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Archive for August, 2007

The fun of using coupons at Walmart

August 31st, 2007 at 12:33 pm

Went to walmart because they had splenda on sale.

Got the splenda and a bunch of other items. Nothing outlandish. Got to the cash register and had coupons for 8 of the 11 items I bought.

I wait while the cashier serves the girl ahead of me. She does quickly and pleasantly and then does my order. As I hand her my stack a woman two back in the line does this incredibly loud noise of disapproval and huffs off. I was very very bad and turned and looked at her and said "you'll survive". I know man but gees which barn did she learn her manners in?

The cashier took forever with the coupons as she had to write the price!! on every coupon!!! I apologized to her for this being a bother but that with how much I saved it is like not picking up a $10 bill floating on the ground. I think I had about $12-$13 in coupons - so saved about 20% on my bill.

The cashier was an absolute (abet slow) sweetie. No hassle at all. Said this was her job and didn't mind and kept a smile the entire time.


But man.. its like stores work at putting an obstacle course in your way when you use coupons.

Of course my interac (debit) card took this opportunity not to work and another 5 minutes was spent playing "swipe the card". I guess I'll need to go to the bank today to get a replacement. Being without my interac would be like going naked to work.. it just is too painful to think about.

Back from a Mini Holiday

August 29th, 2007 at 12:46 pm

I'm back from a mini holiday.

A friend was at a conference in Quebec City and with how his meetings went he was able to make some time for sightseeing - so I tagged along...

We stayed at this hotel outside Quebec City - says it is 4 stars but I'd say more like 3.5 stars... our room was a bit surreal - a bit of Star Wars meets the cottage (paneled walls with this space aged drop ceiling and the best soaker oval bath tub I've seen in a while).

Anyways while not doing the museum thing (a shame as we both love them) we did get to spend quite a bit of time in Quebec City. The city is gorgeous. Well preserved and touristy yes, but still alive - people still live in the city and you can feel the energy. We were blessed in that we had a local person to take us around - a good tour guide always makes things more fun!

The biggest surprise was that the stereotype of the french as snotty and unapproachable if you are engish was totally false. The people were AMAZING. Not snotty at all and I think they all could speak English or were willing to try!

I now so want to go back there to explore more!

New Suitcase

August 21st, 2007 at 01:32 pm

I went to the local Sears Outlet store yesterday to look for a suitcase. I didn't buy the cheapest available rather I bought a roots one with plenty of pockets to lose things in and an expandable feature. I've been using a duffel bag to travel (since college) or an old suitcase of my parents. I figure it was time to upgrade (okay so I no longer want to lug a too heavy bag cause it will hurt my back).

I looked around at the discount clothes and such but I stayed strong (okay so the stuff was crap) and only bought what I had planned to buy.

MOMA Meme - the 24 hour rule

August 19th, 2007 at 04:32 pm

My best advise for saving money is to use the 24 hour rule.

Never by anything that you haven't thought of for 24 hours. So if you see that bright shiny gizmo you NEED, either at the dollar store or at th electronics store don't buy it. If you really want it, go back for it tomorrow or the day after.

Most of the time by then you have forgotten what it is you couldn't live without or you have realized its not something you can either afford or need.

I love this rule because it doesn't make me feel deprived yet it saves me money and helps me distinguish between wants and needs.

Another win - Biotherm Gift Basket

August 19th, 2007 at 02:05 am

Wow

The same store where I won a gift basket around 5:30 called me up at 7 to tell me that I'd won another gift basket.

This one had 4 Biotherm products in it.

Moisturizer (value about $15 - a tiny sample size - I've used this product before and loved it)

Body Wash $32

Hand and Nail Treatment (aka handlotion) $27

Body Milk $30

Wow .. retail value of $104.00.

Today's lesson.. enter contests at local drug store Smile







Makeover and won Vichy gift basket.

August 18th, 2007 at 11:39 pm

I went to the local drug store for a free make over by a Canadian cosmetics company. When I was there I entered a draw for some Vichy products. I won a small basket of three full size facial cleaning products.

I looked for pricing online for Vichy but I can't find it anywhere other than the UK - LOL... I'm guessing the value of this is around $70 plus or minus.. Nice!

Yeah me!!!

