January 2023 Frugal Chatter Thread -Money shuffle dance time!

[lilo0003]

We are equal billing with Enbridge and we paid 62.00 up until this past summer when they bumped us to 91.00 due to the rate increase and clearly something is up so I need to look at my bill because this month is 106.00. We heat with gas, cook with gas and have a natural gas fireplace dryer and bbq. So everyone wonders why our bill is so low and it’s because in the past 15 yrs with all our renovations every wall and ceiling in the house was replaced and the windows as well. We used the most energy efficient products we could and we did the energy audit as well. It was absolutely worth it. At night the house barely drops 2 degrees so even though it is set to to 17 most days is 18 when the furnace returns to its daytime temp. Now I am going to log into enbridge and see what portal of hell awaits me.

[HermanH]

Unless overnight temperatures drop below -20C, I turn the furnace and re-start it in the morning. The temperature can drop to 10C, but that is survivable (under the covers.)

[HermanH]

Came across some coloured bell peppers scattered on the sidewalk. I checked and they seemed to be fresh/unfrozen in our sub-zero temperatures. Probably dropped very recently. I was heading out, so had no bag to pick them up. I moved them to the side and picked them up on my way home. They were frozen, but still delicious. I wonder if someone's bag broke or they were running for the bus. Oh, well. Fresh produce is fresh produce.

[SassyAshley]

@barbis9 , Oh no, I hope you feel better and continue to test negative.

WOW that sounds scary.

[SassyAshley]

Good Morning,
I felt like I was off to a really slow start this morning but I think I turned it around.

A batch of Lemon Ricotta Muffins has been made and are cooling. There is a Pineapple Upside Down Cake in the Oven now.

Dishes are done, the fridge has been cleaned out, did lose a Cucumber that was cut up and got pushed to the back and some strawberries are a little past.

The couch Pillows are in the Dryer and the Couch Blankets are in the washer. I had to repair my blanket again, My Mom fixed it for me last week but then yesterday I went to move it and rip. It is so thin, I need to replace it so I will start looking for a good sale.

Now, I need to clean off the couch and vacuum the couch.

Happy Saturday

[Frugalbigmama]

Morning!

Dropped DS off at work and stopped at Walmart to grab peppers. Then CT to pay off MC with cash. Then RCSS to top up gas tank.
Now home to get stuff done!

I really wanted to go to Costco this weekend but the we are under a weather travel advisory. Its suppose to start later today so I should have gone this morning but just don't feel like it. Nothing we can't live without.

[SassyAshley]

@Frugalbigmama , I am in the same boat. I know I should have gone this morning but there was so much I wanted to get done around the house and I knew Costco would be my day. By the time I go, shop, load it in the car, bring it home, haul it in, put it away, I am done.

If this storm misses us maybe tomorrow morning.

[Frugalbigmama]

@Frugalbigmama, I am in the same boat. I know I should have gone this morning but there was so much I wanted to get done around the house and I knew Costco would be my day. By the time I go, shop, load it in the car, bring it home, haul it in, put it away, I am done.

If this storm misses us maybe tomorrow morning.

it just saves me money by not going lol. I just really wanted yoga pants

[Frugalbigmama]

Wrote a list and got everything done on it but one thing (change furnace filter) will do that soon.
Plus extra things not on the list. Was putting away dishes and finally dealt with the 2 pot drawers.
Tossed crap, wiped out inside and washed front. All organized now.

I also wrapped my DS's birthday gifts (mid Feb). Happy to be ready

[walkonby]

whoa!! You 2 gals ( @SassyAshley and @Frugalbigmama ) are making me feel unaccomplished with your Saturday errands and such. lol .

Sassy, with how you described the many steps in shopping from start to finish, that happens to me too. By the time I've hit a 3rd store and look at the bags I'll
be needing to bring in and unpack, it drains any strength and oomph I started out with.

This darn weather advisory has us thinking that we may have to cancel our reservation at Mandarin tomorrow. It's just a joint b'day celebration for DS#2 and moi.
Fiddlesticks though!! We'll just see how bad the road situation is tomorrow. This morning I was at my closer location of WalMart at 7 a.m. to exchange a denim shirt
( DS b'day gift ) but of course they had none to exchange for a bigger size so I had to go back out to the Pickering one.

Once back home, got the pets squared away with food, then went back out to NF and Metro. Yesterday at Metro I had redeemed 95 to earn 25 AM, bought a single wee potato for .36 to earn another 4 AM, eggs to earn 3 and milk to earn 3 more....love those Metro offers.

In the parking lot the window wash light came on so I took the time to drag the new bottle out of the trunk and filled that up.
DH never noticed but I made sure I " mentioned " it. lol.
So today I was back at Metro to redeem another 95 AM, for 25 back, earned an extra 15 AM for spending $15.00 on Irresistible non dairy frozen treats,
grabbed a 3 pack of their Romain for $2.99 and got another 5 AM on a separate Irresistible product. They all add up don't they.

