December 2021 Frugal Chatter thread-Opportunity knocks...

[Ciel21]

Vanilla Visa prepaid card network fees (from provided insert):
Available at most grocery stores and pharmacies
Could never log into website; strictly had to use tollfree number (so tedious, have to press 1 for Yes or 2 for No for every bit of card info entered!!! Can only get last 5 transactions listed.)

Card value/network fee (plus HST at cash on network fee)

$25/$3.95
$35/$4.50
$50/$4.95
$75/$5.50
$100/$5.95
$150/$6.50
$200/$6.95
$250/$7.50
$20-$500 (variable load)/$7.95
$75 Multipack card/$8.95
Foreign exchange service charge 2.5% of total transaction amount

[Ciel21]

Yesterday's two top achievements-getting three items donated to community box in town (two baby supply items & Brita pitcher) and buying 2 x 2L PC pops on way home and earning points. Day was mild enough that in afternoon, knowing today's forecast, that was my best chance to make an errand walk worth the effort. Recycled some flyers and was delighted to know last of yard waste bags were collected around 7:30am! Started working on emptying my two main email accounts of old e-mails and unsubscribing from certain lists. Instagram-day 2 of not being able to access my new account online due to challenge to provide a phone #. Not falling for that! Last week, there were no issues just logging in. Not going to help with remaining contest opportunities in Dec that are posted only on IG.

Today-not so swift, but managed to keep any dishes washed after use, took trash out to can, collected some branches, and did some hand laundry. Am running low on bandages. Have a makeshift backup plan to get me through weekend if needed. No one else is really buying groceries this week, just 2-3 items but fridge is looking kind of empty except for fish dinner leftovers from Sunday and a little produce and lots of condiments. Had a long afternoon nap that helped me. Donated my PC Opt points amongst the 3 charities listed on the website-I probably will stop using the program next week so the points at least are in circulation elsewhere (was short 2K points for $10 redemption but I'm ok with that).

Popped two bowls of popcorn (avoid No Name brand, as 1/3 of kernels don't pop and I actually found a hard regular corn kernel in one batch tonight; get Compliments brand as most kernels DO pop) and had melted butter and some wine. Dinner bliss.

Reminder-if SCers still have any discount codes earned as McDonald's Monopoly rewards that they expire at the end of the month. Rewards were generated for every 7 game codes entered online during Oct/Nov. up to level 7 or 8.

[Ciel21]

Before I forget-a couple of issues that might arise with prepaid cards:

-some stores might place a hold = to value of your order. Then try to run a payment through on the card while hold is STILL on the card after order ships.
It's not going to work if you just used the last $50 of your card; you'll get a billing error e-mail from the store! It might work on a debit or credit card but without extra $ room left on the card, you have to clue in the vendor that it needs to reverse hold THEN process payment. I had to spell it out with one vendor recently and someone finally figured it out 2 days after I received my order! One extra day for payment to reflect on card balance.

-some stores process payments right away on the card or at least as pending for a day before payments clear to card. The benefit of Perfect Gift Visa-I can see charges on the card (pending/hold/payment) right after I make an order online. Have to type in all the card info. I registered my card because there is a signature space you need to fill in (Walmart will make you sign every receipt you pay with a prepaid card in-store, so it makes sense to have your signature on the card...).

-when you have less than $2 left on card and no personal online or in-store purchase to make, try applying the card balance to a group gift item on someone's gift registry or to your library card for printing (if library does not have a min. $ value for load; some systems do have a min. value but HPL does not). It's unlikely you can apply the small amount to an online fundraising site-usually they are $ amounts starting at around $5 and up and sometimes platform asks you to pay processing fee as well if you can.

[Ciel21]

Nov. 2020-I ordered two CFL bulbs with funny metal posts for the basement bathroom vent/lighting apparatus. One bulb had to be used right away. Since then, I kept looking at the unit every month, thinking when will second bulb go out?
That event happened two nights ago right after I took a shower and I gave myself thanks for thinking ahead to get two bulbs plus a printout of the item from Amazon (attached to bulb insert).
So bulb 1 has used 1 year of its 9 useful years of light life. Bulb 2 is starting off its 9yr journey-date marked on base.

The vent surround-needs vaccuuming but the area around lighting has a solid wall. Most of dust is in the vent slats surrounding the solid housing in the centre. Not sure of easy way to remove the surround (right arm can't do up much now) without making the whole unit a gravity missile of dangling wires-the surround shifts a little too readily while I stand below and inhale dust. Maybe I'll get the small hand broom and try getting bristles to move most of the dust to the floor for a Swiffer cleanup.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good morning!!

I made myself a nice turkey sandwich for lunch today so I shall not starve!

Tonight: Need power through the last minute prep for Christmas day.

All food is ready for Christmas brunch. Will grab fresh loaf of bread just to have but we are good otherwise.
Wrap last few gifts for boys.
Finalize 2 gift bags for the boys gf's.
Finish deep clean of kitchen and entrance. Then wash floors.
Give Family room and dining room once over (they are still clean and clutter free!!)
Dry towels in washer and fold and put away.
Put away clean laundry that was hung to dry the other night.
Put Christmas roll of tp in the powder room (received last year lol)
Clean out fridge
Put all garbage and recycling out to bins.
Take dog for a nice walk!

