December 2016 Frugal Chatter thread (all welcome)

[Frugalbigmama]

I will do my best Sweet Sparrow. Congrats!!

[Frugalbigmama]

Happy Hump day! I guess I should get up and tackle this day. Many things I want to do but not sure where to start.

[lizzie bargain]

Yes very thoughtful of me isn't it to volunteer FBM to help SS-I have always said that FBM is the energizer bunny-I can sometimes get tired just reading her posts-lol! Actually SS I am coming to TO for the second week of March so maybe I really could come and help you for one day-but you will likely be cruising through your new routine more easily by then! As you know, I just love new babies and I am always finding new twins and triplets to help with-at last count I have helped with 2 sets of triplets and 3 sets of twins in the past 6 years since I retired. Although I still help with 3 families of 4 children it might be time to look for a new set of multiples by April-usually they find me-rumour has it the last twins I helped with (who just turned 1 this month)-the Dad has a coworker who just found out she is having twins so he passed my name along in case she needs a hand!

My goals today are pretty simple and perhaps a little less energetic than FBM-currently I am drinking my coffee and typing( ie. this is the most mulit tasking I will do today,haha), then breakfast and bath, then off to Costco with hubby( shopping for a new laptop as this one is on its last legs)-hey I might even throw in a load of laundry! I tried to make it sound like a long list but really a pretty easy day overall!! Our friends left yesterday after staying over a couple of nights-we hd loads of laughs!

DD is still having a blast in NYC and our friends have promised to stay away from the crowds in NYC on NYE etc! I told the Mum I would have to stop watching the news until DD flies home on New Years Day-as when I turned it on last night there were 2 stories about threats in NYC and one about a mall in NJ etc. I guess there are risks everywhere including crossing the street and driving to the local store. Anyway they are very careful parents with 3 daughters of their own( plus mine)-what were they thinking adding to the chaos of Xmas and inviting mine?? Perhaps they will ask to send their 3 to us next year while they fly somewhere warm for a romantic vacation-lol! I don't think they will, but how could we say No-their daughter came to stay with us for Thanksgiving and may also come here for Easter, so hopefully it will all work out in the wash! They have taken our daughter on vacation with them and vice versa. One time we were away and they had sold their old house and they had about 3 days until they could move into their new house in our neighbourhood. So we told them to just stay at our empty house and park the Uhaul. The wind is howling out there so hopefully it is a warm chinook wind blowing in from the mountains! Happy Wednesday to everybody!

[coupon girl]

-I had a lazy morning(just not motivated to anything -had hubbys brother and his wife stop in last night -we made plans to go out for supper with them new years eve at kelseys -I have a coupon buy 4 meals one eats free-lol
-off to babysit ashlyn today but don't have to go over til noon -5.00 p.m as son is on nights and he needs to sleep a bit before he leaves for work at 4.15
-cant wait to play with ashlyn's new toys -I think we will make a slushie today

[Angela273]

I picked up some necessary groceries yesterday. I spent $52 with a gift card and saved $21. I used Zweet for 25c off bananas, $7 in coupons, and bought stuff on sale. I earned 22AM, which I did not count in the savings.

Today is dh's birthday. We were all healthy before Christmas, but returned home with 3 sick kids. Our son is puking and our twins have stuffy/runny noses. I'm kind of in survival mode today. I'll try to clean later, but I'm making no promises.

[thriftygranny]

Good Morning! Sweet Sparrow, I hope your new little one starts keeping her feedings down, it is such a worry when they are that tiny.
Angela, hope your family gets well soon, that is a handful when they are sick.
I made my turkey pies and they are in the freezer, now on to turkey soup and split pea and ham soup for the freezer, I had a bit of turkey left so I am going to make a chicken/turkey tortilla soup for supper tonight with some of the broth from the carcass. The kitchen work never ends!!
We now are only allowed to have 3 bags of garbage for our weekly pick up and have to pay a dollar per bag for any amount over that, you have to buy these big stickers to put on any extras or they won't get picked up. The city is offering 4 free ones for this week due to extra Christmas garbage so I must go pick those stickers up today, with all the extra company and cooking I have 6 total and I haven't emptied the small garbages in the bathrooms and bedrooms yet! I also have 3 recycle boxes jam packed so it will be a few trips to the alley for garbage day tomorrow!!
We do a real tree and it is very dry so it will come down today as well, I like to leave it up until the New year but it isn't drinking much and the needles are dropping so it is time. Worst job ever in my opinion, so much fun to put up but not so much putting it all away!!

[lilo0003]

Oh my, I think this site hates me. Posted from my Ipad, crashed before posting, again on my desk top & it crashed. I am not sure I can be as witty a third time.
We are heading back to my parents today as we need to bring the boys back on Thursday. Both asked to stay with a set of grandparents after Christmas. the oldest is very aware of his aging grandparents (FIL is 90) and so wants to spend as much time as he can with them.
We are going out tonight with my brother & his GF so fingers crossed for good weather for driving as we are about 2 hours away but both sets of parents are between here and London so its a straight line home.
I think I like the way the break landed this year as we still have a week at home after all the festivities. It will give us time to put the house back together and then I can begin my annual purge.

