[Zhoen]

Hiya Frugals!!!

Just a quick check-in! I am working tonight and should be sleeping right now, but... 🤪

I have been trying to analyze my spending, and the moral of this story is that I need to keep better track and label things as I go... otherwise all of the little transactions end up looking the same and are impossible to categorize later down the line.

The only month I can really compare with is September, my first full month on the job. In October we had 2 family birthdays, plus the beginning of holiday shopping, etc. But I can say with certainty that I did a better job in January 23 that Sept 22 of bringing food and drinks for my shifts. I still drink too much soda to stay awake during the night, but it is cheaper to buy it in big bottles and bring a cup than to be buying it 20oz at a time from the cafeteria (which is totally hit-or-miss anyway.) At home, I have been trying to make more iced tea, using up some of the ridiculous quantities that were in the cabinet. FYI, Iced Earl Grey is just as meh as it sounds...

I have spent TEN CENTS at Michael's this year, and nothing at JoAnn's!!! I used my $5 certificate to buy a silicone pan that was 40% off because it is Valentine's theme. That is all ENTIRELY y'alls fault, for talking about silicone pans AND reminding me that I had that certificate... That's it, all my savings plans are derailed... I'll die in the poorhouse now... 🤣

BUT. Since starting the new job mid-August last year, I have been dutifully chipping away at the loan we got to get the house re-sided, and that is more than half-gone now. My intention is to pay it off by mid-May.

Mom and Niec30 are in their new place now, an apartment that I co-signed. It is not a dream situation, but it is better than either of them moving in with me!!! We have enough in savings to cover if they completely mess this up, but I feel like I have done a pretty good job of standing back and letting them untangle this themselves, for the most part. I am sure there is plenty of "she's so selfish" whispering going on between the two of them, but I. DON'T. CARE.

The unexpected benefit of this is that as "a lease-holding tenant," I have access to the pools, hot-tub,and workout center, should I ever wish to use them. And the EXPECTED benefit, which I celebrated yesterday, was getting a whole bunch of their CRAP out of my downstairs!!! YAY!!! I expect that this whole situation will have to be re-addressed in a few years... Mom is not getting any younger and she will never qualify for any place on her own around here with just her social security...but it buys me a little breathing room (literally) for now.

Ok, time's up, dinner is out of the oven and I should try to sleep for a few hours now... Oh, but y'all are making me smile with all the crazy weather you've been having. Meanwhile, it hasn't been bad at all here, and I am rooting for the high tomorrow to get down to 30, so I can have some color variety in my temperature blanket!!!

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Red, sorry about the bad news on the tooth. I dread the day I loose one. Like you a bridge is a solid Nope!

Zhoen, great deal on the silicone pan! I didn't even think of that. I used my coupon yesterday and bought fabric to finish a couple of charity quilts. Hope the family situation stabilizes.

Brr! It's in the teens this morning but sunny and I hope it warms up like it did yesterday. DH is taking a personal day and needs to do some things around the house. I have all the usual things to do here.

Dinner is going to be Italian style sub sandwiches, or as we used to call them "grine-dahs". Plenty of leftovers to use up this weekend as well.

 

[RedSpruce]

Spent the morning crafting with a friend. I sell mine. She doesn’t.

Had fresh fried egg for breakfast with 1 sl. multigrain toast and the tail end of a jar of hm pear jam.

Lunch was a ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato sandwich with mayo and hm honey dill mustard on multigrain bread. Slowly using things up.

This afternoon I’m having a nap, making something with limes (I recounted - there’s 15 of them - and making a kolbasa and “whatever needs using in the fridge” pizza for supper.

 

[bookwormpeg]

It's been a cold week....we are not use to this and this old body feels it....I haven't been out of the house since Monday. I did go into the garage...does that count? It's just as cold in there....today it's warm-er....55....sun is shining...better then the 30's.
Slept really late. Feeling lazy.....
Calzones for dinner tonight. I've been very good about using up what I have in freezer and pantry. Freezer actually has lots of room now.
A big restaurant distribution center is opening a store for the public this month. I can't wait to see what their have and their prices. During the pandemic they opened their big center to the public and I ordered quite a bit of stuff... the prices were really good....All I can remember getting is getting a HUGE 16 piece cheesecake for $5!!! The pieces you get in a restaurant that you pay $5 for.....I got the entire cheesecake for $5.......I do remember getting 40 lbs. of baking potatoes, pork roasts, pot roast, chicken but can't remember the prices....but it was cheap. I shared with the kids and grandkids....the potatoes were HUGE HUGE.....one could feed a family of 4.....