Then at NF I did a Royale Tiger Paper towel run....I really hate these stupid paper towel roll conversions ....2=5, 3=6, 6=12...argh! They're giving me less paper for more money and this baffling me with bullsh*t technique is aggravating.
At least the coupons and NF offer saved me some money. ( I applied the $3.00 coupon to the $19.99 pkg., $2.00 to the $9.99 pkg. and they gave me 8,000 points for spending $20.00 on paper towels.When the dust settled I paid $17.00 for 17 rolls. Too much imho, but we needed some more.
The offer of 4,000 points wyb 3 trays of berries was welcomed. I PM'd blueberries and blackberries from FB. Plus I had a separate blueberry offer.. Nice!
Each tray came out to just $1.25

So done by the time I returned home. I feel a nap coming on.....

[SassyAshley]

@walkonby, I am also ready for my nap.

Couches have been cleaned off, still working on a new filing system for all of my notebooks. I tried to pair them down I took 5 off the couch. Couches have also been vacuumed.

Produce Prep has been done for the week. I want to make soup for lunches this week but I am done, so maybe tomorrow, everything is prepped, I would just need to pull chicken from the freezer.

Tonight's dinner with Chicken Enchiladas and Salad.

The kitchen is clean just in time to have to make dinner.

Now I am enjoying some Pretzel Crisps with Artichoke and Asiago Dip and watching Sweet Home Alabama

[Ciel21]

Happy Birthday to @walkonby and other Smart Canucks celebrating this week and next!

Did not get my chai latte at Starbucks (such a lineup at the Chapters location after 12:30pm) but since I indulged at Winners (got a cart and looked for deals, gift bags, socks (got a 3pr of HotSox for $5 but failed to notice that it was a synthetic blend-no wool or cotton-oh well, new socks!) snacks as I wanted something different for home today. No baby things but I saw snack cups and not much of interest on clearance except for $30 red light baby light sound machines). Popped into Carters for a quick look around for two registry items (not in stock and the bath pitcher is only in blue not grey there; saw a small stand of Little PLanet organic attire (most of it is online only) for spring in the store). Marshalls and Homesense-did the rounds for bath mats (nothing cheery with non-slip, only heavy cotton rugs without backing), shower caddy (my epoxy one is cracking and I have not ventured to the warehouse store in east Hamilton to see if anything similiar is available-only Metal ones are sold locally), and baby things/gadgets). No purchases at the first two stores. NOticed some sidewalks are not cleared on Martindale Cres making walking with a cane a focus task. Also some bus pads have been plowed in by snow plower operators...grr. Staples-Bic Atlantis pens are renamed Bic Glide. I got the 4 + 1 free pack just to have some extra pens as I am down to one black pen and 3-4 blue ones. No 12pk of retractable pens in store. Did snag a small Purell hand sanitizer as my other container was almost empty. $2.19 at Staples. Used to sell around $1.79 some time ago but oh well-impulse shopping exists for a reason!
Did what I thought was a fast Chapters visit for baby sale items, some regular priced items in kIds and then over to maps (which have been moved; this morning, a driver asked me for a street I don't know-it's not on Garner but branches off a bigger street)-hmm local map is from 2019-did not want to spend money on maps not 2021 or later! Walked towards bus stop-was still halfway along and saw a bus zip by. Had to wait for downtown bus and hike 10min uphill to library. Main thing was that I did the big box store visit today (weather is unsettled next week) and I'll chase my latte at Longos or the third Starbucks near Walmart.

Bro has some tummy issue and he could not sleep last night. I kept on him for squeaking the floorboards. THen when I thought I was about to sleep at 2:30am, I heard 2 thumps thinking it was bro. It was snow falling off the roof on one side before the slushy stuff pleated downwards entirely. This morning, I told myself not to shovel the snow. I did take out the garbage but I had things to do (yesterday was a write-off for Chapters and Starbucks and I was upset that the day was lost) today and snow shovelling is not this birthday person's priority.

I cut out some letters for the dining room table, have 3 snacks and will get a frozen entree at the grocery store on my way home. I have to keep the grocery shop minimal as I decided to leave a big tote at home and have a small one plus the bag from Winners. No cake for me-have jelly beans, matcha tea red bean treats and buttered kettle popcorn!

Sneezes and coughing are still going around in our family. Mom managed 7 sneezes in 3min two nights ago while we were watching tv.

[Ciel21]

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[Ciel21]

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[Ciel21]

Enbridge (gas) equal billing plan bill is at $151 currently. It was noted that last month we used about 70 cu3 more gas than same month last year. I pointed it out. I read that some equalization fee is increased on the gas bills too.
Mom's been feeling cold a lot this winter. I really cannot access the dial when she's sitting nearby watching tv. I can only adjust when she's not looking or preferably asleep!

Even the hydro bill has been creeping upwards. It had been in the upper $60s but now is $71 or 73/mo.