August 2022 Frugal Chatter: All about gardening and saving month!!!!

[coupon girl]

I dont own a printer so i have never printed coupons(may be one or 2 at the library) and walkonby i am sure you have saved during this pandemic from a lot of the home cooking you have done .I am using less cpns too these days.

Let me tell you how much i hate blinds that are on all three of my bay windows (not in the budget to buy new ones this yr)
I just chipped the front edge of wood trying to get the blind back in ,so out comes the wood filler uggg ,so only did one blind today ,may do the other end one .My daughter bought lovely cloth blinds from ikea ,but they may not fit our windows as they dont fit hers fully,but again she rents and doesnt care if they fit right to the edge.

May read today,i cant start another puzzle as we are all getting together for my daughter 40th birthday as a family on the 27 th.

[harbie]

Today is a day packed full of to do list stuff.

I’ve even to the garden to water and tend to that already. I have a mountain of laundry that HAS to be done, vacuuming and dusting, etc and meal planning and prepping for our road trip this weekend.

We are going to visit my BIL and SIL and we need to bring our own food. I’m not risking going up there to find no real options. Traveling being vegan is definitely more difficult and requires more advanced planning. I’m glad it’s only Saturday, Sunday and then leaving Monday morning/afternoon. It’s hard energy having to prep and pack 3 meals plus snacks and have to do a million other things plus I’m working this week too while still hurting

[cath007]

Good earlier evening everyone!!!
The day just get better my auntie give to my father 2 coquilles st jacques ( a sea food dishe) and a jar of marinated beets.,So we will have that for supper .
I had to rechat with colgate-palmolive chatted for some coupons the 2 week of july and I did not receive anything when It is supposed to take 7-10 days,kind of annoying.

for frugal thing I print my coupons with my printer but notice I am short of color ink not sure if I will renew it
always bring my reusables bags too,game changer for us,as we buy now glad bag for the trashs,so much handy
Have a lovely day and night !!!

[Giseledta]

wonderful awser!!! thanks.

For me it was little things like watch carefully how much coffee I get outside of the house. Even McDonald’s coffee will add up over time.

-watching how we run errands and try not to waste time and diesel driving back and forth.

-return bottles. My dad gets an average of $200/month from the condo building he’s in and more in December.

-we do little splurges on treat foods so we are not tempted to grab something and end up paying more for it later.

Not sure if that’s what you were after?

[Giseledta]

busy , but great day.
Spent time with 2 other providers.. visited the new park.. still not a fan.
listed 3 items. sold 1. offered 1 ona free site.

worked on the room rearrange. tomorrow will be a big day for it.

i am hoping for some great sale flyers.

homemade burgers for supper.

[Angela273]

That feels good. I just organized our chest freezer. Now I have some room in there for deals or baking. I’ve been making smaller packages of meat for the move. Pulled stuff out to be used. Twin boy was happy to have frozen blueberries and raspberries to snack on.

Johnsonville sausages, Cheemo Perogies, and veggies for supper tonight.

[Ciel21]

QOTD-reply
When I was still using Longos TYR, AirMiles (via Sobeys mostly and some Rexall trips) and PC Optimum programs, I tried to ensure one of the cards had a $10 redemption waiting for use whenever the GST cheque was coming. Usually only aligned with April and October amounts given that I did not do major grocery shops except the rare time or if I had several AM offers worth chasing for points! Once I has $10 on AirMiles and $10 on TYR the same month, so that was helpful.

That way, my GST cheque was richer by $10. I often listed all the things I'd want to buy with the tax credit and try to figure out amounts with taxes. Then laugh when my list was more $$ than actual cheque +$10. Closer to credit day, I'd breakdown the "budget" into items and amounts and figure out how to get almost everything in one trip/day because I'm a spender. If sales aligned with shopping day, chances are I could either add impulse items or squeeze in one more list item.

