Organizing for supper

Our deep freezer was bursting at the seams, a great problem to have, but it can be a challenge. I was soon going to count getting ingredients for dinner as cardio.  

Yesterday I washed out some dish bins I had in the basement and laid them out by the freezer. 

I assigned each a category, desserts, chicken, fruit, and vegetables.  

They stack nicely on top of each other and I wish I had done this before. I kept my hamburger  in a shopping bag still to fill the space on the side.  

I then took a tally of each item and taped it to the freezer door. I have done this for a few years it makes “shopping for ideas” easier.

It pays to be frugal 

 

August Budget

Tomorrow is the first day of a new month.  Have you made your budget yet? I absolutely love it when the first if the month is the first day of flyers day! Man, I am a nerd!
Don’t forget that school supplies need to come out of the budget for this month.  My daughters also need $6 for their agenda on the first day of school. I like to have that in their book bag when we place the school supplies inside.
2 pairs of sneakers are needed ( I cheat and try to get them at a thrift store and clean them with resolve and magic erasers) for school, as well as a new outfit for back to school.  This is my highest month for the clothing budget.
Some activities also need to be paid this month, even though the classes don’t start until September.
Man what am I forgetting?

It pays to be frugal.

Christmas...5 months from today!

Well, it’s that time of year where I mention that dirty word...Christmas🎅🏻 It is 5 minus from today, do you have a plan?

Today I picked up this nice reusable bag at Sobeys for about the same price as a gift bag from the Dollarama.  My mom loves plants and I will use it for her gifts and then she can reuse it when she shops.  I plan to pick up one or two a month with my grocery shopping.

I have a bin that I use just for adult gifts.   When I see things cheap ( and I start on Boxing Day) that I think would be a good gift for an adult I throw it in this bin. I keep the bin in the same place all year so I know where to look for fast hostess gifts, birthday and Christmas presents.

I have hidden way up high, gifts for my children.  As I see things they will like I pick it up and put it in their bin.  Each child has a bin and a bag that is for their Christmas stocking.  I check it every few months to see how much I’ve bought.  I take notes on what is in each bag for them.  My mom and husband also have a bag up there.  Morgan, don’t peek after reading this!

I also have an envelope for my budget that is for Christmas.  Determine how much you want to spend. A year on decorations, gifts, food and wrapping paper and cards.  Divide it by 12 and start tucking money away.  I absolutely love Christmas and it doesn’t cause me stress. I attribute it to my planning.
 Comment on our Facebook page how you prepare and save for Christmas we can all learn from each other

It pays to be frugal.

How much do you use?

OK it’s no secret that I love to stockpile items.   When I see a deal I love to take advantage of it and maximize it to the full potential.
There are items that I stock pile excessively, most of which are toiletries.  I know I am always going to use razors, soap and toilet paper and these items will never go bad.
I encourage you to take a moment and do a little inventory of your items.  Count how many you have and then see how long it takes to use the product.  This will help you be aware of how much you truly use and be able to begin to maximize the deals.
I’ll use toilet paper as an exa,ple. Oh I have a lot in this house, oops, but we’ll it was cheap and I have the space to stockpile. In the linen closet I stock the shelf and count each roll once a year and out a piece of paper by the item or a note on my iPad.  I know on March 9 I filled the shelf, and I know that  July 14 it was empty. During this 4 month and 5 days period we used 76 rolls of toilet paper.  I know for sure that 6 packages of my favourite brand lasts 4 months, or on average 18 packages a year.  This will help me plan out the buying cycles of the year.

 I encourage people to shop the flyers and take advantage of loyalty offers and coupons to get the best bang for your buck.
It pays to be frugal.

Be aware of loyalty points

I was grocery shopping early this morning, and I noticed a lot of bonus Air Miles on items. Now we all know I love my miles, but I want to take a moment and warn you about them.  I will use this product as an example.  Usually this box is on sale for $1.89 at various stores.  If you are shopping to just collect Air Miles you would spend  $19.74 on this to get $1 worth of Air Miles.  Or, if you wait for a sale you spend $11.34 for the same product. I would rather have the $8.40 in my grocery budget envelope then 10 Air Miles.  

