January 2024 Frugal Chatter thread (it's a leap year!)

[crafter]

Had a good morning here. I really wanted to go grocery shopping or to Shoppers but pretty much battled the impulse to shop just to shop.
We have lots of food still to work through in the panty and freezer...OMG, if that frozen ham bone falls from the top of the freezer again onto the floor I'm going to scream lol...my feet have had several close calls. We had leftover chili for lunch and used up some leftover tortillia chips for dipping, I felt like a kid at a birthday party..we've never thought of having them with chili. I threw in a 5 hour stay a bed stew into the oven so realized that I couldn't bake bread in the oven. I made some bran bread in the bread machine...funny thing was that earlier this afternoon, we couldn't understand why we both smelled toast lol.
I've gone for short walks with the dog today, checking to see if the flyers are in...my friend's hubby and I alternate checking...no luck yet. I've already looked online at the deals but there's something relaxing about circling and making notes on the flyers

Hope everyone is stocked up before the big snow storm hitting Ontario tomorrow night! Have a nice evening!

[flemeth]

Had a good morning here. I really wanted to go grocery shopping or to Shoppers but pretty much battled the impulse to shop just to shop.
We have lots of food still to work through in the panty and freezer...OMG, if that frozen ham bone falls from the top of the freezer again onto the floor I'm going to scream lol...my feet have had several close calls. We had leftover chili for lunch and used up some leftover tortillia chips for dipping, I felt like a kid at a birthday party..we've never thought of having them with chili. I threw in a 5 hour stay a bed stew into the oven so realized that I couldn't bake bread in the oven. I made some bran bread in the bread machine...funny thing was that earlier this afternoon, we couldn't understand why we both smelled toast lol.
I've gone for short walks with the dog today, checking to see if the flyers are in...my friend's hubby and I alternate checking...no luck yet. I've already looked online at the deals but there's something relaxing about circling and making notes on the flyers

Hope everyone is stocked up before the big snow storm hitting Ontario tomorrow night! Have a nice evening!

@crafter my younger DD always eat tortilla chips with her vegetarian chilli

[SassyAshley]

@crafter , Different dish but I kind of had the same moment today.

I made Chicken Shawarma in the Slow Cooker.

When I go to one of our locations I always grab a Shawarma Box for dinner which comes with Shawarma over Rice and a Side Salad. Since it is meditrean resturant they put Pita Chips on the Ceasar Salad, sounds weird but figured I would try it and if I did not like it ask them to skip next time. It was good, I liked it and well making dinner last night I thought why have I never tried this, we always have Pita Chips on hand. So last night I put Pita Chips in my Ceasar Salad at home and remembered how good it is.

[Frugalbigmama]

Good Morning and TGIF!!!

Today should be a busy but good work day and hoping it flies by!

Will go dig some meat out of the freezer for dinner. Thinking chicken breast, veggies, perogies/ salad for dinner.

DS has a hockey game tonight- 20 mins away so will see what the weather is like then. Hockey never gets canceled due to weather!
I remember years ago we had an out of town tournament and were leaving Friday morning but our school buses were canceled and it was a terrible drive till we got to Vaughn where it was clear roads and blue skies! We booked it from there

Well I better get busy so I can get this work day out of the way

Have fantastic day!

[lizzie bargain]

Went to No Frills yesterday to pick up a few things-after I got home I realized I left my wallet in the top of the shopping cart. DH and I raced back and checked the carts and then asked the clerks if anyone had handed in a wallet but sadly not.
As we prepared to go home to cancel tappable credit and bank cards quickly I suddenly had a brain wave. I said to hubby, let's surreptitiously check the carts of all the shoppers in the store-the purse is dark blue and somebody might not even see it against the black plastic of the child seat. Lo and behold my hubby spotted it in the first cart he checked. Hallelujah! The fellow pushing the cart said he was a retired RCMP officer and he had checked the address on my license noting it was only a 3 minute drive away and was going to drop it off for me once he was done. How wonderful is that-I am very thankful!! Their are still good honest people in the world and I would have done the same if I found a wallet.

More to the budget subject-While at the store I pretended we had only $20 to eat for the week and what would I buy. We would get mighty sick of eggs, oatmeal, potatoes, beans and rice!! I am amazed how high prices are-and very thankful to have a variety of food in our fridge and pantry-not to mention a warm roof over our heads as it is -36(feeling like -46) this morning. Brrrr.

