July 2017 Frugal Chatter Thread

[GoodBoy]

If you need help I am happy to take things from your mom's freezer :D


Sent from my iPhone

[Frugalbigmama]

If you need help I am happy to take things from your mom's freezer :D


Sent from my iPhone

[Granger]

Hey friends. Been a while since I have checked in. I am trying to limit my screen time (I get sucked in and don't emerge). I am home all day today catching up on house work...so have been a little more liberal with it (more like procrastinating) and thought I would check in here.

I have finances to do this afternoon. Since we are doing the EveryDollar Budget, finances have been way less stressful! We are sticking to a budget as opposed to seeing what's left. We have been having trouble getting contractors out for quotes, but I think are finally going to get our big bay window replaced and the siding on the side of the home. A few more quotes to nail down. I will post before and after pics when they are done. We received an unexpected $1000 from my grandmother's recent passing which will help with the projects (may she rest in peace).

Our days have been busy with all three girls at home (6, 5, almost 2). I am happy to be done school (teacher) to spend it with them. We have been going to African Lion Safari about once a week (one hour drive) and since we paid for it with Christmas money all it costs us is fuel for the car. It has already paid for itself twice over ($320 taxes in for a family of five at early bird rates). My next family deal is hoping to get a room on a discount site for Great Wolf Lodge for December this year (it will be gift to both children and my parents as we will invite them). It is a new FB page for me so I am still learning the ropes.

That's all, I included some information in brackets for people who are newer to the thread or just forgot since I have not been frequenting as much!

[Frugalbigmama]

Hey friends. Been a while since I have checked in. I am trying to limit my screen time (I get sucked in and don't emerge). I am home all day today catching up on house work...so have been a little more liberal with it (more like procrastinating) and thought I would check in here.

I have finances to do this afternoon. Since we are doing the EveryDollar Budget, finances have been way less stressful! We are sticking to a budget as opposed to seeing what's left. We have been having trouble getting contractors out for quotes, but I think are finally going to get our big bay window replaced and the siding on the side of the home. A few more quotes to nail down. I will post before and after pics when they are done. We received an unexpected $1000 from my grandmother's recent passing which will help with the projects (may she rest in peace).

Our days have been busy with all three girls at home (6, 5, almost 2). I am happy to be done school (teacher) to spend it with them. We have been going to African Lion Safari about once a week (one hour drive) and since we paid for it with Christmas money all it costs us is fuel for the car. It has already paid for itself twice over ($320 taxes in for a family of five at early bird rates). My next family deal is hoping to get a room on a discount site for Great Wolf Lodge for December this year (it will be gift to both children and my parents as we will invite them). It is a new FB page for me so I am still learning the ropes.

That's all, I included some information in brackets for people who are newer to the thread or just forgot since I have not been frequenting as much!

Happy all is well!

[Ciel]

I had a grocery item to return to Fortinos and got some canned fish and peeked at one clearance section. Noticed some stationery items (2 pack Paper Mate white erasers are 50% off $1.99; not sure what the two pocket file folders were going for). Then saw a small pile of Write Away Mabel labels-99cents less 50% off (happy find, as I wanted labels)-got one package (30 labels-used to sell for $7.49). Each sheet of five has images of a bike, car, shark, peace symbol and skull and crossbones.

Longo's has in its back grocery clearance area $1.99 Kelloggs Pop Tart cases in dark purple, royal blue or bright green. Just putting that out here in case someone loves Pop Tarts by a tart at a time in their lunch kits.

Was pleased that the rain waited for the afternoon to drizzle/drip/rain. Got my shoe money and will shop tomorrow for new runners.

[Angela273]

We are under a tornado advisory and a thunder storm advisory. We currently have the thunder storm with rain. I was watching lightning for a while before any rain started and everything is bone dry here. I was back from Sobeys for 1hr before any rain started, but the lightning was already visible. I steaked the tomato plants this morning, so hopefully that is sufficient to protect them. It was exactly a year ago today that our property flooded, so it seems fitting that today is the day that the company is now starting the work to clean it up.

[avrose]

Good evening. We are expecting rain/thunderstorms overnight and tomorrow, but the sky was still clear so I watered my garden a bit. I started things beginning of may and my plants are still tiny! I do have peas and lettuce growing at least.
I wore a new pair of shorts to work today and the side seam came undone, never had that happen before. I didn't have the receipt (threw it out cause I wasn't planning to return anything) so i returned it for a gift card, today was the very last day I could!

[Natalka]

@Granger - I just figured you were away on vacation... glad things are going well with you, and you are enjoying summer with your family.

We got a fabulous thunderstorm around suppertime - and now just before 10, there is rumbling again in the distance. The first storm, though, brought lots of hail, torrents of rain, and some thunder which was really loud and close!

We finally got a "new" (ahem, previously enjoyed....) water heater put in this aft - and, gosh, it took the whole afternoon! Thank goodness my husband was home today so he could deal with it all. He's been repairing the old one for like a year, and it's been so irritating because we would only have hot water for several days, and he's be fixing it again. Well, he was stubborn and hadn't contacted the landlord about it until this week.

