January 2018 Frugal Chatter (new calendars & spreadsheets)

[macw1960]

Happy Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours.

[Angela273]

Curious to why it bothers you that people want a large amount of one coupon? I will do a large volume trade to get FPC's for cat food but only because I have 3 cats, help my mom feed hers and I donate to our local cat shelter.

Where or how are the other people obtaining the large number of coupons that they are trading? Websites limit the number of prints.

I also have 2 cats and trade for Whiskas dry cat food coupons for them. I’ve also done this to help my neighbour with her cats and family. I also donate to our local food bank.

[avrose]

Good Morning and Happy New Year! We didn't do much for New years since DH wasn't feeling well, hung out with neighbors at their party for a bit. DH and I have resolved not to spend any money this month other than food and bills. Easy since after rent and tuition there wasn't much left! We spent a lot in December hosting, both for Christmas and my daughter Ashlyn turned 18 so we had another party.

This month I will be trying to use up stuff in the cupboards and freezers. I am fully stocked on cleaning supplies for the year lol. I have also resolved to pick up more hours at work this year. I am part time and love my days off for appointments and keeping up with housework but life is getting expensive.

We also decided to quit smoking, I went cold turkey and DH is cutting down and vaping, so that will be a big savings! Today is just going to be a housework day since it's pretty miserable outside!

[Angela273]

@avrose Congratulations of quitting smoking! I hope your Dh keeps up the good work on trying to quit smoking. My dad quit smoking when I was in Grade 2. I remember him trying to quit so many times when I was little. We were finally moving to a house that my dad was buying and he said no one would ever smoke in it. He even put a little metal no smoking sign in the front door of the house. He quit smoking cold turkey and constantly has a toothpick in his mouth. He still has a toothpick in his mouth every day and I probably have pictures of him with a toothpick at my wedding.

[SassyAshley]

Angela, I have never done it to trade coupons but if there was a printable coupon someone wanted more than they could print we would print on each others computers at work and even at home. One co worker had to switch her dog's food to a very expensive brand and there was a coupon, one print per computer so she printed one on everyone's computer 6 copies, plus she printed 1 at home as well as a couple of us printed a copy at home for her. When all was said and done she got 10 copies.

Also when it comes to inserts I live in a complex so I would go out before recycling was picked up and collect extra copies if there was a coupon I wanted more copies of. I could usually get anywhere from 10 to 20 copies of a coupon.

[Angela273]

@SassyAshley I understand how people get extra inserts, depending on where they live and the local recycling program.

[SassyAshley]

Avrose congrats on the quitting smoking, I am not a smoker but have watched people at work try to quit and know it really is a challenge.

[Ciel]

Happy Christmas Eve to you and your family, @Natalka !
I'm keeping out of the kitchen. When Mom asked me yesterday about any baking efforts, I said no baking will be done so there won't be competition for fridge space. She is making what she wants and Dad will most likely eat all she puts on the table.
There will be sauerkraut cooked (sigh) so I plan to keep to my room later today and read.

[Ciel]

If you only saw the mess at one bus shelter in my area when someone had to have about 20 sets of the Pantene shampoo/conditioner freebie from Walmart's Live Better magazine last spring or summer...that sight still raises my blood pressure. I keep tabs on that shelter because I don't want anyone to fall or slip due to the litter that some transit users feel entitled to leave to endanger others' footing.
Remember, many SCers have noticed that shelf pad clearers exist in their areas so they never see even one coupon in real life except online here.

Given the price of ink toners and cartridges, I figure some coupon traders must be making money somehow to cover printing costs if they have some way of generating multiple coupons via printers.

[macw1960]

Where or how are the other people obtaining the large number of coupons that they are trading? Websites limit the number of prints.

I also have 2 cats and trade for Whiskas dry cat food coupons for them. I’ve also done this to help my neighbour with her cats and family. I also donate to our local food bank.

Many fake accounts I am sure!

