July 2015 Frugal Chatter

[saundyl]

QOTD: Has anyone else's food costs gone through the roof?

I don't know what it is about this month, if it's all my cherry purchases, or those cases of mango (LO has been asking), but I've passed our food budget before half the month is over. Maybe it was the bags of rice we bought that we ran out of. I don't know, but I do know that our food costs are crazy this summer.

Mine did that last month. I couldn't figure out what was different though!

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[saundyl]

I have heard that it's really common so it must be a natural thing. Has anyone heard if pelvic exercises help?



Thanks everyone for all the sympathy. I'm almost able to take off the last of the bandages, but I think @saundyl is the real trooper. I went through nothing like what she did!


@Frugalbigmama : I'm so sorry about your bad news. I hope it's not the worst case scenario and I hope you're all able to keep calm until the results come in. I know it's super hard and your friend can probably use some company. Can you visit her and share a few laughs over a tea or coffee? Wait with her through her tests and just hold her hand? Sometimes, small things make such a world of difference.

Thank you sweets. I hope you're feeling better.

I admit to being somewhat jealous of bf that he was forced to be off work because he gets a chance to rest and heal no matter how much tv is boring hom!

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[saundyl]

We were supposed to leave for the cottage today but I'm in full blown depression so we will leave tomorrow. DH & I will venture out for groceries and he will come in the store as I think I will go into a mental breakdown alone. One never gets used to these extreme lows, I was hoping that I could have 1 summer without this but it's the way I'm made (summers for me are hell). Also the guys are making plans without me for next weekend and the following week because unfortunately these episodes can last a very long time. I'm sort of in the dammed if you do and dammed if you don't mindset so we'll venture to the cottage tomorrow and return Thursday and the guys will venture off to the cottage and moose camp. I'm really hoping that Logan goes with them as I cannot predict how extreme this mood will last....enough whining. Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Awww I hope it gets better for you.

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[bobbiegirl2010]

QOTD: Groceries...

I only have 2 daycare kiddos now (vs 5 a few months ago) and we went over our grocery budget by $150 in June for the first time since we started our new budget (8 months or so ago)

The verdict is still out on whether this will save us $$ or blow our budget but last week we bought a costco membership!!! The main purpose is so we can save $$ on propane ($8 a fill for 20lbs vs $24 in our town - crazy price difference!!!!!) We burn through a 20lb tank a month bbq'ing so the propane savings alone will cover the membership fee. I'm hoping with careful shopping we can save a bit on food too. There's definitely some savings to be had with baking stuff. So far I've bought:

4kg sugar $2.85 (2kg is $1.97 at No Frills)
2kg of brown sugar $2.49 (1kg is $2.29 at No Frills)
5kg of quaker oatmeal $7.49 (a 1kg bag is over $2 at No Frills)
2 pk large cans of cooking spray $6.49 (No Frills no longer sells the PC brand 400g cans so I've been buying it at Zehrs for $5.49 for 1 can)

Also I'm getting kinda freaked out about the price increases of staples (anyone else notice the price of pasta!) When we were at my in-laws I looked at their Sobeys flyer and saw 900g italpasta for $1.00 and I made DH stop there on the way home. I bought 8 bags and worried that I maybe should have bought more lol.

Then I'm hearing flour may go up because wheat crops in the US are doing bad because of the drought in the west. Should I stock up on flour too? Ahhhhh what to do???!!!

[Natalka]

The prices of meat still floors me - however, we were getting SO sick of eating chicken and ground pork that over the past few months I've just had to buy other meats, just for variety.

Bread is more expensive - we used to be able to get awesome bakery bread for $1, but now it's closer to $2 - and we rarely buy pre-packaged bread at $2-$3.

bobbiegirl, my husband thinks I'm nuts that we've got like 20 bags of pasta - but I worry that we won't see it again for $1 like recently at WM.

I wouldn't stock up on flour, but that's just me.
I don't spend money on cooking spray - it's no hassle just to spread a bit of margarine in pans or muffin cups.

[lilo0003]

I have been saying this for the last few months, I just can't get a handle on our grocery budget. With two growing boys the cost just gets higher. But then today I realized DH has been working at home close to 90% of the time. Gas costs have dropped close to 100.00 a month as has meals out. There was my a ha moment. He is eating lunch at home now and so I am buying lunch type food that I would not have bought in the past. I also find summers are expensive as the kids are both home and often have friends over. I really took advantage of the Sobeys offer a couple of months ago and racked up enough Air Miles for 100.00 in free groceries.

[lilo0003]

Bobbiegirl: the pure fiilter milk is 1.00 less at Costco for a 4L bag. I buy two at a time, but I stop on my way home from work and don't allow myself a cart. This is one of the things driving out my grocery bill. The boys were never big milk drinkers and when the teen hit 13 his milk consumption went through the roof. I have my go to list of things that are better at costco. There is a thread that I will find for you to give you an idea of what others consider the deals at Costco. .

