July 2021 Frugal Chatter--treats for the heat!

[Ciel21]

Got an e-mail a few minutes ago that the sock pack is sold out at my store. How will I know if my gift card has been refunded? Looking for gift card balance checker-going to my HBC account and looking...

Found the gift balance checker-amount has not been refunded yet. Order shown as cancelled with $0 value. Hmm-guess I have to allow 3 business days to see a refund or maybe just wait for tomorrow.

[Angela273]

Weeding the garden got neglected while I was on my teaching contract. The garden was also planted a bit late, but we made sure to keep it watered. I’ve spent about an hour a day weeding so far in July. I just came inside after weeding in the garden for almost 1.5hrs. I weeded 2 short rows of radishes, 8 short rows of carrots, 2 short rows of beets, 3 short rows of Swiss chard, the rest of the tomato plants, and some peas. Also harvested some radishes with ds. I hoed between the rows and then weeded by hand. So much porchilaca this year and I don’t know why. Then I watered the garden and came inside. 1/2 the pea patch still needs to be weeded and some of the yellow string beans too, then it’s all cleaned up again. The kids can weed the beans another day.

I sold $2 in chives and $20 in rhubarb in June. I don’t have a crazy dill forest this year, but I’ll still have extra to sell later in the growing season.

[coupon girl]

Ohhh noo a pen went thru the wash and in the a towel and ashlyn pretty pink dress got ink on them and they went thru the dryer -i used rubbing alcohol to blot a lot of the excess away.

I didnt check my son's work pants as i was in a hurry to get this load done so when he comes to unload the truck at my house i could give the 2 loads to him all dried .

[Ciel21]

Electric lawnmower sold through Canadian Tire has a recall:
https://www.thespec.com/local-burlin...mended_for_you

[SassyAshley]

Good Evening Everyone,
Today has not been my most productive day, my allergies are driving me insane today which has lead to a sinus headache.

I did get the laundry done, everything is washed, dryed, folded just need to put it away.

I also took the garbage out, it was full, plus I like to get it out before the hot weather rolls back in.

I took a nice hot shower to see if it would help the sinus pressure and laid down for about 30 minutes, was feeling good for a bit but the sinus pressure came back.

Mom announced yesterday she was making a Roast Beef today, I was not sure of her plan, turns out she wanted to make a Roast Beef Dinner with all the fixings but when the Roast was done we were not feeling it. So Instead Mom had a Hot Roast Beef Sandwich, I made a Sandwich on a Toasted Garlic Bun, on the side we both had Sweet Potato Slices I pre prepped and baked off, plus some Broccoli mom was going to use for a Salad but turns out she does not have everything she needs. Both were reheated in the Air Fryer.

Trying to gently talk Mom into doing some purging, she keeps telling me she will purge if we get a dumpster on the Front Lawn but
A) we are not allowed to put a dumpster on our front lawn
B) Past purging has not required a dumpster as once we start sorting not as much is leaving as staying

As much as I hate paying someone to do something I can do I have considered trying to hire someone to help her in hopes it might go better than working with me. I feel like when she is working with me tempers flare as she feels like I am pushing her which I am but it is because I know we have limited time until she is in pain and needs to stop and once we stop when will we start again. Once we start she gets overwhelmed and becomes over it very quickly but also will not let me do it on my own as wants to see everything. I do not know just feeling a little frustrated but nothing I can do right now back to work tomorrow and that will need to be my focus as I overbooked myself again this week.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend

[Ciel21]

Did a late afternoon jaunt to Value Village-I scarcely looked at some women's tops (still not accustomed to split aisles that break up categories) but did spend 15min by myself at the baby clothing bins, after perusing jackets and tops for little girls (no major finds) ! I added items to my cart then reached for the small bag--$3.99 now. In March it was $2.99! Medium bag is now $6.99 and large bag is $12.99, so a $1 increase across the categories). Took a few things out of my cart to place into the bins and managed to pack that small bag with the remaining items. Found some blue & green newborn cotton hats, two baby onesies, two boy's t-shirts for 12-18mo (to go with sweater and jogging pants I had purchased from Carters), one girl's leggings (to go with pink Indigo top bought in winter) and a girl's bee themed t-shirt in yellow tones and coordinating white and black bee print leggings (could not pass them up). One day I plan to sift through the bins and try to put like items in the same area for easier findings (I stacked remaining knit hats in one corner for the next shopper to explore). Some good sturdy hoodies and pants for boys and girls--I was not looking for those items today. Seems that baby girl sweaters for 3mo-6mo that are for special occasions can be readily found (were they for family or baby photos?)-saw a few cutes ones but refrained from adding them to my cart.

