2025-01 January Frugal Thread

[Ciel21]

Today:
-Last Day to use loyalty points or gift cards for Rickis, Cleo and Bootlegger. Last chance to do any returns to those stores.<<<

-new SA Thrift Store coupon 40% off long sleeve casual tops, good to end of January

-new Giant Tiger VIP coupon for Thurs Jan.16 to Sunday Jan.19,three tiers of dollars off discounts based on minimum purchase. $10 off $80 spend, $15 off $100 spend, and $20 off $120 spend across most categories including groceries. One-time use.
Great timing for households that may have not spent their carbon rebates yesterday. However, the households waiting for Jan.20 Canada Child benefits miss out on this promotion by one day. Maybe a new offer will be released next Monday.

[Ciel21]

I realized two nights ago while wide awake in bed, that I have those chemical hand warmer packets sitting in a closet unused. I plan to put them to use on cold snap days when I go out for a walk, making certain I don't have hand sanitizer or plastic anything in the coat pocket. I would not like become a walking fire person. I could have used one handwarmer while eating lunch outside and thaw my hands too yesterday.

Discovered early this morning that my phone's Internet connection (4G LTE) worked for 10min, dropped for a few minutes before returning on carrier's 3G mobile data. Which meant no Internet at that point for browsing.

My PC Optimum offers are repeats of last week's offers. Did earn 1500 points for checking my offers 3 weeks in a row. Had expectation there could be a housewares or small appliance offer.

The light snow is wonderfully easy to clear. Less bite to the air. Trying to get enthused about an errand walk later. Will there be mail?

[Frugalbigmama]

Homemade mac and cheese in the oven. DS will be happy when he gets home from work. His fav. We all have a bit and he finishes it through the night!

I may have a few bites to try it for my late lunch. The snow has stopped so I am going to shower soon and head out for fresh air.

[lizzie bargain]

FBM-great minds think alike. I just made mac and cheese and had some for lunch. I haven't had that in forever.

[Frugalbigmama]

FBM-great minds think alike. I just made mac and cheese and had some for lunch. I haven't had that in forever.

A good winter treat!

[Frugalbigmama]

Since I cleaned out the fridge I decided to go out after work and grab a few "fresh" items.
Was just going to stop at FB and had picked pricy sandwich meat for DS but since the romaine looked like garbage there I decided to go to RCSS to price match the romaine and found a deal on sandwich meat. Natural turkey for $3 and receive 1000 PC Pts. (Reg price $7!) Grabbed the last 2 with Feb 28th date.
Will pop in again early next week and see if it is restocked.

Picked up $14 in premium gas for the snow blower. Considering DS topped up the snowblower before giving me the can and it was the same gas from summer for the lawn mower (which I don't even recall filling up -we must have at the start of the summer season) I think we have done pretty good!
And that is why I make that kid his fav for dinner- Not only did he save us buying a new snow blower (he fixed ours after it sat for years) or hiring someone- he does the driveway each snow fall with no complaints! We did have a guy on stand-by last year- because we were done with the heavy snow shoveling but we only had to do it once and we all pitched in.

I just had a sliced up apple with almond butter and a Greek yogurt. Yum! Love it when the apples are on sale and are actually good!

[Frugalbigmama]

TGIF!!! Busy work day for me but it is Friday so I am sure it will fly by!

Dinner tonight- Chicken Quesadillas with whatever side I decide should be used up from the freezer and the remaining mini cucumbers in the fridge that need to be used up. Chicken is already cooked and chopped in the freezer. I will get everything ready at some point today so we can whip dinner up quickly tonight.
Simple easy Friday night dinner that we love!

Tomorrow- Hope to get up early and go for a drive for free breakfast, enter contest and use free slot play (Last week I won $500 in the weekly instant contest! Was such a surprise) Then stop at the local RCSS and Walmart there and see if any deals to be had.

Sunday- Purge some stuff in the laundry room since it is garbage day on Monday and we have room in the bin. We have tons of built in shelves that have had stuff sitting on them for years...let's just get rid of it!

So many things to get done around the house...I think later today once I am finished work I will write out a large "to do" list and see what we can mark off in the next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

[coupon girl]

Morning -off at noon to take hubbys sister to a local family restaurant for lunch .Hubby is feeling light headed maybe a side effect of the shingles shot i heard the second shot is worse for side effects.I also have her xmas gift for her a few items plus some cash as she is on a disability pension (it is so hard for her after her rent).I got a lovely ivory gift pack at shoppers before xmas for $9 something it has body wash ,soap and deodorant(i never knew they made deodorant)as she has sensitive skin.

Are any of you noticing that the p.c offers are not great lately? -i am .I load the moi program just incase i go into food basics or metro.I may pop into giant tiger (it is on my way home)after lunch well see how i am feeling .

