Frugal February-the sequel

[jasperandchar]

When I was a teenager I used to do competitive swimming at the other end of town. I had transfer buses at the major shopping center and I used to see this homeless guy outside panhandling. He was there every single day. Once a month or so, I'd go into Tim Hortons and buy him a sandwich or a coffee or a donut. I also bought him some of those $1 McDonald's gift certificates once too. (both were right beside the mall) He was so appreciative. The gratitude from that man will leave a lasting effect on me. Something so minor for me made a big difference in this man's day.

Very thoughtful of you Insane especially as a teen, lasting impressions sometimes make us thrive to achieve more than we think is possible or what is achievable and it makes us humble as well

[jasperandchar]

Nancy. same place and one bus route away. like i said just praying it works out.

fingers crossed

[jasperandchar]

So wise to give food or food gift certificates if someone is hungry-that way I always feel the money will not go to alcohol or cigarettes but for food. Last year DD and I were on a bus tour in Egypt. We had a big lunch and then later were given a bag supper for the bus ride back-there was a young girl begging outside the bus so I gave her my bag of fresh and healthy food as I was not hungry. She did not sit and eat it but handed it off to someone else and continued to beg for money. This told me that she was not hungry and that her parents or other adults just had her begging for money for them which I did not wish to support. Like others I would pay for something at the till if someone really appeared in need or just short. I have also given a grocery gift card to a friend who was going through a divorce and genuinely needed it. I have another friend going through the same thing now but I will need to see her helping herself a bit more and making wiser choices before I would do the same for her. Sounds like for all of us it is a judgement call in that moment as to what a person needs and how much we have to give.

I hate that when you go on vacation down south, etc and children are begging for $, it's so sad as that seems to be their job when they should be in school (just my 2 cents), but a very kind guesture of you to have given her your dinner, hopefully she still got to eat some of that later on in the day/evening.

I can certainly understand and respect your decision to allow your friend to help herself before you offer a hand up not a handout.

[jasperandchar]

off to bed but for those of you night owls (lol) after 10PM - feel free to post the Question of the Day or Inquiring Minds Want to Know.....don't be shy, no such thing as a silly question.

[avoncallingu]

Question of the Day:
How long each week/month do you take to plan coupon/sales/Cashback51???/PCpoints/Target points etc. for your shopping? Do you have a timesaving organizer for it?

[coupon girl]

I take probably a few hours each week to plan my shopping -I don't add them up -cause couponing has been my #1 hobby since 1982 -32 years now started when my daughter was born or just before(listen to this ladies the first year started couponing I saved 131.31 in coupons and 34.50 in rebates 165.81 total
-i dont care how many hours either cause i find it fun and have -never burnt out from couponing-have always done it -in fact just yesterday use a .33 cent bicks-no expiry date and cashier said wow this has no date -awesome
-no I don't have an organizer( I also don't own a cell-phone-so I right all the p.c points items I wish to purchase out or the snapsave items or checkout521 -just pieces of paper or used envelopes I write my list on-and place the coupons in the envelope

[SassyAshley]

The overnight oatmeal is pretty easy and can easily be adjusted to fit your wants/needs.

The original recipe is:
1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt (Regular Yogurt works fine)
1/4 Old Fashion Oats
1 + 1/2 Teaspoon Chia Seeds
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Jam
Fruit Optional

I usually make mine with whatever yogurt we have which is which ever was on sale that week this week is Astro Original Vanilla, no Greek yogurt was on sale, I usually skip the jam. As well you can omit the Chia seeds as they are quite expensive.

Also for snacks I really enjoy salty snacks so I buy the Potato Thins and limit myself to one serving size (15 chips) which I break down prior to eating, I cannot eat out of the bag and only eat 15 chips.

As well I have a thing for granola bars (I could live all these all day at work if needed) but now I make my own and cut them into smaller bars, if the recipe says I should get 8 I am usually getting 16 bars, it is something small to fill the craving.

As well smoothies are great because they are full of fruit and you can use frozen or whatever you have on hand.

So I have been watching my food intake & food choices and let me tell ya it`s not cheap, I used to buy produce but not in the quantities I have purchased on the weekend and half the fruits are already gone .

I pm`d and purchased the cheapest produce available that I LIKE which is important gotta like it or I won`t eat it. The thing I find the hardest is my bread products I miss them, I used to love eating a whole package of Knorr Butter & Herb sidekicks (yummers) for lunch or supper depending on the day but no more .

If you are a snacker what if your healthy snack of choice? I'm looking for some ideas as I have been having popcorn in the evenings with popcorn seasoning (popcorn is popped from the kernels - no bags here).

Ashley you mentioned that you make oatmeal to go, so it's in the fridge and ready to go do you have a recipe for this that you could share with me and the other ladies if they are interested.

DS1 is anxiously awaiting the sale of his train tracks tomorrow, the lady is coming around lunch time so he will have to dig out the rubbermaids and bring them upstairs so they are at the door when she comes.

I also like Frugalmama need to take some pictures of some items to post for sale, should take them tonight, sounds like a challenge (lol).

Hope you family is now over this flu.

Home with a sick kid and a sick me. I was the last hold out on the stomach flu bug that is running through our house. It hit me last night. What a nasty bug it was. Given I was sick and one of our daughters (who is an epic puker. Whenever she feels sick, she vomits), hubby stayed home so I wouldn't have to take care of her too. We are both feeling so much better. It's a doozy of a bug, but at least it only lasts a bit less than a day. Okay, enough vomit talk!

I called kitchenaid. I need to email them a copy of my receipt and then call them back in 3 days to see what they'll do. I'm so disappointed. I googled my issues and no one seems to have the same problem. But even if I can convince them to replace the lid, I don't know how to prevent the problem again (crap getting stuck in the plastic part of the top of the lid). I think I'd have to hand wash it forever.

