Quiltin' Mama's Frugal Challenge to Herself

**Debbie-cat** · 12-20-2008, 01:09 PM

Aww, you poor thing! There was nothing I hated more than cleaning up puke, especially when it got all over something like a car seat. I feel for you.

QM · 12-21-2008, 09:20 PM

Yesterday
Well, I ended up overall having a better day yesterday. After my last post I cleaned the inside of the van, started the "yucky" laundry, cleaned a bathroom, then had a shower. I took it easy for a while after that...I deserved it!!!

After supper, DH watched the kids while I ran my errands. I went to Mark's Work Wearhouse for a bathrobe for DH, went to Wal-Mart for underwear & t-shirts for DH, went to Shopper's Drug Mart, dropped off some books at the library, went to the grocery store (and bought some reduced bananas), then went home. I got all plus more of more errands done! Yay!

DD2 woke up in the night with a mild fever, so DH and I decided to keep her home from church in the morning.

Today
DD2 has been hanging off me (since I came home from church with DD1) saying "Pick me up! Pick me up!" I'm so tired from carrying her around and having her on me all the time. I have to keep reminding myself that soon I'll wish I had a two-year old saying "Pick me up!" We're not having any more children, so I have to enjoy the baby stage as much as possible. (I love the age that they're at right now...I wish I could freeze time...they're sooo cute!)

For the past hour or so, I've gone through some clothes that DD2 has outgrown and I'm giving it to a woman. I sold some clothes to her a few months ago off kijiji. (All I know about her is that she's an immigrant from I'm not sure where, she's a mom of 2 girls and she's going to school.) I e-mailed her yesterday and asked her if she wanted the clothes for free. She replied and said that she does. I now need to make arrangements to drop them off to her since she doesn't have a car.

As soon as DD2 is in bed (which DH is doing right now) we're going to watch Heroes that is taped on our PVR. Can't wait to eat air-popped popcorn with dill pickle flavouring. You can't get more relaxing than that!

QM · 12-22-2008, 05:49 PM

My girls and I were a little late in getting dressed and eating breakfast, so when it was time to run a couple errands it was around 10 a.m. First I went through the drive-thru at the bank. Then drove by the Loblaws Pay at the Pumps and found a Superbucks receipt left by another customer.

Then we went to the grocery store and I SCOP'ed a jar of President's Choice Extra Mild Salsa. (SCOP is an abbrev. for Scanning Code of Practice. Because the sign was less than what it rang in for I got the product for free. For more information check out this online brochure. http://www.frugalshopper.ca/links/article.php?n=5 I think it's Canadian only--sorry to get your hopes up.) Now when I refer to SCOP, you'll know what I mean.

This afternoon I vacuumed the family room and dusted the main floor. It seems like I'll never be caught up with my housework. We're having the entire family for an aunts/uncles to nieces/nephews gift exchange on Christmas Eve at our house. I'm beginning to think that I'll have to settle for an 'unperfectly cleaned' house.

I also started a new challenge for myself on this forum. It's called "Quiltin' Mama's Saving for Christmas 2009 Challenge". Check out [ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1070098#post1070098"]Quiltin' Mama's Saving for Christmas 2009 Challenge - Frugal Village Forums[/ame] for more details.

For supper, my girls and I had Olivieri Three Cheese Pasta. I phoned Schneiders a couple months ago and asked for their 2007 Annual Report. In the back were four coupons for free products. This meal was free thanks to the coupon! It was good, but I definately wouldn't buy it unless it was on major sale. Even then I may not buy it. Other than the inconvenience, I'd rather make something similar from scratch myself.

Once DH gets home from work, I plan to get the girls into their pyjamas, then leave them with DH to put to bed. I'm going to run a couple errands. (DH e-mailed me this afternoon saying that he'd like a couple pair of gloves for Christmas...Is he kidding? Two days before Christmas and you think it won't be picked over and nothing will be left? I'm going to try, but my hopes aren't high. DH may have to wait until after Christmas to get a couple nice pairs of gloves.)

I'm going to sign off to check out DH's 'junk' drawer. Maybe there is loose change in there I can take for the EF that I've started...lol!!!

QM · 12-22-2008, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by Quiltin' Mama

...I'm going to sign off to check out DH's 'junk' drawer. Maybe there is loose change in there I can take for the EF that I've started...lol!!!