Very few pairs of socks for ladies on the racks-Dollarama Cdn leaf socks were there. Lots of pantyhose packages though. Checked men's cardigans. There was a woolen shawl collar pullover but not in a zipper-front format. Maybe 15 sweaters across all sizes. Really would love to stroll through Mississauga's Value Village and look for clothing goodies there.

Two doors away, Dollarama beckoned. Pepsi restock had occurred as now there are regular and diet Pepsi bottles sporting yellow caps plus more Zero bottles-Yay! Bought one diet pop-enjoying drink now and saving cap for next Sunday's entry.

Took a small shopping bag to collect some empty beverage containers I had spotted on my street and along walk. Wish I could bend more readily but I did well considering the heat and the mobility. No treasure finds-did see a thoroughly corroded penny and a dime lookalike that was a metal punchout.

Rakuten shoppers-if you shopped Simons or a few other stores until last night, you might have noticed the cashback rate was set at 12%. But the rate has gone back to the usual ones for the stores today.

Glanced at supper news weather forecasts on Global TV and CHCH-we are in for two punishing humidity days (heat alerts for much of Golden Horseshoe and 519 area code). My freeze pops will be consumed...

Nordstrom Rack-I called the Mississauga ON store to find out what merchandise is sold there-all categories. While there is no Cdn Nordstrom Rack website, customers can jot down item numbers of products on the US website then call their Canadian store and ask staff to run the numbers in their systems to see if their store or another Cdn Rack store might have stock (possible for some items but not everything)! I mentioned that I have noticed differences between Cdn Nordstrom website merchandise for kids vs what's sold on US Nordstrom Rack for kids' clothing, plus the no shipping to Canada rule on the US rack site as of last month. While using the US rack site afterwards, I used the survey opportunity to request a Cdn Nordstrom Rack website for Nov 2021 (in time for holiday shopping). Here's hoping the comment reaches the decision makers in the US!

The two Tena products received from Wellwise in Friday-the shampoo/body wash product has an astringent smell like birch something or Irish Spring soap-lite. Really. Hand pump though and the product is perched on the tub edge. Glad I purchased only one despite deal price as I wasn't sure what "light scent" would mean until the product could be sniffed. The cleansing cream has that vaguely glue paste/slight odour that most unscented products have.
The other two Wellwise products-the chair pad is expected on Tuesday but the tape seems to have not had updates of late. It was part of a trio of packages coming from Brampton then that update disappeared. It must be lost in Peel Region...

Marks-I'm happy with my runners and the Jockey items. Mom turned down the navy DH t-shirt so I have it in my closet. Thrilled all items came from one store and they arrived 4 business days after placing order! The items got pulled about 1 hour after I requested them.

[Ciel21]

While I have cucumber, it can be paired with the forgotten Boston lettuce in plastic that Mom purchased instead of the requested green leaf lettuce. Something to do in the morning tomorrow after I post a card to the mailbox and run a load of towels. May as well put the heat to use drying some laundry. I simply don't know what to do with my Mom's inability to remember to ask pertinent information when the opportunity arises with third parties. Ongoing haystack of "one more thing taking up my time" with her.

I will have to determine how to get the two screen holes repaired this week and will crack open that Reader's Digest manual for instructions.

[coupon girl]

Well got my daughter moved in -a full u-haul.Our garage is very full and we have her couch in our familyroom and ours in the front room (that way my new couch will not be jumped on or lying across the top of it .)

Nothing broke at all so that is good .Well pretty tired off to relax .

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Good start to the morning here, I was up early got right to work, got a few things done that came in on Thursday so those are off my desk. I have overbooked myself again this week but I am feeling like I can do this, I can handle this.

I really need to get back on track, get things done, refind my focus. I have been so overwhelmed lately I had kind of given up so to say, it was what it was but time to get refocused.

It is supposed to be super hot today so I need to figure out dinner, I am thinking maybe something in the Air Fryer, I am really intrigued to try cooking a protein in the Air Fryer. I found a recipe for Lemon Chicken Breasts I want to try but we will have to see. I am very into Lemon and Lime lately when it comes to cooking.

Goal for this week: Straighten up my dresser, I cleaned it out earlier this year but it has gotten messy so I am going to start by straightening everything out.

Next Step (hopefully next week): Finally sort and determine what I am keeping and what is going and then get what I do not want posted

I have a plan, I feel better, now I just need to follow through, I got this, I can do this.

Have a great Monday everyone.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning!

Youngest DS and his friend slept at their friends cottage last night but were home at 8 am this morning because their friend had to work. They made breakfast and are watching a movie.
Oldest has a 3rd job for the summer. I made him a double egg with cheese on a toasted bagel and a coffee for the road. I also packed him a small cooler with a wrap/blueberries and water.
Now I can putter around the basement with no worries of bothering him

So today: Finish washing the dishes and tidy the kitchen. Tomorrow I will cook up some food but today we already have our plan for dinner (leftovers from the other night- the taco bean mix)
I washed up the remaining blueberries and will put in serving size containers in the fridge.
Finish up the laundry.
DS is going to cut the grass before he goes to work tonight.
I also need to get posting stuff for sale. But it may be quiet with everyone on vacation etc. All I can do it try.
I have $90 in cash from selling the past few weeks. Still need to decide what the goal is.

