December 2018 Frugal chatter thread

[Ciel]

The Nutcracker figure (wooden and painted) from the Xmas party has flowing white feathers on its hat and the same hair under the hat. The arms do not move but the outfit is dark purple with a bit of sheen to it. I took the figure out of its package as Dad did not look at it yet and left it on the small table in front of the television. The company name and year are stamped in gold on the bottom of the figure.

The Optimist Club's light fruitcake from two weeks ago was finished about a day ago. I kept reaching for 2 or more slices each day-loved the dried fruits but not the walnut pieces.

OK, time to post over in Health!

[greentires4me]

I was thinking of presents to get my doctor and this year nothing stood out. I gave my Nescafé samples to my nurse, and my specialist doctor got a card. My health care worker is getting a bottle of Montpellier I think that’s how one spells it her favourite flavoured water that she always drinks for $1.

I need to go to dollar tree or dollarama buy gift bags for birthday and Christmas like goodie bags. I want more christmas cards but I didn’t feel like standing in Walmart this morning to read the display of what the savings were. I bought a tonne of chocolate. I couldn’t decide what I was buying when I was there in Walmart Christmas chocolate/candy section. So I bought 4 terry’s milk chocolate oranges, 2 assorted kit kat kits, 2 assorted fudge, 1 Baileys liquor filled chocolate tube, 2 packs of salted caramel chocolate chip cookies, 1 3x pack of toffeee, 1 pack of Christmas crackers, 2 cans of mandarin oranges, 2 boxes of kind bars, 4 cups of oatmeal that’s free of allergens common top 6, 2x 1L of juice and 3 always with wings extra long pads. For a grand total of 148.48$

I was expecting it to be as much or a little more I bought the whole store literally. And I have to go back into town to visit the ominous mall the place I like to stay away from during the holidays. I have to get stuff at the dollar store and look at something for this guy in my life as well as my friends. I was thinking a blanket...not sure about this venture. I am going to have to wake her up and ask her more in-depth.




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[Giseledta]

SassyAshley could you share your garlicly garlic dip recipie please thanks!!

[Angela273]

Lovely that your Grandpa and his spouse think of you and your family. Do have fun sharing with them what you got for the kids from them.

This Grandpa is my dad. Yes, I’ll let them know what we buy with 1/2 of the money. The other 1/2 goes into their individual savings accounts. We have never withdrawn money from those accounts. Ds has a surprising amount of money for a 6yr old kid. The twins aren’t doing too bad, but I certainly noticed that people are more generous towards the first child.

[coupon girl]

angela -my son/wife has individual accounts for his girls and Ashlyn has more than cara also
my daughter /her husband has an educated saving plan for Sebastian and she would rather contribute more amounts to it than buy him more stuff

sometimes I have given money in with their gifts Sebastian got 40.00 for his birthday in sept with a bit of clothing and animal figures

well up early again but I feel better this morning have to get out and get some fruit /veggies may go to locoocs as really trying to watch our money with less income plus he other half of car insurance is due jan 7

I did order hubby a perry ellis half zip sweater this morning at the bay 19.99 reg 65-i so hope it fits him as all his clothing is old expect for one or 2 shirts

Hydro/water bill came in online today and its $1.51 cheaper than last month -lol I will take an savings this time of year

We don't buy for each other at xmas stopped years ago ,which is fine buy me as I love to give more so ,but we buy clothing when needed and I usually don't find much for him thrift shopping did find an all black shirt once thou I paid 4.50 and he looks so more slimmer in it

[Giseledta]

morning all. it is Thursday. we are cleaningmy pit of a playroom. i was to have 3 kids.. but 2 are not staying home with thier mom .. so they get to help clean... lol.
we are also bringing down a gift for a past dc child.
i am not 100% sure who is home for supper tonight. might just do a easy one.
1 more day after this . 1 more day.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning,
Giseledta I will post the recipe a little later as I have to locate it.

Today is our last work day for the year (Yippee), today our location holds a potluck where they bring all shifts in at noon to enjoy. I am pretty sure I already smell the BBQ going (last year they actually built a BBQ to make Hamburgers and Hot Dogs which we have used a few times this year). This year 4 of us chipped in and have ordered 2 pizzas which I will go pick up at 11 am this morning. I have to admit with everything else going on I really did not want to cook something, I think I can officially say I may have taken on too much this year but with that being said I have added another treat the couple gifts, I will be making Hot Chocolate on a stick.