Yes, miles and other loyalty points are awesome but I strongly urge you to know your prices before you make your decision.  

It pays to be frugal 

This gadget saves me $$

Ok, so I have no clue what this item is called! Do you have one?
It slips on the bottom of a tube of toothpaste.  Every single drop ends up getting out of the tube with this.
I am sure I get an extra week out of a tube once I out this on.  I’ve not taken the time to notice how long a tube lasts, but I am sure I save a few bucks a year with it, and that’s worth it to me!
It pays to be frugal 💰
#itpaystobefrugal

Reusable Containers

We try to re-use things that are around our home.  Folgers containers are air tight and great for storage of many different types of items. BUT they are ugly.  On the weekend I found a half used can of paint, leftover from when we painted he house.
I decided to paint the ugly Folgers containers. They each received 2 coats, honestly it was less than 2 minutes per can, per coat.  They aren’t perfect, but I love them 100% more than the original packaging.  I don’t t know how they will hold up since the paint wasn’t t made for plastic, but I’m will to chance it for 20 min  of free labour.  I plan to put chalk board labels from the Dollarama on each container.  
It Pays to be Frugal. Join Guess Who’s Cheap on Facebook

Time to get Serious...

Wow, where have I been? It has been a very long time since I have blogged but it is time to get back in the game.
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  Together with our Guess Who's Cheap community we can achieve great things!
STAY TUNED!
It pays to be frugal.

April Budet

What’s that expression...a day late and a dollar short? Well I am a day late sharing about the April Budget and I want to make sure you aren’t a dollar short!
In Canada the Carbon Tax came into effect yesterday.  I feel this is going to see a rise in every area of our budget. For this month I am adding an extra $20 to be a cushion to feel out the transition of implementing this tax in each category

April sees a few new Budget Lines
-our daughter’s birthday
- Easter
-paying our tax professional for Income Tax Prep
-away for a day for a dance competition

It is important to create a budget each month  because no two months are the same.

Maximize Your Offers

By now you have figured out that I love coupons and deals.  I also love to share them with you. 

Today I did my grocery shop at my favourite store, No Frills.
Before I went I checked my PC Optimum App on my phone to see if any offers jumped out at me.   Today was the Holy Grail of offers with 600 points on each can of No Name canned vegetables.  Regular price is 77 cents again.  After points it makes the cans 17 cents each!
I bought 12 of each can that my family eats, and I also bought can tomatoes making it 40 cents a can.
When you have a great points offer, maximize it and make it work for you.  It is the perfect time to build up your stock pile

If time permits I try to walk through the grocery store and search for coupons. Today I found a coupon booklet as seen in the picture.   I bought two boxes of Cheerios for $2.77 each and used a coupon for a free box of Maple Cheerios!
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A few things to save $$ today

Today I am trying to get organized. A life goal honestly lol
After reading the blog feel free to comment here or on a Guess Who’s Cheap with your Savings ways 

Here are some things I did to help me stay organized financially:

I did my daily survey in Swagbucks and did some internet searches until I earned bonus Swagbucks. I earned 7 SB today. You can also online shop here if you choose. Here is my link to Swagbucks if you don’t already Swag. We each get a perk I redeem mine often for Amazon gift cards 

https://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=3195774&cmp=197&cxid=2000-app

I did a survey on Caddle and earned a nickel. It adds up fast I swear.     Download Caddle on your device and use my referral code MEGHAB57752 we each earn $1. At $20 cash out. There are surveys almost daily and Thursday mornings it changes with new items for cash back with a receipt upload

I checked CO51 but nothing g there today. Here is my link, it’s like Caddle with shopping and surveys we each get a perk if you sign up from me 

https://checkout51.app.link/6qdfYwuwVQ

These 3 things took less than 2 minutes! I did it while my Bodum was brewing 

My husband put the final touches on 30 bottles of home made wine. PRICELESS

Put my veggies in my Tupperware produce savers so it lasts longer

Unplugged everything when done with it and turned off lights

My daughters painted crafts to be birthday presents. We used paint that was left over, and the items were a quarter each in a yard sale. I think they look cute, they will personalize them before the party and also give some candy with it and a trinket voila.  Birthday parties can get so expensive! 