[Granger]

Our Christmas was a Christmess! Hubby is over Shingles now, I think I mentioned a few weeks ago. All the kids have been sick and now I am in bed sick. All of our plans were cancelled. Some will be rescheduled and some let go. Mom is the last one down! At least everyone else is on the mend and DH is home to help. I think we were hit with a variety of the respiratory cold/flu. Last night I sat outside in the cold for a half hour just to breathe. After years of pregnancies and breastfeeding, I have gotten used to suffering...my Netti pot couldn't touch this one though. DH got me Puffs with Lotion/Vicks and Advil Cold and Flu. Still in bed but feeling better, thank you long-missed cold meds.

@thriftygranny your Christmas post resonated with me. I have been trying to simply Christmas more year after year and this year, I can't believe how much we still do unnecessarily. My new motto will be, if I don't enjoy it, I'm not doing it. I have shared some of my stress and hopes to simplify with family and some are breathing the sigh of relief with me and others thinking I am crazy? I feel the stress added to our sickness this year.

Part of it is two of my female family members are homemaking right now while I am transitioning back to work. They are both eager and intelligent women. Meaning they don't sit at home idly. They invest their time in their kids and projects. They have "million" dollar families of four leading a Pinterest-life. I am happy for them. But they are exhausting me right now. I can't keep up, don't want to. We are understanding what is it like to be a "big" family of 5, and we know much bigger. Both our "cars" gave us trouble in December and for a time we couldn't transport everyone at once. When we cancelled for family events, a third of the company was gone.

Love to you all.

[Granger]

^^^Having trouble with editing feature.

I wanted to clarify unnecessarily...I mean those things we often do out of tradition or obligation, that we don't necessarily enjoy and are under appreciated or even taken advantage of by others.

[lizzie bargain]

Hope all that are under the weather feel better soon! TG-you are wearing me out just reading the list of all your cooking today-making me feel like a slacker-lol. Although I do have plans to throw together a stirfry for the two of us for dinner-when I get around to it I mean!! I hear any of you who are feeling overwhelmed at Xmas and nobody should hesitate to change it up for subsequent years. I especially feel, as we are getting older, some of the kids or adult grandkids can start to take turns hosting if we no longer wish to or feel unable to cook for so many.

For many years here, my sister would always host an Xmas Eve fondue and stocking opening which we were all invited to and my SIL and I would take turns hosting Xmas dinner and Thanksgiving for the same extended family group-about 17-20 depending on current boyfriends/girlfriends etc. Finally last year my sister( who now lives in Argentina and is only here for 2 weks at Xmas anyway) said-sorry everyone but now that my 4 kids all have partners and they will eventually have children I am finding it too tiring to host more than my immediate family on Xmas Eve. We all understood-I still invited everyone for Xmas dinner last year but this year we did not have a large extended Xmas family dinner as a few family members were travelling and we had company anyway-and I didn't miss all the work.

Instead, I am still seeing my family and friend's at smaller meals etc and it is fine to change things up-sometimes just one family decides to go away or do something different for a change and it can throw people into a tizzy needlessly. I am one of 5 siblings, 3 of whom have mostly lived here. One of my other sisters Skyped me on Xmas morning and asked where the clan was gathering for Xmas dinner so she could call or Skype the group. When I replied "we aren't this year" I think she was shocked and imagined we had a falling out ( which we hadn't). I suppose it was a bit more effort for her to contact each of us sibs individually but so be it-we had not thought to let her know as she is unable to attend from so far away anyway.

[barbis9]

Glad that Christmas is over. Went Boxing Day shopping at Shoppers and was happy to find my fav chocolate which is normally $19.99 reduced to $6.40 The decent gift sets were going fast. I picked up the Gillette embrace gift set for $11.99 which was cheaper than buying the actual blades with shower gel and lotion to boot. Nivea anti-aging 3 piece kit for $7.49 so I am a happy camper. Disappointed that Old Navy didn't have any good deals.

[Frugalbigmama]

Went to Sdm today. Took a look around and didn't see much. Then saw the manager with a batch of sale tags and he re-tagged the gift section - most items marked down to .99! So loaded my cart to spend $50 since I had point offer for 20x the points. Used gift cards I had so no $ out of pocket. Lots of deals, will post later the details once I dig out receipt. Went and picked my friend up to get her out of the house (she is pregnant and sick all day long) Made taco salad for dinner (cooked taco meat in freezer made it quick) Lazy night. Will run the dishwasher tonight and that is about it!