Tomorrow is our company Christmas Lunch, so I will carpool in with Mom so I have to be there at 9, only thing is she has to start work at 7 am so no idea what I will do for an hour and a half as not much will be open.

Still have to decide what I am making for Christmas Dessert at Dad's, normally this has been planned for another a month but this year time is just getting away from me.

Future sister in law tested me yesterday, it is not good, right now all we can do is pray her Mom makes it through the holidays with them. I have offered I would cook some meals for them so they do not have to worry about cooking but she asked me to hold off but maybe in a little bit. I think they do not want anything before Christmas which is fine and after Christmas I may just make things and tell bro to come get them.

Alright well better get back to work and see what I can get done today, I know I have to work over shut down as some changes cannot be made until we close but hoping to finish most stuff today. Have a wonderful day everyone.

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning! Left the house tidy! I finished cleaning the dining room last night. I think every night I will give it a once over so it stays clean! Put laundry away last night and have another load on the go. Think I will save last min shopping till Sat morning. Just get up and go to it and be done with it. Tonight I'm taking youngest DS for a haircut.

[greentires4me]

I forgot I bought something from Toronto hemp company online yesterday in the morning. When it gets here I think I will give it to Cam who is the guy I was talking about yesterday. I now figure I don’t have to buy him anything else. I also bought Egyptian sheet sets of 1200TC for 20$ each, blue and lime green. I couldn’t help it gave them to my friends early they needed sheets. One of them was sleeping on a holey fitted sheet. So I told them to toss it and put what I had on behind my back. I never seen someone jump up and down and tear a sheet off their bed so fast as well as hug me at the same time to grab the sheets from my hands behind my back. They almost broke a mirror while doing it by throwing all the stuff they had on there bed onto the floor.

I also bought a onesie size large from Ardenes I have no clue who that’s going to yet. I bought an owl pocket watch from a pop up store in the mall. I went to dollar tree I got goodie bags 3x 3 packs blue, 3x boxes of pasta salad mix, birthday gift bag, tissue paper, wine gift bag, Acrylic paint, 4x 3 pack cr2032 batteries, gold nail polish, Mickey Mouse coloring spool, pack of dinosaurs. I think that’s it. She ripped the bag 3 times so she gave me 2 new ones unripped. I watched her pack it she wasn’t so bright.

I went to the place where they were selling their blankets and the woman didn’t leave her chair to help me nor did she make eye contact when I entered. When I left she didn’t even say have a nice day or reply at all kept her head down at her cell phone. When I left the mall from a side entrance there was a whole tonnes of employees standing outside smoking from a variety of stores. One of them out there was the one who tried to sell me pink sheets told me in the store she was going for a smoke. Honestly she seemed kinda lazy her boss was like you went for a smoke 5 mins previously. I don’t think she did a very good selling job and argued with me saying it would look good on my bed I said “I don’t even like pink, I am not a pink person.” I guess because she saw the pink Ardene bag she assumed.

I went to shoppers and cleared the shelf of poligrip. I also went to no frills and bought 4x 10lb bags of potatoes, 1L of sour cream, cherry pie filling and cherry topped cheesecake. The person who wanted the cheesecake that I bought for I forgot the cherry pie filling by accident so I had to make another trip. They were a-holes to me when I only brought the cheesecake at first they told me I would have to go back and get their pie filling. I was exhausted i didn’t want to go back out again. I had already walked 7km and I wasn’t done apparently. My feet hurt, I felt run down and I had gotten my period.

I was up for 20hours by the time I went to sleep. I had walked a total of 11.5km that day, climbed 4 flights of stairs, went down 2 flights of stairs 6 times and didn’t manage trip.

I also had a fight with the pharmacist I wasn’t impressed they didn’t tell me that I ran out of one of the scripts untilI got there. Then they told me to go through my psychiatrist for meds only. But I also take medication that’s medical so my GP prescribes it. I was going to give them a gift but pharmacist gets a lump of coal in my books.

I went to the Christmas party downstairs the turkey was dry, the mashed potatoes were lumpy, the carrots were cold, the stuffing was the saving grace, and the gravy was burnt taste. They gave us gifts they had in them a plate, bowl, mug, utensils, cookies, Tupperware, toilet paper, toothbrush, tooth paste, sunlight dish soap, and a $5 gift card to Tim Hortons. Considering those who have dentures the toothpaste is useless. So why didn’t they get them Polident and poligrip? I find the dishes are useless I already have enough dishes and so many that not enough cupboard space. Plus I have 10 mugs already why in the heck do I need one more giant one? The sunlight doesn’t clean dishes it cleans your bathtub better then any cleaner designed for the bathroom. Dawn is what I use to clean my dishes u only need a little drop for a whole sink where as any other dish soap you need like a cap full.

