January 2023 Frugal Chatter Thread -Money shuffle dance time!

[Frugalbigmama]

@grocery prices! Yes! Terrible! I have to say I picked a good month to eat from the pantry/freezer (both are busting so it needs to be done)
There are some good fresh fruit and veggie deals his week but the produce is not up to my standards!
I really think I am going to make it work with my $128 Cash grocery budget! Yesterday I bought the musrooms at FB for $2.99 and they are very nice. The mushrooms the last while have not been nice at all in my area. They will go great with onions for steak one night this week and in omelettes.
I walked down the aisles at RCSS yesterday and it was really depressing. I feel sorry for all the people that are smart shoppers like us. At least we can still get deals and know how to shop.

[Frugalbigmama]

Another thing I have found very expensive the last year or so is underwear!!!!
I found an amazing deal at Sportcheck (last year) for boxers for DS for $1.88 each! I only bought 5 because I wasn't sure if he would like but for that price I should have just bought them all! (oldest DS doesn't like that style)
So since both really appreciate nice boxers for Christmas I just made my annual January online order at American Eagle.
You have to spend $100 for free shipping now (geez when did that happen) (I added a 5pk of socks for me for $2.99 to get over the $100) but now I am set for upcoming birthday and Christmas!
Hope all the items ship!

[SassyAshley]

100%, the quality is not there. There have been quite a few times when produce is on sale but I do not buy it because I have old produce in my fridge that looks better than what is on the shelves.

Mom thought I was insane a few times when she questioned why I did not buy something until she went shopping with me one day and was shocked at what she saw. She asked me if this is the norm, yep, a small selection and sometimes looks like it should be on the discount rack not on the regular shelves.

On that note I just bought a bag of carrots, there was moisture in the bag so I dumped the bag out and a bunch of the carrots in the center that I could not see are horrible. I had to throw one away and one has been cut up use this week. I am hoping after a good vinegar soak and trimming them up I was able to save them.

[lilo0003]

I pulled everything out of my freezer so I can see what we have on hand. Sadly discovered we have no ground beef or any beef roast. I did find a rather small prime rib that’s been there far too long so that’s dinner tonight. Lots of chickens breast and bacon and I whole bunch of peameal roasts. There were a deal last summer when I bought 10 of them at a 1.50 each. DS1 likes them so I will plan to use one every 3 weeks or so to have the rest used up before summer.
I did find a deal on coffee at metro. They have the spend 10.00 of Air Miles offer and get 25 bonus miles so that helps, Folgers is on for 8.99 for the big can and there was a coupon for 1.50 off I found a few weeks ago. I am going back to do the deal again today for another bonus of 25 mile. I know not everyone has a metro close at hand. For me it’s my closest grocery store so not inconvenient to stop in.

[SassyAshley]

My prep took about twice as long as I was hoping everything would take me but that is okay.

All the fruits and veggies are prepped for the upcoming week, I prepped:
Strawberries - I washed them all, and the ones with no marks are back in the fridge for later, I sliced some to eat and chopped some to put in my fruit mix for the week

I made my fruit mix, I used Strawberries, Kiwi, Blueberries & Blackberries, I did not put a dressing on it this week so just a fruit mix

I cut up carrots two ways, the first was using my slicer for super thin slices for salads or stir-fry, then I did bigger chunks to roast off

I did not need to cut up Green Onions but some were going a bit soft so I peeled them back and packaged them in a paper towel

I cooked up a package of bacon for Breakfasts and Dinners this week, I am planning Breakfast for dinner one night and Clubhouse Sandwiches another night

I washed up half of the grapes I bought so they are grab-and-eat

Cut up a Cucumber and a Pepper to use in Salads. The Pepper had a soft spot on it so did not want the whole pepper to turn

I cleaned up the new bag of carrots, super disappointed in these but hoping after my efforts I have saved them

As I was in the fridge I decided that the fridge needed a good reorganize. My fridge looked super full, too full for the amount of food we have so, I ended up emptying the fridge wiping it down and reorganizing it. We now have room and I really did not throw anything out, only food waste was a small amount, enough for maybe one coffee of Half & Half and there was something else I cannot think of.

After I cleaned out the fridge, I cleaned out our produce bin. Oh, it wasn't in the fridge, there was a mouldy clementine in the produce bin.

I have taken out the garbage and recycling. Our boxes needed to go out but first I need to gather some from upstairs so that will probably wait until tomorrow.

Lastly, I dealt with our bag of Ice Salt, normally we buy the jugs but they did not have so I bought I bag. I put what I could out of the bag into an old jug I just emptied and found a home for the rest of the bag.