Hi folks! Haven't been around as DH was/is dealing with a health issue. We had to go to London where he underwent surgery last Thursday and I spent 3 days in a hotel and had to pay for some supplies and food. Ca- ching!! We're home,thankfully, and spent the day cancelling a trip we had planned which was to start today.

We have some friends who brought us supper yesterday which was wonderful and generous enough to feed us again tonight.

I really appreciate all the hints and suggestions that people share here and the support everyone offers each other!

We have a bit of this problem here where people are out begging for money and will turn down food offered to them and only want money. This is really bad around the local pub they will not take food only want money and as soon as they get money they are high tailing it into the pub.

So wise to give food or food gift certificates if someone is hungry-that way I always feel the money will not go to alcohol or cigarettes but for food. Last year DD and I were on a bus tour in Egypt. We had a big lunch and then later were given a bag supper for the bus ride back-there was a young girl begging outside the bus so I gave her my bag of fresh and healthy food as I was not hungry. She did not sit and eat it but handed it off to someone else and continued to beg for money. This told me that she was not hungry and that her parents or other adults just had her begging for money for them which I did not wish to support. Like others I would pay for something at the till if someone really appeared in need or just short. I have also given a grocery gift card to a friend who was going through a divorce and genuinely needed it. I have another friend going through the same thing now but I will need to see her helping herself a bit more and making wiser choices before I would do the same for her. Sounds like for all of us it is a judgement call in that moment as to what a person needs and how much we have to give.

This may sound strange but at times I do almost find it easier to help strangers than someone you know. Now do not get me wrong I will gladly help someone I know if I am able too but at the same time as others have mentioned you have to be willing to help yourself. I have offered someone change if they come up short and have never really thought about it but again my issue is with people I know who seem to have all the luxuries in life but are saying they cannot buy milk or diapers, I just cannot feel bad for them when they say they cannot buy milk or diapers but are going around talking about the new tablet they just bought or when you see them ordering in lunch everyday. Maybe it is mean of me but I am not out buying tablets or ordering in lunch everyday because I know I need to be able to buy milk and other things. Sadly in most of the cases where this happens it is not a one off, if it was I could understand you miss budgeted it happens to all of us but when it happens week after week, month after month I just have no sympathy.

[Natalka]

Question of the Day:
How long each week/month do you take to plan coupon/sales/Cashback51???/PCpoints/Target points etc. for your shopping? Do you have a timesaving organizer for it?

About an hour a week to go through flyers, match with coupons and bonus offers - just on paper.

[Natalka]

Ooooo, cupcakes!

Oh, but I'll have banana bread - good, but just isn't the same as cupcakes, lol!

Hope everyone has a great day!

[jasperandchar]

Question of the Day:
How long each week/month do you take to plan coupon/sales/Cashback51???/PCpoints/Target points etc. for your shopping? Do you have a timesaving organizer for it?

As the coupon season is pretty slow right now (not many out there I can use) I spend maybe 45 minutes going through the flyers making my list, finding my coupons. But when the coupons are plentiful it could take me up to 1.5 hours to go though the coupons & matchups. I don't do checkout51 and the others as I don't have a cellphone. I do collect pc points, SDM, airmiles, etc. I don't have an organizer my lists our on the flyers themselves with the coupons paperclipped to them but I do have a masterlist that I hand write to double check.

Great question.

[SassyAshley]

Not that long anymore. I try to match up the best I can but lately there are very little coupons our house can use. I would say probably about 2 hours a week if that. On that note my coupons are a complete mess right now and I should probably take a day to get them all back in order but I find it hard to get motivated when I know there are so many I will not use as right now my main supply of coupons is from inserts.

Question of the Day:
How long each week/month do you take to plan coupon/sales/Cashback51???/PCpoints/Target points etc. for your shopping? Do you have a timesaving organizer for it?

[YOU AND ME]

Well i'm back hope i can keep up with this thread.Last month was not a good month for me hardly left the house except to do my cleaning customers and helping my DD with her work,i spent $20 in all for food as i have a lot of items in the freezer still and pantry.

I haven't been sleeping so i'm tired all the time can't seem to want too do much,i made an appointment with the Dr so will see.Well see you later off to eat breakfast and have a second cup of tea

[macw1960]

I would most definately pay for the rest of of someone's groceries if they came up short but that opportunity has never been presented to me yet. I will help out a friend if necessary but will not give them or homeless people money as I would rather buy it for them and then I know it is being spent on what is supposed to be.

I spend about an hour on making my grocery list weekly which gets written on an old envelope with coupons inside. I spend about 2 hours doing it if I need to do a big shop. I only do PC, SDM, AM & Aeroplan points.

Avoncallingyou

Glad to hear both you and DH are back home again and hoping everything is going much better. Wishing your DH a speedy recovery.

[SassyAshley]

Welcome back

Hope you start to feel better soon.

Well i'm back hope i can keep up with this thread.Last month was not a good month for me hardly left the house except to do my cleaning customers and helping my DD with her work,i spent $20 in all for food as i have a lot of items in the freezer still and pantry.

I haven't been sleeping so i'm tired all the time can't seem to want too do much,i made an appointment with the Dr so will see.Well see you later off to eat breakfast and have a second cup of tea

[thriftygranny]

Well i'm back hope i can keep up with this thread.Last month was not a good month for me hardly left the house except to do my cleaning customers and helping my DD with her work,i spent $20 in all for food as i have a lot of items in the freezer still and pantry.

I haven't been sleeping so i'm tired all the time can't seem to want too do much,i made an appointment with the Dr so will see.Well see you later off to eat breakfast and have a second cup of tea

I hope you get to the bottom of why your not feeling well, so frustrating .