Today I have to make mashed potatoes and then I have a GP appointment. Then I have a birthday party dinner to attend.


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[coupon girl]

morning again -well made four stops and I am home already
hit up the mall to return joggers to old navy -4.90 back on my credit card then they had a door buster today mens xmas cotton boxers 4.00,hubby's are getting worn so xmas boxers for him(palm trees with lights all over )

then on to lococos spent 54.00 on fruit and veggies had 24 items ,pears were .49 a pound barlett instore special ,grapes 2.99 lb turnip .77 and a bunch more I sure got a lot also bought a ginger root (gonna grate that on some of my food)also got 3 almond breeze 2.50-1.00 cpns I had =1.50 each
plus I noticed a few fruits and veggies going up in prices already even before the new year

then returned the $13 bottle of wine hubby bought yesterday to LCBO and bought a nice 19.99 nice red bottle and 2 forty creek minis for son/son-in-law -I asked

then home still need to go to bulk barn and shoppers will do that later after lunch

[lizzie bargain]

I popped out to Safeway first thing-stocked up on meat that was either on sale or marked down as it was short dated. So I spent $50 in airmiles replenishing my freezer with lots of "free" meat. Also scopped a 10 pound bag of newly on sale potatoes as they overcharged me. I find if you shop the first day of the flyer they almost always have something not yet marked down in the system which you can get for free up to $10. Which reminds me I should tell my daughter about SCOP now that she does her own grocery shopping at uni-not sure if she would have ever heard of it. Also went back into the store for a refund as somehow they scanned 3 bags of chips and I only bought 2. I find I need to check my receipt in store or in the car before I leave in case of errors. DD is coming home tonight so I bought some treaty things too. While I was out DH made up her bed and cleaned her bathroom. Anyway we are slowly getting geared up for the visiting of the season. Time to wrap a few small stocking stuffers.I hope everyone has a good day.

[Angela273]

@coupon girl Each of our children have their own education funds. I contribute monthly to them. They were set up before each child was 6 months old. As soon as we were able to get their birth certificates and SIN to open the accounts.

They also have high interest savings account at our bank. They also have their own piggy bank on top of each dresser.

[Frugalbigmama]

Woohoo I am feeling good about being off the next 2 weeks! Finished up major things at work so I don't have to worry about them and ready to deal with the little things tomorrow. I so need this time off. Can't wait to get stuff done at home.

[Ciel]

Ontario members, just mind the storm or rain forecast for your areas overnight. The wet rains coming from the Florida area will be here soon. Some places may experience freezing rain, so allow extra time. Heck, if you drive, make sure you have rations and emergency things in the trunk and that your vehicle wipers are working, your antifreeze resevoir is topped up, your icescraper is in the car or coat pocket and that the headlights/taillights all work (no burnt bulbs).

Saw some weak sunshine this morning but the afternoon has been a gray blah so far. Briefly considered raking oak leaves today then reconsidered. I am over the leaves and grass for 2018. Time to hibernate on those issues for about 3.5 months. By the way, Hamilton SCers, we won't be able to put yard waste in our green bins as of April 1, 2019. Yard bags or containers will be necessary. I still have not seen word that the composting plant has yet reopened, only that some report that council knows about cannot be published in relation to the plant's June shutdown.

Was thrilled to spot the community paper and flyers on the driveway just after 5:30pm last night! Woohoo! Prevail incontinence product coupon was included for use at Food Basics only. Might coupon fairy it at the store.

While I am glad many of you will have some holiday time off, I will be sad for the absence of Internet for the holidays. Only three days (nothing library will be open on Sunday/Tuesday/Wednesday)...I have books in progress seeking my attention. Friday will be a book/tea day and get things done at home day.

Breakfast--large bowl of Special K nourish cereal with almond milk and some leftover papaya pieces, after drinking tropical Emergen-C.

[Ciel]

@greentires4me - is there a way to get the next party committee to keep your gift concerns in mind so you don't get stuck with items you cannot use in 2019? The only thing I can think of now is see if you can give the dishes away to someone who might want more of them or maybe repurpose them as vases, cooking utensil corrals, mosaics (as in break the dishes and use pieces to make a tiled project or outer layer on another object). I like the bedsheet gift story--your gift made a very good impression on the recipient!