I still need to tidy up my stockpile room (put away this week's groceries), tidy the chest freezer (it also seems way too full), and I wanted to do an Upstairs Hallway Deep Clean. Thinking I might leave those to do this week.

I am not sure why but my back is really sore. We will see how I feel after I finish my lunch.

[cath007]

@SassyAshley : thank you for the happy birthday

[cath007]

I noticed since a few years I dont receive at the good date or dont receive at all the email for the birthday freebie at gt...mmm maybe they stopped...?

[harbie]

@SassyAshley I don't wash vegetables until we're going to eat them. When I do I just use cool water. Lightly scrub things like potatoes and carrots. Lettuce and more delicate I just soak and swish in cool water and repeat as necessary.

[coupon girl]

harbie, I Am the same i just use cool water to wash the veggies.

cath-happy birthday .

We got in at 2.00 p.m today from toronto,on the way home seen someone not let a truck in that was merging ,then the truck speed up and cut the other car off.Hubby said wow ,some people .

Yesterday we went with daughter tobagganing with sebastian (no i didnt go down the hill or papa either )we watched .We were at a park 10 minutes away from daughter and we stayed all of 35 minutes -20 it was .

My daughter made her homemade pizza ,last night and bought 4 donuts from a bakery (the jam filled was divine with my tea).Today we brought her xmas tree home along with a bag of fingerlings and a few small potatoes she gave me .

I always forget something and she forgets things when she stays at my house .This time i left hubby's new gap sweater she bought him for xmas ,i will call her later and tell her not to wash it as she throws everything in the dryer and i feel it may shrink.

I did laundry for her 2 loads as she has a very demanding job (career).I dont mind when i am there ,plus did a puzzle and played a board game with sebastian.

Glad to be home and doing a load of my laundry .

[Frugalbigmama]

I did running around this afternoon before I had to pick up DS. Wanted to grab some groceries for Ds (oldest) He is not a smartcanuck lol. So I try and stock him up on stuff I know he likes. Independant has their OJ on for $1.99 so I bought 3 for him (the only 3 on the shelf) And grabbed a few other items for his birthday bag (mid Feb).

I walked up and down every aisle today in the stores I went to. Found peppercorns for my grinder for I think a great deal.
Noticed Walmarts canned veggies are still .97 (potatoes, mushrooms, corn, peas etc) I am going to grab some next time and start a food bank box.
Their brand of pasta is .97 too. In the bag and in the box (box is smaller size)

Hopefully next weekend I can work on the kitchen. I want to clean out every cupboard and the freezer and see what we have to use up and plan meals from that. And take an inventory of what I should be looking for a deal on.

[SassyAshley]

I did end up taking out the cardboard. I gathered up the box from upstairs and got it into the box we keep on the main floor. WOW, it was heavy, I was not expecting it to be so heavy and almost dropped it when I went to pick it up. But it is out, now I need to find a new cardboard box.

For Dinner, I made Clubhouse Sandwiches minus the Tomato. I was going to grab Tomatoes when I went out later in the week as I had planned this meal for later in the week but oh well this is why we have a flexible Meal Plan.

On the side I tried a new recipe for Sweet Potato Fries, now I will admit Sweet Potato Fries are hit-and-miss for me. When you say Fries I want to be able to pick them up and I find especially homemade Sweet Potatoes Fries are not crispy. But these ones had a Parmesan Coating and became nice and crispy, we will make these again.

I think it is because of yesterday but I keep thinking I should do more. Or maybe it is because I have a feeling this week is going to hit hard. But I am on top of everything, I have a few things to tackle this week but it is doable. So I think I will start a new crochet project.

[flemeth]

@cath007 Happy Birthday

[cath007]

@coupongirl @flemeth : thank you very much for the birthday wishes,It is greatly appreciated

[Angela273]

On Saturday we went to a local second hand store for their $10 bag sale. I’ll try to remember and list the items below.
1x jeans for dh
1x brown jeans for me
2x leggings for twin girl
1x black dress with silver sequins for twin girl
2x pairs of pants for Ds to grow into
I still had room in the bag so I picked up craft supplies: 3 pairs of scissors that cut designs, a package is used pencil crayons for my classroom, a medium sized tube of silver glitter glue to use with my after school art club, and a brand new set of valentines themed stamps to use at art club.

I have a substitute teacher in for me today. I drive back this afternoon and teach tomorrow. I’m preparing for semester change.

[Frugalbigmama]

Happy Birthday Cathy!