August Frugal chatter

[Crochetlady]

Morning all. It looks pretty dreary today but I don`t have any laundry to do. Oops sun just came out.

The Spinrite tent sale started Mon and I haven`t gone yet. I don`t need anything...I`m trying to get my stockpile of yarn used up, but I`m going into Listowel tomorrow so I know my car will automatically go there. DH will be with me so I know I won`t have much time there.

A local company is having a free electronic recycling depot this week so we`re finally getting rid of a couple old TVs. Nephew is coming over tonight to put it in the car for us...a big prehistoric one that we can`t lift.

[MaddensMomma]

@ MaddensMomma - you are not alone with the situation(s) with your dh. My dh does things that drive me crazy as well but he has changed a lot over the years and now surprises me with frugal things that he does on his own now. My dh will not complain about what I cook as he never cooks and would be happy with a bowl of cereal. I know better than to send him to do groceries which he hates doing by himself so I'm lucky that way but if he does do groceries he gets a lot of junk food & bakery items which are not cheap AND NOT ON THE LIST (lol). I do the groceries and I ask everyone what they would like within reason and go from there. I don't always get what they ask for unless it's in the budget and sometimes I do splurge in the end my grocery budget balances. We don't get an allowance as we don't usually splurge on ourselves and if we do it's a dinner or take out for the family to enjoy. We have been married since 1995 and in the earlier years things were very different we lived in an apartment and had a lot of extra cash at the end of the month after expenses and such but now that is a different story 2 kids later, a cottage, 2 dogs and a house later things are very very different. We now have no choice but to budget and restrict our splurging and what we eat as things have gotten much more expensive over the last 18 years (vehicles, housing costs, groceries, hydro+++). My husband is on WSIB due to a work accident and was retrained to a much lower paying profession (CYW) and works at schools on contract and off during the summers. I was recently approved on an early medical retirement and although my income is fixed it doesn't leave much room for unexpected or frivalous purchases. I don't dwell on how things used to be but now try and live a comfortable life in a home I love that is and will forever be in a reno status as renos are expensive and we cannot afford to pay anyone to do them for us as well dh's back is not what it used to be. So I have taken on some of the maintenance work such as staining the house and such as he can't do it and it needs to be done. Sometimes life throws us unexpected situations and circumstances and we just need to roll with them.

I hear you on reno's, will they ever end?

[MaddensMomma]

I find , personally. frugal habits are best tackled one at a time.
the one I am working on for the fall is hanging laundry indoors. I fail at it big time. Bit I think I can do it this time. and it helps that my dryer ( that is just under 4 yrs old) is dying. colour me so not impressed.


ok. crockpot meal.

beef dips.
1 small roast, remove most of the fat if you see any.
put into crockpot.
add
1/4 c soya sauce, 3-5 peppercorns, a head of peeled garlic. a tbsp. of beef boilion powder. and a bit of itialian seasoning.
1/2 c water.
cover , turn on low. for 8 - 10 hours.

you know when it is done when you can shred it with a fork.
the sauce , is so good for dipping. like really good.
I serve on crusty buns, with some sliced gr peppers. and some cheese if wanted. a cup of sauce for dipping. and coleslaw on the side.
it is the best.
I make it for people who hate crockpot meals and they are all surprised its fromt eh crockpot.

That sounds SO GOOD. Not sure if DH would go for it as he's not a "sauce" guy and I've never seen him eat anything on a bun (aside from hot dogs, sausage, and hamburgers lol) but he may have no choice

[Frugalbigmama]

That sounds SO GOOD. Not sure if DH would go for it as he's not a "sauce" guy and I've never seen him eat anything on a bun (aside from hot dogs, sausage, and hamburgers lol) but he may have no choice

My oldest doesn't like pulled pork on the bun so finally just decided we will just put the meat on his plate with no bun and he loves it! So now we have another meal everyone likes!

[MaddensMomma]

My DH meets/met a lot of the above points. Our improvements. Cash only spending for individual spending money i.e. we are both on an allowance. I "do" the finances, but we both sit and talk about them biweekly. The allowance and talk have improved things around here drastically. Junk food is an addiction...one we both have an issue with...see also, all my rants about Coke in the weight loss thread. Gah!

