April 2020 Frugal Chatter Thread

[Arjon]

Question for everyone, besides possibly ordering online for click and collect groceries or spending more on groceries than you normally would since we cannot chase the sale. Have you noticed anything else about your shopping has changed?

I only used click and collect a few times before the pandemic, but not since, so using it less is a change. Another is that I'm shopping 3-4 times a month rather than 2-3 times a week, and only at one store rather than often 2-3. In addition, my average spend per week has dropped by over 2/3, primarily because I'm trying much harder to eat what's already in the freezer and pantry, plus I haven't yet gotten low enough on anything to "need" to do a big stock-up. I'm also shopping earlier than in the past; my past three shops were finished by 9am vs. more like 11-2 previously.

[coupon girl]

Well I couldn't sleep last night til 12.30 a.m so I went onto walmarts website -got an opening for groceries I have 42 items for 6 days from now and it came to 40 cheaper than fortinos and I have 52 items this Friday at fortinos ,so may try to get walmart more often.

Wow 4 days now waiting for home depots order -wish they would give you a time line like groceries ,what does it matter we are not going anywhere.

Vacuumed the stairs and rugs did a load of laundry .

My poor head is soooo itchy ,doctor prescribed shampoo last year and he gave me another repeat .I really think I need to see a specialist.So I just soaked my head in extra virgin olive oil for 40 minutes ,then shampooed -it doesn't feel extremely itchy .Plus I ordered coconut oil from amazon last week .

[Giseledta]

my moms walmart order was just cancelled...... i can feel her imploding with stress.


ok. sleep last night was ..... rough....

todays goals are housework. so i should get to it.... its freezing drizzle outside so that is not happening.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning Everyone,
Waiting on a phone call from my doctor, pretty sure I have a sinus infections which may explain the headache that will not go away and possibly my lack of ambition as my body is trying to fight the infection. I am feeling very impatient waiting for him to phone, I can admit stuff like this make me nervous, normally you call you make an appointment you go in, now you call they take your info and you wait for a call back.

This morning I made a small Fruit Salad using Cantaloupe, Pineapple, Grapes and Apple. I am a little disappointed, I make a Lime marinade for my Fruit Salads but for some reason my Lime is not very flavourful. I do not make Fruit Salad often as I enjoy fruit without adding to it but one it is a special treat and two my pineapple was not overly juicy and some of the grapes are a little tart so this is a great way to use them up.

I also baked up some croissants, last time we were at Costco we bought the box of frozen croissants. We have never tried these before but I like the fact that they are frozen so we can just take out how many we want and bake them vs trying to eat a large pack before they go stale. I do love Costco croissants but with just 2 of us in the house it is a lot to eat, so hopefully the frozen ones are good.

Having trouble focusing again today, I think it is because I am not feeling well. Hopefully the doc will call soon and not that I want to be on antibiotics hopefully I can get some and start to feel better.

Have a great day everyone.

[coupon girl]

giseldta-why was your mom's order cancelled at Walmart -did they give you a reason ? I just put in an order with them for next week so I am curious?

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning all. Sunny day here today.

I am having major internet connection issues. Ugh. I may need to walk away for a bit and hope it is back to normal later. I can't work like this.

Shopping for my mom today. She has chocolate bars on her list again haha so cute.

All laundry is done and put away. Thinking I will do DS's bedding later today.

I see SDM has an extra redemption starting Sat. I can't even find enough stuff to spend $50 for 20x the points....can't see this redemption happening for me at all.

[SassyAshley]

Frugalbigmama, I had that issue the other day, I think by noon I had re started my computer 5 times and re connected to the work server 6 or 7 times, I was ready to give up and it started working. That day I think it was the weather. But, yes super annoying when your trying to get stuff done.

[SassyAshley]

Yippe, Doc called me back, he is sending a prescription to the pharmacy so I will have to run out this afternoon and get that.

He mentioned it might be my allergies and I am like oh this is more than allergies, I thought the same and upped my allergy meds early this week and it did not help.

[SassyAshley]

Went to the Pharmacy, got my prescription. Not sure if they are limiting the number of people going in, when I went in I was the 3rd person in the store. It is just a local small town Pharmacy I use.

Went for a little drive around town since my car isn't moving very often right now. No Line at SDM, Tim's is lined up out to the street for Drive-Thru not sure if you can go in and order (people do not lining up, they keep blocking the road, which is a main road through town, lots of horn honking), No Frills had a huge line up. Giant Tiger, I did not see a line up but their parking lot was full which makes me wonder if they are limiting customers in the store.

Also noticed there are a lot of sold houses, granted I do not go out a lot but more of these were not for sale when I was out just over a week ago. Not sure I would want to buy a house right now, just feel like moving would cause a ton of anxiety and moving is already stressful. One seeing the house would not be easy and two if you do buy, do you want movers to come in and if you don't hire movers can you do it alone without help. Not to mention scrubbing down the house your moving out of and the one your moving into.

[Ciel]

my moms walmart order was just cancelled...... i can feel her imploding with stress.


ok. sleep last night was ..... rough....

todays goals are housework. so i should get to it.... its freezing drizzle outside so that is not happening.

