February 2016 Frugal chatter thread - All Welcome!!!

[sweet sparrow]

I've been in a brutal amount of pain for 4 days and counting...between my migraine and my severe leg pain.

I'm sorry to hear about your pain. I have no idea what can help but hope it goes away soon. Would massage therapy help?

I bought my oldest a pair for $19 on clearance at Walmart because she needed boots now. I did make sure they were at least 1 size too big so that hopefully they will still fit next year. If not her youngest sister will eventually get to wear them.

2 years ago I bought 4 pairs of winter boots of various larger sizes for $5 each but the largest pair is now too small for my oldest DD. I'm hoping once the snow is gone I'll be able to find more for that price again.

Like others have said you can't go wrong buying them at that price. Buy several larger sizes and if a pair is too small to fit next year, you can always sell on kijiji and get your money back.

LO's current size is a size 8, her winter boots are a 7 but fit large, and we have an extra pair of size 9s from a friend if we're in a pinch. I think the velcro may have to be resown/replaced though. I'll have to ask my mom if it's possible or if I should run out and get a new pair now.

I'm amazed how you all sell on kijiji and do so well.

I'll need to do all my errands in the next few days with the upcoming winter storm. I'm just hoping I'll be able to move the stroller through. It looks like we'll be continuing to take the bus for the next two weeks.

Yesterday I went back to RCSS about the cheese. Before I visited the CS desk, I checked the shelf price and it was supposed to be $3.98, but as soon as I saw who was at the service desk, I knew I'd have a hassle. Without checking, she told me that the variety I bought was not included in the sale. I told her the shelf price said it was included. Then she called the dairy section about three times (no response) and helped another customer before walking all the way to the back dairy section herself. I ran to catch up with her so I could point it out quickly.

LO was waiting at daycare and I didn't want to be late. At the last two daycares she's been in, the policy is a $20 charge if you're 1-15 minutes late, and then $15 for every 15 minute increment past that, payable in cash ($35 if you're 16 minutes late). I can't remember what the late policy is like at this one, but it may be similar.

Finally, the CSR agreed that it was the incorrect price, especially when it now scanned at the correct price. If only she could have scanned the price at the beginning, it would have saved us both a long walk! $10 back for me - $2.80 for the bus trip. I was about 35 minutes later than my usual time to pick up LO, but still made it. Phew!

[Frugalbigmama]

@Sweets parrow- Glad you stood your ground and it all worked out in the end. Hope you enjoy your fancy cheese

[Frugalbigmama]

We are expecting the storm tomorrow but at least I am close to work etc so I'm not too worried. I will drive youngest to school and pick him up at 3 if buses are canceled since his afterschool program won't be running. He likes snow days at school. Hope everyone is ready if they are expecting the storm

[Angela273]

Thank you for the suggestion Sweet Sparrow. Unfortunately I have to avoid massage therapy because I am on an injection blood thinner. I had a gentle back massage while on my blood thinner while at university and I felt bruised for the next 3 days. Rest helps some, but that is difficult to do with our young children. Unfortunately it feels like my migraine is still around this morning.

[sweet sparrow]

@Sweetsparrow- Glad you stood your ground and it all worked out in the end. Hope you enjoy your fancy cheese

Fancy cheese! It's the same cheese we always buy, but at a price tag we never pay.

We are expecting the storm tomorrow but at least I am close to work etc so I'm not too worried. I will drive youngest to school and pick him up at 3 if buses are canceled since his afterschool program won't be running. He likes snow days at school. Hope everyone is ready if they are expecting the storm

Oh dear. If it's a snow day on Thursday, daycare may be closed so I will have to be ready for that.

Thank you for the suggestion Sweet Sparrow. Unfortunately I have to avoid massage therapy because I am on an injection blood thinner. I had a gentle back massage while on my blood thinner while at university and I felt bruised for the next 3 days. Rest helps some, but that is difficult to do with our young children. Unfortunately it feels like my migraine is still around this morning.

@Angela273 : Would chiropractic adjustments help? I know full rest is near impossible if you're nursing.
@Granger : Thank you for the Shoe Company suggestion. I've been checking their website occasionally but I haven't seen any boots for less than $25 yet.

[thriftygranny]

Thank you for the suggestion Sweet Sparrow. Unfortunately I have to avoid massage therapy because I am on an injection blood thinner. I had a gentle back massage while on my blood thinner while at university and I felt bruised for the next 3 days. Rest helps some, but that is difficult to do with our young children. Unfortunately it feels like my migraine is still around this morning.

Angela, it seems we have a lot in common, I have a clotting dissorder as well and I understand your pain, I also suffered from brutal migraines. They were at their worst about 6 months after giving birth due to hormonal changes, sometimes they would last several days, I had to hire someone to come in to the home a few times because I couldn't lift my head. The only non medical advice I can give you is to alternate cold and hot compresses on the back of your neck, sometimes this stops the vessels from constricting which is the cause of the headache. My son has terrible migraines and he firmly believes that eating food with capsaicins helps, so anything spicy like peppers he also swears by eating wasabi at the onset of one, not sure how that would go over in the breast milk though!! On the upside mine went away with menopause, which is about the only upside of that ridiculous phase in a girls life!!

Granger, too funny about the dog at the grocery store, we have one at our superstore and when my son was little he had a close personal relationship with it, we fed it a lot of pennies for a time!!!

