December 2022 Frugal Chat (when Autumn turns into Winter)

[Frugalbigmama]

Lunch today is 1/3 the Dole salad mix from GT ($1.97) with peppers, cucumbers and some chicken from last nights dinner!
Cheap and healthy lunch!

Dinner tonight- I'm not sure. I have so much to do (the baking!!!) It may be a fend for yourself night. There is some leftover chicken and potatoes in the fridge from last night the others can have. I'm eating my lunch now and already full after a few bites so doubt I will eat much later.

[Ciel21]

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[Angela273]

It was a safe and mostly uneventful drive home. I picked up 3 contest freebies from Circle K at the one location on my drive. Dh had a collection of mail for me. 3 cheques, one small bill, and 3 envelopes with coupons.

I have 8 more school days until Christmas break.

[HermanH]

Grocery prices are insane, I always feel bad when I see the elderly who are shopping probably as they always have and get next to nothing for $100. Although I was impressed when I saw an elderly couple price matching last week. It was clear this is not something they normally do and the wife kept asking the husband if she was doing it right and he kept saying "how should I know."

We need that generation back in charge of the bank accounts. They knew how to manage money and live within their means. Folks like my mother would never waste a single mouthful of food and would re-use paper bags 2, 3, 4, or more times before discarding them. They knew how to make do or do without.

[Angela273]

I don’t know what happened, but this page shows repeats of SassyAshley’s post from yesterday morning and nothing since then. My post from last night isn’t showing for me now.

It was a safe and mostly uneventful drive home. I picked up 3 contest freebies from Circle K on my drive. Dh had a collection of mail for me. 3 cheques, one small bill, and 3 envelopes with coupons.

I have 8 more work days before Christmas break. Monday I have a new meeting and Wednesday is my 3rd formal assessment for the first semester.

[Angela273]

Weird SC glitch.

[SassyAshley]

Looks like this thread is working again so I will repost this here:

Went Costco Shopping yesterday, hoping it will be out last of the year because Costco is insane. Although I did not go right at opening like I normally do because Mom came with me she has not been sleeping well so that was not an option.

Mom had to come with me, even though it was going to be a large shop because we did not get our rebate coupon. Turns out when I went to membership services earlier this year to ask why I never get my executive coupons, they updated our account but mess it up. Our address was there but was not there. Since Mom is the primary member she had to be with me.

I felt bad because we had to go to membership services and then to "the stand" and wait in line which was expected but before we even started shopping she was already in a lot of pain.

I have discovered with my anxiety being in super crowded places, plus knowing Mom was in pain, I was spinning by the time we left. Realized as we were packing the car we forgot Nachos and No Name Cold & Sinus. Hopefully, we have enough to get to January.

Costco did not have Romaine (honestly, wasn't expecting them to but it would have been a nice surprise), Whole Chickens or regular White Sugar. I will watch for Chickens to go on sale and hopefully grab a couple, we have one for Christmas Dinner. Sugar, I think I have enough for all of my baking but wanted 1 extra bag just to be sure.

We got:
2 x Sock *on sale, we always grab a pack each when they go on sale at Christmas
1 x Naan
2 x Chicken Breast
1 x Chicken Wings
1 x Brie *for New Year, a Costco one, twice the size is the same price as the ones on sale locally
2 x Ricotta
1 x Parmesan Wedge *Nice surprise it was on sale
2 x Heavy Whipping Cream
1 x Half & Half
1 x Milk *Same as Food Basics sale price
1 x Foil Pans *Finally have these back but double the price, but still cheaper than the dollar store, no one seemed to cart as almost every cart had a pack
1 x Greek Yogurt 3-pack
3 x Old Cheddar
2 x Mozzarella
1 x Cream Cheese 4-pack *Trying the Kirkland Brand
1 x Hot Dogs 3-pack *Wow these have gotten expensive, need to view these more as a treat
1 x Bacon Crumb
1 x Maple Syrup
3 x Chips *Various Flavours
1 x Evaporated Milk 6-pack
1 x Brownie Mix *On sale
1 x Collagen *For Mom to try, we need to find something for her pain

Plus, I got my Dutch Ovens. I remember I had a Costco gift card my Dad gave me a couple of years ago and I was saving for something special. I was tempted to hold out and see if they went on sale but as we know at Costco when they are gone they are gone and I was worried the longer I waited the more likely my store would not have them. Plus looking at prices you cannot go wrong with getting 2 Dutch Ovens for $99.99. It has 4 quarts and 7 quarts. Merry Christmas to me since we are not doing gifts this year.

2022 is going to be my year, the year I find organization in my life and the year I focus on myself,
follow along as tackle day to day life and whatever else 2021 throws at me:
https://www.instagram.com/thelife.ofsassy

[Ciel21]

@Angela273 Welcome back home (real life and here)! Got to love prizes and mail days.
@SassyAshley You got your Christmas wish fulfilled.

