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More Quilt shopping (guys you are warned)

January 3rd, 2007 at 03:47 am

Dang quilt. I cut and sewed the blocks, then realised I didn't have quite enough material (you'd think I'd learn from the past...). So today I went to Joann's to get some more - It was $1.00 off when I bought it before but today it was 30% off. As the fabric was $5 a yard that was a better deal. If I bought too much It just means I haves some for pillows - always a good thing Smile

I'll likely have to buy more at the quilt store as I need a few more lengths of some of the secondary fabrics too.

Other purchases were more melatonin. I'm sleeping like crap these days. Am also making sure not to have caffeine after noon *sigh*.

CVS shopping trip

December 31st, 2006 at 11:46 pm

I'm still new to the CVS thing - haven't started on the Extra Bucks deals - but I did some good shopping there today. Spent $30 and saved $20 with deals, coupons and various stuff. I'm happy with what I bought and other than some 75% off hershey's kisses and m&m's I stuck to my list

Woo hoo - I'm happy with me for sticking to my list. Well other than the chocolate .. but it was such a good deal LMAO

Bought Belated Birthday gifts

December 30th, 2006 at 12:33 am

Bought the boyfriend his belated birthday gifts today - his birthday was last month. We did really really well though we did go to a couple stores and strike out.

But K-Mart had sweats on sale for $6 a piece - with the elastic around the foot that he likes - so he got two pairs. They didn't have the right sizes at the first K-Mart we went to but they did at the second one!

Shirts weren't well discounted at JCPenney but we were able to find some on the deep discount rack for $7 each at Syms. Syms has about 50% off regular retail prices as there regular prices and we got another 50% off because they weren't packaged all pretty like in plastic - worked for us.

I"m really happy not to be owing him birthday gifts!

After Xmas Sales

December 28th, 2006 at 02:54 am

I had a great day today. Met a friend for lunch and used a Christmas gift card to treat the two of us! We went to the Olive Garden. Dave, whom we both hope was on his second day of work, was our server. He looked about 12 and he was trying - which was luckily more amusing than anything else. Olive Garden isn't in Canada any more so it was a nice chance to enjoy their salad and breadsticks once again!

After that we hit the stores. Saw a gorgeous skirt for $50 but marked down 30% that I am regretting now not trying on. *Sigh*. Oh well, if I still think of it in a couple of days maybe I'll go out there and try it on (and maybe I'll luck out and it will be further reduced). A peasant skirt but in a plush winter material that could be dressed up or down.

Bought a bunch of Christmas containers for a cookie basket thing I do each year. And some quilting material. Was surprised, by the quilting material. I expected it to come in around $25 in total and it came in under $19. I hadn't factored in a $1 off sale. Now to find a pattern and do something with it tomorrow. I have something in mind, we'll see if it stays in my mind tomorrow when I'm planning to sew

I'm so bad

December 24th, 2006 at 03:07 pm

I'm so bad. I've been regifting some of the things I've got for Christmas this year. Mostly chocolate stuff. I'm not wanting to eat a ton of it so I'm passing it along to be enjoyed while it is still fresh.

Emergency Fund

December 23rd, 2006 at 12:38 am

Moved the money from my mom's estate (dang that is still hard to say) into my ING account. Now the money is in there I can say I can now fund about about 4 months of expenses from my emergency fund. I feel good about that! Might go a bit longer if I stop all savings and live very frugally.

I'm happy about this a bit early. The money will transfer over next week. But dang it, it still feels good to have it all done and not as something I'm procrastinating doing.

Rent reduction notice

December 22nd, 2006 at 02:14 am

Notice from the Rent review board that because the landlord got a 5.73% reduction in property taxes that they are required to pass on 20% of that to me, so I get a 1.15% reduction in my rent starting in January.

I'm sure if it wasn't mandated that I'd get no reduction so I'll take this happily! A nice present!

Walmart and the Trampoline

December 12th, 2006 at 01:20 am

I had to pick up an inexpensive serving tray so I popped into Walmart on the way to work today. This Walmart for some reason has a huge trampoline mounted on the front of the building (I guess with the legs cut off as it is flush against the wall). The trampoline has been there for years and its now starting to fall apart. Very classy (not) of Wallyworld to have it hanging there on the building. You think the manager would notice when he goes to work everyday that this thing is an eyesore.

