October 2022 Frugal Chatter: All about Fall and Halloween!!!

[Frugalbigmama]

I went out to RCSS tonight to walk around and get my steps in and see if there were any deals.

Grabbed 2 x 2pk Gillette shaving cream for the boys Christmas bag/stocking. $3.99 is pretty good price.

I wanted another box of chips to hand out but the expiry date was a week after Halloween. I will check out FB tomorrow.

Last year this time I had the boys stocking stuffers and gift sorted and wrapped (and the little kids of the family) and only needed the odd thing to pick up. I'm behind schedule this year! I picked up the cutest hoody at Carter's last weekend for the baby of the family to go with the amazing Vtech toy I got her so I am done the little kids completely just need to wrap!

[coupon girl]

frugalbigmama -i agree with you before covid i was so ahead of the game for sept,oct,nov grandkids birthdays and xmas .I feel i can never get ahead now ,not going out as much is one of the reasons i guess,not that much good clearance.

I dont even know what to get ashlyn for xmas age 9 -i mean she got a lot of crafts for her birthday ,maybe i may have a small talk with her soon to get hints.

[Frugalbigmama]

Meal plan ( we have stuff to use up so have a few meal ideas)

Pizza - we have mozz cheese that expires in Nov. Open pizza sauce in the fridge. Pizza crust and naan bread in the freezer. Onions/peppers and bacon bits for toppings.

Roast/mashed potato/gravy/veggies- Potatoes need to be used up. Roast and veggies in freezer. An onion for the roast in the fridge to use up. 3 carrots to use up so will add to the roast pan/crock pot.

Burgers- Have buns to use up. Have lots of Greek Salad still too so will go as a side.

A little bit of a plan!

[Giseledta]

i need to do a menu plan. i am seat of my pants this week . i dont like that feeling. i will prob figure that out tomoorow when i hand out candy.

today , was busy. not sure if it was a good busy . just busy . this week should be interesting.

any hoo . positive stuff..... weather should be nice. and the rain should pass before the kids stat trick or treating

[Ciel21]

@Giseledta Onions-we keep the net bag(s) in a pop cardboard box (the ones used in stores to display 6x710ml bottles at Shoppers) on the basement floor. There is a nearby window and sometimes enough sun might cause onions to sprout. Ditto any potatoes in adjacent bag. But since the box is next to stairs, it's easier to fetch veggies then trek into the freezing damp cold cellar.
I heartily recommend cutting red or white onions into sixths along with pepper strips and carrots or parsnips for a quick easy roast side dish at 400F for 30min or so (parchment paper makes cleanup easier but direct placement in the pan works to expedite spur of moment roasting-it's just more carbon to washup.
@Frugalbigmama What a score on those $1 Nibs!

[Ciel21]

Some weekend-frosty mornings, and kind of stuffy nose for a few hours. Not sure if my head is adjusting to the temps or I have a cold creeping up on me. Chai latte is mandatory every morning.
Did a little raking yesterday afternoon-hurts like heck but I felt better seeing more lawn. Enjoyed some time alone when family went out to an event. Had the McCain sweet potato fries with my last pop. The juice oranges are more tart than sweet but I'm eating at least one daily. The $2 sale Grissol Baguette Bites (garlic & parm) were absolutely fabulous in my bowls of Lipton Chicken soup too! I think I will get some more from Voila. Today-just keeping things light and the dishes washed and the chai lattes coming...

I have been looking at children's clothing on the usual store sites and wow, some stores no longer carry certain lines or there's less assortment. Even Carter's baby outfits-if I saw a 2pk outfit on the Bed Bath and BEyond site, I used to be able to see it on the Carter's Osh Kosh site or in a different fabric but same style. Not anymore (Carter's has so few take me home sets now-I could sniffle). A lot of things I remember last year on Carter's site have moved along. Just for fun, I got up to $85 for three items on BBB-(that's a 3pc outfit, changing pad cover and crib sheet all from one brand-in the shopping cart; the list is printed off for my local browsing as a reference point in case I find any of the items locally). I have seen the cover in Winners but not at much of a discount so I will see if it's still in stock. Walmart online has some items of interest but I will look first and not commit to buying just yet. Websites are good for getting prices and an idea of what stock is available. Blink and you won't find items later. Even a couple of stores that I always look at first through their sale stuff online-usually any clothing on sale is limited to one size and maybe it's the last unit. Luck of find to find the right size of something I'd like to put towards a gift bag-sometimes I don't luck out at all.

