess compared to other bad health issues it is all good. Just would like some energy back though!!Nice to have some answers though!!
thanks for the well wishes everyone!
Going to be a frugal week, I just need fruit, stopped at Independent and they had the fruit trays on for 50% off and their huge in store pizzas were 50% as well. So for 10.00 a huge pizza for us and fruit for dessert!! I had some veggies so whipped up some hummus and cut the veggies up to eat with supper. Easy night in the kitchen for me. Husband and I are going to run to the cabin to clean out and defrost the ancient fridge and bring home any groceries and we will close it for the winter on Saturday. It is a beautiful day to enjoy the leaves so I am looking forward to going soon!!!