July 2017 Frugal Chatter Thread

[Angela273]

It's not fun having sick kids. I completed a trade this morning, which I'm happy about. It took an hour to scrub the free toy pirate play house. It was more dirty that I had first thought last night. It looks considerably better and the kids will get to enjoy it again in the morning.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good morning! A nice day for us here today. Tomorrow sounds like I will have to put the AC back on as they are calling for a humid day.
I did nothing last night. Well besides tidy up the kitchen but that always happens (I can not stand a dirty kitchen)
Tonight is another night. Will attempt to organize and post stuff for sale tonight.

Prepping food on Sunday really helped this morning. Let myself stay in bed later then I should then remembered it was garbage day. Then getting in car forgot to grab food. So went to the fridge and grabbed boiled egg and yogurt for breakfast and watermelon and cherries for my snack. Leftover dinner in Tupperware for my lunch. No crap for me today

[barbis9]

Today, I managed for the first time to walk around the grocery store for about 20 minutes pushing the cart. DH helped too. I have not been in a grocery store for 2 months( other than in the past 2 weeks to hobble in and pick up 1-2 items that I knew were near the front ). So nice to be getting back to most of my normal activities even for a short time ( there is no way I am ready for Costco or Superstore yet as they are way too big).Walking around the neighbourhood is still out although I can cycle for 25 minutes pain free- so nice to get outdoors. I even picked some raspberries and Saskatoon berries in the backyard after shopping, although admittedly bending to pick raspberries made my back hurt-sitting on the grass to pick was easier! Still using my cane and wearing my SI belt to support my SI joint-more physio and prolotherapy shots coming up this week( kerching, kerching) and I am hopeful that by the fall, this injury will be a distant, but expensive memory-sure has been a stubborn one though. Still on some pain killers( I call them pain dullers), but weaning down as I don't wish to become addicted to them.

Now, unfortunately as I get better, my DH has significant pain in his right leg too-I have been unable to convince him to see the Dr or physio-yet.

Costco has motorized carts....I had to use one and it made a big difference. Worth trying if walking in a big store is painful.

[coupon girl]

does anyone on this thread need a code for davids tea -I have a code spend 60.00 online save 10.00 good til july31/17 also have a joes fresh 25% off code til aug6 from shoppers -message me if needed

Hubby stained the deck today as we are having 2 days rain free-I had watched Ashlyn at my house today got a few things done plus gave her a bath as she was going out to a restaurant with her other grandparents

[Granger]

Read a bunch of posts! Saying hi.

***

I think I need to budget some "slush" for summer next year...fun sometimes comes at a cost...it is all covered by budget, but I will not add anymore spending items to the summer schedule. Free or pass!

Example: our cousins want to go to Toronto Zoo, way more economic for my family to buy a year membership...if we go in August this year, we can go again in July (already paid at a discounted rate) next summer. Still looking for a better deal for one visit this summer. This is just one e.g. that will cost $100-200 for one day of fun, which is fine. When you have several people asking, different days, different places...adds up!

We have really been enjoying a local park and spash pad this summer, which has a public pool, before and after swimming lessons. Lots of repeat visitors due to lessons means the kids have made friends. This has been a "free" win for us this summer that we will continue using after lessons are over.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
So far so good with my goals this week.
I have not worked one night this week after hours, I have even left the editing computer at the office so I am hauling one laptop back and forth with me.
Also we have had no take out. I made Chicken in Mushroom Soup over Rice on Monday and yesterday I was feeling a little warn (although I think this was just me) so I BBQed Steak, Potatoes, Corn and make Mushrooms and Onions on the stove top.
I am not sure about tonight yet, we have beef short ribs in the fridge that Mom put in the Slow Cooker on Sunday but she said they still need more time so I may finish these off tonight and serve with Snow Pea and Rice or we will see if something else jumps out at me as the day goes on.

They redid our parking lot last week and will be back to paint the lines today so we will have to see if we can access our parking lot tonight, last time they were supposed to start between 8 & 9 am they showed up at 2:30 pm. Today the same things supposed to show up between 8 & 9 am and we should be allowed back in at 5 pm but I won't be surprised if when I get home tonight they are just starting which means we will be out of the parking lot for the night again.

Off to take some photos for the company website. I have one that just will not post even after editing and making the photo so small you can barely make out any detail so I am going to try re taking the photo on a different angle and see if that helps. Also discovered that one of the products I asked to have pulled was pulled wrong which explains why I did not have a photo. Thought I was losing my mind for a bit until I looked over all the products I had at home and realized they pulled the wrong one and the one they pulled is already on the website.

Well better get at it, they need my office at 8:30 for a meeting and the office I am using I cannot take photos in as the lighting is not so good. Have a wonderful day everyone.

[Natalka]

Not much shopping to do this week, which is always good. Biggest purchase was picking up four fresh chickens at Co-op, sugar which we had a raincheck for - and the rest was little essentials.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful day! It will be a hot 29 today - and tomorrow a scorcher of 34!

[Frugalbigmama]

Read a bunch of posts! Saying hi.

***

I think I need to budget some "slush" for summer next year...fun sometimes comes at a cost...it is all covered by budget, but I will not add anymore spending items to the summer schedule. Free or pass!

Example: our cousins want to go to Toronto Zoo, way more economic for my family to buy a year membership...if we go in August this year, we can go again in July (already paid at a discounted rate) next summer. Still looking for a better deal for one visit this summer. This is just one e.g. that will cost $100-200 for one day of fun, which is fine. When you have several people asking, different days, different places...adds up!