Girls night out and free magazine

August 18th, 2007 at 06:59 am

On the way to the Blue Jay's game with the girls I walkedfrom Union Station (subway and communter train, and passenger train station) through the walkway called "Skywalk" that goes to the CN Tower and Skydome over the railway lands.

On the walk I saw a plaque and stopped and read about two hero's who saved some lives in 1999

Text is http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2001/04/05/viatrain_010405.html and Link is
http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2001/04/05/viatrain_010405.html

I spent a moment there thinking of their heroism. Then further along the walk 2 ladies were giving out a Canadian Women's magazine for free - so I got a free August copy of Flare magazine.

We had our seats for the game in the Hard Rock Cafe so we could watch the game, eat , drink and gossip. And the jay's won!

It was a nice evening even if not the most frugal.

Pretty nail help please

August 17th, 2007 at 03:46 am

I have very soft nails that keep breaking. I've done acrylic nails in the past and didn't really like them.

Have any of you tried silk wrap or gel nails? Any preference between the two? would you recommend either?

How often do you have to get them "touched up" or filled or whatever?

I would like prettier hands so am considering this.. but not sure if it is a bad way to go. I've been told that sometimes after your nails can be horrible.

I don't want talon length ones. Just long enough so they look polished and pretty. - And maybe I'll stop biting my fingers

Yes I know this isn't overly frugal but with the rent reduction I'm feeling girly and like looking pretty. I might not do it but i want nice options.

Weird Rent "Increase" Notice this year

August 16th, 2007 at 12:41 pm

Got my rent notice today for Nov 1 - here landlords have to give you 60 days notice of an increase. My rent hasn't gone up in a LONG time. Good vacancy rates are a blessing for tenants!

This rent notice is unlike any I have ever had. Its actually a decrease of about $18 - and the accompanying sticky tells me I've paid too much rent the last 7 months so my next rent cheque I can reduce by approximately $200. Nice!

I can handle more rent "increases" like this one!

Mini Vacation next Week

August 15th, 2007 at 04:58 pm

I had mentioned to a friend ages ago that I'd love to tag along to a conference he was attending in Quebec City.

Yesterday he called me up and we booked my ticket (he had already booked his!). I have to give him a cheque to cover the cost (I hate owing money but this was the easier way to do it as I didn't have an account set up with the airline).

So next Friday morning we head out to Quebec City and return on Tuesday morning. The nice thing is that cause he has to be there anyways that I have no hotel costs. The flight was pricy but this nicely makes up for it.

I'm so excited!

Met the coupon lady

August 14th, 2007 at 06:52 am

Was going around the grocery store and noticing all the nice new coupon displays. Seems I was following the lady who puts out the coupons.

She was a sweetie. Showed me all the coupons she was putting out and even handed me 4 or 5 coupons for purfiltre milk. Normally I'd grab more than that for trading but I was gracious and said thank you. I like that type of milk so 4 will go way before the coupons expire.

She said she goes around the store once a week but once a month is the "big" coupon day.

A close call

August 13th, 2007 at 02:00 pm

On friday night I dropped my laptop computer. Visions of replacement and using it as a door stop danced in my head. Yes it was on when it was dropped.

I brought it to a friend to look at on Saturday morning but alas that didn't work out as he didn't get a chance to look at it.

Saturday night I looked online for information on how to get a recovery disk (I couldn't find one in my computer stuff). But I found this exciting thing.

Turned my computer on, hit F10 and voila a brand new computer that worked. Yup. It completely reformatted my drive and put it back to factory specs within a 1/2 hour.

Annoying cause I lost a lot of programs but I'm not a big downloader so it wasn't a huge issue that way.

The relief in not having to buy a new computer or spend $$$ getting it fixed - huge. I had visions of really having some large expenses.

Je me souviens

August 11th, 2007 at 05:03 am

That is the liscence state motto in the province of Quebec. A friend is going there for work and I might tag along. He has a conference there in a coupls of weeks and it would be very nice to go there with him

Airfare is shockingly expensive but he'd cover the hotel costs or his employer would.

It is only in two weeks so if I do go it won't be long ...


Job Update

August 9th, 2007 at 06:22 am

I got told on June 18th that I was getting a letter regarding my attitude and how I had to shape it up during the next 90 days or start thinking about a new job.

My boss was told by his boss who was told by his boss tht my attitude sucks. I have mega attitude and I did tell someone my opinion and they didn't want to hear it. Lesson learned yummy - shut up.