Reality in 2022
-making sure I carry one plastic bag in my tote or stroller bag (even if it's the buffet takeout tote-it carries stuff) almost every time I shop (my eyes are bigger than my list sometimes). The shopping cart is rolled out if I intend to buy multiple watermelons, lots of canned or bottle drinks or have three stores to visit between two plazas and the cart lets me get everything home eventually. I personally think the Kitchen Stuff Plus fibreglass carts (light! can roll on gravel, easier to get onto buses) are good for urban/suburban shoppers getting pantry staples and two canned drink boxes but even a 10kg bag of flour can stress that frame/bend it. Ditto 3 x 25L bags of soil in the spring (did that once with product from Food Basics a few years ago)-barely made it home, it was a long walk fighting gravity with all that weight on two wheels.
The Longos shopping cart (seems to be discontinued now) is sturdier but makes a racket! Good for heavier grocery items-just have to be able to pull that loaded cart on paved surfaces;cart does not roll well on gravel surfaces.
-having a list and writing my intended spend amount on that list can sometimes save my budget or I'll do without another thing to make up for the overage that month
-clipping coupons to that list if I intend to visit store where I can actually find the product (i.e that new Boost Simply+ for example-WM)
-coupons for what I usually buy are not found/seen in my usual grocery stores. Random chance finds are appreciated. I am willing to try some of the new products that are in the marketplace if the Moneysaver brochure or bagged mailer has coupons!

-make the time to check for digital flyers of the ones I see posted on SC or in my community paper bundle. Somehow that is where the gift card deals at grocery stores seem to be found and some grocery items not shown in the print flyers. For those of you using points programs, you can do very well with some of the digital flyer points offers, as you have shared on the forum!

-Summer or winter weather challenges can direct when shopping is done. Then it's a war of wills-to get the current flyer specials before the weather hits or try to exercise patience for an extra two or three days (weather happens) and get flyers deals in new flyer. I have given up trying to get Mom and Bro to move on deals when I have a list unless the price difference is worthwhile (jug of dish detergent on sale at WM can be very worth pursuing). With them, I try to post a running list on the fridge of what items we are out of and which store likely has it in stock (because there are variations in sizes and prices and stock).
-household cleaning supplies/garbage bags-since they are smaller items, I have my preferred places to get them to keep costs down. I try to get bathroom cleaner on sale most times but occasionally will have to pay full retail because I need the item and cannot go around to different stores later
- I will pick up coins found on my walks (in-store, on roads, on gravel shoulders). I'm picky about found gift cards (will ignore Tim Hortons but perk up if I spot a Starbucks card)-usually they are spent or not for places where I shop. The rare one has $ on it and once I verify the amount, I'm off to spend it with my cash for a shop! The $8 and change on that one Walmart card I found was the best find!
-electronics-good to have an idea of what model/brand/operating system I like and peruse flyers. To track when items are on sale/in stock and when funds/flyer special align, move to buy product. That is how I was a cellphone owner for two weeks and realized I'm over cellphones but I spent a sum I could live with (worthwhile learning experience for me).

-I do try to add treats to my planned grocery shops, as others have indicated. I'm trying not to always get the same ones and will do the Shoppers Weekend sale for $5.99 Perrier Slim cans if Fortinos or WM don't have the same deal.

-underwear-when possible, I buy my brand on sale at the Bay (Mother's Day, summer sale or Back To School). Clothing is very tricky for me of late and that is why I made March my shop for pants campaign month at malls. Socks-what I find when at the Bay (always giving the sales rack a glance first!) before going for the other ones or random luck at Ricki's on my trip or I'll see what Millers' Shoes on the Mountain has on the counter or sock rack! I used to be able to find clearance priced runners on a few occasions at the now-closed clearance shoe store-definitely helped me save about $50-60 per pair that way! The good old days...

[cath007]

nothing to exciting in the new flyers..will check wm and gt tomorrow.