By the way, anyone contesting for baby stuff or gear: one store has a draw related to creating new baby registries by Nov 6 (Snugglebugz) and West Coast Kids will be doing their 12 Days of Xmas contest on Nov 2 via their site and Instagram.

Bay Days is closing in about 30min. Children's gear and apparel are in the sale mix if you need to dash off a clothing item order for a younger family member.

[Ciel21]

I did buy a Jockey tank (black) from the Bay and with shipping ($12) and taxes, I'm $32 and change lighter. My local store only had white ones but website claims to have black available online (just not within 100km of me). At least the tank top was discounted, so that's an upside.

Off to bed for me-have a good sleep, everyone!

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Monday Morning. Time to refocus and regroup; did some work on the to-do lists. Felt good to cross off almost everything off last week's to-do list and so far this week's to-do list is manageable but I am also aware it is Monday morning and that might all change in the blink of an eye. That is work.

Now home is a different story, ugh, it just feels like there is so much to get done. I felt so much better when we got back from vacation and I was just getting work on track and was ready to focus on the house, then I was in the accident and I just feel like I am still struggling and cannot get on top of everything. It has been a lot of up and down mentally. In reality, the accident was minor (except for the damage to my car) but mentally it has been a true struggle. A lot of ups and downs with stress and anxiety which has been knocking me down. Of course, me being me, feels like it was minor and I should be feeling better but the reality is different.

I am really hoping I can regroup and refocus this week. I have a couple of big things to tackle for work and hoping on my work-from-home days I can keep to a "normal" working day and tackle things around the house. Of course, also work on dinners, they haven't been bad but I know I can step it up.

I am also going to focus on things that are for me and help me, like cooking and baking, reading, and crocheting.

WOW, I want to accomplish a lot this week.

Happy Monday

[cath007]

Happy Halloween !!!!

[cath007]

Had a good phone.My school solved the problem so I will enter like promised at my other school november 10,will need adaptation tought.

[Frugalbigmama]

25 Trick or Treaters so far!

[Ciel21]

No door knockers. Again, Bro this day was asking "are we doing Halloween?" and I said no. Then in afternoon he and Mom were going on about it and I'm thinking if they'd apply themselves to raking leaves with the same energy as spent on this question of not happening, that'd be progress. Probably on Wednesday, I'll rake some more as the weather is to be dry. Looks as though one more week of double digit daytime temps then next Tuesday (week from now), we are in shiver city of 7C. Perfect for introduction back to Standard Time!

Looks like the Bay figured out I wanted only one top. I saw two identical order numbers show up in my Orders section-the computer was glitching when I was attempting to pay order the first time. Today I got an email offering me 15% off code related to the order or future order. Sigh. I never contacted Bay CSR but the email says I did (probably an order picker saw the two orders and bounced the matter to CSR thus the e-mail).

Did another Voila order for Friday-can edit on Thursday night so if I spot any goodies or freebies, I can move on them then.

No mail excitement except for furniture store sale promo. Bro and friend changed the heating unit in the basement loo-this unit has a proper on/off switch and digital display. I turned it off of course in late pm when I realized Bro left it on for hours. Mom's already unhappy with the monthly $71/EBP charge for hydro-no need to push that amount up.

So-The Bay's Senior's Day event is on TOMORROW-first Tuesday of the month. Also, HBC Rewards Members only sale from today to Nov. 9: https://www.thebay.com/content/membe..._1_MOP_DETAILS

[walkonby]

There was not a single knock on my door ( or a door bell ring ) on Halloween night. The steady drizzle falling was probably the straw that broke for most.
Which parents are dedicated enough to drag a kid around and onto what is essentially a dead looking street ( almost no one here decorates anymore )
in the rain for a few treats? Thank goodness this holiday is now over.

[barbis9]

No kids last night, but I figured most kids would go to townhouses, where there are lots of homes within a short walking distance.

Paid my house insurance, ouch! Everything is going up, however it appears hydro isn't which is a shock.

[Frugalbigmama]

No kids last night, but I figured most kids would go to townhouses, where there are lots of homes within a short walking distance.

Paid my house insurance, ouch! Everything is going up, however it appears hydro isn't which is a shock.

I live on a quiet crescent off the park and almost everyone decorates so we get lots of traffic. I felt so bad Halloween 2019 when we were South for a family wedding since we missed it and the in 2020 my neighbours weren't shelling out because of covid so we missed 2 years. I feel like it was a rainy night last year so wasn't good either. Another year over!