Will be a good productive night

[Frugalbigmama]

I really want to stock us up on the PC frozen veggies ($1.99 Member price at No Frills)
Just checked my PC pt offers and I have an offer for them. 400 pts per $2. Perfect timing!!

[Giseledta]

fabulous offer Bigfrugalmama



ok.. on track for today, grab meds for hubby, grab a few gift cards . go get booster.
make monkey bread, laundry, and do a quarter of the dc rooms.

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
Spiked a bit of a fever last night, it was down this morning, not gone but now seems to be coming back. Pretty sure it is the booster shot. Still super tired, this shot is kicking my b*** a little. I feel like you do after having the flu, ache, tired but thankfully not feeling sick.

I was determined and it took me longer than it should have but I got the filling/gravy made for the Shepherd's Pie, just need to put it in a dish and top with leftover mashed potatoes. Dinner Rolls are not happening.

Have not done the desserts for tomorrow yet, thinking of just making one instead of two. Some will be disappointed but it is what it is.

Happy Thursday Everyone

[coupon girl]

sassy -i had the booster on sunday and had a sore arm for almost 4 days and i have been waking up at 4.00 a.m some days with a headache ,still supper happy i got it .

Just popped out for gas and shoppers i spent $44.00 in and out plus it was seniord day
I paid $2.69 for a bag of gala apples after my personal offer
$6.30 for 3 maple leaf chicken breasts reg 11.00 after my seniors discount and personal chicken offer
also another good deal p.c field salad container 4.99 after seniors and personal offer $3.39

also grabbed some pears and a tomato and my 2 milks and bread -dont want to go out as much .

[HermanH]

Those looking for good deals should be able to find many today and tomorrow, as grocery stores often reduce the items that have a Best Before date on Dec 25 and 26. The smart places know that they cannot sell them and get them out the door, instead of into the garbage bins. Got lots of cheap meat, fruit, and pastries last year.

[Ciel21]

Despite sky looking semi-overcast most of day, I will do a short and quick walk out to two stores to get things done and come back. Forecast is calling for 2-6cm snow in Hamilton/Guelph/Toronto area but east of Toronto/Newmarket, lighter snow volume later in afternoon into evening. Bro said there were snow squalls yesterday afternoon in the Mississauga area when he was planning a retail stop before work but had to turn around due to traffic volume.

Canada Post delivery agent has been delivering about 1.5h ahead of usual time. Got another Xmas card/birth notice for baby#2 in the mail-really happy, as I did not know baby's exact date of birth!

Bro brought in the community paper bundle early this morning-no Walmart flyer. Shoppers has changed the two day sale to Sunday/Monday plus flyer ends on Dec. 30 except for gift card offer (7500 PC Opt pts for every $50 spend on Boston Pizza gc), which runs a bit longer.

Cooked a small pot of rice with two seasonings (including the smoked paprika). Managed to get pot to overflow due (orange splatters galore) to heat setting when I was doing the dishes nearby. Sigh-had to clean up the stovetop element but my timing was good as when I finished, Bro needed access to the toaster oven in the corner.

Christmas breaks for the budget:
Ontario -hydro rate is weekend rate/offpeak for Monday Dec. 27! https://www.oeb.ca/consumer-informat...liday-schedule
Bell long distance (for those with LD plans)-Dec 25, is it still a discounted rate that day, along with Jan 1, for landline long distance in North America? I don't have a LD plan with Bell, which offers services through those prepaid LD calling cards anyways.

[Ciel21]

Darn-it has started snowing while I was searching for gift card deals. Fine snow, sugaring down on a slant. No walk now for me. Will make do tomorrow.
Anyone driving out now-allow extra time or just don't risk it.

Need a cup of tea and something sweet.

[cath007]

If I am not online I wish you all a good hollidays and a good christmas despite this crisis covid situation

[lilo0003]

Doing a happy dance here. Son got his PCR results in less than 48 hours which is a Christmas miracle and then our public health emailed us via the school to say isolation was no longer needed under certain conditions which he met all so gramma coming here is back on. We will still rapid test each of us for an added measure of safety but it’s all a nightmare anyway. My mom is 73 yrs old and my died at 72 so I am happy we don’t have to miss another Christmas. Son is happy he can go out but at this point it will likely be Boxing Day before he sees his friends.

[Frugalbigmama]

My No Frills had the flyer deal Sirloin Roasts marked down to $5Lb and a 30% off sticker (think 2 day sale was $5.88/5.99Lb )
I grabbed 3 and cut 2 into steaks and filled tons of freezer bags for easy pull out and defrost.
Got 5 bags of veggies (2000 back in points) rye bread and a box of oatmeal for DS. Bill was $40.14. Redeemed $40 in PC pts and paid .15 cents cash. My kind of shopping!