June 2020 Frugal Chatter Thread

[Shwa Girl]

morning -off to shoppers I went to save the extra 20% discount form seniors as I needed allergy eye drops (ragweed ,hayfever allergy here mind you it does get better as you age ,but still the odd sneeze and itchy eyes (visine was 9.99 and life brand was 6.79-seniors discount $5.43 what a difference in price )used 8.50 in coupons and 6.00 from checkout51 but still spent $128 got 20 times the points .

Yesterday we went to see our daughter and grandson ,(he hubby was out of town)haven't seen them in a long time (months)we didn't kiss or hug but my grandson who is 4 in sept was elated to see us ,so nice to reconnect in person ,not on a tablet .

nice that you got the eye drops way cheaper than the brand name ones

[coupon girl]

Yes all these little differences add up that's for sure-same ingredients also in the life brand eye drops.

Laundry today

I found corn on the cob this morning at shoppers I paid $3.39 for the 4 cobs (the amount is minus the seniors discount plus I had p.c points ) so it will be a treat with the ham and mashed potatoes

[Giseledta]

i am on housework duty today.
i was going to go to sobeys, but youngest is not eeling well, and i had wanted to go with her as i need food options for my new vegitairian child.
i needto pick up my moms independent order, so i will shop to morrow.
i will have to go to redneck expensive store ( my new name for our expensive foodland) and get stuff for a science experiment i am doing tomorrow, we are doing the menthos and diet coke one.
and i need to start fathers day stuff.

its windy here, so i think i will just focus on inside stuff today. not outside, unless the wind stops. and that is ok, the inside needs some serious love.

last night , i wrote up a menu for the week, and a daycare plan for the week. i am also trying to sell / remove items from my house
i have a plan , sorta . lol.

[johnb56789]

So sorry to hear! I just read an email - it still isn't the time to end the pay premium. I hope you are making more than minimum wage, as the comment about government-led effort annoyed me. Perhaps all industries should consider that and not wait for the government.

here is part of what Galen Weston wrote in his email:

• Finally, as the economy slowly reopens and Canadians begin to return to work, we believe it is the right time to end the temporary pay premium we introduced at the beginning of the pandemic. Things have now stabilized in our supermarkets and drug stores. After extending the premium multiple times, we are confident our colleagues are operating safely and effectively in a new normal. We are proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s best places to work. I continue to be a strong believer in a progressive minimum wage and would support any government-led effort to establish a living wage. My heartfelt thanks to every one of our colleagues for their incredible efforts during the peak of the crisis.

Well.... Not too much more than minimum... I currently make $15.35/hr made up of the following:
- $14.00/hr Minimum Wage
- $0.35/hr Contract Increases
- $1.00/hr Night Shift Premium

I am due for a $0.10/hr increase by next week.

I did read an article from two years ago about a shareholders meeting where apparently Galen proposed a "Living Wage" but it was voted down by shareholders by 97%... I know the job is a low-skilled one, but making a little bit more would be nice. My coworkers who have been there for 6 years (STILL Part time since we get NO openings for full time positions) are making about $17.35/hr which isn't horrible...

[lilo0003]

Omg, I found new coupons today. Mostly for coffee but I really wanted the Starbucks iced coffee. Which I found so Monday I will go to RCSS to get the iced coffee because they have 1500 PCO and it’s on Checkout 51. I found lots of expired ones too and no dove but I was still happy to find anything. I ran out of propane last night in the outdoor fireplace and imagine my joy when I had no wait at Costco and was easily able to pick up a few things and for the 1st time in ages remembered to upload my receipt to Caddle.

[Angela273]

Between yesterday and today I ate the entire jar full of alfalfa sprouts. I love them in sandwiches. I washed the jar and started a new variety of sprouts, called sandwich booster. It’s 4 varieties of sprouts: clover, alfalfa, mustard, and radish. I haven’t tried this mix before. It takes about 5 days to grow them in a jar in my kitchen.

I quickly weeded in the front yard, along the house, and cleaned up branches from yesterday’s windy day. Dh mowed the front lawn. It’s been spitting and had 3rd load of laundry is in the washing machine. Kitchen is cleaned up. I’ll start supper in about an hour. Baked chicken thighs, cheesy tater tots (used FPC), and some veggies.

My dill plants are popular. I posted that new pic of the plants and already have another lady making arrangements to pick up plants in the next couple of hours. I don’t usually sell the plants, but I certainly have enough this spring.

[SassyAshley]

Not quite the relaxing day I had planned for.

All bedding has been washed and bed are remade.

Floors on the main floor have been swept and washed.

Dishwasher emptied and reloaded, there a re few hand dishes but thinking of leaving those and will take a break tomorrow and wash them. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes but just do not going to do it tonight. I need some relaxing time.

Just did some general clean up. I feel like we are stalling out on our cleaning efforts and we are at a point that other than day to day cleaning there isn't much I can do on my own as it isn't my stuff.

I did about an hour of work, I did a bunch of programing on Friday but since we do it on the back side you have to go into front side to make sure everything you think you programed went through. By the end of Friday I was done and did not double check my programing so I did that today. Just one thing I do not have to get done tomorrow. This week is very busy for me so I am worried about moving my projects forward.