[macw1960]

[QUOTE=avrose;6855689]Good Morning and Happy New Year! We didn't do much for New years since DH wasn't feeling well, hung out with neighbors at their party for a bit. DH and I have resolved not to spend any money this month other than food and bills. Easy since after rent and tuition there wasn't much left! We spent a lot in December hosting, both for Christmas and my daughter Ashlyn turned 18 so we had another party.

This month I will be trying to use up stuff in the cupboards and freezers. I am fully stocked on cleaning supplies for the year lol. I have also resolved to pick up more hours at work this year. I am part time and love my days off for appointments and keeping up with housework but life is getting expensive.

We also decided to quit smoking, I went cold turkey and DH is cutting down and vaping, so that will be a big savings! Today is just going to be a housework day since it's pretty miserable outside![/QU

Good luck to both of you for quitting smoking.

[saundyl]

I meant to answer the financial planning part earlier. We've been living together 5 years and thus far things like beneficiaries have been named my mom for me and his boys for him because of the ex wife. Bills etc we share and we had a big bug discussion last January when we decided to buy our house we got in march.

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[Ciel]

Friday was about getting some groceries while the sun was shining, enjoying a free hot chocolate (found the last sticker for my card on the way and read the local paper), and finding something at Value Village for me (never noticed where said new Holiday items were but I did notice the improve sweater selection and short sleeve shirts in men's wear; side note-the same pattern but different sized Joe Fresh sweater in blue and orange was a large in Women's sweaters and there was a medium size one in Men's sweaters.). Now proud owner of a tunic length wool blend sweater and a men's newish blue golf shirt (cotton). Likely will alter the golf shirt for fit as it's a very long one for medium and the sleeves are too big-could not resist the cheery blue with stripes design as it stood out from the racks and appealed to my Pippi Longstocking love of colours/patterns. For some reason, women's sweaters have many cable sweaterin cotton or cotton blends on the racks (early spring push or preparing for sunny holidays-not sure). Noticed that someone donated about three Eddie Bauer sweaters but the one I liked did not fit me at all.

Longo's has Oasis carton beverages on sale for $2.49 so I bought the Antioxia one. Checked out the grocery clearance area-lots of candy canes, panettone and Xmas cookies (Walkers Festive Shapes shortbread) for sale. Remaining Papyrus boxed notes/cards are 50% off (Happy Holidays, deer in front of metallic trees, & bird on snowy branch designs). Quality Street candies-large tins-are not the best deal at $12.97 ($7 lower than initial selling price); Fortino's has the same tins for $9.99.

My local Shoppers only had three Casa Di Mama pizza varieties but pepperoni was sold out and I was not in the mood for spinach or mushroom pizzas. I instead got some seaweed snacks, $3.49 case of Coke Life pop and a newspaper.

Last night, before I started to read in bed, I began jotting down some things I'd like to happen in 2018 plus calculated how much bank fee money I need for 2018. I have to review some of last year's spending to see how I can change what I buy or focus less on treats and more on supplements or healthier foods as they cost money too. While I will still use coupons, most of what I buy relies on sale prices or I don't have coupons for my items most times. Thus I will keep using the PC Plus>PC Optimum program, Air Miles and other loyalty cards. Have to crack the income situation to get money as not only do I have a personal wish list but things at home need replacing and sibling is not keen to be the point person/money guy for those things.

July's OTB sum has competing items for attention: technology vs desire to see a naturopath (it's like $190 for the initial session, never mind the followup session cost to discuss test results-my goal would be essentially to get where I am nutritionally and pinpointing possible areas to strengthen as perimenopause continues to give me more things to feel/notice. Current update-early morning sweating) vs replacing some winter items as current coat and boots won't be kept after this winter.

Discovered yesterday that the frustrating dark matter that seems like crumbled leaves attaching itself to laundry loads is coming from one upper section of the washer drum. Said washer is 21 years old...the rust around lid is an issue too. I'm sure that it will have metal scrap value when it gets retired. The matching dryer's lint trap is rusty looking too but still looks ok for the same age.

[saundyl]

I made $225 since the end of October from selling stuff on our local garage sale Facebook pages.
I’m still waiting for CO51 cheque that I ordered over the holidays. I will be close to redeeming after I go shopping at Sobeys this evening for their 10% off Tuesday sale.

