September 2023 Frugal chatter Thread

[Purdee]

Amazing how folks can already be planning for NEXT summer. Way to go.
Today is also the last day for Wendy's $1 Frosty promotion.

I have to because I don't have the luxury to buy clothes and shoes at full prices so I buy them at the end of the season for the next year and kids grow too fast.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Why did I not book this week off??? Had trouble sleeping last night, I ended up sleeping in this morning as I wasn't feeling my best (lack of sleep), but now I am up doing all of the work things.

I got all of my prep done yesterday except my cucumber salad, I will make that today.

I closed August's budget and came in under budget in all areas but you can see where I was mentally we had the highest amount of take-out so far this year. I am still under budget but I aim for take-out once a month, but in August we had take-out twice for dinner and one day I got called into work and picked up lunch on the way home.

In a weird way, I find having a budget more freeing, although I am not happy we had take-out 3 times but, since we have a budget for take-out and still came in under budget I am not as stressed about it. As well, it looks like we have the $$$ needed for everything I need to get in September. Normally if I know I will have a high spend month, I can admit it, I get a little panicky but seeing we have the $$$ is helping.

I sat down last night and spent half an hour writing my to-do list for work this week, UGH, not only is the list long, it is a lot of complex time-consuming things so I admit I started to feel overwhelmed. Mix that with all of the house stuff I need to do and I was feeling it when I went to bed, maybe that is why I did not sleep well.

But, my goals for September is to find balance again (it was lost, out the window, gone in August) and to take better care of myself. Is it going to be a challenge 100% especially after seeing what is on my plate this month but, I am hoping if I can stay focused, organized, and take it one task at a time it will be a good month.

Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday.

[lilo0003]

woo hoo, I love when the bank gives me money. I was expecting $400.00 from TD for the mortgage as the broker told us that was the current offer and it as actually $1000.00, this going right on the mortgage. I don't love that we have one but until we decide to move full time and leave Ontario its the only option so the less interest I have to pay the better.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning! Hot but beautiful day today.

Back to the grind after vacation. Took one hour to go through email (just printing it off for the stuff I have to deal with). I will sort it into piles and then tackle it!

Yesterday was a lazy day. Will put away the clean laundry tonight so I can have a fresh start in the morning. Will put laundry on as soon as I get up to work and make sure to follow through with it!

I cleaned out my shopping bag last night. (Added coupons found this week to the coupon container) Tossed receipts and sorted change to use to pay for groceries at Food Basics (love that they take cash/change at self check out) I need to take a look at my FPC's and redeem before they expire.
Will pull them tonight and make a plan to redeem this week.

Hope everyone has a fantastic day!

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
UGH, the struggle is real when it comes to sleep right now. I was asleep by 10 pm last night but I still slept in. I just cannot get my sleep back on track.

I did not get as much done around the house as I would have liked yesterday, work was just so insane. But I did get a few small things done so I will take it.

Last night I made Baked Lemon Chicken with Rice and I added some Mushrooms, Onions and Peppers to the Rice. It was simple but did the job. Now on to the age-old question "What's for dinner tonight?" Thinking maybe Mozzarella Chicken, I have some Cherry Tomatoes to use up. But we will see as we have had chicken the last 4 nights.

I really really really need to go Costco shopping but I am trying to put it off until the weather cools off. This is going to be a large shop and I do not want to break a sweat loading or unloading my car.

Just realized it is Wednesday which means new flyer day, I am so confused about what day it is, this short week has me so confused.

Happy Wednesday Everyone.

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning!

Last night our power went off from 5:15pm till 9ish. Transformer caught on fire apparently.
So nothing got done! Boy does it get dark early now. We were sitting outside when all of a sudden the neighbours garage lights went on. At 1st I thought they were coming outside then I realized the power is on! (they keep their outside lights on all of the time)

So this morning while making breakfast I will run around and get laundry started, clean out the fridge and wash all the dishes from yesterday.
I have peppers and onions that I am going to chop up for the freezer for future pasta sauce.
Thinking a bbq for dinner for sure for tonight. Will decide what to make while cleaning out the fridge.

Have a wonderful day!

[Frugalbigmama]

Breakfast done. Veggies from fridge chopped and in freezer labeled "pasta veggie mix". Fridge completely cleaned out (wiped down/organized).
Decided I am not doing laundry today.

[walkonby]

was so ready to head out to top up just the fruit and a few veg but once I opened up the front door and that heat whacked me back into next week I decided tomorrow will be the day I shop. How on earth are outside employees coping today?