[SassyAshley]

@lizzie bargain , that is wonderful that you found your wallet and that there are still honest people out there.

I often wonder how those who do not shop the sales or deals are able to buy groceries. A couple of weeks ago I decided to walk the aisles instead of just grabbing what we needed and getting out. Some of the prices I saw on everyday items, condiments like Ketchup, Mayo and Mustard things many would buy without thinking about that would easily be over $15, if not $20 if you bought all 3 in one trip. On my gosh canned soups, I remember people saying it is a cheap lunch, not anymore.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Didn't get up until 6 this morning, I think the weather that is supposed to come in tonigh is getting to me. I am feeling it in my head, I do not have a headache yet but it feels heavy and off.

Had a bunch of stuff I needed to knock out this morning, I think I have most of it done, now I have to look and see what came in well I was focusing on that.

Laundry is in the washer and dryer, getting that knocked out.

I have never been one to "close" out kitchen each night but lately since I have not been working late I have cleaned the kitchen each night and I must say it is nice to have a clean kitchen in the morning. Thinking I might make it a goal for February and track how often I clean the kitchen at night.

Last night as mentioned I made Slow Cooker Shawarma and it as a hit, normally I have to ask Mom what she thought and I normally get back a "I would tell you if I don't like." Last night without asking what she thought I got a "We should make this again." There is enough left to make two more bowls for lunches and it was so easy, I made the rice on the weekend so I just had to reheat it, also made the sauce on the weekend, chicken spent the afternoon in the slow cooker so I just had to broil it to get the crispy edges and then chop the toppings. Dinner was on the table in under 30 minutes.

No ideas yet for dinner tonight.

Happy Friday Everyone.

[walkonby]

@lizzie bargain you showed incredible sleuthing skills to even think that your wallet might still be in a cart undetected. Then to have an ex RCMP fellow find it? priceless.
@SassyAshley I was excited for you when your Mom's comment was " we should make this again! ". It does a cook's heart good to hear words like that.
With my long departed in-laws, my FIL would say to his wife upon having his dinner served to him...." well, this'll make a turd of some kind " .
Of course it was said in jest BUT sometimes not everything is funny. I only hope she never spit in his food after that....ha haha !!

[coupon girl]

lizzie so glad you found your wallet and that there are kind people everywhere.

Son just called me from work and asked us over for supper tonight ,our bad weather is suppose to start tonight.So it will be wings and fries his treat,maybe because i watched the girls for those 4 days .Anyway we are going .

[Ciel21]

@harbie we all need to have our splurge or treat and we don’t have to apologize for it, I don’t love Starbucks coffee but let me admit my dirty little secret in our frugal thread. You guys, I am one of those women with nails that cost me 60.00 a month. And I am not sorry. I alway say they are cheaper than therapy and since I am a therapist I know, but my nails make me happy, other beautiful nails make me happy and when someone notices my nails it makes my day. There I admitted it.
and I am also on the appliance watch. We have a microwave on its last leg and a stove that works great but it is so old it could give up at any moment.

Teppermans is having an inventory clearout-the Ancaster store is closest to you. But even closer is Goemans (Mississauga) or the outlet in Burlington near the Costco.

[Ciel21]

I have yet to set foot into my local Bulk Barn store (will glance for any flyers) but the door had a notice about inventory on Jan. 30 being conducted so the store will be closed. You might want to check your local stores for any similar notices.

Whenever flyers come into the house, I keep feeling I am missing 2-5 offers per flyer I could use if only I could see the digital flyers. Thank you to SCers who post the Food Basics flyers here-so large and easy to read. The flyers are very hard to read on the store website. Wish Giant Tiger would provide a four page flyer not the downsized 2-pager that sometimes surfaces (not this week, though).

Checked the Bad Boy appliance website-it seems the Ancaster location and a few others are closed as there are no listings for them, just stores in larger urban centres. Teppermans on the other side of the local Costco has a weekend inventory clearout event going on now with popcorn and coffee on offer (don't know if that's only for the special invite flyer holders or everyone) in case SCers want to check out deals. What floors me is that a continuing Outlet offer is the portable washing machine for $398 yet website last month showed no stock so, why is it appearing over and over again in the flyers? OUr 5.5yr washer sounds like it has some slight bearing issues but it continues to work. I ran an Affresh tablet cycle yesterday because lint and ick keeping showing up. Looking for a deal on Affresh as I have one tablet left...