Meal planned for the week using the freezer and pantry items 

Had some pots and pans to wash so hand washed dishes 

Listens to PodCoin while doing a few things, each 10 minutes earns money towards Amazon GC. I love podcasts.  

Start small with your financial goals. Not everything has to be big, little things add up to save money too. 

It pays to be frugal. 

Surprise Coupons

I love coupons.  Coupons help save money on products that I am purchasing anyways. Don’t worry about those negative thoughts around coupons, think of using coupons as a game.

I love tracking how much money I save using coupons, it motivates me to continue using them.  

Be careful not to fall into the trap of using coupons on items you wouldn’t normally buy because you are excited to use coupons.  That’s when the manufacturers win the coupon game and not you!

I am often asked where I find coupons.   Today I’m going to share the surprise places where I find coupons.

This gem for a free McDonald’s Mocha and a small cookie was found on the back of a package of ground coffee.  I found the bag of coffee on the discount shelf at Sobeys and brought it home very proud of scoring the coffee for 3.99.  At home as I was putting it away I found the coupon printed in the back of the package.  Score ☕️ 🍪 

I have also found coupons on the packages of cereal, yogurt, and granola bars.  

Take time to look at packaging before you throw it away, it may save you some money.

It pays to be frugal 💰

What do you re-use?

I was inspired by another Facebook group that was discussing items they are reusing in new ways. It has inspired me to share my dirty secret.

I  love being cheap!  Our laundry basket died a slow painful death, taking two years of wire and duct tape to finally die.   I could go out and spend $10 on a new one, or I could repurpose things that we already have in the house.   

You know how Tupperware lids go missing? Somehow our house also looses lids to Rubbermaid containers.   Since the death of the laundry basket we have been using this tote and it is working well.  We don’t have any desire to go out and get a new laundry basket this is working just fine, and it gave life to an other wise useless item laying around our house. 

What are you repurposing to save money?

It pays to be frugal. 

New Envelopes

I have been using the envelope system for a while to track expenses.  I had been using the pre-paid envelopes that come for free.  I went to the Great Canadian Dollar store and bought a 10 pack of money size envelopes for $1.15.

I took one apart very carefully and traced it on various scrapbook papers. Then I cut them out and put packing tape all over them to give a laminated look.

 I had some fun scrapbook letters and put them in each envelope as a heading.

I printed a table in word and taped it to the back of each envelope.  I will record each purchase and replace monthly.










I like these better than the recycled ones that I have always previously used.   These also fit into my wallet.  
It pays to be frugal.

February Budget

January seems to last forever!! Finally a new month is here and if you haven’t already created your budget, get cracking!

February is the shortest month of the year but it is our most expensive month.  Our house and cars insurance is due this month.   We pay for the year upfront for the small discount for doing so.

February also has the day to spend lots of money...Valentine’s Day.  This day is often forgotten about in the budget.  Plan for it.    

Another thing about February is that it is REALLY COLD!!!  To get some relief from the cold our heater gets turned up higher resulting in larger power bills.   Plan that in your budget.

Mmmm am I forgetting anything?

It pays to be frugal.   

Freezer Inventory

On the weekend I tackled my deep freezer.   I have to say that this is a daunting task.

I took everything out of the freezer and out it in the floor.  I then sorted all the food into piles in the following categories:

Meat

Fruit

Desserts

Vegetables 

Those items went into reusable Sobeys bags.  As I put the items into the bag I wrote down th either name and created a tally mark for each item.  

Then the other items I put in the freezer near each other and also recorded it on the sheet

When I was done I taped it to the front of the freezer.  The plan to keep it organized is each time we take something out of the freezer we will cross off th etally.  For the month of February I plan to spend $75 or less a week on groceries.  Wish me luck!

It pays to be frugal.  Join Guess Who’s Cheap on Facebook 

Sell Your Stuff Part Two

Now that you have all of your items in a milk crate, you are ready to take pictures.   ( if you collected more than one milk crate of items, way to go! )

I have a Christmas wreath hanger that I throw over a door for taking pictures.  I also have a kid size hanger and an adult hanger depending on the size of the item. 