Yay...I found $10 in change!! Now we're at $271.50 in the EF. I took $25 out of the EF the other day to pay DD1 her allowance that was 8 week behind. She gets $3.50 every week for helping me with tidying and messes that she didn't make herself (i.e., all the toys in the downstairs playroom and such). I know I owe her the balance of $3, but I also owe my EF $25. I know, I know...I shouldn't borrow from the EF...Dave Ramsay would be shaking his head I'm sure!

**homesteadmamma** · 12-22-2008, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Quiltin' Mama

Yay...I found $10 in change!! Now we're at $271.50 in the EF. I took $25 out of the EF the other day to pay DD1 her allowance that was 8 week behind. She gets $3.50 every week for helping me with tidying and messes that she didn't make herself (i.e., all the toys in the downstairs playroom and such). I know I owe her the balance of $3, but I also owe my EF $25. I know, I know...I shouldn't borrow from the EF...Dave Ramsay would be shaking his head I'm sure!

You're putting it back and that's what counts.

QM · 12-22-2008, 11:22 PM

Tonight has been a night of frugal fun!!! I ran a few errands...dropped off some too-small baby clothes/toys to that foreign lady I mentioned in a prior post, went to the bank and got out the money to reimburse my EF, picked up a few groceries at Food Basics, did an exchange at Best Buy for DH, got the last remaining item for my mom's Christmas gift at Wal-Mart (BTW they didn't have any men's gloves like I knew they wouldn't!), mailed a few envelopes at a postal box and went to two Shopper's Drug Marts.

The exciting thing is I SCOP'ed a bag of 396 g Twizzler Pull N Peel Licorice at Food Basics. Between the two Shopper's Drug Marts I SCOP'ed a 2-pack of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser cleaning pads, a 3-pack of Organic Soy Beverage, a 200 bag of Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Original crackers and a 220 g bag of Bits & Bites...I love it when the price rings in higher than the sign!!! That's six items in one day!!! And on my way home I drove by the Loblaws Pay at the Pumps gas bar and found another 81 cent Superbucks receipts left by a customer.

Frugal! Frugal!

Yah! Yah!

Frugal! Frugal!

To slightly burst my frugal bubble, DH tells me that he bought and opened a pack of 20 mini Kit Kat bars only to realize it's not the multi-pack. He wanted to put a variety of chocolate bars in our girls' stockings, and since it's not the multi-pack he's going to buy more. Can he not be frugal?!? Do you really think the kids will care if they only get Kit Kat bars instead of a variety?...They're 2 and 4-1/2 years old! Give me a break!!! DH does all the Christmas gift buying and wrapping. A couple years into our marriage we found out that he takes great pleasure in 'finding the right gift'. (I think it's because his love language is 'giving'.) When I asked DH why he can't just put Kit Kat bars only, he got crusty and told me that I'm getting too involved! Excuse me?!...So much for trying to be frugal!

**homesteadmamma** · 12-23-2008, 08:56 AM

You did have a frugal day. Let dh have the joy of a few different chocolate bars. If it isn't going to break the bank, at times like this it's better to let him have some fun. It gives him joy and that's okay, kwim. No the kids probably won't care about the difference, but he does. Just keep on doing what you're doing. It'll all work out, trust me.

QM · 12-23-2008, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by homesteadmamma

You did have a frugal day. Let dh have the joy of a few different chocolate bars. If it isn't going to break the bank, at times like this it's better to let him have some fun. It gives him joy and that's okay, kwim. No the kids probably won't care about the difference, but he does. Just keep on doing what you're doing. It'll all work out, trust me.

It's really nice to get motherly wisdom on this topic. I can't go to my own mom with these issues because it could reflect poorly on DH. I've learned through programs like Focus on the Family that it isn't a good idea to shed a bad light on your spouse when it comes to their in-laws. Thanks, homesteadmamma, for your encouragement and words of wisdom.

QM · 12-23-2008, 01:21 PM

I've been on the computer (and having my own quiet time) long enough, but I thought I'd fill in my challenge with this morning's happenings. I took the girls to a nearby Ontario Early Years playgroup. They seemed to have a lot of fun with the crafts and such. I chatted with two women about Frugal Village...I'm not sure if they were sincerely interested or thought I was a little loopy and were just being polite. Maybe we'll see this join this forum; you never know! The front desk had a lot of coupons that were free to take, so I sifted through them and took a few. (I hope people don't think me too insane...lol!)