[Ciel21]

Health Canada has some items recalled: 'Please immediately stop using': More major recalls at Costco, Canadian Tire, Winners, HomeSense, Marshalls, Dollarama and Amazon involving shampoo, toys, kits, chairs and generators trigger multiple Health Canada warnings | TheSpec.com

[SassyAshley]

This week is kicking my butt. Every time I think I am on top of everything something else comes my way and most are mysteries I have to find the answers to.

This morning was going great, I got some work stuff done and was going to take a short break, tackle something around the house and then my phone started ringing and my then the emails and texts started. I feel like I have not stopped since and am feeling a little done right now.

So originally we were told they would fix our dryer vent but now we are being told no that person misunderstood what we were saying and it is on us to fix it ourselves. I found a kit at Home Hardware where you can install a new vent over top as it does not have an exhaust pipe. I was skeptical, very rarely do these kinds of kits work for me, it seems like we always have the oddity where it says fits every 4" vent except the one we have. It will work but now I have to figure out how to install it because they were nice enough to remind us we cannot drill into the outside wall. I am hoping I can just use caulking. That is a project for tomorrow.

Not getting as much done around the house as I would like today but also going to be realistic that it isn't going to happen when I am done with work since I have this late afternoon meeting. Oh well, that is life, will add what I don't get done to next week's to-do list.

I am struggling with this week's meal plan, nothing is jumping out at me, and I don't really have any cravings, it is making writing a meal plan tricky.

Tonight since we got Chicken at Costco, we will be having BBQ wings with BBQ Chicken chunks and I will use the last of my live lettuce to make wraps.

[Angela273]

I got the oil changed in my vehicle this morning. Picked up a few deals at Sobeys and used coupons. I’m working my way through submitting medical/dental receipts for reimbursement. I’m currently on hold. I’m hoping I won’t be on hold for much longer. My kids will be home from school in an hour.

Taking the kids to SARCAN and the public library after school today. There is a cookie house kit that Dh forgot to pick up last week. For supper tonight I’ll be cooking sweet and sour pork with rice and mixed veggies. I’ll freeze some of the sweet and sour meat for me to take with me on Sunday. I enjoy certain meals that I’m able to pull from the freezer.

[coupon girl]

Got our hair cuts today hubby and i ,feels so good .My hairdressers mother is home doing okay after emergency surgery .I gave her a nice basket with bath items and a 10.00 giftcard to walmart for a xmas gift ,plus a nice xmas tip.

Today i am saving 10.00 a month on a bill,i called retention dept .He i will take 120.00 extra a yr.see and just cost me 14 minutes of my time plus i have been with the company for many yrs .

Picked up my 2 wine bottles for the holidays and a small bottle of forty creek for my son,wowser good thing we are not drinkers cost 38.00 tis the season.

My son asked us if we wish to go watch xmas displays in another town on sat night with him/wife and the granddaughters i said yes (they never hardly ask us ,only to babysit after school) then we will get pizza in a small family run place either before of after .Ashlyn asked if she could sleep over so i said yes,she is 9 and likes a break from her 5 yr old sister cara.

[coupon girl]

Okay here is the storey i wish to tell you .I have a friend i have known 30 yrs ,she/her hubby make way more money than hubby and i do ,(which is okay)but our sons are the same age and we have small grandchildren we love taking about etc.

So i told her i was in walmart the other day ringing my stuff in and she said she likes to give an employee the job -i agree but there was only one open with long lines so i rang myself out.I told her 3 items rang up wrong so i told the girl standing in that area ,scanning code of practice "i get it free" i save $13 .

Then she said "yeah dont do that "then she said my name".I would not do that .I didnt wish to get on a different topic ,as her hubby just came in ,so i let it go.But really it is allowed scanning code of practice ,i didnt take from walmarts own pocket and steal.Her comment just made me feel belittled ,she knows i have couponed for 30 yrs and looked for deals for forever.

Wow good thing i didnt tell her today i saved 10.00 a month on one of my bills ,just trying to save in this inflationary time ,as we are on a pension .I am so proud of the deals i get ,my turkey cheaper ,my scanning code of practice items ,coupons and points programs i use .Everybody here would understand -thanks for listening i just had to rant.

[harbie]

@coupon girl I’ve always said that those that make more $ usually spend more $. Sometimes people make it “look” like they are well off but if you were to dive into their accounts you’d find a different story.

Even if they are well off I think it’s dumb to just pay for things without get the best deal possible. They implemented SCOP because there were so many wrong priced charged and to the benefit of the company and not the shopper so I will take advantage of it when can, even if scans at 1c more than advertised.

Smart people make their money stretch as far as they can whether they have lots or little . Just my opinion. I think it’s kinda rude of her but I wouldn’t care. I love saving anything I can.

[coupon girl]

thanks harbie -yes i do feel it is kind of rude of her but again ,she is very outspoken (like my daughter) and i value our long friendship _i dont have many friends to be honest. Thanks again i just needed to be validated ,like honest i have my hairdresser a very nice tip today (so i am not always cheap.lol