The Farmer's Market came through with baked goodies for Christmas-the huge apple dumplings from Krawlik Bakery on the main floor (best eaten after heating as the flavours came through) and Lina's thumbprint cookies (raspberry and lemon flavours) plus her egg custard tarts-yummm! I also got some Laura Secord chocolates-the chocolate Santas in foil wrappers, one crispy milk choc Santa, and a snowman box with milk chocolate bars filled with caramel (like the Caramilk squares). Usually I or Mom visit Laura Secord around Easter or Christmas but in the summer, I often crave one or more of their chocolate bars if I am passing through Jackson Square.

So, as I had planned to get a few more things at two shops today (thinking the CAI benefit was in the bank but not today), I will use the money on my card for a 1 store shop and wait for Monday to finish the other shopping and get my health card & photo card errands done (while collecting my last two Indigo orders downtown). There is going to be much tea consumed as the temperatures drop after this cold stormfront trots through Ontario and points east.

Bro and I did a lot of bark and branch collecting two days ago. He decided to take the accumulated 8 yard waste bags to the transfer station. He managed to clear the eaves on the house and garage (finally as latter had no 2023 attention) as well. I did notice that my local Rona+ store has a prominent spot for yard waste bags near the entrance by the customer service desk-no missing where to find more bags to buy! I still have about 5 more bags to use after current bag gets filled.

[crafter]

@crafter, Different dish but I kind of had the same moment today.

I made Chicken Shawarma in the Slow Cooker.

When I go to one of our locations I always grab a Shawarma Box for dinner which comes with Shawarma over Rice and a Side Salad. Since it is meditrean resturant they put Pita Chips on the Ceasar Salad, sounds weird but figured I would try it and if I did not like it ask them to skip next time. It was good, I liked it and well making dinner last night I thought why have I never tried this, we always have Pita Chips on hand. So last night I put Pita Chips in my Ceasar Salad at home and remembered how good it is.

Wow, That's a great suggestion SassyAshley, I'll give it a try sometime. You gave me another incentive, to try to make pita chips...they might be easier and more fun to try in the oven than full pitas

[barbis9]

Returned a hoodie at Costco - the third one I have had to return due to poor sewing quality! So frustrating as the same hoodie didn't have this issue last year. I still want to order another one, and hope it arrives in good condition.
No raspberries at Costco, so I just bought bananas and oranges. Noticed Costco is not busy at all, was able to do a return, bought 2 items and was out in 15 minutes.

Quaker harvest recall applies to Canada now - the one box of cereal I did buy two weeks ago, is on the list. Kinda scary as I thought cereal would be safe. Filled out the form and hope to get my $5.99 back soon.

Cold wind in Ontario, storm is coming, not looking forward to it. I regret I didn't finish my fence this past fall, as I still need to let the dog out with a leash. I admit I'm getting lazy in the colder weather.

Stay warm everyone!

[crafter]

Returned a hoodie at Costco - the third one I have had to return due to poor sewing quality! So frustrating as the same hoodie didn't have this issue last year. I still want to order another one, and hope it arrives in good condition.
No raspberries at Costco, so I just bought bananas and oranges. Noticed Costco is not busy at all, was able to do a return, bought 2 items and was out in 15 minutes.

Quaker harvest recall applies to Canada now - the one box of cereal I did buy two weeks ago, is on the list. Kinda scary as I thought cereal would be safe. Filled out the form and hope to get my $5.99 back soon.

Cold wind in Ontario, storm is coming, not looking forward to it. I regret I didn't finish my fence this past fall, as I still need to let the dog out with a leash. I admit I'm getting lazy in the colder weather.

Stay warm everyone!

Thanks for the heads up on the Quaker Harvest recall..I'll have to check my two boxes...

[walkonby]

oh well, turns out I had a 510 gram box of Quaker Harvest Crunch Raisin Almond Cereal and a value box of THIRTY! stoopid Quaker Dipps bars. I bought those bars basically for my DS. He's been eating them regularly! I've gathered what's left of them and will toss them out. They are sending coupons as reimbursement, arriving in 8 weeks? ( yeah! IF they approve my submission. ) Don't they know how limited I am with attaching files??