April Frugal Chatter 2016

[Frugalbigmama]

Good point about the doors with the blinds built in! Gotta weigh the pros and cons with everything I guess.

We have snow today. Geez. But they said a high of 20 on the weekend so I see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Last night we made pasta with sauce pulled from the freezer. And garlic bread. I have leftovers for lunch. and I have leftovers for DS for dinner which is nice. I will just make something simple (toasted western) for myself and extra for his brother for when he gets home from work. Then I am on laundry duty. Really slacked on the weekend (too busy) So tonight I am getting at it early and finishing it!

[Granger]

Last thing I stocked up on? Washer fluid...$1.99, bought three. I hate being stuck in the winter paying prime at the gas station. Used one jug this week.

I don't stock up or use coupons much either. I find coupons are usually for things I don't need. Stocking up is spending money out of the budget. We buy what we need and try to stay in budget. I shop at one or two locations a week, wherever the majority of the items we need are on sale.

I do like to buy ahead for birthdays and gifts though. I find this saves me tons of $$$. There is always a gift to buy, so there is always a (small) budget for it.

We did well on tax return. Paying off our LOC (the second vehicle we purchased balance), taking care of some car stuff and starting saving for our bay window replacement. Outside of our mortgage. Debt-free again.

EDIT: I want to celebrate with you! We bought two new-to-us vehicles last year and paid probably close to $15 000 off in down payments and instalments in less than a year. Sometimes to see the light ahead, we need to celebrate from where we came!!!

[Frugalbigmama]

Last thing I stocked up on? Washer fluid...$1.99, bought three. I hate being stuck in the winter paying prime at the gas station. Used one jug this week.

I don't stock up or use coupons much either. I find coupons are usually for things I don't need. Stocking up is spending money out of the budget. We buy what we need and try to stay in budget. I shop at one or two locations a week, wherever the majority of the items we need are on sale.

I do like to buy ahead for birthdays and gifts though. I find this saves me tons of $$$. There is always a gift to buy, so there is always a (small) budget for it.

We did well on tax return. Paying off our LOC (the second vehicle we purchased balance), taking care of some car stuff and starting saving for our bay window replacement. Outside of our mortgage. Debt-free again.

EDIT: I want to celebrate with you! We bought two new-to-us vehicles last year and paid probably close to $15 000 off in down payments and instalments in less than a year. Sometimes to see the light ahead, we need to celebrate from where we came!!!

YES!!! Nothing stinks more then being on the road and realizing you NEED windshield washer fluid! Our RCSS had it marked down to .99 at the end of last season. I bought 8 Told my neighbour and he went and stocked up too.

[Granger]

Here is a fav recent pic of me. Not the greatest to see my face, but . I have a blog and my husband's profile is public on the church website so I am more concerned about positive tech-footprints than privacy. It was just a fun pic to mark Josie's 5 month milestone on my camera, that's why I am holding up 5 fingers.



Here is a better one of my face.

[Frugalbigmama]

For food I always make sure I have one extra on hand. I do not pay full price for anything. But I don't go crazy like I use to. If it is something we use on a regular basis then I stock up keeping the expiry date in mind.

[lizzie bargain]

SS-also check out Walmart- you can buy the room darkening pull down vinyl window shades cheaply which might work well for your daughters room. I have found them to be great in kids rooms.

QOTD-I have a basement stock pile of things like t.paper, comet, plastic wrap etc. Just did a stockup on Kraft BBQ sauce for $1.00 as that is the cheapest I see it. Will also stock up on Spag sauce when the brand I like is on sale. Also cheese on sale. Washer fluid, coffee etc. Some meats as well, although not too much as we just have the small freezer above the fridge.

[sweet sparrow]

@lizzie bargain: I have that basement stockpile as well. Luckily (or unluckily) we have an unfinished bathroom with exposed piping. I didn't want LO exposed to that so while pregnant, I packed it full of TP, tissues, and bottles of shampoo, bars of soap, etc. Sometimes, paper doesn't fit nicely in bathtubs so occasionally, there has been a landslide! At most, I've ever had to put back three or four things, so it's not that bad.

Windshield washer fluid is a weakness. DH drives for up to four hours a day, sometimes in horrid weather and often on highways, so 8 - 12 is a realistic number for us in a winter season.

I know Ikea has panels as well and cute for kids' rooms. I remember they had a light in the shape of a sun in the catalogue. I want to replace the ceiling fan in LO's room. It has three harsh halogen lights that are bright but so focused that they also keep the room dark. It's probably nice in the summer though when LO gets bigger.

@Granger: Awww you and Josie are too cute. I've probably said this before, but you have a remarkable resemblance to my best friend from grade school.

[sweet sparrow]

I'm actually excited about the flyers this week - excited because I practically have nothing on my list. I have dirt and yogurt. Ha ha!

I'm debating whether or not to go to the city for compost this year. They charge $0.035 per kg but I think there's a minimum $1 charge. There's no way I bought more than half my weight in compost last time.

[Andit]

Good afternoon, everyone.

Things are still a bit chaotic in our world. My Mom's surgery is scheduled for Friday, so I'll be awol again for a few days on the weekend (she has to stay in hospital at least overnight).

