October 2015 Frugal chatter

[sweet sparrow]

Inquiring Minds Want to Know!!!

What are you doing to prevent food spoilage???? Are swapping food for other food via facebook groups or amongst family and friends?, trading extras from garden or selling excess stock, participating or doing large amounts of baking at 1 time for present and future use, freezer/batch cooking etc (like @thriftygranny does with her daughters) or participating in a cookie/dessert exchange? thanks

Food spoilage...Well, I've been trying to keep track of what we have in the fridge by doing a monthly clean up and check. I haven't tossed out anything really as I can always find something "last minute meal"-ish if things look a bit wilty. However, I did get a big box of mangoes because LO and I love mangoes. I peeled one on Saturday and it was dry and horrid inside! Even my mom didn't know what I could do with icky mangoes so I'm facing tossing the entire box. Ugh! I'd want to return it if I could, but it'll make nice compost for the city.

Inquiring mind want to know: Do you decorate for Halloween,donate candies have something planned?

This year, we hope to take LO out to a charity event with other kids, hopefully dressed as a panda.

[macw1960]

If anyone have BOGO Whiskas dry food cat coupons to trade or to Raok please pm me as I dont received the insert and my stockpile is now 2 bag for my cat eve,Thank you!!!!

I was just wondering when these coupons expire?

[coupon girl]

cath-do I decorate for Halloween nope -I use to when the kids where little -do I give out candy yes I spend 16 .49 this year got 2 boxes of 45 chocolate bars 4.99 at metro a week ago,suckers from shoppers 3.99 and candy rolls 2.49-our neighbour hood doesn't have that many small kids anymore -they are all teens

-made blueberry muffins last night -love these muffins they have a crunchy sugar coating on top-froze 4 for other days
-hubby said I only want one I am watching my weight -then I seen him have another later -I don't care I would rather eat a muffin with my tea then have ice cream or chips or chocolate bars

-darn it all shoppers sent me 700 points for brookside chocolate -maybe I can buy it and put away for xmas-if I have the will power

-off to my sister-in-law's(my younger brother's wife) today she just turned 50 and even thou I don't buy gifts for adults birthdays -I thought this one was special so I got her a 20.00 gift card from shoppers cause I know she is close to redemption and she has my neice who is 20 and loves makeup so she can reach redemption faster ,a walking dead calendar(saved 20% on that ) and a hard spiral anne geddes writing pad (bought last year for a 1.00)and 3 pairs of socks (bought last year for .49 .75 and 1.00) wrapped up all nice

[YOU AND ME]

I was just wondering when these coupons expire?

12/17/15

[coupon girl]

-just cashed out on a survey site I was doing -got 35.00 visa pre-paid gift card coming -again every little bit helps

[macw1960]

12/17/15

Thank you.

[Andit]

Good afternoon, everyone.

As usual, I've been burning the candle at both ends. One of these days, I'll have to remember before the fact that I'm no longer in my 20s and have energy to spare.

The not-so-fun part of the activities involved a weak attempt at re-organizing my storage locker to find Halloween decorations. The much more entertaining part was going with friends to see the Magna Carta (it's at the new visitors centre at Fort York). Very interesting display. Too bad so few people know about it (it's only in Toronto a short time). Got very very lucky and the nice folks at the admission desk offered us a couple of spare tickets (the group that went in not long before us over-estimated their numbers and handed in their extra tix).


Gotta love living in a big city that has a fort downtown.

There's still construction around the Visitors Centre, so it was hard to get a proper shot.

In addition, I got an early Xmas present - a breadmaker - so I've been trying to figure out how it works. My first attempt was a failure (didn't rise, issues with old yeast ), so will have to give it another shot once I have some decent ingredients. On the plus side, my 4-legged garbage disposal seemed pleased with the results, so the dense brick of a bread is going to be a certain someone's treat for the next little while.

Better go explore SC and see what I've been missing out on.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
Oh Flip what a week it was. Every day this week my department was short staffed, one girl has to leave early Monday another came in late Tuesday, I was away Wednesday and Thursday for meetings and then left for part of Friday afternoon for another meeting. So I have spent most of the week playing catch up. I also worked Saturday when I was planning to catch up but shockingly we were busy and I had to work the retail counter.

Home has not been any calmer. Our bathroom tap was leaking finally got a plumber in to fix it, it is only a temp fix as we need to rip out the wall and replace at the pipes as the taps have been stripped so there are more $$$$$. It is $125 just for them to come to our house without any work being done.

If this was not enough last week our thermostat went, we thought we had it fixed shut off the programmable part and switched to manual which seem to fix everything until yesterday when Mom smelled something burning and it was coming from the thermostat. This became a lesson in frustration no electrician we called would come either they do not do jobs this small or if they did they would not do them on the weekend and would come out sometime next week. We finally found one who would come but they were going to charge us $800, $240 for the emergency call and $600 to change the thermostat. Luckily a family friend offered to drive 2 hours each way and do it for us if we bought the thermostat which cost us $15 at Home Hardware.

