August 2021 Frugal Chatter

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Slower start to the morning, I decided I was going to sit down and enjoy my cup of tea and watch one of my shows on PVR before I jump into the day.

I have broken 3 nails cleaning up the basement and now feel like I cannot type LOL.

The garbage disposal has been emptied, I heard it at 6:30 when I was getting ready. This is good news so I get the rest of the stuff out and put the stuff from yesterday in. I have to be honest, I was worried because if it was not emptied to today Mom would have to deal with it tomorrow as I am covering a co-worker who is moving tomorrow (I booked this before the basement flooded).

Trying to tell myself to get going get this dome so maybe I can get some kitchen stuff done this afternoon. I need to clean out my fridge and do some ingredient prep. So much to get done so little time LOL.

Have a great Monday everyone.

[lizzie bargain]

My SIL and I came to Vancouver for a few days so we are happily day tripping around exploring the sights and catching up with friends and relatives-it is hot and a bit smokey-but I think Calgary has been worse. We have of course also done some shopping and eating out-we are staying in my daughters apt as she is away so with free accommodation and splitting the gas we can afford to splurge a bit. Today or tomorrow we are going to a couple of thrift stores for fun. I hope everyone has been enjoying the long weekend.

[lilo0003]

Enjoying the last day of vacation. I did not get much done around the house but I am happy with the bit that I did get off my to do list. I also managed to stay away from my work email since last Tuesday and that’s an accomplishment. But it means tomorrow will be crazy. Having this time off just reignited our plans for early retirement. So I need to do some planning and strategizing To see if I can move us up by a year. Currently the plan is 32 months until we retire. But I would like to move it to 24 months. I know we will both work in some small capacity we just need to be done the current high stress, high demand work.

[lizzie bargain]

It will all work out Lilo!

[Ciel21]

Still no soup made but I just cooked some brown lentils with seasonings to have a change of protein. Made my veggie juice (juicer is ok with firm produce) and had half of it. Ordered a camisole in the colour I want from Nordstrom just to know something new is coming to me.

Earlier in the day, our English CBC station signal was missing or not showing a darn picture. I did two channel scans about an hour apart. I managed to get several US stations and watch a bit of Storage Wars Texas before the signal weakened and also gained NBC. Then lost most of the US stations but CBC was back and broadcasting. I've been without CityTV's signal for most of July as well (it's not showing up at all and not even its alternate has appeared).

The resident green frog actually hopped out when I was lowering the garbage bin lid. Then a couple of hours later, I saw it snug back inside the bin. Wondering how long this residency will last. Must have known that yesterday's weather was going to be stormy.

Mapleview Centre sent me another freebie offer via e-mail -$35 rewards card*. That does not equal a gift card and I'm left wondering if I should go and get this item this week or wait until someone on social media explains what kind of rewards are being given. If this a centre gift card, I'm open to checking out Zara or whatever stores do accept the card. No explanations have been found on the centre's Facebook page.

Vehicles with loud exhausts are out in force on the local road and on the 403-can hear them every so often. Bet that the OPP out in Halton's Oakville area are making serious ticket money today.

*update-yes, it's a gift card. I called the mall to ask. You bet I'm shopping later this week!

[Ciel21]

Did you all check the Blog post about the frozen mangoes recall? 4 brands, including PC , Compliments and Irresistibles.

[Ciel21]

My SIL and I came to Vancouver for a few days so we are happily day tripping around exploring the sights and catching up with friends and relatives-it is hot and a bit smokey-but I think Calgary has been worse. We have of course also done some shopping and eating out-we are staying in my daughters apt as she is away so with free accommodation and splitting the gas we can afford to splurge a bit. Today or tomorrow we are going to a couple of thrift stores for fun. I hope everyone has been enjoying the long weekend.

Through social media, I learned one cousin has been in BC's interior to be with her boyfriend for the past two months. Have thought if their area (Vernon) was going to have any fire concerns due to what is happening in other areas.

[coupon girl]

Hi had a lovely evening with my daughter sebastian and my son and his girls (my daughter-in-law tripped down a step and hurt her ankle on sat)so she stayed home and rested. We had pizza nova -i really like their pizza and wings .

Filled the kiddie pool and the grandkids and my daughter loved it (it was quality time her spending time with him today on a holiday).

[Ciel21]

This day was a breezy treat indeed, @coupon girl ! Sounds like your day was perfect!