I have a bag of frozen Brussels sprouts that I need to use up, but most of our family doesn’t like them. Any ideas?

Today’s lunch is free leftover roast ham, KD, baby cut carrots.
Tonight’s supper plan is pork steaks, mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, salad, Mann’s sugar snap peas.
Tomorrow’s supper plan is roast chicken, hash brown casserole, maybe some cooked veggies, fresh baby carrots, cranberry sauce.

edit: I just found out that my school aged Daycare girl really likes bruised sprouts. She requested boiled Brussels sprouts with cheese whiz melted on them. I guess that will be part of her lunch tomorrow.

My co51 cheque I ordered on the 20th came on Tuesday.

Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star has an updated article on the upcoming Loblaw $25 gift card program in today's paper:
https://www.thespec.com/opinion-stor...5-loblaw-card/

I signed up to get the reminder e-mail for the Jan.8 registration. Plan is to shop for the food bank bin at my store, as the local food drive is now in March and usually this time is when food supplies kind be running low after the holidays.

Online goal-to find some video of Namie Amuro's performance on Japan NHK's Red & White show from Dec.31. The singer will retire from music in September. I'd have loved to have seen the whole show but there is the Internet...

I signed up too! I also did the cashforcouches one under my name. If its Still up ill do it under bfs at the old house too

Well now that DH has just left for work I can get things done. Christmas decorations to put away, laundry to fold and put away, cheese and celery to be cut, dishwasher to unload and make clam chowder for lunch tomorrow. I plan on saving the celery end to add to my bag of turkey bones for when I make turkey soup.

Also need to check my cupboards for items in low supply so I can watch for sales and hopefully get coupons too. I need to start getting some trades going as I have very few coupons. I will have to trade with stamps or GC's at this point.

Well, I am off to be productive.

I took all ours down this morning . Tree has to wait for storage on our new bag to arrive Tuesday the 9th.

@Natalka Do you sauté the frozen Brussels sprouts in margarine, or do you steam and then toss in margarine?

Bf sautes them in butter with bacon bits...both fresh or frozen.

Did not get much done today, well I was waiting for the system to come back up I went to take a shower and fell in the shower. I came down on my right side and tweaked my back. I am really sore and standing hurts but I do not think I have seriously hurt anything. So I have propped myself up with many pillows and have been doing various work tasks all day so I can stay seated.

Kind of afraid of what tomorrow will bring, I have a feeling I will be extremely sore tomorrow. We will have to wait and see, I have finished what I had to get done over shut down expect for sending it out but I do have other stuff I can work on if I am stuck on the couch again tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great night

How are you doing today??

@SassyAshley I understand how people get extra inserts, depending on where they live and the local recycling program.

We sadly don't get any here. I find coupons these days are often for things we don't use much of as we cook a lot from scratch and don't usE a lot of scented items. Also on depo provera and don't need tampons or pads.

Avrose congrats on the quitting smoking, I am not a smoker but have watched people at work try to quit and know it really is a challenge.

Congrats Avrose!



Today is a chill day. Having a long bath to combat leg cramps. We are renewing our real estate contract at 230. I will have to work on transcribing this afternoon as well.

I've decided for every time bf buys smokes or alcohol (because the former I don't do n the latter for me is rare) I'm putting 5 dollars in a jar so I can go crazy on yarn next December.

Other goals for this year...
Get rid if that house
Pay off my visa
Put away my full vta
And finish the 5 knitting projects I've got started.

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[macw1960]

Foodland has Natrel 2L Milk on for $3.00. Buy 2 for $4.00 using $1.00 off coupon for each from Websaver (2 prints per account) and then submit receipt to CO51 for $1.50.


saundyl...good plan and goals
I've decided for every time bf buys smokes or alcohol (because the former I don't do n the latter for me is rare) I'm putting 5 dollars in a jar so I can go crazy on yarn next December.

Other goals for this year...
Get rid if that house
Pay off my visa
Put away my full vta
And finish the 5 knitting projects I've got started.