January 2018 Frugal Chatter (new calendars & spreadsheets)

[sweet sparrow]

One thing that adulthood misses is yearly photos like students have in school (not like mandatory work or ID photos-you don't get much notice for those images). I was telling that to someone recently how important it is in one's 30s & 40s to mark each year with a few photos-say at least one posed scene and a few of one doing things s/he likes. I have no photos for some of those years and made a point this month to snap random images during Christmas and of my birthday cake on the Coolpix camera.
@sweet sparrow -if there is a way for you to plan a day back to your old stomping ground soon, go for it! I feel so behind as Uniqlo & Muji opened in late 2016 and now in January 2018, I get to visit but not buy.

I have yet to book an appointment with a photographer for some family shots. I think I could get the kids and DH presentable and out the door and I'd be left a complete mess. Now that I have a smartphone, DD1 takes photos of me in the worst moments and when I can't wrestle my phone back (think feeding DD2 and diaper changing) and I get some random shots under the table, an elbow, bathroom lights, etc.

I don't think I will have another chance to visit until the kids leave the house. I used to walk to the textile district and admire the crystal beads, head over to Spadina for a super cheap and filling lunch, window shop in all the designer storefronts, and pick up the jewelry catalogs from my favourite places to dream. Unfortunately, so many places have closed like William Ashley and all the ladies that used to go in there with the gigantic ice pops they call engagement rings. It's nice that places like Cartier's still exist where I tried on a $2 million ring for the first time. Incidentally, I was so sad that it was the most unattractive ring I'd ever seen. It was an oval shaped diamond with pave diamonds down the side. Because the oval was so large, the rest of the ring looked like it was wearing diamond underpants and not in a nice way!

@Angela 273 -the store wants to scan cards? Here I was counting down to cutting up my cards when I got the new one. Keytags I would not mind letting go but for PC Plus, the card and tag numbers are not the same. Thanks for pointing out the new card protocol.

If you have a smartphone, the cards can be easily added there. I'm itching to cut up my cards as well. My card tin is much too full!

[Ciel]

No smartphone as yet. My best friend got one for her birthday, thus I keep her advised of some apps and offers to add to her phone!
@Angela 273 -I found a possible hot salad recipe that requires lentils, goat cheese, quinoa and 3/4 cup of pomegranates (when you want fancy and have more time for cooking) as I as looking at Fine Cooking's Twitter feed and remembered your potential pomegranate backup plan (juicing) if your kids won't eat the arils. http://www.finecooking.com/recipe/re...us-pomegranate

Spring fashions-liking some new items on Banana Republic's website and that reminded me that I can visit Zara in Toronto too (throwback to last spring when I was surfing Zara's site in vain to find items at the Burlington store but Toronto stores had the good stuff). Guess I won't bored tomorrow if I keep my treks mostly indoors or to the PATH system.

[Ciel]

@sweet sparrow -you big roller in Toronto! $2M ring (courage!) and it underwhelmed. Well, maybe next visit (well before DD1 & 2 are out of the house), you will find a sparkly ring meriting time to drop the style and price casually among family and friends. I could not try a ring of that value-my hands give me away as someone who gives her nails a hard time!

[Ciel]

OK, the February thread is ready for use this week: https://forum.smartcanucks.ca/424904...sought-canada/

Doubtful I will post online tomorrow unless I can find an express Internet terminal in one of the libraries (usually City Hall location terminals are busy all the time) that does not require an active card.

[Angela273]

@Angela 273 -the store wants to scan cards? Here I was counting down to cutting up my cards when I got the new one. Keytags I would not mind letting go but for PC Plus, the card and tag numbers are not the same. Thanks for pointing out the new card protocol.

You’re welcome. I had called because I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t lose points in the transition. The guy said I’d have to physically go to a SDM store in order to transfer the points, which is not easy for me to do.

[Angela273]

@sweet sparrow I have the PC Plus app on my iPhone, but I have the physical card for SDM Optimum points.

[Frugalbigmama]

We have the PC pts hooked to our credit card so no PC card. I am hoping that all our pts will magically be hooked to my husband's credit card without any effort on my part-might be wishful thinking but will wait and see what happens. I transferred all my SDM pts to my husband's account and will just use the one account now I think.

I was wondering how it was going to work with my PC M/C. So you say I don't have to do anything? I wonder how they link our SDM pts though? Guess we will find out soon enough

[sweet sparrow]

@sweet sparrow -you big roller in Toronto! $2M ring (courage!) and it underwhelmed. Well, maybe next visit (well before DD1 & 2 are out of the house), you will find a sparkly ring meriting time to drop the style and price casually among family and friends.

@Ciel : No big rolling for me! I have one pendant necklace as a gift to myself for learning how to drive in downtown Toronto and learning how to swim despite a childhood fear of the water in the same year. Another gold necklace came 10 years later because I was distraught that I lost one of my favourites while pregnant with DD1. Then I have one wedding set and no earrings - as I can't see them without a mirror so I thought I'd save the money. Ha! I love jewelry but I figure I can only wear one thing at a time so no point having more than two of anything. All my silver pieces will go to DD1 and DD2 until I know they won't lose them and they can inherit the rest.

