2025-01 January Frugal Thread

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
It is going to be a busy day but I have got this.

I did not sleep well last night, I think I forgot to take my melatonin which lead to me not being able to fall asleep.

I have a few on-going projects at work, hoping to put a dent in these today.

Around the house I need to empty the dishwasher, put away the hand dishes from last night and there are a number of other small things I will tackle but trying not to get ahead of myself.

Mom has a Chicken Marinating for dinner tonight, need to find out what sides she plans to serve with it.

The good news is they are not calling for snow today, fingers-crossed. My back was starting to feel better but after the shovelling yesterday it is not as happy so a little break would be nice.

Happy Monday Everyone.

[Giseledta]

Good afternoon ,
My brain is scattered today. Oy. Hate that feeling.
I'm going to work on the hallway closet this week, with a tiny bit of luck, I will find the hallway paint and paint it as well. That will be my declutter project for the week.
Yes, I'm avoing the family room. Lol. I should start in on that this weekend... prob won't.. but should lol.

I also want to figure out the airmiles shop deal. Hoping seeds are part of it.. I'm eyeing up some spinach and lettuce seeds

Ok hugs to all stay warm

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

[Angela273]

My first contest win of 2025.

I received an email from our local public library this evening. I won the year long adult reading challenge. There were 52 categories of books to read. I read more than 52 books in 2024, but several of the books didn’t match the categories. I won a $50gc to a store of my choosing. I won this same contest last year too. I already picked up the 2025, 52 book contest booklet for the new year.

[Giseledta]

My first contest win of 2025.

I received an email from our local public library this evening. I won the year long adult reading challenge. There were 52 categories of books to read. I read more than 52 books in 2024, but several of the books didn’t match the categories. I won a $50gc to a store of my choosing. I won this same contest last year too. I already picked up the 2025, 52 book contest booklet for the new year.

That's fabulous

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

[Giseledta]

Ok. Today is going to be a no spend day.
I have a little fridge clean to do , nothing major. I bought a new fridge at black Friday sales, and I absolutely love it. So pretty!!
I ve gone down a bit of a rabbit hole with seeds on Amazon. Any hoo.
Snow pretty much all day.. definitely going to be a getting some. Exersise I kinda day.
Hugs to all

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
UGH!!!!! I have really been struggling with feeling like I was not productive enough on Friday and Monday but I told myself today is a new day and then I woke up with a screaming headache. I actually fell back asleep because my head was killing me, it did not help. I have tried stretching out my neck and shoulder but think I am going to have to take something.

I am going to do my best to not let this distract me but I think we are boarding on migraine because it is starting to make me feel ill. But I am trying to push through.

I have a load of laundry going.

I need to tidy up my pantry a little bit, I am trying to not let the groceries pile up where I have to keep doing Pantry tidies because all my grocery bags are in the pantry and not in my car.

I also need to give the kitchen floor a good scrub, I would love to use my little steam cleaner on it but that is not a task for a work day.

There is no lack of things I need to work on but trying to take it one task at a time so I do not get overwhelmed because when I get overwhelmed I shut down and do nothing.

At work I have one project I am trying to get done by the end of the week, my boss sent me something last night and wants it done ASAP, I have another project for production I have not started and I just got a start date for a new hire. Lots going on.

Here is hoping this headache dulls and I can knock out all of the things.

Happy Tuesday Everyone.

[Frugalbigmama]

Ok. Today is going to be a no spend day.
I have a little fridge clean to do , nothing major. I bought a new fridge at black Friday sales, and I absolutely love it. So pretty!!
I ve gone down a bit of a rabbit hole with seeds on Amazon. Any hoo.
Snow pretty much all day.. definitely going to be a getting some. Exersise I kinda day.
Hugs to all

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

I will join you in a "no spend" day today as well! I do have a massage but my RMT processes the payment through my benefits so I don't have to deal with it at all.
Started detailing my spending each day on my day timer. I need a $0 day!

[Giseledta]

I will join you in a "no spend" day today as well! I do have a massage but my RMT processes the payment through my benefits so I don't have to deal with it at all.
Started detailing my spending each day on my day timer. I need a $0 day!

I'm using my planner to detail. What I'm. Doing every day to save $.. helps keep me focused

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning! Enjoying my coffee and planning my work day.

Finished cleaning my linen closet. It looks great and we are good on HBA products for a long while (have a few extra of everything so only buying if clearance/cheap) New towels are still in my car. I'm not ready for them to start using them yet lol. I am going to sort laundry today and do a load of the white towels with bleach and all the stained ugly ones will be cut into rags for cleaning.