We have really been enjoying a local park and spash pad this summer, which has a public pool, before and after swimming lessons. Lots of repeat visitors due to lessons means the kids have made friends. This has been a "free" win for us this summer that we will continue using after lessons are over.

Having a summer "fun jar" is the way to go! That's why I sell stuff and build it up over the year so we can just pull out money and enjoy. It really makes the outing more enjoyable since it feels like free money and no charge on credit card/or taking from account.

Season pass- We are close to St. Marie Among the Hurons and Discovery Harbour. I hadn't been to either for years. And St Marie has a "First Light" in Nov/Dec. that we have wanted to go to for years. (it cost $10 per person for that)
End of last year I found out about a pass that for $29.99each can be used till Dec. 31st for both places for regular entry ($13.50 each this time of year) plus any special events. One place has a weekly night ghost walk and the other has another night event. We plan to go to each a few times. The best part- Remember that locker we bid on years ago? I had money tucked away still from selling the items and it paid for our passes with $20 to spare!
Going in August is smart for your family then like you said you can go in July next year to start off the summer fun. I think it is a smart purchase. Anything to get everyone out and about is great in my books!

[Frugalbigmama]

I was all alone last night for dinner so I made myself a yummy omelette. Was nice not to have to cook/worry about the meat eaters! I bought a strawberry Kale salad to try but just remembered about it this morning- not that it would have been good with eggs.

I only cleaned the kitchen last night and then since the dishwasher was full made sure to run it. Prepping all the fruit and veggies sure does take up lots of containers and space in my fridge. Thinking I am adding that to the "want" list. A 2nd fridge would be handy for the extras.

Checked out the upcoming flyers. Not needing too much. I need 16,000 SDM points to hit 3 top redemptions. I'm pretty happy to have that considering I did redeem a few months ago. Not enough sale items/deals that I need to shop this weekend.

I am starting to get ready for back to school DS son really wanted some fish crackers that I stopped buying. I figure it is his one crap thing in his lunch. So I stocked up with the past sale at RCSS- $1.99 pm from SDM and received 1,000 pts per bag and used a $1 off coupon per 2 packages. Not a bad deal. I need to pull my school supplies and see what I have. His brother needed a new backpack a few months ago and I found deal online at Under Armour but had to spend over a certain amount for free shipping so I grabbed a 2nd one for youngest DS. Now to start working on what he needs for clothing

[Granger]

Having a summer "fun jar" is the way to go! That's why I sell stuff and build it up over the year so we can just pull out money and enjoy. It really makes the outing more enjoyable since it feels like free money and no charge on credit card/or taking from account.

Season pass- We are close to St. Marie Among the Hurons and Discovery Harbour. I hadn't been to either for years. And St Marie has a "First Light" in Nov/Dec. that we have wanted to go to for years. (it cost $10 per person for that)
End of last year I found out about a pass that for $29.99each can be used till Dec. 31st for both places for regular entry ($13.50 each this time of year) plus any special events. One place has a weekly night ghost walk and the other has another night event. We plan to go to each a few times. The best part- Remember that locker we bid on years ago? I had money tucked away still from selling the items and it paid for our passes with $20 to spare!
Going is August is smart for your family then like you said you can go in July next year to start off the summer fund. I think it is a smart purchase. Anything to get everyone out and about is great in my books!

We like the summer fun jar too...I think I may need to plan for extra in entertainment for June and July too. I do have some items for sale, but I have taken a break from that "work" to spend time on the gardens...also a free (though less fun) event!

[Angela273]

I stepped out to NF this evening and was happy with some of my deals. We're stocked up on fresh fruit again.
3x 77c/lb - 50% off bags of bananas + 100pts/$1
2x $2.00 1lb Driscoll's strawberries - (2) 75c coup + 150pts each + 25c CO51 = $0.98 each
PMd WM 97c/lbs seedless red grapes
2x 87c English cucumbers
$1.97/lb cherries

[avoncallingu]

My goodness, folks, I do get inspired by all your work, planning and general frugality.
Has J&C been around lately?

I am slowly trying to organize my new digs. My brother will be moving in with me in August and he has a cat. We have been planning "getting-to-know-you" meeting with his cat and my dog. I was fearing the worst but after a terrible first encounter, we have been more organized and they lay nose-to-nose tonight for a few minutes- no nasty inclinations. The cat even gave my Sadie a "friendly?"tap on the nose with his paw. Small gains.

I have found with the move that I have enough household cleansers that I could clean the Taj Mahal for 2 years and not run out. My last cleaning helper wanted to use exclusively non-toxic stuff ( which, I find, chokes me to death.)

So the big question- use up the nasty Mr. Clean stuff- or resort to vinegar and water, etc. And give all these away.

My brother has mobility problems, so planning a barrier free home so that he can see the benefit in using his walker has been a challenge.

My friend is coming over to help unpack and organize in the morning. She has a step-daughter who is moving-so, easy way to get rid of boxes.
Sassy Ashley -I can identify with you at just not having the energy after a challenging day to attempt supper. I admire your renewed dedication to getting your meals organized.
Frugalbigmomma, you just blow me away! And all of you caring for children, you are my heroes!
Must get to sleep!
Good night, folks!

[Natalka]

Good morning! Will be hiding out since the humidex will get to 36+ today..... icky.

[coupon girl]

morning-avoncalliny-i would use the stuff up -,at save you a bit of money down the road
nat-send some warm weather our way -we have rain again today.i haven't heard from j&C on here in awhile -well on my day off have to pick up my runners today

[Natalka]

coupon girl - I would trade ANY other weather for this!