Our son was over yesterday for supper and a visit - he's recovering very well from his surgery. Last week he injured his back (from a twist), so it's not been great that he's had to deal with something like that for the first time. He said it gave him some insight into how it might be when my back is out.

[Angela273]

I developed mastitis today. I went to the ER tonight and got a prescription. I caught it pretty early, I'm sore on one side but otherwise feel fine. I got two pills to start taking the antibiotic because my pharmacy isn't open until 9am. The doctor that was on call chose to keep the ER open all day, so she saw 100 patients today and the waiting room was empty when I arrived. I'm staying up because I need to take the medication on an empty stomach.

[Frugalbigmama]

Day 2 for us for humid temps. Chance of a storm here too.

My neighbours are drinkers. (Nice classy people, nice house etc but they like to drink every weekend and some weeknights when nice out) I watch a regular guy go through their recycling bin every week and fill up bags of beer, wine and liquor bottles. DS watched him last week. Last night when I go home from work I noticed their bins were out. Told DS and he went over and filled 4 bags lol. (He said there was over $2 in vodka bottles alone lol) Not bad for 3 mins work!! I will take him to the beer store one night this week to cash them in.

Last night my man made chicken stir-fry before he went into work for an overtime night shift. So I have the best leftovers for my lunch today

[coupon girl]

-relaxing today returned shorts to the bay -hubby didn't want them and they were too big and then turned around and just bought myself sleep pants -I love the lord and tailor brand model /cotton -last xmas I got 2 pairs like 14.00 and 18.00 a pair they were -today on sale 20.70 but I am tired of only having 2 sleep pants (the bay has no shipping fee )yesterday and today
-just got my pkg in from the gap -part of it and I got a lovely summer dress for only 14.80 cant beat that price blue A-line dress plain but nice for the hot days
-daughter and Sebastian went back to my nieces pool today and then to a friends for supper

[avrose]

Rainy today and tomorrow so just hanging out at home. Made a $10 kijiji sale and have a few more things to post tomorrows on my day off. I often feel like I have too much stuff so anything not being used gets posted or donated.

[Angela273]

My mouth is sore because I had that small filling replaced today, but it is located at my gum line.

I have had multiple families suddenly contact me regarding childcare spots. It's promising.

[Ciel]

My mouth is sore because I had that small filling replaced today, but it is located at my gum line.

I have had multiple families suddenly contact me regarding childcare spots. It's promising.

Bright news for mid-July! Maybe everyone came back from a holiday and realized how hard it is to find daycare.
The kids might not be enjoying the noise during repairs at your house now, but they still must find tools and trucks interesting for some minutes.

Somehow the two salad dressing containers had about 2tbsp of dressing left. I emptied one dressing yesterday and Mom emptied the other dressing this morning. Made an early trip to Walmart for chips, salad dressings, celery ($2.47-look at bunches as some are smaller than others but this is better than $3.99 per bunch), two sugars and licorice. Sky looks gloomy but no rain/lightning action has yet occurred.

I harvested green lettuced from two heads and snipped a little of one red head last night, washed/spun and tore them so they were ready to be used. Made some compote from a few apples and a pear in the crisper as they were close to being tossed and mashed the compote with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Yesterday in the heat (I did get bus tickets), I stopped at Staples for phone message pads (been a long time since I had any) and Michaels for their $2.50 photos boxes. Michaels is going to move into the former HomeSense store so the Ancaster location has a lot of deals. The interior departments have been moved around since I was in the store in winter. Photo Boxes are on metal cart in the back horizontal row about in the middle of the row (one side of cart, two levels). I wanted to replace an older photo box, so I put prints and negatives into one new box and larger envelopes and small photo albums into the second box. I should have looked for photo albums as Mom could use one for her trip photos. Purchased a new pair of runners at the clearance shoe store and then a juice at Shoppers just before my Rymal bus showed up. Note-Five Alive is one of the drinks on price freeze until mid-August. Just look at dates-my juice had a best before date of July 24 so it was fine.

Found a dime and two beer cans on my walk to Shoppers last night. I could not pick up a can on my street when I got off the bus so I made sure to collect it on my walk back from Walmart (found three other cans today). Plan to return the cans today and start building up my bank balance again-not enough money for paint or anything else except the July bank fee.

[Frugalbigmama]

Happy hump day! Gloomy day here. I want to pick up a few groceries today (last day of sale items. Cherries for sure from FB) DS really liked them.

I have a family pack of lean ground beef thawing in the fridge. The plan was to make burgers since Grandmas sent me home with a full pack of buns the other day. Well the boys cooked burgers yesterday and chicken burgers late last night so the buns are pretty much gone. So will grab more today.
We are having a date night away on Saturday. Free tickets to see Sheryl Crow and free hotel room. (and free meals ) We plan to use the gym and pool and hot tub which will be a nice night away.
I have taco meat in the freezer cooked so will grab wraps and prep cheese/lettuce etc so the oldest won't starve home alone.

Next weekend our town is hosting "Feast Fest" with a free show with Honeymoon Suite. My sister and brother in law are coming and grandma is watching our youngest kids. We plan to go to the beach earlier in the day with the kids then drop them at Gram's at dinner time. Will be a fun night