2025-01 January Frugal Thread

[HermanH]

As for finding marked down bread, this one is a hit or miss I do not think everyone looks at the marked down product, there are various reasons and I think the biggest one we have all seen is people think it is "bad" or "rotten" product, I am not going to debate that one but I have seen the looks people give me when I share some of my marked down deals off this site.

I shared a good laugh with another shopper, as we inspected the Walmart discount dairy section. I was stocking up on milk and had taken all I could carry. I handed her one carton (with a few days to go before Best Before) that I couldn't purchase. She thanked me, but said that her children were 'best before date' kids (even though she was not and had not raised them that way.) I suggested that she should send them out to do the grocery shopping with the available funds and see just how far they think they could stretch their budget. Principles are great for others to follow. However, things quickly change when one has to foot the bill. We both got a good chuckle out of it.

[lizzie bargain]

DD found some canned and packaged food in her storage downstairs from when they moved a couple of years ago. I didn't pay any attention to the dates and it tastes perfectly fine. There were a few canned soups I don't really care for-I know the food bank does not accept expired foods so I put them in a little local food pantry. I am sure there are others just like me who will make their own decision and be happy to eat them. No sense wasting perfectly good food especially with todays prices.

[flemeth]

Good morning all

I like to make homemade bread every weekend my family love to have it hot for breakfast. I usually stick up on all the ingredients when I have a great sale .

I am looking at the flashfood app more now for meat and fish. Yesterday I bought a package of 4 chimichurri boneless chicken breast for $3.11 which had a retail price of $24.49 we used it last night for burgers for dinner . This morning I bought 3 packages of ground Lamb for $3.94 each these usually sells for $13.99 each .

The only down side about the Flashfood app for me is sometimes the items you bought go missing

[harbie]

@Arjon Maybe it’s because it seems lengthy whenever I watch Instagram doing it . Not to mention I’m a super bread making newbie . I will try it one day……


Dh and I hit up Costco last night just before closing. It was such a gong show but I needed to get stuff that was the last sale day for work. $105 for me for work and $274 for personal stuff (one non normal more $ item was purchased) but I’m happy with it so it’s all good. Plus it’s cheaper than other retailers.

Just about to get a quick strength workout in before Dh and I head to the city to check out the anniversary bakery and confirm the food catering for it. Plus a quick stop at IKEA

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning! School bus service canceled today for our area. The wind is wicked!

Sipping my coffee and planning my work day. Going to power through it all this morning.

Need to wash the crockpot from yesterday. Will do so when I am making my breakfast later this morning. Thinking egg on a toasted English muffin. Haven't had one in awhile since we were out of the muffins. Will make a mac and cheese too. Then will cook up the drumsticks for dinner with a veggie. Dinner done!
A meal they will all love to come home to and there won't be any leftovers!

Have a wonderful day!

[walkonby]

Had an exciting morning shop at WM. Got in at 7 when they open to avoid the crowds. Gathered what I needed, checked out and see the 2 bags of salad kits went through $1.00 higher than what was on the shelf tag. CS gal really had NO clue about SCOP. We discussed, she checked with a supervisor. I ended up getting $5.97 back, tyvm! The exciting part was that after I had left the one area of the store ( women's stuff, lol ) the deafening alarm went off ! Turns out a pipe burst or someone broke it? Water flowing all over the floor. I just moseyed around it and ran the other way to the food area but then when I was leaving the store they were not letting any shoppers to enter! That whole area of flooding was roped off too. Glad I got in early.
Forgot to mention I applied the whole $50.00 e-gift voucher making my OOP just $10.69.... BUT then they refunded me that $5.97 so woo hoo!

[Frugalbigmama]

Had an exciting morning shop at WM. Got in at 7 when they open to avoid the crowds. Gathered what I needed, checked out and see the 2 bags of salad kits went through $1.00 higher than what was on the shelf tag. CS gal really had NO clue about SCOP. We discussed, she checked with a supervisor. I ended up getting $5.97 back, tyvm! The exciting part was that after I had left the one area of the store ( women's stuff, lol ) the deafening alarm went off ! Turns out a pipe burst or someone broke it? Water flowing all over the floor. I just moseyed around it and ran the other way to the food area but then when I was leaving the store they were not letting any shoppers to enter! That whole area of flooding was roped off too. Glad I got in early.
Forgot to mention I applied the whole $50.00 e-gift voucher making my OOP just $10.69.... BUT then they refunded me that $5.97 so woo hoo!

Early bird gets the worm!

[HermanH]

I know the food bank does not accept expired foods so I put them in a little local food pantry. I am sure there are others just like me who will make their own decision and be happy to eat them. No sense wasting perfectly good food especially with todays prices.

Every organization has their own rules and practices. Officially, Edm food bank will accept items up to 1 year past their Best Before date. In practice, they will accept items much older, but may discard them during the sorting process.

[Giseledta]

I know locally, the men's mission will use things past expiration date. I think thier cut off is 6 months

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[coupon girl]

Walkonby great deals at walmart.

I was up and showered and out the door at 9.30 to wait outside 'Once upon a Child'so many women take their childrens clothing there to be bought >so i wanted to be first in first out .

