March 2020 Frugal Chatter Thread

[Frugalbigmama]

oh notice the puma 6k socks are on sale at Costco this week ($8.79 I think it is) My sister bought my boys boxers for Christmas from Costco but picked up boys size by mistake and has exchanged them for the proper size. I am going to ask her to exchange again for the socks since both have tons of boxers and always seem to need socks.

[Giseledta]

oh notice the puma 6k socks are on sale at Costco this week ($8.79 I think it is) My sister bought my boys boxers for Christmas from Costco but picked up boys size by mistake and has exchanged them for the proper size. I am going to ask her to exchange again for the socks since both have tons of boxers and always seem to need socks.

thanks for the heads up. i am going this weekend. Hubby needs some , so i am adding to the list.

[Ciel]

Discovered on Saturday that Winners carries Casabella brooms with upright dustpan ($14.99) or the broom with dustpan that folds up for storage ($19.99). Looks like this but I don't think the brooms have the extendible handle like in this video:
https://casabella.com/products/compa...roduct-reviews
I don't think there is a broom clip on the handle of the dustpan so I will check today. I recall that both broom product sets had ties on the loops on the ends of handles anchoring brooms to their paired dustpans (thus the store could rack a few sets on the same wall hanger). Upside-I won't have to take a bus to BBB across the Mountain to get the Oxo broom/pan set! Besides, the Casabella broom is quite narrow, so it'll fit in the narrow gap between counter top end and the stove! So many bits of food have dropped into that gap over the years-very little of it retrieved by hand if the canister vacuum cleaner does not take it off the floor.

I did not go yesterday to get the broom but want to buy one today with the upright dustpan as it's getting harder to use the old dustpan (with a lopsided chest in the way while bending over).

Had the home alone in the afternoon yesterday-I tested the smoke detectors (loud and working) and the workshop CO alarm (not working so popped in a different 9V and pressed the test button twice). The CO alarm is back to intermittent chirping-I thought we had had a lovely quiet basement over the winter and no one had realized that the CO alarm was not chirping over the past three months. Old 9V battery has been disposed safely. Decided a pot of curried lentil stew was in order (had to make it from memory because I could not find the recipe page), then one sweet potato and a few white potatoes got peeled and chopped for roasting in the oven and the reduced price broccoli heads got rinsed, chopped into small florets and blanched. Happy to have all food prep done and kitchen cooling (open window), so when the other family members came home, there was cooked food available! Sibling actually took some of the potatoes and broccoli with his dinner.

Watched a lot of TVO last night after 60 Minutes. The documentary Push really told the story of why cities have empty housing units-hedge funds buy the assets for their investors (seems all major cities have a fascination with more luxury condo projects). I heard the name Met Cap-those of you in Toronto will remember that company was in the news last year about two buildings having issues that tenants said were not being resolved. And most interesting of all is that a Canadian pension fund is involved with Met Cap. Worst story-the South Korean telling of armed thugs with police escort breaking down his village and kicking his wife.

Had an early start to this morning-had a hot flash (still dark outside at 6:30am) and since there was cheap electricity for another 30minutes, I put in a load of clothing for washing. Had an early breakfast and was fighting urge to go back to bed an hour later. I intend to get used to time shift but I'd love for standard time to be a year-round situation, not DST. Breakfast-a big cup of sliced cucumbers with Spring Herb dressing (Renee's), a bit of pomegranate juice, a glass of orange juice and one serving of the cocoa & sea salt instant oatmeal (Longos has coupon pads with Buy 3 Quaker products and get 1 free Chewy bars product free offers).

The yard will get my attention for at least 30 minutes today. We have not received new trash tags for April and there are a few tags left for March (last month of fiscal year)-would love to bag up some stuff for tomorrow's collection day.

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
Well my online window shopping did not go so well today.

I texted Mom about the vacuum, so she asked if I could buy it online and she would pick it up at the Wal-Mart close to her work. Well I went on to try to do this (I have honestly never ordered online from Wal-Mart before) to find out there is a handling fee. It is only $5 but still I am not willing to pay it. I get that it isn't a large amount but still with our money situation right now, I just cannot justify spending $5 on nothing.

Then I noticed finally a Bread Maker on sale and let's be honest I am getting desperate as I know if we do not get a new one soon and curb Mom's pizza craving, it will lead to take-out. Plus, I am totally missing my homemade buns, potato buns would have been awesome to make sandwiches with the leftover Roast Beef. I also see how often we are buying buns now that I cannot just whip a batch up. The price was good, everything was good until I read the comments. A lot of comments on it breaking after just a couple of months of use and apparently the store won't take it back they tell you to contact the manufacture. Again, maybe not a big deal but then I saw 5 comments all stating they contacted the manufacture and were told this model had been discontinued and this store is selling off old stock and there is nothing the manufacture can do as they no longer offer parts.

Maybe this is the universe telling me not to spend money??????

I think tonight I will take a long look at the budget, see where I can move things around. It is weird, in general I do not spend a lot of money as I am totally a saver. To take it one step further normally if it is going to cost money I talk myself out of it. But lately this no spending is driving me a bit batty, who knew something so simple as a vacuum or a new bread machine would become such a big thing.

Alright well back to work, today is a day of oddities, let's see what falls on my plate next.

Have a great afternoon everyone.

[coupon girl]

sassy -Walmart has ship to store if you spend $25.00 or more I think .I did it in the summer ,plus I returned one item socks .So I just wanted you to know as I never pay for shipping I cant justify it either .

I didn't pay a handling fee but then a gain mine was just clothing .

Babysat today and it was lovely out had cara out for a long walk ,then in the afternoon to blow bubbles also,she slept 2 hours for her nap.

[SassyAshley]

Good Evening Everyone,
Okay, trying to be positive. Today wasn't bad at work just odd got pulled in a few different directions and it was odd one off things but the day was over and home I came.

Mom had been texting me all day asking about doing some shopping this week and as always I was non committal, I just do not know what to feel. I am still struggling with my feelings where $$$ are concerned. It just feels like every time I think I got it covered and we spend any money it seems like things swing the other way and it is like oh you spent those $$$ well here is this unexpected expense. Even more weird it seems like every time we talk about maybe going to Costco something really goes wrong $$$ wise.

Needless to say I got home just as Mom was leaving and I broke down and admitted just how bad things are with me, well kind of I might have left out the attacks. But I did tell her remember when I was a teen and no one could figure out what was going on with me and I couldn't explain it either well we are there again except I am better at hiding it now, none of you know. Back in my teens also included these attacks, I just did not go into detail. I am going to give it a few more days and see if things get better and if not, I will go and see the doc.

After Mom left for work I went back down to the basement. There were 2 bags of sucker sealed foods that needed to be sorted an put away. All of the flours and nuts have been put in the freezer. The Seeds and Lentils are in a bin on the shelves. Now I just need to find a home for the various types of Chocolates but for now they are in a bin in the corner for now. Not my ideal situation but out of the way until I find a better plan. The stockpile room is now done, well at least the stockpile area. There is still the bookshelf and by the stairs to be cleaned but that will be tackled on a weekend as I am going to move all the furniture and do a deep clean, not really an after work task.

Then I needed to try to calm my anxiety a little bit so I decided to do some cooking. I took out a bag of bolognese sauce from the freezer and added Mushrooms and Peppers and served it over Pasta with a Cesar Salad. Then I was looking through the fridge and found some veggies that needed to be used up so I made 2 sheets pans of roasted veggies. I used some Asparagus, half a Pepper, some mushrooms and some grape tomatoes, as well this takes out 2 birds with 1 stone as I can now serve the roasted veggies with the Quinoa I cooked and some Garlic Sauce as a Veggie Bowl for lunches.

I also made myself some Overnight Oatmeal for Breakfasts this week as I realized as I was getting ready to leave this morning, I made myself lunches but nothing for breakfasts. So I had to get creative today, it was just plain yogurt, not my best work.

Everything I could fit in the dishwasher as been put in and the dishwasher is now running. Anything I could not get in has been washed and is in the drying rack.

As well Mom has a real thing for glass jars, we literally have them everywhere. There are already I think 4 or 5 boxes I moved in the stockpile room and they are everywhere in our dinning room. Some here, some there just all over the place so I gathered them all up, sorted them and boxed them up. They are in the corner of the dinning room right now as there is one more pile of stuff I need to sort and there might be more jars, but once done they will be moved to the stockpile room.

As always I feel like I could have done more, but I am done for the night, going to relax a little on the couch before bed. I feel like I am not bouncing back as well this time, so hoping some relaxing and hopefully a good night will help but that may not happen as there is a full moon this week and they mess with my sleep. Just saying who thought clocks going forward, a full moon and Friday the 13th all in one week was a good idea?????? Just asking.