Monday before the cold hit I went to DG and got a bunch of bows with bells. Taking the bells off and using them in my ribbon dancers I am making. Paid .25 each for four bells and if I waited till Tuesday it would be .10 for four but I knew it was going to be cold and I wasn't going want to go out. And who knows if they would still be there when I got there. We have lots of craft shoppers here. Got 100 bells...Ordered some smaller bells from Amazon so I should have enough to do quite a few ribbon dancers......

Hope everyone is staying warm and healthy. Have a wonderful weekend.

 

[jettsmom]

Sunny and colder today. Supposed to be warmer tomorrow. Did some grocery shopping. Spent more than I planned. I did add a few things. Since dh doesn't always eat dinner, I got a couple frozen dinners for myself. A few other odds and ends for me too. I really need to eat better.

Came home and of course there is always something to clean up. I think inlaws dog puked. It was near her bed. Dh called and said she peed on the bed this morning, so I had to pull everything off and wash it. Sprayed down the bed with disinfecting spray. Just once I'd like to come home and not have any of the 3 P's to clean up. (pee, poop, puke) I started crating my dog again. That way I know who didn't do it.

Looks like the new owners are starting to move in next door. I heard it's a mom and 2 kids. Don't know how old the kids are. I guess we'll see. Hopefully they won't be any trouble. We don't need anymore problems or needy neighbors.

I saw the cobwebs that my sister was talking about. I would have cleaned them yesterday, but mom couldn't wait to dig into her food. It was like she was starving. My sister didn't have her grandkids today, so she got rid of the cobwebs, dusted and cleaned out the cabinet where the mouse was. She said she didn't do the hat rack they have in the dining room. It's on the other side of the stairs and she's really short and didn't want to fall trying to clean it. If I remember, I'll take my long handle duster over this week and clean it off.

I have a lot of disposable food containers and I'm thinking I may use those to sort the craft stuff for the girls. I can make a label to go on the outside and even glue one of the items on the outside. I've also thought about getting some kind of storage bags and putting them in the file cabinet. I've seen people do that with games. They are stronger bags than the usual zip loc type bags. I already have the containers collecting dust, so might as well use those instead of spending money.

We didn't go to dinner with dh's brother last night. He had an appointment and it was running late. We ended up getting Chinese food. Dh called today and said his cousin called and wanted to go to dinner tonight. Dgd isn't spending the night. She has a chance to go play with her cousins. I think that's better for her than hanging out with "old" people. One cousin just moved back and he loves playing with her. She'll come over in the morning and spend most of the day with us. I'm sure if she can figure it out, she'll try to spend the night anyway. She doesn't care how late it is.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[josantoro]

My sympathies to anyone going through tooth trouble (aren't we all?) I would go for a bridge rather than an implant. My back teeth are all pretty much wrecked anyway, in terms of having large fillings and would benefit from being crowned. The thing about an implant, you can spend the $4-5000, and then it might fail. Then you have to start all over, with more money. No guarantees or do-overs. My sister broke a front tooth and was over a year getting an implant, no idea how much it cost. And still does not look like the other teeth.

 

[RedSpruce]

😔. I didn’t want to hear this. From what I understand, bridges start at $3500 CAD and have to be redone every ten to fifteen years. I’m only 63. I would run out of teeth for them to attach the bridge to! Then it would be dentures, and I so am not going there.

 

[dlrcpa]

Good morning. 14 degrees here, the wind stopped during the night at least. Library hold book became available and it's a long one. I have 21 days to get through it, no renewals when there is a wait list. Hubby is still waiting for a store tech to come inspect the big screen TV that stopped working several weeks ago (still under warranty). Scheduled for today but the store postponed the appointment due to tech being "injured". I guess they only have 1 technician?
Hubby bought steaks and asparagus Thursday so I guess he is cooking supper. I hope everyone is staying warm.

 

[RedSpruce]

Good morning everyone! -21 C here, with wind chill to -36 C. I’m staying inside and making marmalade. I might find some time to write a blog post and do some crafting. I hope everyone stays nice and warm and healthy today! Take care everyone!

 

[Contrary Housewife]

It is warm with a light breeze, shaping up to be a very spring like day. Hope to get out for a walk later. Meanwhile, the cleaning never ends around here. DH might finally pack up the christmas tree. He has plumbing parts he bought 2 weeks ago and needs to return, too.