[lilo0003]

Ugh @coupongirl I hope the impact of the vaccine is short lived. I have my second shot next week and the 1st on made me so sick, maybe I will wait another week for it. I am still not feeling 100% so I don’t want to add to it.
I find now there are so many other offers (often useless) thatI can’t even keep track. I had one this week for spend $100.00 get 15000 PCO. Sadly this is now easy, none of my personal offers were things I wanted or needed, but I was able to PM my yogurt and use a coupon and the yogurt had PCO instore offer so that felt like a win. I paid with PCOso that’s the real winner.
I have found even the apps have been disappointing. I have not submitted a receipt to Check Out 51 since October.

[SassyAshley]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
A few busy days but I feel like I am balancing it well.

Thursday I was back in the office again for a meeting, my meeting ran late but I still grocery shopped my way home stopping at Food Basics and No Frills. There are a couple things I might Price Match more of next week but will see. As much as I want to make my own Butter Chicken Wal-Mart has the VH Butter Chicken on sale and there is no coconut in it, so I grabbed 4 for those need a quick fix night and I might grab a couple more I think they are good till 2026. Might also grab another Almond Milk.

Today was supposed to be a work-from-home, work on training materials day but we are setting up a new Warehouse and there were some technical issues so I ran down to help.

On the way home I ran into a different Dollarama, they did not have the same Bullet Journal I had bought but had another version so I grabbed a few of those plus some pens. I need to shop at this Dollarama more, it has a much better selection and I love that it has self-checkout.

I thought I had a meeting at 3 but the invite has not some so I will wait and see maybe they will just start the meeting.

I feel like there are so many things I need to get done. I think after work I am going to try to organize my thoughts and prioritize because I know I won't get it all done this weekend.

Happy Friday Everyone.

[coupon girl]

Well i had a lovely lunch out with hubbys sister then she opened her gifts she loved everything plus the money.

I dropped her off and was on my way to giant tiger,spent 60.00 a few deals
3 piece kitchen towel set 3.50 reduced -may be gift or may be for me
apple cinnamon muffin mix 2.00
p.m tetley tea to 3.99 freshco
p.m habitat soup to freshco 2.43
3 pairs of ladies socks 4.00 from who ville xmas socks
top deal for me a silky sleeveless blouse which has BR in the corner bottom of blouse -so i am thinking it is Banana Republic reduced 2.99 -whoooooooooo
got my grandson a dino toy for easter no tax

[Angela273]

Yay! My Air Miles Shop the Block credited today, 775AM. More free gas.

[HermanH]

Got nipped by frostbite in my fingers, while shovelling show. Holy Cow, does it ever hurt, when the blood comes rushing back into my digits as they warm! Rescued 8x 200g bags of potato chips and 34x Aero mint chocolate bars from their trip to the dump Found 2x cases of abandoned cases of chamomile teabags

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Happy Saturday.

Me and my Brain are not getting along this week. For some reason it is focusing on all of the things that are out of my control and it has me spinning. My anxiety does not like it when things are out of my control and I cannot create a plan.

I really needed this weekend to get back on track but life happens and things come up. So my plan was to try to get ahead during the week which did not happen because I ended up having 2 extra office days which again it happens. But now my brain is spinning with all the things I need to get done which aren't going to happen.

I did get some things done, the grocery shopping is done, one load of laundry is done. I still have a second load to do, the bedding needs to be done, the floors need to be done and so does the bathroom, plus I need to prep. So realistic the second load of laundry will happen, the prep will get done but the rest will be on an if I can get it done basis.

Just having something to eat and then I need to try to find my tights I bought before Christmas, they seem to have disappeared and I need them. Why does this happen to me, I crave to be so organized and on top of things but life happens and I always feels 2 steps behind. But if I do not find them I guess we are going pants and a nice sweater?

Happy Saturday Everyone.

[walkonby]

Good morning as well!!
I hear your dilemma @SassyAshley the " I want to be this way, but I end up behaving that way " is what can sometimes happen when we set our goals too high.
Work demands are the BIGGEST issue in your life but I don't see anything changing that until retirement.
What was MY huge aggravation this morning? Cat hair imbedded in our new front entrance way mats. The mats were jet black until Flopsy and Mopsy laid their
shedding bodies all over them.....then rolled back and forth on purpose! ( I know those are adorable bunnies from Peter Rabbit, never mind. )

The thing is I made myself crazy first using DS's powerful vacuum, then a lint brush, then a stiffer bristle brush and finally using strips of clear packing tape to lift all of the stubborn hairs up. So it looks great but for how long? Pfft! Should have used my time and efforts on something else that needs attention here.

Many of us concerned sc members see your work/life balance is so out of whack and yet you plough through every day/week/month hoping for the best. NOT TO mention ( oops I just did ) your poor Mom's health adding even more stress to your pile. HUGE ((( hugs ))) always for both of you!!
I usually find a funny pic to post to cheer you up so here ya go!!