Needless to say I have been super stressed this week. The good news is other then costs on the house I cannot find the time or energy to even grocery shop so another week of no shopping.

[SassyAshley]

I need your ladies opinions as I have mentioned I am making these blankets for people and basically making no money from them as a good gesture. Well I finished one a couple of weeks ago sent her photos she said she loved it. I asked her when she wanted it and she told me I finished it ahead of schedule (which I did I expected it to take me a lot longer) and she would not have the money until November to pay me.

Today she messages me and say again how cute it is but that she wanted something different, basically she asked for the child size which is what I made but the photo she sent me was the adult size and she wanted the size of the adult blanket at the child price.

This is the response I want to send her but I am second guessing myself:
I understand what you are saying but know we come to awkward situation that blanket was made for you and cost me $43.19 in yarn. Now that the blanket has been made I can no longer return the yarn. I do not have use for this blanket as it was made custom for you and I have now paid for the yarn out of my pocket.

Is this wrong to send?

[Crochetlady]

@SassyAshley I think you`re being very polite about it.This is why it is important to get a deposit on orders. You mentioned that you are going to be selling on Etsy. Maybe you can sell it there. If you do an adult one for her I would tell her what the price will be and demand full payment before you start it.

I had a call from a former friend yesterday...hadn`t talked to her for 1 1/2 years. She wanted a white ruffled afghan like last week. Only have a pink one...she said ok. She was supposed to call this morning to arrange a pickup for today. Still haven`t heard from her. If she doesn`t come for it before I go to AnnaMae`s in a couple weeks it`ll go there.

[Frugalbigmama]

Bought some groceries. Pm'd pancake mix and syrup so for $12 we got 4 syrup and 2 mixes, 6600 PC PTS and 2 Tropicana OJ ( free with coupon). Breakfast for dinner this winter for sure! Also got out for a hike in the bush and the pup is tired now which is good. Pork chops, veggies etc for dinner. Sunny out so great for a BBQ. Bedding hanging outside to dry. Busy day.

[avoncallingu]

It's a quiet day on here.

Well I experimented cooking pumpkin today. I peeled and cubed 1/2 a pumpkin. In 2 separate 9x13 dishes and into the oven. 1 I seasoned and it was good but not something I could see myself eating often, the guys tried 1 piece and said nope....doesn't surprise me as they are not veggie eaters. The other dish was plain nothing on it as I wanted to see if I could bake something with it. I haven't done the baking as I was tired after all that peeling etc. I also served the steak supper with a combination of yellow & green beans from the inlaws garden which I froze.

So in the next few days I will bake something with the pumpkin and see how that works out. Dh grew 10 large pumpkins so it would be nice to be able to eat them in some shape or form.

Oh and the best part of the pumpkin was the seeds (haha).

Wishing everyone a great evening.

Oh, J&C, I have a great Recipe for pumpkin-potatoe soup. When I get home, if you remind me, I'll send it to you.

[SassyAshley]

Sadly I did not think I would have an issue as she offered a deposit only issue was she wanted me to come and get it and with how busy work has been lately I have not been able to find time to go 15 minutes out of my way to get it. Before I knew it the blanket was done as I was fearing I would run out of time and now this.

On the note of work and busy I think it has now become official that there will be no slow season for us this year. One of our major competitors just went bankrupt and there is one product line only a handful of suppliers make, they are now out of the picture, another supplier has decided to focus on a different product line leaving even less of making this product line. Even customers turning to our competition do not realize we make these for 2 of our biggest competitors so in a round about way they are still buying from us. This is also a product line I specialize in so this means I really need to step up on my game to stay on top of everything and make sure nothing slips through the cracks as sales, customer service, production and shipping all need to work so close to each other to keep up.

[avoncallingu]

Hello folks!

We went to a local Theatre last night to see a play called "Death Trap." Many twists and turns and some comedic parts. Really enjoyed the "date" as DH's son had a wedding to go to. Today, a classic car show at Ybor City which is a historically Cuban Cigar Making part of Tampa. Had a great meal- prime rib with a baked potato for $9.99 plus add a salad for $1.

Tonight going to see the grown up son play hockey. He never had an interest when he was a boy. So, Frugalbigmomma, I'll be thinking of you as I try to scrounge enough warm clothing to keep warm in an area!

Got some really sad news today that my 38-yr.-old cousin- single mom of 2, has been diagnosed, just Wednesday with acute leukaemia with major complications. She was sent to Windsor to the hospital there.

DH is trying to keep me focused on trying to enjoy our last couple of days here. We don't get to see his son very often.

Take care, everyone!
I feel terrible. Will arrange to get to see her when we get home.

[SassyAshley]

Avon thoughts and prayers for your cousin