Need to clean out my coupon bag. Found new coupons the other day and need to toss the Dec 31st expired ones. Will lay them all out on my portable table and then sort them with paper clips in my freezer bag Also had a bag full of change in a bag hanging on a rack in my room so will count that today
(lots of toonies! from Niagara Falls casino visit in October!)

Dinner- I made chicken and rice yesterday but we all ate something else so I will have chicken for my dinner tonight with a sweet potato and some frozen veggies. I have a roast I was going to cook up but may wait till next week. Fridge seems full of things to use up so don't want to load it up more with leftovers.

I went for a walk to the mailbox yesterday around 4:30 and it seemed really bright and sunny out. Makes me fell like the daylight is starting to be a little longer and winter will be just a memory?

Have a wonderful day!

[Frugalbigmama]

I'm using my planner to detail. What I'm. Doing every day to save $.. helps keep me focused

Sent from my SM-A526W using Tapatalk

Good plan!

[Frugalbigmama]

Load of laundry in washer. Will hang to dry and then put away Thursday morning.
Coupons cleaned out and organized.
Change counted. $418.00!!! Now to figure out the plan for it. I'm thinking vacation fund.

[SassyAshley]

I might be over analyzing my life but welcome to being in my brain (we are not always friends LOL).

I think I need to figure out how to be more intentional.

I know I am guilty of trying to pick things I know I can knock out quickly so I can knock things off my to-do. I am not saying I don't tackle the bigger things because I do, because I have too at some point. But sometimes because I am looking for the what is quick, what can I knock out quickly or is something I can part of quickly it takes me longer to reach the final goal.

I am always going to have long projects that are going to take up a chunk of my time but maybe sometimes I have to just spend 15 or 30 minutes and see how far I can get and re-evaluate.

I find especially around the house I am always looking for the what can I do quickly and will be noticable vs let me just get this done. The pantry is a good example since it is in the basement and pretty much out of sight out of mind I don't prioritize putting things away until I am out of bags or annoyed that I know I bought things but cannot find them.

Where is today when I went down to flip the laundry I decided to take a 15 minute break and in under 10 minutes I put everything away, but this is something I have been putting off for over a week.

There will always be days where I just want to get my 15-minute clean done and out of the way but for the most part I need to be more intentional on picking a task and doing that task vs whatever I see I will do and not completing anything. I am the queen of having 500 tasks on the go and I swear I have cleaning ADD, I am 100% that person who goes to do laundry but sees 5 other things and starts them all.

I think if I just find my focus I will get more done, so that is what I am going to work on is being more intentional on the tasks I am doing and trying not to overthink them and just do them.

[coupon girl]

Well my stomach was a little off so i waited til now and went to a local store lococos saved 5% as it was seniors day .
I spent 42.00 after discount got a lot of good deals on fruit veggies etc
zuccini .99 a pound
brocolli1.99 a crown
strawberries 5.50 after discount
apples .99 apound
romaine large one 1.99
plus a few other items potatoes ,tomatoes,frozen fish
fresh loaf of bread bakery

and 1 pork cutlets for supper ,one i will freeze hubby doesnt like pork but i do .

[Ciel21]

Very brisk air day 2 this week. Cashed in my $8 scratch ticket win on walk into town. Had two friends catch up with me. Those conversations made my Christmas Day. 🎄
Did a small shop at grocery store on the way home. $$.
Collection crews lobbed all containers into roadway after emptying. Sibling did not assist in collecting last one, thus a rant happened. Mr Wind tossed many recycling bags, unsecured boxboard packages and cardboard bundles around on municipal sidewalks.

I am leaning towards doing a can collection walk as I have seen so many cans lately. Just have to dress in warm layers and pace myself. The beanie hat is keeping me toasty warm. Gloves are just adequate in sun and as long as I keep moving. They are not for sub -10C temperatures. Should look into inexpensive stretch gloves to layer over the other pair. Been too cold to check out Walmart and local Winners as well as Giant Tiger.

Canada Post stamp prices increase on Monday, January 13. Avail yourselves of P stamp deals at Rexall and elsewhere this week. Need to send something out this week.

[Ciel21]

I MacGvyered some things for the red lentil loaf with smoky sauce yesterday. The sauce was fine to me despite using diced grape tomatoes as I did not have canned diced tomatoes. Mom detected the sweetness of the date paste (she was unamused) and had me recite what the ingredients were.
Biggest taste issue is that by not using the recommended poblano peppers, I notice the other seasonings do not seem sufficient to flavour this Rice Krispie looking lentil and rice loaf. That is why I bought a packet of taco seasoning, to try another loaf and tweak seasonings, today along witn some other pantry needs.