[jasperandchar]

Well Christmas is done for another year! We had a lovely few days but I have decided hosting 15 plus for Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas day is starting to be a bit much for me!! We ended up with extra people at the last minute and it stressed me to no end on Christmas day. My oldest daughter's husband has a son from a previous relationship when he was very young, they shared raising him with his mother who is very rough around the edges until he went sideways at 14, lets just say he is still a very bad adult now. Well he showed up with a girl friend at the last minute with no notice with very expensive gifts for everyone, mostly of the alcohol variety and proceeded to pour shots for everyone. I truly believe Christmas is not to tie one on and it bothered my daughter and her husband, they don't see much of him because his lifestyle choices are less than desirable.I spent tons of time with him as a young boy but I kind of cut ties with him when I thought he was going to influence my son into doing the things he does. Anyway it added a bit of stress to my day and had to squeeze two more people at the table to make a total of 17 because, my daughters friend decided not to travel at the last minute as well. Anyway I have decided to do one big meal Christmas eve next year and put out leftovers and snacks Christmas day, I feel like all I did was cook and pick up after people and did not have a chance to relax and enjoy the day. I am pooped, and we had a very late gift opening Christmas day because on of my son in laws came down with a stomach bug and we waited for him to get up once the gravol kicked in! Two people have caught it so far and I am crossing my fingers I do not!!
My son left today for winter camping and that is always a worry, cougars are bad this year and It is all I can think about. He sent me a snap chat of the lean to they built and they look cozy but I will be glad when he gets home on Friday.
I did go out today and do a bit of shopping for next year, Sears had all their costume jewelry on sale for 70% off and with 3 daughters and and a granddaughter it was an easy decision to pick up some pieces for stockings! I grabbed some cute Christmas socks for 70% off as well as some slippers for future gifts.
Well i am off to make pastry for turkey pies for the freezer, I cooked a 28 pounder and even with all the people there are a lot of leftovers and I will be happy I did it when I want a lazy day later in the month!!!

Take it easy and relax you definitely deserve a rest after hosting 2 big meals. I think you are on to something about hosting 1 large meal, it's stressful BUT I'm sure your prepping and freezing saved you tons of work.

Great finds for Christmas 2017

[jasperandchar]

@Granger I have now this year come to the same mindset of sorts that if I'm not up to it then I won't do it.

I hosted Christmas this year again (5th year in a row) and I told my family (kids & dh) I'm not doing it next year even if my folks have nowhere to go. My eldest brother called me 2 days before Christmas and announced that he and his wife have no plans and that my other brother is home as well for Christmas.....It made me mad because both brothers told my folks they had plans for CHRISTMAS.....after speaking with my brother it became obvious that neither sibling had actual plans BUT they just didn't want my folks for Christmas....sigh....this is what I got from speaking to my brother for 1 hour.....I thought this isn't right BUT I hosted this year and I'm happy I did but I'm taking a back seat next year.

Feeling relieved that dh is finally on board of finishing existing projects vs. starting new projects....yippee....

DH and I have an actual game plan for the renos, I've been saying for the last year that our renovations scattered all over the place. So tomorrow I will strip the window trim for Ds1's room, dh will paint & install and then his room will be completed. It may take 1 week but atleast it will be done.

Then we will concentrate on finishing the back entrance (mudding, sanding & painting) and installing door trim.

Then move onto the other projects that have finishing to be done.....

Wishing everyone a great evening.

[Ciel]

Love these reno project postings, @jasperandchar ! Inspiration and the DIY spirit! I may have to step into Lowes for the third time this year to see if anything speaks to me as something to get done for 2017. Flooring in the kitchen/dining room is looking very worn and I'd like not to have to tape over two floor seams in order to save socks from snags. New vinyl (tiles would be easier) would be appreciated for 2017.

Today I returned a grocery item for refund, bought a newspaper, returned some beer/wine containers and bought a single bottle of beer that I read about months ago in Food & Drink mag. Looking forward to trying Beau's St. Luke's Verse-plan tomorrow to make pizza dough and use regular Primo pizza sauce to make pizza slices (no other toppings) so I have something to go with the beer. Wish I had burgers but I do not nor any frozen pizzas (all those flyer previews have them on special).Found a couple of new magazine issues at a different library branch, so there's reading material for the weekend. Second walk tonight-more cans! Bought a pkg of reduced price sweet potatoes and cooked them for mashing and seasoning with cinnamon & nutmeg (evening treat score). Something ready for tomorrow should I feel like having the mash.

My hips and backside want to leave me-the joint pain is a little more than usual due to my bending for the containers at various degrees. Will do an Epsom salt soak in morning to help make amends.

Mom did not wish to do errands nor grocery shopping today-too bad, as the weather was decent even though this is the third grey morning in a row (and that is annoying-where is Ms. Sunshine, in Florida?). Think she'll postpone again tomorrow when she sees the snow. I think I'd like to sleep in tomorrow then deal with the day as it unfolds.

2017 coupons-I'm anticipating fewer coupons that I'll be able to use for groceries and my AM card is almost on vacation so the next e-gift card redemption may not happen for some months. Flyer specials will be the driving considerations of when items are purchased with the reality some staples will have to be bought at regular price. Weather (snow) will factor into when I can use my cart to get large bags of flour or canned beverages or anything else that is heavy.

Next week, I will stock up on food, hosiery and personal care items plus treat self to a McDonald's meal at the new restaurant.