On my way home from the playgroup I detoured by the Loblaws gas pumps and found an 85 cent Superbucks receipt. Yay!!! At this rate, by next week I'll reach $10 and be able to buy a gift card to add to my Christmas 2009 envelope.

We were going to have pizza for lunch. (It was on sale and I stocked up a lot of pizzas a while back. The Delissio pizzas only cost $3 each.) DD1 changed her mind before I pulled it out the freezer and we made make-your-own mini sandwiches with Melba toast (that I had in my pantry for a few months), cheese, cold meat (that is going to expire next week) and pickles.

Then I put the babies to bed for their nap, cleaned the kitchen, made a large pot of coffee and here I am! My plans for this afternoon is to get caught up on banking and wrap some Christmas gifts for DH.

QM · 12-23-2008, 06:39 PM

I got my banking done this afternoon but not the gift wrapping. Since DD2 is continually hanging off me saying "Pick me up" I'm going to save that task until she's in bed.

For supper we had grilled cheese sandwiches and grapes. It's very similar to our lunch today, but the girls didn't care at all. Tonight I'll probably feel like munchies so I'll probably eat my air-popped popcorn with dill pickle flavouring.

It seems that wherever I go around the house, there is a mess immediately after I've tidied it. Isn't that always how it is before company comes? I'm trying to get ready for the gift exchange at our house tomorrow evening and I'm not getting too far. My goal this evening is to make the house as presentable and tidy as possible and have the dining room table set for 7 adults and 7 children. I know that I have all day to re-tidy before they come, but I want to be one major step ahead.

DH wants me to bake bread in our bread machine for tomorrow's potluck garlic bread. As soon as I sign off that's where I'm heading. I like to wait until about an hour before it's done and take the dough out and put it in two breadpans and let it rise. Then I'll bake it in the oven to have true, ole' fashioned bread. Mmmmm

QM · 12-23-2008, 09:48 PM

I'm so tired. DH has been running a few errands for the past couple hours. I bathed the girls and tidied the entire upper floor. After the girls' bath I put DD2 to bed and got DD1 to 'help' me wrap presents. She's so cute. She kept on saying "I love Christmas. I love Christmas. I can't wait until Daddy opens his candy from me and lets me eat it." After DD1 labeled all the presents with her cute handwriting I let her put stickers on the presents. She used all kinds...princess stickers, halloween stickers, 'good job' stickers.

The dining room table isn't set. I'll do it tomorrow. Yesterday I washed some play equipment that was from outside. We were letting the pieces dry in the dining room. (I suggested to DH to bring in the plastic playhouse and cube slide for toddlers from on our back deck and put it in the basement.) By the time DD2 was done putting her stickers on all her presents and me bringing all the play equipment pieces to the basement, I'm done in.

Instead of taking out the bread from the bread machine and baking it in the oven, I'm going to let it finish in the bread machine. Hopefully DH will wrap up the bread before he goes to bed.

I think the fact that I've been going to bed between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. is the reason I'm so tired. I'm going to bed as soon as I sign off. Tomorrow is going to be a very big and busy day...

**homesteadmamma** · 12-23-2008, 10:03 PM

You've been one busy gal. I hope you have a wonderful time with your company. You'll have so much fun watching your girls at Christmas. Little ones always are just too cute during this time of the year.

**MommyBliss** · 12-23-2008, 10:17 PM

I love hearing about what you are doing! That is awesome! Have a fun time tomorrow.

QM · 12-24-2008, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by MommyBliss

I love hearing about what you are doing! That is awesome!...

Thank you! Since not many people reply on this thread (but I see that quite a few people have viewed my challenge), I often wonder if my everyday life is at all interesting. Thank you for replying and the compliment!

**homesteadmamma** · 12-24-2008, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Quiltin' Mama

Thank you! Since not many people reply on this thread (but I see that quite a few people have viewed my challenge), I often wonder if my everyday life is at all interesting. Thank you for replying and the compliment!

I think we all have interesting lives in one way or the other. I love reading your thread along with all the other challenges. It inspires and encourages me and I'm sure it does for most who read them. Just keep posting and we will keep enjoying.