I should have tackled my budget today, I am getting worried about money but I did not have it in me. I am feeling a bit defeated right now, like a hamster on a wheel I keep running and am getting no where. So today was not the day to tackle number, maybe tomorrow.

Alright off to relax a little bit and I think it will be early to bed.

Have a great night everyone.

[Ciel]

I feel like the week needs some bubble blowing prior to the next humidity wave. Fun for adults...and a distraction.

Last night (on Twitter), I saw some scary cloud formation photos of the weather in Alberta. And of the huge hail that fell in Calgary.
That's is going to hurt everyone with damaged homes, vehicles, businesses and more. Think of the lost flowers, trees and gardens too.

Today-though the local cellphone store's phone message indicated it was open, the store sign indicated it was closed. Thought businesses in Ontario were to keep their hours updated on phones, websites and signage due to the AODA when changes in business operations or hours occur. Thus the phone remains with me and I bought a $3 USB to lightning cable from Dollarama to get the phone charged. Popped into Fortinos for a few groceries and realized in the future, if I pick up anything heavy, my chest will protest unless I have a cart or handbasket in my left hand. I had 5 things in my arms and the two reduced produce items were causing some noticeable pain as the weight bore down. Cashier missed ringing in the 50% off one sliced bread loaf-saw it on my receipt well after I left the store. Not worth the walk back but I'll be more alert next time.

My friend told me that tonight's local newscast (which I did not see) mentioned about the GTA libraries having started curbside library material pickups a week ago. And that the HSR transit system will be charging fares soon-July 1.

No treasure finds today on my walk.

[Angela273]

Started my Monday morning off with another Pizza Hut win. Since they’re back in the office, I had to call in at the right time...so I listened to the radio on the website and I won. I won another family sized Tuscani pasta.

[CheriLyn]

... Since when does NoFrills accept Visa, and where have I been all this time?!?

I asked the cashier if they accept Visa @ self checkout and she said yes.
Or maybe my cashier was mistaken?

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning! Looking forward to our sunny week The grass is not bad so I will wait till Thursday to have DS cut it. I need to water my pepper plants tonight.

Laundry- So much laundry! Will start it tomorrow night after work.

Payday today so off to clean up the budget!

[Frugalbigmama]

I have a $5 pick up when I get home from work. Will put on the porch and they can leave the money. (it was an old ad so nice to have another item gone before I boost my listing tomorrow to start another round of selling )

My dining room is a dump (selling room) I need to organize it tomorrow night. I think I will pull 2 shelves from laundry room and just set it up so I can really post stuff for sale and move it out the door. I will work on that tomorrow night while doing laundry.

[Arjon]

... Since when does NoFrills accept Visa, and where have I been all this time?!?

I asked the cashier if they accept Visa @ self checkout and she said yes.
Or maybe my cashier was mistaken?

It's up to each store owner, not chain-wide.

[Angela273]

... Since when does NoFrills accept Visa, and where have I been all this time?!?

I asked the cashier if they accept Visa @ self checkout and she said yes.
Or maybe my cashier was mistaken?

I know that my local NF started accepting VISA during COVID, in an attempt to make it easier for customers to not give them actual cash.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Took a break and got the kitchen clean, only took me 5 minutes to do all the dishes but just did not have it in me last night.

I am not sure why, I have been sleeping but I am still feeling extremely tired, I think it might be my anxiety I feel it building. As weird as it sounds life was so much simpler when we were in lockdown and now that we are going back to day to day well everything is piling up again. Now it seems like the more time that is spent at home the more things that need to be done around the house are being mentioned but at the same time everything seems to come with $$$ needing to be spent. Everything seems to be we need to X but first we need to buy Y. All of this just makes me feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulder and I have to figure out a way to make it all work.

I have been trying to keep busy today to stop from thinking, sometimes our own minds are our own worst enemy. Work is busy but staring at the computer was making me a little insane plus I get to work till 8 pm tonight so I took another break and tried to move some stuff around. It seems like my office which yes is the dining room but we do not use our dining room has become the new dumping place. Since I made room on the table for meal prep and did not use it a bunch of other stuff was dumped on the table. I some stuff around and am trying to find homes for things that get dumped in my office. It might just be my mindset today but I am so frustrated with every time I need to use my office to work it takes me about half an hour to clean it so I can use it. Today the table was covered with random items plus a stool and a fan were also put in the dining room as "they have no home and need to go somewhere."

I just really really want an organized house where everything has it place and to do simple tasks I do not need to move 500 things. It does not take me 30 minutes to find my office so I can process 2 orders. I do not have to move 20 things to get to the microwave to make my lunch.

Sorry guys for the rant, just a little frustrated today because even if I came up with the money to do the stuff that needs to be done it isn't like someone can come and work in our house. Everything seems to come with a roadblock right now as to why we cannot be done. I really feel like I could live as a minimalist right now but not everyone shares the same thoughts and I know pushing will only make it worse as then heels will be dug in. I just feel like the walls are caving in and stuff is literally taking over, I swear it is breeding and instead of getting rid of stuff more is coming in.

Alright back to work, have a great day everyone.