[coupon girl]

walkonby -i need to top up fruit and veggies also ,but dealing with extreme itchiness and still recoving from my health bout .I just hope to feel better by the weekend a bit then i will go out .

Watched the girls yesterday in this heat ,so glad hubby helped out a lot.I love my granddaughters but glad the long days are over from watching them.

[walkonby]

@coupon girl tbh, I have no idea how I ever worked outside for all those years. My tolerance for the heat now is ZERO.

[Frugalbigmama]

@coupon girl tbh, I have no idea how I ever worked outside for all those years. My tolerance for the heat now is ZERO.

You did what you had to do! That's how I see it. Just like now when I see people out shopping with young kids lol Shoot me now! Haha!

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning! Sunny day here today.

Any grocery deals this week you are grabbing? For me- Hellmans offer- 445 ml for $3.79 (will use $1 off coupons) DS loves his Hellman's!!
Will also pick up a few boxes of KD at Foodland for .69 cents each for my food donation box. $2.88 Clementines.
RCSS- $1.99 Cantelope, Food Basics .88lb oranges, .99 canned pasta for food donation box. $3.99 Extra lean beef- Will grab one for taco meat that I will make today. (we can make tacos or taco salad for dinner)
No Frills- 99lb peppers/mushrooms/broccoli/tomatoes. $5.99 Olive oil (receive 2000 pc pts) Will check out the beef on for $3.99lb (would like to buy some and cut in strips for the freezer.

Happy with the sales on the fresh stuff this week. Good variety. Trying to make shopping simple this week so we can keep the fridge clean and use up stuff.

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
Ran out quickly this morning to grab a few groceries and pick up a package at the Post Office for Mom.

Last week, when I went shopping the produce section was a little sparse in my store, the bins at the door which usually have the sale produce, half of them were empty, the signs were there but there was no produce. I went to grab cucumbers all of the signs were on the shelves but the shelves were full of tomatoes, no cucumbers.

There were still some empty spots today but was able to get most of what was on my list. Might still try a store out of town to see if I can get a few things my store did not have but we have what we need/want for the weekend.

Normally I buy our Toilet Paper at Costco but I have not gone yet and last night I put the last roll on the holder so that was my main motivation for running out this morning. Plus I have to do some stuff in the system tonight after we close so going after work won't be an option. I did some pretty good deals I will share them later as I think my receipt is still in the kitchen.

Last night we had Homemade Pizza for dinner, Mom mentioned it the other day but I thought she meant on the weekend, but yesterday she said "What about pizza," and I said "Sure." Tonight I am thinking either Mozzarella Chicken as I still have Cherry Tomatoes to use up or maybe since I got some broccoli I saved a Shrimp Broccoli foil packet meal I could make and serve with some of the leftover rice.

I have a random load of laundry going, I was out of tank tops because I kept dropping things on myself so I wasn't even getting a day out of a top and Mom needed her PJs washed. So I just threw everything in our baskets in as on load since I already washed towels on the weekend.

The vinegar wash I did on the weekend helped, they are better but I skipped the second wash with Baking Soda which I think would have made them like new. So next time, I will do both.

Happy Thursday Everyone.

[lilo0003]

Tangerine has sent me an offer for 6% interest until Jan 31 2024. This always pushes me to save more but with everything going to the house now I am not sure how much I can save, but I will move every cent I can to that account and then even it its only there until the credit card is due it will add up. I can play their game as long as needed. The interest totally added up over the summer as the down payment sat there.

[harbie]

Yesterday I hit up RCSS and tried to PM Kraft bbq sauce to Safeway for 60C but was denied because Safeways price was a scene price and apparently RCSS doesn’t match store card prices even though Independent advertises “member price vs Non member price” with the optimum program. Oh well, I did them better since I paid their sale price of 99c each I was able to use my points and only 62c oop instead of 7 something by not getting them. I don’t PM things much at RCSS so I had no idea they had all these restrictions now.

Then went by NF and cashed in more points, PM’d broccoli from RCSS because theirs looked awful and paid $5.12 oop and earned 1000points.

Then last night we had a meeting with our financial advisor and got the ball rolling on permanent life insurance approval. Man that’s heavy. Gotta love adulting . It’s a good thing but a bit stressful when I think of the annual premiums

Time for a run to ease the stress but first I’m off to grab some veggies for tonight’s dinner and this weeks meals. I’m really trying to get my grocery budget lowered but like everyone it’s a bit of a struggle.

Anyhoodles have a great Thursday everyone