[lizzie bargain]

Back from our first quick trip-DH cut the grass and I did my bit by turning the self cleaning oven on!-lol. Tomorrow will be cleaning, laundry,change the beds, pack up the car and head out West for our house exchange. I will definitely be doing my share tomorrow! We will be collecting DD in Vancouver where she has been having a grand time with her BFF's family. Got our UCCB and CTC today so they did not forget us as a couple of you have reported. I think posibly if your kids are older and were more than 6 when the UCCB started they may not have a record of them unless you are also receiving the CTC-of course I am sure in some cases there could be errors too. Hope those under the weather start to feel better soon. Adios.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Thanks Lilo I was trying to find a costco thread but didn't have any luck.

I'm thinking the price of milk at costco varies by location. The store in Guelph, milk is $3.87 a bag which is only a 10 cent savings. Then I went to the Kitchener store on the wknd and homo milk was $3.49??!!! But the 1% and 2% were $3.87 still.

[missmaggs]

The prices of meat still floors me - however, we were getting SO sick of eating chicken and ground pork that over the past few months I've just had to buy other meats, just for variety.

Bread is more expensive - we used to be able to get awesome bakery bread for $1, but now it's closer to $2 - and we rarely buy pre-packaged bread at $2-$3.

bobbiegirl, my husband thinks I'm nuts that we've got like 20 bags of pasta - but I worry that we won't see it again for $1 like recently at WM.

I wouldn't stock up on flour, but that's just me.
I don't spend money on cooking spray - it's no hassle just to spread a bit of margarine in pans or muffin cups.

@Natalka - I'm totally going through the same thing... check out RCSS - I was there yesterday and they have lean ground beef for $3.48/lb. They had the club packs and the regular smaller packs for the same price per lb. I picked up 3 smaller packs for about $16 and it worked out to be a little over 2 kg. Went straight into my freezer.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
We are totally feeling the pinch of the grocery budget especially when it comes to meat, we have seriously cut back on the amount of meat we eat (this is harder on Mom then me as I am not a big meat eater) and still seems like every time we turn around we are out of something else. Every time I think there is a chance we might come in under budget I missed flyer and they have some sort of meat on sale and I feel I have to stock up right now as I just never know when the next sale will come. It used to be if we missed a sale oh well another one will come but lately you cannot bank on that so when Eye of Round Roasts went on sale we found room in the budget to grab a few same with ground beef as you just never know when the next sale will be.

When it comes to Costco shopping some things are cheaper milk and half & half come to mind. Also many healthy eating items are cheaper at Costco per gram or lb but due to the size you have to buy the price is a bit shocking. I buy Almond Butter, Chia Seeds, Organic Honey all at Costco yes because of the size of packaging my natural instinct is to say no and go buy a smaller amount at Bulk Barn but in the long run with the Almond Butter and Chia Seeds the amount I buy at Costco lasts me 6 months to a 1 year (still well within the expiry) and in the long run is much cheaper it is just the initial shock you have to get over. The nice thing with Costco is on the sign they do break the price so last time Bulk Barn had all my healthy items on sale I took the flyer to compare and Costco was cheaper on all of them. The biggest thing with Costco is along the lines of what Lilo said it is control when you go in. My Mom gets mad because I have a list I am on a mission don't get in my way as she puts it but I know once we start wondering and looking that is when extras end up in the cart and a $30 shopping trip is now costing me $75.

[lilo0003]

I am looking for that thread and can’t find it, but I will keep hunting. I only recently realized the cream was so much cheaper at Costco. My other new fave is 6 heads of romaine for 4.09. With DH training for the iron man we have really changed our diet and we will use that in a week. Our oldest has also discovered he loves salad. The training is also hard on the budget but better for my waist. We spend a load of money on Gatorade, but we need to keep his training nutrition the same as what he will have duping the actually event. Thankfully No Frills has had the large bottles on for a dollar for most of the summer and last week Costco had the case of 38 on for less than 15.00. We have the executive membership and typically get the full amount of our card fee back. This year I bought blinds there so we received close to 160.00 back. That is why the freezer looks like tetris again.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Yes coffee cream is cheaper at Costco - $1.95 for a 1L I believe.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Yes the cost of meat that is killing my budget too. Even chicken is more money now (not sure why... maybe because more people are buying chicken because the cost of beef is so expensive??). Last year I bought chicken breasts all the time for $1.99/lb (bone-in skin on). Now I don't think I've seen that price at all in the past few months at any of the stores in my area.

In order to stay in budget I've been mainly buying whole chickens, chicken thighs and pork loins to stay in budget. We occasionally buy steaks, ground beef/pork and fish fillets if they are on sale and/or reduced.

Also for the summer I've bought more processed foods to make lunches easier with the school age kids (pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers etc...). This has also driven up my grocery budget.

[coupon girl]

-jasper hope you are feeling better
dont even get me started on groceries hubby and i ate enough chicken at the cottage-2 days worth-I am trying to buy my fruit and veggies with extra pcpoint or price matching a for meat I thin pork tenderloin Is on this week so may get some of that