Anyways. It is now approximately 9 weeks later. No letter. My boss said that he thinks it might never show up. Last he knew he had brought the draft letter to HR. HR had issues about the letter being not specific enough and not giving the type of feedback one needs to address the issue. His boss had a meeting with HR to discuss it that never as far as I know happened.

Boss asked me if I wanted this followed up on. My answer was no. Why remind anyone its not done. I'm going to wait until Sept 18th and figure by then its pretty much dead - that being three month's after I was told about it.

Until then I am careful on adding to the Gross National Product by buying things.

Oh and the Sr Director was in today. I had two meetings with him where I got lots of new exciting projects.

My advice... if you are gonna do stupid stuff don't do it to people who have political connections and bitch to the very senior uppper management folks.

Geeky happiness

August 9th, 2007 at 06:15 am

Geeky happiness is realising you are not connecting to your wireless network but rather someone elses.

Geeky glee is realising you can remove that network from your list of networks you attach to automatically.

Geeky euphoria is realizing that geeks don't use names for things like the name of your network but rather random codes eush as EISSN (something like that)

Geeky giddiness is realising you can stop others from seeing your newly named network by stopping it broadcasting.

Such much pleasure. So litle extra expense to achieve it.

Life is good.

Think how I'll be next week when I figure out the defrost setting on the microwave.

I love coupons that pay for the product

August 9th, 2007 at 01:57 am

I used some $2 off any lysol product coupons today on some lysol wipes and spray that were on sale for $1.99.

Its sweet shopping when they give it to you to take home!

Okay so I did have to pay that tax. I'm set for wet cleaning wipes and spray for a while now!

You've got a beef?

August 8th, 2007 at 02:32 am

Went to the no frills grocery store (Price Chopper). A step up from Aldi but not much up.. has a small deli.

Had some rolls a friend gave me for free so I thought I'd get some luncheon meat to make sandwiches. The roast beef was a good price so I asked her for some. They only had a few hundred grams left so I got that and got about 300 grams of corned beef too.

Got home. Realised that the difference between a good grocery store and a no frills one is that you get a package of roast beef and package of corned beef when you order those at the deli. What she said was roast beef was actually corned beef.. *sigh*. I wanted roast beef.

At least it was the same price! Thank goodness I like corned beef! Made about 7 (not 87 omg I can't type) sandwiches. A couple are in the fridge for tomorrow and the rest are in the freezer.

I guess in the know frills stores knowing the difference between the different types of beef is just asking too much...

Kashi, Kashi and more Kashi

August 4th, 2007 at 07:14 pm

I was really excited a while back to sign up for a Kashi welcome kit. I figured a couple of good coupons etc..

Well they outdid themselves. I just got my welcome kit. Talk about a classy company!

4 fullsize boxes of Kashi plus 10 coupons for a free box of Kashi and a t-shirt. Maybe if i eat a better diet along with the Kashi I'll be able to fit into the medium size they sent me...

They are one classy company!

I'm an internet addict

August 4th, 2007 at 03:41 pm

My name is yummy and I'm an internet addict.

Please don't make me take a 12 step program.. I'm not quite ready to go that far...

Yeah you guessed it .. my DSL connection went down last night and didn't come up until just now.

I think I'm going to have to admit that highspeed has moved to the same place as my landline phone .. to a need rather than a want.

Fun with RAOK's / Coupon Stash

August 2nd, 2007 at 11:31 pm

I cleaned up my coupon stash today. So many expired ones.

I am so tired of having coupons that I don't get to good homes before they expire. So I'm making up a bunch of envelopes for people of coupons on their wishlists.

Strangely I've found since I've been less worried about getting and more about giving I'm happier and strangely good things seem to come my way too...

Musings and catching some trains

August 1st, 2007 at 01:27 pm

I realised yesterday that I've had to do some things to move on in my life - mostly concerned with "email clutter".

I unsubscribed from the flylady mentor group. 790 unread emails in that email box indicated to me that it was email clutter and not a list that was useful to me. I still do some of the flylady stuff just not using her list. Also unsubscribed from a couple of lists that were based in the city where my x lives. Though friends are on the list it was time to move on. Sad but good that I did.

Two trains have been stalled at my station. Coupon trains that is. One is ready to go out and so is a trade where I already got the other part of the trade. I'm such a scatterhead lately.