[coupon girl]

-well took my older brother to foodbasics and freshco this morning -its been 5 months since his heart surgery and he now decided to get back out there -he always did the grocery shopping -his health is really pretty good still has a few appts a month but hey

-just cashed out for checkout51 22.49 -so that is 106.75 in total for 2 months jan-not bad decided I don't think I will let checkout51 accumulate to higher amounts as you never know in the day -what is here today may be gone tomorrow

-oh and have received 50.00 from kijiji in 2 months

[Granger]

They were at their worst about 6 months after giving birth due to hormonal changes,

I just finished saying to my DH that I felt like my hormones are outta whack. Josie is 6 months. My whole body chemistry seems off.

[Angela273]

Sweet sparrow & thriftygranny

My history of blood clots originates from complications after a car accident that I was a passenger in in January 2007. The doctors misdiagnosed and mistreated me for months. It wasn't until July that I was diagnosed with severe DVT & PEs. No one believed my complaints of severe lower back pain from pelvic blood clots because I was "so young and healthy" before this all started. They performed the wrong surgery 4 times in 48hrs, removing less than 1/2 of the blood clots from my legs. This has left me with permanent damage to my left leg and right lung. They have done a variety of blood work and have not found a genetic cause. I wear my thigh high compression stocking daily and take my daily injection blood thinner. I also have a wheelchair sign for my vehicle for days when I am in s lot of pain outside or when it is icy to help reduce my risk of falling.

30% of people with migraines have larger than normal red blood cells, which includes me. I've heard of people losing their migraines from pregnancy or menopause. You are fortunate that you were one of them, thriftygranny.

[jasperandchar]

@Lilo 003 sorry to hear about the vehicle situation hopefully you can manage as a 1 car family, PS how is your hubby feeling, doing etc
@Andit oh dear, hopefully you get some news soon

[momof5boys]

What an incredibly gorgeous day here on the West Coast. Yesterday I started tomato and green pepper seeds in 'milk jug greenhouses' If you're interested in what these are, there is a lot of info on the internet on how to make these - so so easy to do. My little lettuce plants that I started inside are growing like crazy now (outdoors in a large container). The transplants (leek, green onion, and kale started indoors) are doing well but should really take off now with the bit of sunny stretch we are having

[Frugalbigmama]

Dinner done and kitchen clean. Teen picked up from his job. Load of laundry in the washer. Will make sure to follow through and dry and put away. Have a blanket and sheets to wash so will wash tonight and hang to dry overnight. I think that is it for me tonight. Busy week at work so I need a bit of a break.

i have a peameal roast cooked in the freezer so I think I will take it out and serve tomorrow with green beans, gravy and salad. ( leftover perogies as well for boys). Will tidy up the laundry room tomorrow night since I will have extra time.

[thriftygranny]

Sweet sparrow & thriftygranny

My history of blood clots originates from complications after a car accident that I was a passenger in in January 2009. The doctors misdiagnosed and mistreated me for months. It wasn't until July that I was diagnosed with severe DVT & PEs. No one believed my complaints of severe lower back pain from pelvic blood clots because I was "so young and healthy" before this all started. They performed the wrong surgery 4 times in 48hrs, removing less than 1/2 of the blood clots from my legs. This has left me with permanent damage to my left leg and right lung. They have done a variety of blood work and have not found a genetic cause. I wear my thigh high compression stocking daily and take my daily injection blood thinner. I also have a wheelchair sign for my vehicle for days when I am in s lot of pain outside or when it is icy to help reduce my risk of falling.

30% of people with migraines have larger than normal red blood cells, which includes me. I've heard of people losing their migraines from pregnancy or menopause. You are fortunate that you were one of them, thriftygranny.

Wow Angela, I hope you got some sort of compensation for all the errors made, I hope the pain turns around soon for you.

[Andit]

Good morning, everyone.

Mom is still in emergency (she keeps getting bumped whenever there is a bed available). Not happy about her being around other sick people & their germs, otoh there are lots of people keeping an eye on her, whereas she'd be left alone in a room upstairs. They did more tests and took some fluid off her lung to help her breathe easier. Dr saw some "spots" on the ct scan, so more tests have been ordered. Glad they are being thorough, but I am convinced the "spots" are from pneumonia (they still won't confirm that's what she has). She's getting antibiotics, so that makes me happy (my suggestion would have been a heavy dose of cipro from the outset - that fixed me up within 2 days when I had pneumonia). Lesson for the day - don't try to wait things out, get to a dr at the first sign of something amiss. Sigh.

My bff was with her yesterday, but Mom insisted that I was the one needing help, so bff came down for a visit to lift my mood. I didn't realize until bff showed up with dinner, that I hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime on Monday (I completely forgot to have dinner, I was so stressed, sigh). Mom insists I continue with my plans, as I can't do anything to help (I'm not allowed near hospitals with my lack of immune system). So, I'll be off to jury duty in a little while, then theatre plans tonight. I wanted to cancel my theatre tonight, but Mom was insistant that I go and have fun (I've been looking forward to Gaslight for months - it's my favourite film).

Still stressed, but at least I've had something to eat & a bit of sleep. Really, I just want my Mommy.

Off to start my day.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[lizzie bargain]

This morning I seem to have a bit of a cold but really needed some groceries so popped out to No Frills and Co-op first thing with DH as my assistant-I managed to do what I hope is a one week shop with plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, meat, dairy etc for $97 so pretty happy with that considering how expensive things have been of late.