Alright off to relax. Have a wonderful night everyone.

[Giseledta]

morning all..
we have rain... a cold rain.
i did not get the backyard done last night... worked a bit later then normal . but that is ok.
woke this am with a upset tummy.. s holding off on the tea for a bit.

i am depating on costco tonight.. or waiting till the weekend..... depends on how i feel ...


ok. today is a full on work day. get things done. have fun all

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning! We have the same weather. Raining hard and cold! Recycling day! Always raining/snow storm on garbage/recycling day it seems.

Once my work day is done home to drive DS to work and then getting on the laundry. It is half done from when I started it on Sunday. I pulled chicken from the freezer last night so will bake that up too. Have wraps/lettuce/veggies/cheese etc so will make something with the chicken and then a couple chicken ceaser wraps for DS's school lunch tomorrow.

I will hit Food Basics today/tonight for the fruit on sale and then clean/prep it tonight. I will probably pick up more tomorrow again as well as more romaine 3pks for the next week use.

I will prep my breakfast and lunch for the next 3 days tonight as well. Oatmeal jars and salad with chicken.

Have a great day everyone!

[coupon girl]

Off this afternoon to visit my dear friend she is my age and was my mom's home care worker ,I will take her flowers (as her mom passed away last week).I have a outfit for her daughter who had a baby girl 6 months ago ,plus a hooded sweater my dear mom made.Her other daughter is 3 so I had picked up a t-shirt for 8.00 at the gap last week and a book 1.00 bought months ago at indigo.I should have a nice time ,I will take the pictures I had developed of my kids and grandkids.

[coupon girl]

This morning purging a few items into a donation( pamper box from my son's ) that way I am not using my garbage bags.I am working on cleaning up the basement a bit ,plus sweeping the dusty floors etc

[Frugalbigmama]

Went to Food Basics and spent $9.99. 3pk romaine, 2 x strawberries, cantaloupe and a taco kit.

On the taco kit is my new fav coupon. Buy 1 Old El Paso kit and $5 in produce and save $5!!!! So of course I am going to rinse and repeat starting tomorrow Stock us up on more produce for the following week. Lots of fahitas etc in our future (we have a freezer full of chicken that needs to be used up!

[Frugalbigmama]

I also started my Easter shopping for my boys. I do not go crazy or hide eggs anymore. Bought them each mini eggs and Cadbury eggs. See that Smart Food is on at Freshco Thursday so a bag each of that I will grab. Just getting their fav junk

[Ciel]

Has anyone spotted the Aero Unicorn chocolate in Shoppers or other stores? Or was that for a past retail season?

Found an image of the sweep set I got yesterday from Winners:
https://www.amazon.ca/Casabella-2077.../dp/B003A85HVQ
The handle on the dustpan dust rotate but it is rather stiff to move. Loving the set except I notice the wide dustpan is best suited for wide garbage bins not narrow ones. Joy nonetheless to have this set in the house!

Rain here too in the morning-it meant finishing the Last Christmas book (good read; I suggest a 16+ rating due to some swearing and references to adult scenarios), washing hand laundry and doing some more sorting of recyclable. I'll let go of two knit sweaters for a clothing drive as they no longer fit/suit me. My striped black shirt is going to get altered-a snap on the v-neck, shorter sleeves with some kind of cuff or pleat and the remainder of fabric MacGyvered to back shirt hem to make it longer (hem keeps pulling out of pants).

Yesterday, I noticed that Fortinos Ancaster took out its last non-functioning photo unit and counter and moves the newspapers and magazine racks into the customer service area. The former wall for magazines is now stocked with huge Kinder Surprise eggs.

[Frugalbigmama]

Chicken is in oven. Dishes in sink washed and drying on counter. Cantaloupe and strawberries cleaned/cut and in containers ready to eat in fridge. Thinking of cooking up onions, mushrooms and asparagus with the chicken and pasta for dinner.

[Angela273]

Teacher sanction in SK start this Thursday.
I picked up the mail after school today. 2x $10 gc from Cheerios promo

It’s gymnastics night for our kids tonight. I also have an SCC meeting tonight, which might be the last one until sanctions end. I also need to get some groceries, since we are almost out of milk.