I posted a Promix mixer contest in Contests. Then continued to browse the Stokes store website (stores are now called thinkkitchen) and noticed that the store brand has a convection toaster oven very similar to Breville's higher model one (see the product video!). And there's a Chefman oven that also dehydrates! I have to see if Bro's convection oven can do that. Seriously eyeing the baskets on the website-would like a small one to put children's books or toys in or even use as a slipper caddy (I'd have to get some guest slippers and maybe a 2nd basket to corral the family slippers).

Grateful today not to have to go to a store for dish detergent. I had a travel size bottle with some Dawn in the laundry room so it's in the kitchen after I used the last of the Palmolive detergent (I wasn't going to buy the $2.49 bottle at Walmart when it was on sale for $1.99 two weeks ago). Will see about getting some dish soap tomorrow after my haircut (if I can get one).

[HermanH]

(I wasn't going to buy the $2.49 bottle at Walmart when it was on sale for $1.99 two weeks ago).

Watching someone practice discipline and counting their pennies is always admirable.

[Ciel21]

Here is a colour-changing light that might work like a disco ball to discourage raccoons (provided you have some power outlet for running the light): https://ca.shopatshowcase.com/collec...am-shell-lamp#

Also spotted a mini USB LED disco light to attach to a phone or device playing music. Might help discourage critters while you are enjoying your backyard at dusk. https://ca.shopatshowcase.com/collec...sb-disco-light
(Just be considerate of neighbours if your housing area has compact/narrow lots-not everyone likes flashing lights or might have reason to avoid them.)

[Ciel21]

Watching someone practice discipline and counting their pennies is always admirable.

Sometimes I can practice it and other times, I watch the $ leave my budget way too quickly!

[Angela273]

July savings $439.59
Coupons used $86.30
10% off Tuesday $24.20
Amazon gc - Swagbucks $5
PCO - NF $30
Air Miles $60
Caddle $20.35
SARCAN $67.25
Stuff Sold $45
Garden veggies $33
SARCAN $67.25
Found money $0.25
Tim Horton’s Wins $0.99

[Angela273]

The home inspection on our new potential home didn’t go as well as hoped. There are two safety hazards that were identified and need to be fixed. We now have to get quotes and see what the sellers will offer in regards to fixing their home. Not sure what to expect…

We went out fishing with the kids this morning. The water level has dropped at least a foot since we were at this location 3wks ago. Still lots of minnows and muskrats. Someone had boat trouble while we were hear and you can see a large skim of oil on top of the water. There is also algae because we haven’t received rain in so long. Not optimistic about catching a fish. No bites.

Before we left, I picked a brown eyed Susan for twin girl and found a quarter. We stopped at a park across town, so they had somewhere different to play. I collected $0.75 in bottles from that park.

Ds and I picked a gallon of yellow string beans, a handful of peas, and a handful of cherry tomatoes. We snacked on the raw yellow string beans and then I sold the rest. More are on the plants. I need to thin out my 2 rows of beets. I’ll post them for sale too.

Yesterday I had twin boy try on all of the clothes in his dresser. He had outgrown a lot of them. I organized and posted pictures of the clothes. I sell them in bundles based on size…no sales yet. I did the same thing with twin girl last week and I was able to sell one of the bundles of clothes.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning,
The basement is "done" as far as we can take it for the time being.

We have hired someone to come and haul the big items out, there is a computer desk, a massive teak wall unit and some cabinet my Mom bought to refinish. There is some water damage and we just need them gone. After these are gone we just need to mop the floor.

There is still quite a bit of sort and some cleaning to be done, nothing will come upstairs until it has been bleached. Also anything that was not water damaged we did not sort through so there are still 2 sets of shelving to clean off and sort but since there is no water damage that can be done later.

Yesterday I think we hauled out about another 20 bags of garbage, it was way way worse than we thought. When all was said and done I think we had close to a 100 bags of garbage.

So happy it is done but yeah, that was a bit much and I am feeling it today and I have to go into the office.

Tomorrow they come to tell us how much of our basement they are ripping up.

Tonight after work I need to go get a dehumidifier, I have done some research and found one on sale that looks good but our local store does not have it in stock so we will go tonight and get it. I did not realize how expensive dehumidifiers are.

Only downside is so they can haul out the furniture now our main floor is chaos, I have shelving units in our kitchen and various things all over to clear a path so they can carry the furniture out. Putting it all back will be a task for tomorrow night, tonight we get the dehumidifier and maybe just maybe a little rest.

Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone.