August 2018 Frugal Chatter thread (summer fun and finds)

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
As to not make this post too long I will do it in 2 parts.

Change in plans for this weekend. Me and Mom were disputing how best to clean up from the Mice. I had had read that Mice hate Bleach (honestly they seem to hate most intense smells). So I had suggested we clean using just a water and bleach solutions to hopefully keep the basement smelling like bleach (I do not really care of the basement smells of bleach and I go down there most). But Mom was instant we needed to add some sort of cleaner (Mr Clean, Lysol, Dish Soap).

So Yesterday I went on a mission to see what I could find about cleaning up after Mice. The majority of articles including those from the most reputable sources all said to use just water and Bleach, but they also said to not clean up the mice dropping until you have not caught a mouse in 5 days. Now we have not caught a mouse but I have seen mice down there when I was working and according the articles I found this means you should stop cleaning. You are supposed to let the droppings sit for 5 days, although it is still toxic a number of toxins die within the 5 days which is when they say to clean up.

So today we gathered the traps, washed them and we will set. We will also use a peppermint oil solution and spray it up in the hole we know they are coming through and wait to see if we catch anymore.

Now the down side to this plan is the next few weekends I am booked. Next weekend we have the company golf tournament which will take up all of Saturday. Since I am on the committee and I am the sign in table I need to be there early to set up, I also need to stop at Dad's and pick up the prizes. Everyone gets a prize for attending. The following weekend I have my Oma's 90th Bday. So I will need to come up with a new plan. Might have to wait till the weekend of Oma's Party as it is not till 6 pm and is close to my house so I would have most of the day to work on the basement, plus Mom is off that weekend. I hate the idea of putting it off but as per the articles I read we should.

[SassyAshley]

So since we are not cleaning the basement this weekend I have found some other ways to fill my time.

Yesterday I worked in tidying up the kitchen, because of the basement situation anything that normally goes to the stockpile room has been living in the kitchen. I sorted through everything, anything the mice will not get into has been packaged in bags to go down. Anything they might get into has been packed into Rubbermaid bins for storage.

I also spent some time cleaning out my personal email. Sound weird I know but with work and everything I have gotten in a horrible habit of just marking everything as read and not actually reading my personal emails. So yesterday I cleaned out my email and unsubscribed to a number of emails.

Today I am going Instant Pot crazy to prep for the week ahead. Right now I have a family packaged of Ground Beef cooking which will be turned into Taco Meat and Korean Beef. I will also cook up some Rice and Quinoa and if I have time Potatoes. This way the sides will be in fridge ready to go and I only have to worry about the mains making cooking this week a lot easier. I love my Instant Pot only downside is when you need to cook multiple things which usually means cooking a side, trying to keep it warm well I cook the main. So this way the sides will be done and only need to be re heated.

As well we will package up all of the meat we bought at Costco. Most just needs to be broken down into meal side portions except the chicken which I will cube and freeze. I love having pre cut meats in the freezer, it makes cooking during the week so much easier and quicker.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[Giseledta]

afternoon all. my weekend is all messed up.. spent friday night sat am at the hospital with my mom. then getting her meds. and catching up on sleep . today we dropped off 1 load to the Value village.. got 2 punch cards filled .. so 2 trips with 30% off. gave those t middle child. they are very happy. as they are purchasing clothes for collage there. they have their roommate info ... and message are flowing... so I will ahve details I need soon.

then we did a costco run... construction paper for me.... best price all year.. i buy 2.. it should do me. and meds for child. way better then them paying full price at shoppers. they now have a full med cabinet. and those needs are covered.


I was awake from 3- 5 am.. why I dont know... I cleaned the daycare rooms,and kitchen. so all is good. going to fold laundry.. nd get more done soon.

[SassyAshley]

Hope your Mom is doing better Giseledta

[Giseledta]

thank you .

[greentires4me]

Sun in the afternoon-4pm



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[lilo0003]

Today it was a big lunch at the resort and then leftovers for the boys and I. DH has spent the day on the course, he will be done soon and then there are fireworks at midnight to celebrate. They had them Friday night too. Tomorrow we are going zip lining which is crazy expensive but something we will love. DH is terrified of heights so he will opt out and rest.

[Angela273]

Tonight’s supper was home made sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple, rice, and steamed broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix.
Monday’s supper plan is fried rice with leftover sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple in the sauce.
Tuesday’s supper plan is Dh taking care of the kids. Knowing him KD might be on the menu. A friend invited me to BP for supper because she has her freeBirthday coupon that she wants to use.
Wednesday’s supper plan is corn on the cob, dry fried pork chunks, some type of veggies.
I’m also thinking about making Jane’s chicken burgers with cheese, fresh garden tomatoes, on buns. I bought a 6pk of buns for 99c and put them in the freezer.

[lizzie bargain]

Well tomorrow my daughter and I are off to NYC area to visit her best friend's family-they moved there a couple of years ago and are very good friends. Quite frugal as we have free accomodation and my daughter's plane ticket was only $99 plus tax as a companion ticket on my Westjet credit card. I can't remember the exact cost of my ticket but it was cheap as I booked early-plus I had a WJ credit from a flight delay back in Jan and a credit from opening the credit card. We bought the girls Broadway tickets last Xmas so they will be looking forward to that. We will spend a week there, then back for a day and then my husband and I are driving her to YVR to spend a few days there and move her into her apt for uni.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
I did not get as much cooked yesterday as I would have liked due to time. I did get the following done:
Family packaged of Ground Beef cooked, half is now Taco Meat other half is Korean Beef
Cooked what Rice we had left to go in the fridge
Cooked 1 1/2 Cups of Quinoa for later use

I did not get any potatoes cooked which means I did not get a Potato Salad made. I will aim to do this tonight.

We did not catch any mice last night, I am not sure if they climbed back out now that most food sources are gone, maybe we are no longer appealing or if they moved to another room in the basement. I might move one trap to the other room tonight and see what happens. Mom was supposed to email the property management company and see when they can send in the Handyman to patch the hole, after the hole is patched we will watch to see if they are coming in else where and then pest control can be called in as we know they are in the walls.

Well time to get back to work I have to leave early today for a meeting so must see how much I can get done. Have a great day everyone

[Angela273]

Here is a new documentary on food waste. Ds watched the first 1/2hr of it with me yesterday. I think it is a good thing for all of us to learn more about. http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/m/ep...-of-food-waste

[Angela273]

I had the drop-in daycare family text me at 6:10am to cancel for today. Since I don’t have daycare kids today, I’m taking our kids to the Family Centre for their Mobile Fun Pre-K event @ 10am. I already plated the van and the kids are playing at the park. I get a 20% discount on my plates because of the SGI point system. I have a perfect driving record, so I get the largest discount possible. My plates still cost more than last year because SGI said so and PST is now on virtually everything. I might stop at Sobeys with them before heading home for lunch. Buy bread and milk. The kids get free fruit and a cookie.

[coupon girl]

well I didn't go to talize today as I woke up at 7.30 -decided to go thrift shopping for a stool for garage for hubby with him ,almost bought one on kijiji last night for 20.00(wooden one)reg 25.00 I asked if her would take 20.00 but I was dealing with someone who was not on top of it ,we drove there when I said I was coming now it took us 16 minutes to get there and it was an apt with a locked door so we waited 20 minutes then left -ahh kijiji sometimes its not so fun dealing with others

so off we went first to the dump reuse store -nothing but I got rid of chemicals and old paint,then on to value village and low and behold we found one a metal ,padded seat a bit rusted on the legs (but I used an sos pad right now- looks pretty good)6.99 and I found a puzzle 1.99-spend over 5.00 save 2.00 cpn I had so got the stool for 5.43 and the puzzle for 1.55

saved 14.47 from not buying it off kijiji -lol also donated 2 bags to value village and my 30% card is now filled -will use it another time when I want to look for clothing

-then went to library got my books from hold ,may go and read now for a bit

[greentires4me]

I am contemplating getting out of bed and going downstairs. I doubt there is anything I would like from downstairs I already don’t have upstairs. But maybe I can see if there is some friends awake and hang out with them?!?

Frugal today is I have 40cents to my name. And I get paid on Wednesday.


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[Angela273]

I spent 4hrs out without kids this morning, most of it outside. The kids were tired by the time we got home for a quick lunch and everyone went down for their naps without a problem. My latest $25 Amazon.ca gift code from Swagbucks credited today. I placed an order through for Amazon using my Swagbucks app to earn points. I paid $10.77oop for our son’s new backpack, Crayola Twistable Coloured Pencils (very specific item on his school supply list, and a case of 6 of our favourite popcorn seasonings. All stores in town stopped carrying this brand of popcorn seasoning.

My Caddle cheque for $34.50 finally came in the mail today. I received an email from the SnapMyEats app. They are doing another month of double rewards, so you earn $2 in Amazon.ca gift codes for every 3 receipts you submit to the app.