Been trying to organize the place (I've misplaced a document I need to do my taxes - my brain is somewhat mushy these days, sigh). On the plus side, the brats have been trying to help (Quincy cat piles all the papers together and naps on them...until Lily dog comes along and drools on him...next thing ya know, fur and saliva coated papers everywhere! )

Better get back to sorting, then off to make dinner.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[lilo0003]

SweetSparrow: Dirt & yogurt made me laugh. Such an interesting combo.
Our blinds are room darkening for the boys & they were a custom install, but the one in the older teens room can pull down or up and since his room overlooks the neighbours yards this was worth the investment.
On the topic of stockpile I would say I am in a holding pattern. When I first started couponing I bought a lot of cleaning products as they were often free. But now I prefer more natural methods (or not cleaning at all) so while is still use them I am not replacing any so that great scrubbing bubbles offer has passed me by.
Feeding teenage boys means that I may be thinking I am stockpiling but really I am just feeding the boys. Also a lot of what we eat now is nonperishable so I will stock up on the favourite cereals, pasta and sauce when I can but for now we are just eating what we have.

[Angela273]

I thought I would pass this info along as some people are quite confused, particularly now that it is tax season. The Liberals have completely changed child benefit programs. Here is a link to an article that should somewhat explain it.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics...dget-1.3502988

For people who want to look, here is the calculator.
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/tool-outil/ccb-ace-en.html

[SassyAshley]

Good Evening All,
Well I am officially out of town, left around 5:30 this morning and made good time getting out here. Getting to this location is pretty simple straight shot down the highway but I always seem to have horrible luck coming to this branch and never make it all the way down the highway without being diverted off. So far fingers crossed I made it here now we will see how getting home goes on Thursday.

Although Mom did not like what I had to say on Saturday and it started a fight, I do have to say maybe just maybe she saw what was happening as her mood towards me has been much better which is all I was really asking for.

I know it sounds quite childish but I think I am going to make a chore chart and add a new rule just because you miss doing it when you should it does not default to the next person. Example being I normally clean our bathroom on Sunday well I was going out of town so she said she would do it, she never got to it so when I got home I left it well apparently since Sunday rolled around again it became my turn again.

I will also do an around the house chart, we have prioritized what we need to do and I will work on breaking it down. I am hoping if it is laid out and we can see what we have accomplished and where we need to go it might give some motivation. Also I might insert some rewards if we get certain things accomplished. I am at the point where if a little bribery will get the job done I will find a way to budget it in.

Ever since all of this happened with Mom and the job I have had this feeling that this is the universes way of telling of us to get it together. We talk a good game but at the end of the day we are not achieving. Mom took a week off work to clean up our house and did nothing. Multiple times we have discussed not more Timmy's yet every time she works it would be a trip to Timmy's. We discussed meal planning less eating out, yet we continued to eat out. We are awesome at coming up with a plan (this would be because I am a gold/green, task oriented person, thank you leadership coach for that info) but the following through has been lacking as she procrastinates and I just get annoyed and give up. I just feeling like the universe is saying we are not going to allow you to continue like this so get your act together. Maybe I am over thinking this but it is how I feel.

I have really learned a lot about both Mom and myself recently. As much as we are so alike we are very different. I am very task oriented, need to accomplish things, big picture. She is very now, needs to results, but as I mentioned procrastinates.

As you can see I have put a lot of thought into this and today I need some soul searching on my drive, what better time 2+ hours in the car is good time to think. I am just hoping for good results.

Have a great night everyone.

[jasperandchar]

@sweet sparrow Giant Tiger atleast at my locations which is a small town has a great selection of curtain panels from blah beige to funky stuff, lots of choice & sizes and cheap curtain rods too. Another alterative for choice in blinds are the older style that now come with prints the pull down and pull up, easy to install and now stylish.

Also you could get the plain blind and customize with your own farbric (check out pinterest).

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My spent the day with me, we had a nice visit. They are leaving in the next week or 2 and wont' be back until my niece's wedding which is August 14th (sunday wedding).

Anyways my mom saw her cardiologist who told her only 30% of her heart is functioning properly, order a STAT test for 2 days later was told it would take 2 days for the doctor to get results. My mom called the doctors office and yes they have the results but have not yet contacted her. Needless to say I expressed my concerns with her heading out west for several months as she has been told in the past to stay out of the mountains. Last year she didn't listen and had to pay out of pocket for 1 week in hospital of course she never told us (the kids) until she was back home as we would have told her to come home.

Wishing everyone a great evening

________________________________
@Andit sending prayers for your mom, keep us posted, hopefully the brats will continue to act as a distraction (hugs)

_________________
@SassyAshley sounds like you did a lot of soul searching on your drive in, good luck & enjoy the time away

[Granger]

I thought I would pass this info along as some people are quite confused, particularly now that it is tax season. The Liberals have completely changed child benefit programs. Here is a link to an article that should somewhat explain it.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics...dget-1.3502988

For people who want to look, here is the calculator.
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/tool-outil/ccb-ace-en.html

Thank you for posting this. I was initially concerned as I plan to return to work 50% rather than full-time. Part of this decision was based on government child support. I was happy to see once my taxes were calculated that 1) the funds did not change much and 2) they will not be taxed like this years were!!!

[lilo0003]

Our taxes are done and filed and we know we get zippy from the government for the UTCB but since I had to put much more in my RRSP this year to avoid paying income tax because of the child tax credit I won't miss it.
Andit: I hope things improve with your mom, glad your roomies are trying to help.