Freezing drizzle??? Whoa.
Feel badly about your mother's cancelled order. Maybe a note about how she's a senior could be added to order to get point across the order is ESSENTIAL.

[Ciel]

Morning all. Sunny day here today.

I am having major internet connection issues. Ugh. I may need to walk away for a bit and hope it is back to normal later. I can't work like this.

Shopping for my mom today. She has chocolate bars on her list again haha so cute.

All laundry is done and put away. Thinking I will do DS's bedding later today.

I see SDM has an extra redemption starting Sat. I can't even find enough stuff to spend $50 for 20x the points....can't see this redemption happening for me at all.

I had purchased two Snickers bars over a week ago at Shoppers and new PC Optimum offers includes a points deal on purchase of Snickers...won't set foot in a Shoppers on a Saturday again. Maybe you have a similar offer to use up?

[Ciel]

RE: changes to grocery shopping

Last night, Longos sent an e-mail that staff are wearing masks and guests are encouraged to wear one too while shopping. Payments now are debit/credit--guess using my loyalty card tracked my cash buy (hence the e-mail) on Monday as cashier's till would not open so she scanned my receipt at second till to make change for my cash payment. I'll not be shopping there until cash is ok again (I make a point to ask if cash is taken before I have my groceries scanned). Store chain does not want anyone bringing in reusable bags (I did not use mine on last shop) now. So I'll shop elsewhere until cash is ok with the chain.
Seems prescient that chain has electronic payments only location in downtown Toronto for prepared foods (Pronto Eats).

Have not visited M&M Foods and will try to determine what I might get from the store so I have fruits or some prepared options in the freezer.

Followed up with government re: document order-second item was processed and sent out, so just have to wait for it.

Finished deleting over 900 e-mails between two of my e-mail accounts and filing others for later review and possible deletion. I'd like to get off of five more newsletter or mailing lists soon, as certain e-mails barely get a glance let alone open linking for deeper reading.

I clicked on an old Chicken.ca contest link and now know the Summer $5000 contest will start on May 4. Still no idea who won the last two contests from the sponsor. A few smaller prize contests have had my attention recently and will wait for draw dates---someone else won the $200gc from Tribute mid-month (so no Sephora spree for me).

There's a recall on a Walmart Great Value pasta product (undeclared ingredients):
https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-st...ergy-concerns/
Speaking of Walmart, their online flyer has one page of grocery items but it was not inserted with the 4pg community update that came in yesterday's weekly paper bundle.

I was up early enough to see Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi on CH Morning Live talk about the proposed student benefit programs at 6:45am.

I have promised myself a big Mary Chicken burger soon. It's been over a month since my first visit and I love the onion rings too.

Today's dreary outdoor tones are screaming for heavily sweetened tea in my mug. I've no idea what suitable fabric scraps I have for face masks. Am I alone in thinking that many mask wearers have to be more aware of their speaking style when a denser substance is right up against their faces? That communication will be hampered if we don't adjust pace and volume to make up for fabric (pleated or flat) muffling our usual speaking voices? Still unsure if I will wear a mask but I don't want something jarring on the face--muted tones in pastels are key.

[Giseledta]

i have no idea why they cancelled her order. She sent a message to my oldest to pick her up a few items at her work. we stopped by and got it and brought it out to her. she is redoing her order for indepenent... we will pick up there for her.
we also stopped at a place called drive by bakery... for fritters... so good. so not essential. it was curbside.. no contact...
i was also able to pick up some onion sets, and seed potatoes.

laundry is going and all is good

[Ciel]

Joy-the Mississauga/Hamilton/Burlington Public Libraries' sharing of e-book titles is live and working. Just find the online resources link on your home library's website, pick e-books and audiobooks, then look for the Partners link at centre top of screen and pick the library system you wish to browse.

Scored one health book title I found about via a tabloid (really) and a second title, plus put 4 more health titles on hold. I'm electing to use 7 day loans for the Mississauga loans. I read online that HPL is limiting e-book titles to 1 week loans. If you find out otherwise, let me know as I have not checked (I still have print HPL material unfinished to read).

I had a big sweet mug of ginger chamomile green tea earlier and I am craving a second mug of another tea. Hydration goals with less sugar than pop. Managed to speak to a friend by phone as it's been a week without contact--delighted to have that time!

A blog post from a health-oriented site spoke of life clutter. That resonates with me as something to deal with in the remaining days of April since being at home is the thing to do. The weather is also keeping me from going on long walks (even saw snow dusting the roof shingles on the garage this morning).

In other news, Ontario's got to keep home until May 6 (province remains under state of emergency until May 12--want to believe that state ends on that very day and we get some more businesses open again). Saskatchewan's going to start reopening slowly from May 4.

[coupon girl]

thanks giselta -for the answer ,you would think they would tell you why they cancelled ,so nice of you to help your mom out .

Supper was rice and leftover bbq chicken and broccoli for me ,scrambled eggs with toast for hubby and compliments frozen chocolate chip cookies with our tea and coffee.