DH was with me as my fiance at the time. Kudos to him for not passing out when he heard the price tag. I was already enamoured with a 2.5 carat pink sapphire flanked by two diamond trapezoids set in platinum at Tiffany's. I still remember the price was $5,500 - quite the bargain compared to $2 million! I'm looking at the gemstones today and thinking that was a good price as they've shot up like house prices have! Well, lovely to look at, nice to try on, but I am forever a window shopper there. A free catalogue from those shops make me happy - cheaper than McDonalds coffee. Ha!

@sweet sparrow I have the PC Plus app on my iPhone, but I have the physical card for SDM Optimum points.

@Angela273 : I have the SDM app so I don't have to remember to carry the card anymore. Ditto PC points app. With two children, I have no idea what I'll forget next!

[lizzie bargain]

FBM-I really have no idea-just hoping it all magically happens. I guess we will both see! LB

[Frugalbigmama]

One thing that adulthood misses is yearly photos like students have in school (not like mandatory work or ID photos-you don't get much notice for those images). I was telling that to someone recently how important it is in one's 30s & 40s to mark each year with a few photos-say at least one posed scene and a few of one doing things s/he likes. I have no photos for some of those years and made a point this month to snap random images during Christmas and of my birthday cake on the Coolpix camera.
@sweet sparrow -if there is a way for you to plan a day back to your old stomping ground soon, go for it! I feel so behind as Uniqlo & Muji opened in late 2016 and now in January 2018, I get to visit but not buy. Happily, I saw the L'Occitane free gift blog post on the Smart Canucks blog (thanks @miss Splendid !) so I've printed it off for tomorrow's trip (two stores in downtown so if one store is out of stock, maybe the other has stock?). If anyone else has a Harvey's gift burger offer, let me warn you that it's 3 pages long and today I got page 3 printed (I was mad that the burger image took one page to print, as usually offers take just two pages to print not three!). I will find out if the Berry Shake is less than $3, so I can buy one to have with the burger and call that lunch tomorrow. Purchased local transit tickets too, eliminating change scramble for buses tomorrow. Have funds set aside for GO ticket.

Heard the weather forecasts on two morning shows indicate more snow tomorrow. Must bring my umbrella along.

2 years ago my friend found an old pic of us and 2 other friends from 17 years prior. We were in our late teens/early 20's.
So end of that summer (2 years ago) the 4 of us got together at the house of her mother where the picture was taken (her mom had since moved but it was the same décor etc lol. We took a picture in the same pose as we had 17 years before We plan to do it again before we all turn 60

I was looking at the pic last night actually lol.. And another from maybe a year earlier and it was girls camping weekend! The funny part is that one of the girls from the camping pic (we still get together) our sons met at highschool and are good friends without our involvement.

[Frugalbigmama]

FBM-I really have no idea-just hoping it all magically happens. I guess we will both see! LB

Yes lets hope!! I'm sure they hope there isn't problems!

[macw1960]

Two days of no show for the guy who was supposed to install my bathroom taps. If it is a no show again tomorrow then I will call someone else. Nothing thrilling ever happens her at home but I do plan on cleaning the bathroom cupboards tonight just to see if we need anything that needs to be stocked up on other than Epsom Salts.

Off to watch Coronation Street. Enjoy your night everyone and have fun tomorrow Ceil on your adventure.

[SassyAshley]

This week has not gone as planned for me. I woke with yesterday with what I thought was a Migraine but I think it was beginning of something else. I have felt like I have had the touch of the flu for the last 2 days. Good news is so far I have no actually been sick just feel like it. So I have spent the last 2 days working from home.

This has also meant not getting much done around the house. I did manage to empty the dishwasher yesterday and that was about it. Today was Mom's day off so she re loaded the dishwasher and did the hand dishes.

On the other hand I finally figured out how to create the line drawings needed for a work project. I have spent days upon days trying to make these drawings and could not get them to work but today after another hour or research and a lot of trial and error I got 4 drawings done. Not sure how many more I need to do, I will look at this tomorrow.

I have had a couple of pick ups, sold about $10 so far. I really need to try to stay on top of my listings and remember to bump them. I still have more clothes to post as well I think it is time to go through my clothes again. I have noticed there are some tops I do not seem to be wearing. I tend to keep items like this around just in case I need them but I am really working on purging these items and letting them go.

Have a wonderful night everyone.

[GoodBoy]

You’re welcome. I had called because I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t lose points in the transition. The guy said I’d have to physically go to a SDM store in order to transfer the points, which is not easy for me to do.

From the announce page it seems that the points are automatically transferred to a new PC Optimum account ... but you need to go to a store to swap cards (and get a new one)

"When the PC Optimum program launches, your points will automatically become PC Optimum points. Then, the next time you shop, the cashier will ask you to swap your existing Shoppers Optimum and/or PC Plus card for a PC Optimum card so you can continue to earn and spend your points."

https://pcoptimum.loyalty.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/announce.html

[lilo0003]

@Angela273 using the link @GoodBoy provider brings me to a FAQ and it suggests the you can download the new app and do the transfer yourself so you should be able to move this points yourself.