Sebastian had a lot of toys(his dad is so super clean ,he had him go thru stuff before xmas)and they were gonna let him have the money .So i took his tote that was full in and i got $40.00.

Then i looked around as some items were 90% off yellow ticket(not much left as it has been on for a few weeks now i was told)
Gymboyee top for cara 6.00-90%=.60
leggings for Ashlyn 5.00-90%=.50
black long sleeve gap top for Ashlyn .50
Abercrombie moose shirt for Cara9.00-90%=.90

plus a pair of kids new socks 1.50
2 hello kitty erasers 1.50 each
nerf gun with 4 foam bullets as( 2 guns dont cut it in my house when the 3 of them are here.) 4.50

i spent 10.98 and no tax

Then i went on to shoppers in the plaza i got
(2) philosphy peppermint body wash 5.00 each on the reduced rack -i paid 20.00 for one as a xmas gift for daughter before xmas.
(1) kicking horse coffee 9.99-25%=7.49 hubby loves this coffee expires in march
reduced conditioner 3.00 cant remember the name .

[HermanH]

RCSS was clearing its bins of 10-pound red potato bags for $0.94 each along with pie crusts for $0.94
The potatoes are starting to sprout buds, so I can understand the reduction. Alas, I just stocked up with two bags for $2.44 at the beginning of the week.

Still, it feels as though fate is taunting me with good deals I just can't buy. No more freezer space and already 60lb in the fridge.

[Ciel21]

@walkonby Not doing any hydroponic gardening but was contributing to thread on things Aerogarden, as local liquidation store seemed to be getting rid of or running down their kits, seeds and food for plants.
I did gift a relative seed starter kits (small ones) with some seed packets to give her something to grow during remainder of winter.

@Giseledta There is an olive farm in BC that did not have a harvest last year due to bad January 2024 weather. I kept checking for Nov or Dec oil sales but nothing. Checked the social media channels and read the weather damage posts. Food Professor did post a week or so ago on X that Italy and another country had good olive harvests in 2024, so olive oil prices are expected to drop somewhat.
Thanks for the yeast bag tip for Bulk Barn. Have to set foot in my local store and check out what is there.
About the only bread enthusiam of late is making rosemary focaccia or adding butter and crushed garlic to baguette slices for garlic bread. A recent pizza dough making effort underscored how tiring even a short kneading session is for my compromised torso. I have no hankering to make homemade bread as Mom used to make it during childhood and it was not fun eating it after all the time and effort she put into making bread.

Everytime I discover a family of whatever size only spends $xxx on monthly groceries post, I wonder how cheap are the personal care products in that tally (sometimes one has to spend $ not to feel awful with such products) and what say do kids have in family groceries? Seems some parents are thrilled to be stingy for the high of savings while squashing family members' spirits. Where is the democracy and negotiation, especially if kids are tweens?

[Ciel21]

I have bought bakery goods on or near last best before dates at Fortinos. Helps if they are regular items I do actually eat. But such pricing and dates might also tempt me to try a baked goodie to test a flavour or texture. Sometimes store baked goods are edible while other offerings are not edible. Less $ wasted if the unknown items weren't full price to start with.

[Ciel21]

Ms Sunshine and Mr Wind were in full effect for better part of yesterday. The sky changed really quickly during second bus home as sky developed a ceiling losing its blueness and turning into washed out grey or streaky pastels. So far, the snow part is very light but blowing wind seems intent on huffing for hours yet.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Apparently, I came on multiples times yesterday but never posted which fits with my day. What I thought was a morning virtual meeting turned into an afternoon onsite meeting. The weather wasn't the best yesterday but I had to go to a retirement dinner and it had me spinning that we had the crazy winds and it was supposed to start snowing when I would have been out of town at dinner. Thankfully it held off and was just starting to snow as I headed home but it has me spinning a bit.

I am so over winter, I realize this is probably a normal canadian winter but I am so over the snow. I went to bed late last night because I was out and then woke up to hear them plowing and people shovelling and cleaning off their cars and my whole body just went "nope, I am going to stay in bed," which was not an option as it is a work day.

I had an hour between work and the dinner so I ran to the mall to pick up my clothing order, I got some undergarments for cheap when it comes to plus size:
They were 25% off, I had a $10 reward I could cash in, plus it was a cash event so for every $50 I spent I could cash in $25 in rewards as well they had an if you spend $100 you got 15% off, when you added it all up I got about 60% off. Plus I ordered a dress I am afraid to try on because if it does not look amazing on me I will crushed LOL.

I got the restaurant and still had about 15 minutes and RCSS is in the same plaza so I ran in to grab a couple things, I got:
2 x Russet Potatoes $1.99 + 400 pts (personal offer)
4 x Ivory Body Wash $3.99 + 1000 pts per bottle (In-store Offer)

Today is a work from home day and it is going to be a busy one. I might also run out at some point as I need to make a return but we will see. I am having one of those weeks where my schedule flipped and now I am feeling like there isn't enough time in the week but we shall see where we get.

Happy Tuesday Everyone.