Hang the item and take a picture if the front and the back of the item, I also take a picture of the tag and size.   

Items that aren’t clothes  if they can hang on the hanger it’s best for the pictures.   

Items that can be laid flat on a dining room table for a picture works also.  Remember the more pictures you can take the better and make sure you have good light. 

I suggest the milk crate size so it doesn’t get overwhelming.   Plus you don’t want to post more then 10 items a day since it bumps items down on a page. 

I created a FACEBOOK account for buying and selling items, and following groups.  I suggest this since Buy and Sell sites tend to take over your feed.  

I try to list things on FACEBOOK primarily.   You only need to create the ads once and then click post to other groups.

Items that are high value I post on KIJIJI also.  

Item size that don’t sell in a week I write in the comments the new price.   If it still doesn’t sell you can delete the item and repost it at the lower asking price.  

Items that don’t sell I box up to have a yard sale in the summer.  I also always have a bag in the go for low priced items to drop off to charity donations.  After a yard sale any items that don’t sell I donate. 

When I was getting out of debt I put the money once a month onto our mortgage.  Now I deposit it towards our trip funds. 

Good luck. I am sure once you reap the rewards of your effort both financially and from finding less clutter more relaxing. 

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It pays to be frugal. 

Sell your stuff part one

It’s halfway through the month of January and Christmas seems like a year ago.  I feel like I have a major case of the winter blahs and have been spending more time in our house than usual. I’ve been getting the urge to purge.  

I don’t know about you, but when I see clutter it stresses me out.  Since I purged our home last year I do feel more relaxed.   The added perk to purging is it can generate some extra money.  

I’ve been asked by a few people how to sell things online without getting overwhelmed.  I am going to break it into a few steps to help you out.  

I start with an empty milk crate, any small box will do.  Just make sure it is a manageable size. 

I carry it with me from room to room and scan if there is something that has been just sitting in a random spot for a hike without a real place of belonging and put it in the crate.  I’ve cut back on the amount of Knick knacks and a few end up in the crate from time to time.  

In my room when I’m frantically trying on clothes if something doesn’t fit I throw them off to the side.  Those items get collected for the milk crate.

Pick up a box and take a walk through your house and see what you no longer need and throw it in the milk crate.  

The next post will tell you what I do next to turn my clutter into cash.  Christmas credit card bills are soon going to be mailed out, or the cold has you dreaming of money for a little get away, this will help you.  

It pays to be frugal. 

Forgotten Money

It’s a fresh new year and it is a perfect time to start getting on track financially. I spent some time creating our financial goals for the year.  I then started to get creative about ways to make these goals achievable.

I took my loyalty cards out of my wallet and went in my app section of the phone.  I then made a list of every card and recorded the balance in the Notes Section of January in my Day Planner.
I plan to record the change each month of 2019. When I redeem the points I plan to take the cash value and apply it to my 2019 financial goals.

Here is a list of the loyalty cards I discovered with a cash value.  I found a few that I forgot about. Take an inventory of your cards, you may find some forgotten money.

Air Miles Dream
Air Miles Cash
PC Optimum
Swagbucks
Scene Points
Caddle
Checkout 51
PodCoin
PetroCanada
Aeroplan
WestJet
Best Western
Ebates

If you are missing and on this list contact me, some give us referral points

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Make or Save $5

Saving money can be looked at as a chore or as a game. Once I started to look at saving money as a game that I can win, I started to see an increase in how much I saved and used for debt.  

I play a little game called Make or Save $5 a Day, and for 2019 I am going to keep score. 

I plan to use my day planner to keep score. If I sell something online I will mark it with a $ sign and how much I made.  I also dream of a side hustle for this year and will record that info with a $ also.

If I save money I plan to use a ☑️ and the amount saved.  Pink sticker items, coupons and loyalty points is what I plan to use to keep score.   Flyer items sale price vs regular price is too much  effort for me in this category.  I will update monthly the progress I am making.   

I know that if I formally challenge myself I will see progress.

Anyone want to play? 

It pays to be frugal.