[coupon girl]

I just looked at the flyers on here and the sales are not that great at the stores .I guess a sign of the times.

[Ciel21]

Trying to spot if the new Ikea catalogue is posted, since we are in August...

Meanwhile, Ikea has this restaurant offer to tempt shoppers this week; you can use your purchase as a future discount on a $150+ spend later in August:
https://www.facebook.com/IKEACanada/...n__=%2CO%2CP-R

Ikea has a Business Network loyalty program: https://www.facebook.com/IKEACanada/...n__=%2CO%2CP-R

[barbis9]

@Ciel21 sorry about your friend. A similar thing happened to me.

How I save:
-limit trips to grocery store
-take the bus when I can, instead of vehicle
-going through cupboards and using up everything
-eating things that still are ok even if it has expired a few days prior
-coffee, juice or water from home
-bring fruit when I run errands to avoid Mcdonalds or Tims
-writing down what I spend in a notebook and reviewing end of each month
-asking if I really need something
-always bring cloth bags
-do a list and stick to it
-borrow books and dvds from library
-keep eye on prices to take advantage of incorrect pricing and get up to $10 free on an item

[Ciel21]

Loved today's somewhat overcast day with cool wind. This kind of weather is in my happy temperature range for summer.

Usual laundry, collect bins and branches routine was supplemented with some grasscutting (anything using push mower) and sibling used the tractor for the rest. Had two rounds of instant noodles (breakfast and lunch), some dishes of ice cream, orange juice and greengage plums that taste more green than ripe!

I was watching two of Johnny Strides' videos on Youtube-his Aug 7 video of his July 31 departure from Toronto Pearson for the NEtherlands. Got my retail fix seeing all the shops he showed along the way to finding a view of the tarmac with planes. Then during his Amsterdam cycling video, I suddenly had an ah-ha moment about the Dutch Reach to prevent dooring of cyclists (The CAA club started promoting this technique here in Ontario to help reduce dooring of cyclists). In his video, Johnny is cycling down a road that not only is for cars but two ways cyclists. What would have been a second lane for our roads, seems divided between car parking on left and bike parking (lots of it) on the right. More than once on the multi-use path (cyclists, pedestrians), Johnny had to ring his bell because people left on their own tend to take over most if not all of the path. On the road, the risk of dooring seems very increased given the seemingly narrowness of road. Not only that, one cyclist pulling his bike backwards entirely to almost completely blocking the road or path without looking for cyclists! could have clocked Johnny if he hadn't rung his bell to alert the other person he had to pass him. Amsterdam looks dense and their roads seems a bit complicated to me. But the Dutch reach makes more sense to me now that I've seen how Amsterdam city roads are narrower (to my mind). Also, when Johnny is cycling on a path in the park, an electric park/municipal truck (like a tiny Datsun/Toyota Pickup size) cruises past Johnny on left without any horn or alert. That is scary!

Had a couple of rest/naps today. Body just powers down and pains up regularly.

[barbis9]

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[Ciel21]

@cath007 Doesn't Metro (along with IGA) carry frozen Ricardo entrees? I'd use your $10 redemption towards one of them if that is possible. As far as I know, Ricardo's frozen foods are not sold outside of Quebec.

[Ciel21]

Just realized that I am looking for a deal on Swiffer Dusters (10) 180degree pads, not the Heavy Duty 360 ones. Walmart has the 10ct box for $10.97 and same with Cdn Tire. Everywhere else is about $12 something.

And I use the Heavy Duty 3ft extendible handle. At some point, Bro must have bought one or two Swiffer kits. I love the reach of the extendible handle as I can dust part of the high ceiling at back door (otherwise I'd need a stepladder and that's a no-no for me).

If anyone is looking at the Swiffer Duster starter kits with the short handle and 5 pads, look around online. I'm seeing prices under $4 in some cases. Also check hardware stores for the Heavy Duty starter kit *only one pad* as it may be on sale as part of Back to School promotions.