Dinner will be fried fish and sweet potato fries. Maybe a side salad if we're feeling hungry.

 

[RedSpruce]

The recipe said it made 7 - 1/2 pints. I got a wee tad more…11 - 1/2 pints. It all reached the jelly set stage of 205 F on my candy thermometer. So hopefully it will turn out fine. I see it has a bit of a floating fruit issue, despite stirring it for five minutes off the burner. Oh well, it will all taste good. Here’s the link to the recipe.

Three Citrus Marmalade

Dinner tonight is leftover pizza from last night.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Looks great! Even if it doesn't set it will be delicious. I haven't done marmalade, but I've done a number of other jams, and some set, and some don't. As long as they seal, you're good.

 

[bookwormpeg]

That looks delicious....and it looks simple....just time consuming....but when the weather is like yours, you got time...it's 55 here and sun is shining. Just making fresh veggie soup for a friend who just got out of hospital. Will take later this afternoon.
Nothing else planned. Maybe work on my pencil packs. Have 25 done and 375 left to do but I have till Nov. so lots of time. Husband is helping neighbor with her house. We hope it will be finished in a couple of weeks so she can move bck in. I think she is finally getting tired of not having her own home... And, I'll be happy when she gets in as I have a ton of stuff I have gathered for her. Not sure just how much she lost in fire last year.
Leftover calzone tonight from last night, which is what I ordered but what I wanted was a stromboli. So I was disappointed.
Hope you all have a wonderful day and stay warm....

 

[marthamfi]

Lovely Marmalade Red. the cost of teeth even with insurance now..yikes.

grey wet and 40s so normal here. was a wind storm but not bad. kids working today and dh just got home from seeing friend. all the usual errands..still trying to figure out what happened to 2 of the library books that dd was suppose to return yet not at library. will have to go though the house. got a couple of dvds from library of newer movies too we can watch later.

having a do nothing day watching tv computer and crocheting. did just order my coffee and cat food from amazon. just cus 24 pack of fancy feast is way cheaper online then in stores here now. I sorted out the downstairs pantry so know now what we have and don't. got milk bread etc so all good for now. in a couple of days get yogurt etc. there is leftover strognaff and will do smokies tonight to use up buns.

had breakfast w friend yesterday too though keep forgetting about the gift card I got at xmas to use up. have to get dh something for valentines too choc wise. and get the valentine decor out too. will see how energtic I am. have been cleaning under dressers etc for all the latest dust bunnies or more like dust cats..think the cats put all their energy into making and shedding hair. cus I do run the carpet sweeper etc every day. watered plants and fed the birds again. cats have been asleep most of the day so maybe another storm coming. ignoring the rest of the housework for now.

 

[Zhoen]

Marthamfi— you’re speaking Canadian again 😜. What are “smokies”?

 

[RedSpruce]

Smokies are big fat sausages flavoured all kinds of ways, sometimes filled with cheese, eaten in a huge hotdog bun called a sausage bun. Eaten with a lot of the gross toppings you Americans use on hotdogs! 😉😂

The marmalade set! I have nine jars that sealed and two that did not. Hubby and I will be enjoying marmalade for a while.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Sounds like bratwurst to me. They come in all flavors, cheddar, pineapple, bacon, teriyaki, tomato basil, garlic, apple, jalapeno, you name it. And of course you can get them smoked. We would eat them more often, but they almost always come with chili seasoning or pepper that DH can't eat.

 

[RedSpruce]

Warming up to +4 C today. Walking buddy and I postponed our walk until after it warms up. It’s currently -17 C.

I have a zoom call with family today. I’ll be working on a video for my ko-fi site, attending online church and crafting in-between.

Supper has changed from BBQ pork ribs to pork stir fry. I need something quick as the zoom call is later in the afternoon. We have leftovers from when company was here to use up.

 

[josantoro]

In the US we have something called Lil' Smokies, little sausages about the size of your little finger, served as appetizers with a sauce.

 

[dlrcpa]

Z enjoy your 10 cent silicone pan. When they had better coupons (40 or 50% off) I would buy parchment paper there for baking. (I have silicone baking mats now.)
Good morning, warming up today but that means wind again. Replacing elastic on hubby's thermal bottoms, he may not even need them this week! Hubby deferred grilling steak until today when it's warmer. Made pizza yesterday and a loaf of bread on the side so enough baking to carry through the week. Have a good day.