Do you buy your "junk food" from the allowance? What is spent from the individual spending money?

[Caseythegoalie]

Hi ladies! I'm back from two nights in the US-we had some nice meals out and did some things frugally too...$2 for a small bottle of water from the vending machine or the .88 jug from walmart lol?! Did get myself a new outfit from old navy, not on sale but as per my husband I had to come home with something for myself for once. We had a wonderful time, lots of alone girl time with my oldest. Of course I came home with treats for everyone. Going to catch up on this thread!

[MaddensMomma]

So I stocked up a couple weeks back on the general mills bars for back to school treats for DS... I can't stop eating the Golden Grahams bars they are SO good! They are going to be all gone by the time school starts lol

[alicia]

I have my slow cooker on right now. Threw in a bag of Arctic Gardens slow cooker veggies, cubed stewing beef and a jar of tandoori VH sauce. Will run into a bit of an Indian inspired stew (minus the beef if course). My fiancé only really eats beef and chicken so it becomes difficult to really mix up the recipes on the cheap (no pork), but I give it a shot.

[Frugalbigmama]

So I stocked up a couple weeks back on the general mills bars for back to school treats for DS... I can't stop eating the Golden Grahams bars they are SO good! They are going to be all gone by the time school starts lol

lol That's why I try to buy the stuff I don't like.

[coupon girl]

jasper I don't know why my sister-in-law is so offended -well we will take her to lunch -that is a sure thing or a coffee at least

[Frugalbigmama]

Only have one kid to feed and we have to travel an hour to soccer and get a haircut tonight too so thinking I will treat him to dinner out- his choice. I'm sure he will choose Subway. I will be good and just bring a smoothie.....maybe lol

[MaddensMomma]

Just found out DH is going away for work one day next week. Usually when he goes away DS and I go out for a special dinner just the two of us BUT since our goal is no take out, etc for the rest of the month I need a fun, new kid-friendly recipe that is quick and easy :D

[blueeyetea]

I don't think an "allowance" of sorts would work as he doesn't usually buy for himself, but always things that we "need" for the house that he always justifies. And yes, we do need a ton for the house since we just bought it not even a year ago starting out but some things need to wait.

Was he involved in setting up the household budget with you?

But what about using enveloppes for discretionary expenses? If hubby isn't interested in the budget, you have to come up with a system that makes it very concrete to him what money is available. If you have a budget of $100/month to spend on the house, well, if the envelope is empty, he has to wait until next month when it's filled again.

I went through the same thing with DH where he'd look at the joint account's balance and he'd think we could afford anything. Well, no, because most of it was earmarked according to the budget we had set together. (How fast he forgot.)

For example, it's in our budget to put 1/12 of the yearly taxes in there, so that when the taxe bill comes up, the money is there, instead of trying to figure out how to pay a big bill with no money. My solution was to open a separate joint savings account and move the earmarked money in there. It worked, because now DH is aware that the money in the savings account is not "free" money. So, now when he looks at the checking account balance, it's a lot lower, and I'll see him mentalling calculating in his head what's left, i.e. he'll consider if the mortgage has been paid and what bills have come, etc. Then he'll say, according to my calculations, we have $200 left, to which I'll respond, yes, but we need to buy groceries, or medicine, or etc, etc, etc.

[blueeyetea]

i dont know what i'd do without my 3 crockpots in the winter...

See, me, it's my 3 pressure cookers. I can always be stuck out of a bind if I'm pressed for time and need something quick.

[Granger]

Do you buy your "junk food" from the allowance? What is spent from the individual spending money?

Junk food is allowance money. We may buy a couple treats on the grocery shop, but if we are going outside the grocery shop, allowance money it is. It is our frivolous spending money: coffee, dinner out with friends, "I wants," it works out to $20 each a week. It may sound like a lot but has curbed a lot of other needless spending. The $20 doesn't go far. Dh saved $10 from his for 10 weeks to surprise me with an anniversary day date.