I spent $0 on Saturday and Sunday. I was hard on Sat. I wanted to pick up a coffee but then made myself make it at home. And we went out to a patio Sat night for live music but I'm not a big drinker so that didn't matter. ( I was DD)

Have a wonderful day everyone!

[Frugalbigmama]

Kitchen and fridge are cleaned!
Garbage organized and ready to go to the curb tonight.
Last few things out of the upright freezer and it is now unplugged and defrosting. Now I am on a mission to use up the stuff in the freezer below the fridge. Will cook up a bunch of stuff tomorrow for the boys for the next few days.
Now on to the laundry! Never ending!
I will strip my bed and wash my bedding today or tomorrow. Will see how I feel in an hour if I want to start that.

All the junk is out of my car just need to clean the console and glove box. May plan to do that tomorrow. It is so hot out there already!!

[lilo0003]

Wow, it’s been a long time since this occurred. I am the only one at home. One son is at school and the other is at gramma’s and DH is at Home Depot. I just put a load of laundry on the line. DH and I went for breakfast today at a cute little cafe that only open weekdays. I may pop to RCSS to get some produce. It’s really all we need. @SassyAshley if you like wings (I don’t but everyone else does), DH does them in the air fryer. The best ones are the ones with the tip cut off and often No Frills is the best option to buy from. DH does his own rub that’s as spicy as they like, he says they are superior to the boxed type and it’s a nice change. It’s often a Saturday night dinner and this week no Frills has them on sale.

[SassyAshley]

@lilo0003 I am with you, I do not like wings, when Mom has wings I just make chicken chunks with BBQ Sauce sauce that I usually put in a salad.

[Giseledta]

i am on vacation this week. i have a few goals. ... one is the basement. i am extrealy proud to say i did a huge chunk of it . i will take a break then go down for another 1.5 hours and i suspect that will finish it off. i want to pull out the dryer as well.

my dc items are in much better shape then i thought they were. i am very very pleased. i have a list of items to pinterest craft idea for . ... honestly i have enough stuff.. it will serisouly help cut down on the spending.


i bbqed last night, we have enough chicken left over for wraps i think. so that is supper.

[Ciel21]

The wind is saving the day from being called totally stinking hot. I've had 4 of the Crush freeze pops so far... Laundry is all dry and put away. Ironing is likely happening in the early morning tomorrow. Plan is to cash in $1.30 of beer empties tonight and pop into Food Basics for the tuna and whatever light items are still needed. I recycled a takeout paper bag for the kitchen green bin as we are out of the requisite bags. Perfect for the watermelon rinds cut off the last section of melon this morning, so we will have some melon slices ready for tomorrow's heat. The earwigs seem out in force these past two weeks; plus two trees in the backyard are dropping lots of golden threads everywhere that the wind blows, including on laundry lines (and the wash when it's on the lines). Adding new wooden clothespegs on my shopping list as most of the old ones have been binned for breakage, the metal coil is messed up or just plain wear. I can't find plastic pins I really like either. Bro bought some large pastel clothespins (one of the dollar stores) and some work fine and others twist too much when trying to clip them to clothes on the line.

The chair pad from Wellwise (padded envelope as opposed to a box) came in today's mail. The glow in dark tape is somewhere-Canada Post tracking info only mentions there is an update today but does not say what it is. All I can see is the June 29 shipping label info. Maybe the product was not in stock when the label was made?

I was checking out Olsen Europe clothing (Hudson Bay website) and realized some of the Safari Allure items (linen or linen blend) are actually made in Canada! Noticed a polka-dot dress that I don't recall seeing before. It's full price but tomorrow it'd be eligible for 15% off seniors' day (55+)discount. Trying to work on Mom to say yes to the summer dress (she's not keen on the price even after discount and taxes). Children's clothing-the Petit Lem list of items has gone from 3 pages down to 2 pages. The socks (mix of space dye or solid pastel colours) I wanted from Little Me --I have half a mind to pop into Lime Ridge to check that stock is not there. Why? When I was the baby dept in April, I clearly saw some CK sets in sizes that were not shown on the website (as I had checked the night before my visit). It's possible that stock counts are off/not all in the system.

Lunch was a pot of cooked lentils with diced tomatoes (from a tin) and sweetlet frozen peas and a little salt. Filling fare and cooked under 30min. Not sure what will be for supper except a pan-fried burger with smoked paprika when hunger pans strike, with some salad.