Anyways it was a great trip for what I needed. Got a present for $5 less than I saw it for the other day and also got the serving trays I needed. Very cute. They weren't with the Christmas stuff but in the back crafty section between fabric and wool.

In and out fairly quickly. If you do need to go to a walmart for anything - first thing in the morning isn't a bad time at all.

A confession

December 6th, 2006 at 03:48 am

I have never in my life balanced my chequebook and have no plans to start.

I save off of the top (automatic debit) for retirement, have a small
emergency fund, and keep a healthy balance in my chequing account (I'm blessed I don't live paycheque to paycheque). All my bills but two are taken from my account automatically. The two cheques I write are for the first of the month.

I look at my statements when they come in. Usually I can figure out what I've spent. Never seen anything weird on them. They get then get filed.

I do meet with a financial planner 2 or 3 times a year to go over where my investments are and I may tweak things then. The rest of the time I don't think about it at all. Sometimes I may open a statement but that's what the meeting is for. I don't have to.

I have two short term financial "things to do". One is to figure out approximately my Jan 1 raise and put the entire raise into savings. Once I figure out the added amount I'll get the automatic withdrawals
changed and then I can forget about it again. The other is to bring up my emergency fund to a larger amount. But I get a bonus in Feb most years - so that is on the backburner until then.

I feel wrong doing it this way but it works for me. I have no need to get more exact. My geek side thinks about balancing to the penny but its not interesting to the rest of me. I have no problems doing it this way. If it ends up being a problem I'll change. I refuse to add to my guilt or things to do...

Shopping and Driving

November 21st, 2006 at 03:37 am

I drove and shopped and drove and shopped today.

I lost my CVS virginity. LOL. Hadn't shopped there before. I stayed away from the Extra Care bucks deals (didn't need the items they were on) and combined coupons and 2 for 1 sales. So I'm happy. The store had a nice energy and the cashier was very helpful and friendly.

I've decided that Bath & Bodyworks is evil because it helps me lose my self control. Good news is I took advantage of a special there and got a small gift for each of my coworkers (the antibacterial scented soap) for an excellent price. The majority of my spending there was for stuff for me from their True Blue Spa line, and I did use a coupon to offset some of it *yeah yeah* I justfy really good don't I? I spent about $25 on me so I could have been way worse. One day I'd love to go in there and go nuts on that line...

No other real shopping highlights. A funny moment when I bought some intuition refills. The regular price was $9.99 on sale for $7.99 - they were in the check out aisle (I'm such a good well trained consumer noticing them). I grab them because I have a $2 off coupon making them $5.99. Of coruswe they ring up at $9.99.

The cashier says no problem, after I show him the tag (well it was right there no need a price check on aisle 21) and he says "oh I'll just do the coupon twice if that's okay". I said sure but won't you be off. Where upon he told me they get too many coupons to count them (huh?). I was sad there was no scanning code of practise. I really need to look into that to see if there is one in the US and how to know if the store participates and what to do when stuff rings in wrong.

A investigation for another day I think, LOL.

The border was easy but I didn't end up going into duty free - I was in the wrong lane and traffic was bad.


Great Shopping tonight

October 27th, 2006 at 12:58 am

Picked up some specials tonight

20 Boxes of Kraft Dinner aka Kraft Macaroni and Cheese @$0.50 each with 10 coupons buy 2 save $1.00

9 boxes of Whole Wheat Pasta @ 1.00 each with 9 coupons for buy 1 save $0.50

4Litres of Milk $4.69 save $1.00 plus $1.00 off coupon.

Total spent $7.19

Had a bad moment when the cashier tried to tell me I only could use 5 coupons, but that got straightened out pretty quickly.

The KD will go to a local food bank.

I love shopping trips like this one Smile

WW Meeting

October 26th, 2006 at 01:36 am

I went back to Weight Watchers tonight. I haven't managed to get there the last month with all that's been happening.

They were absolutely fabulous. I walked into the meeting feeling horrible. But I was treated so well. When I told the receptionist what had happened she waived the $25 "rejoin/new member fee". The meeting itself was relevent to me, friendly and interactive. and I had a chance to talk to the leader afterwards. I feel remotivated and ready to start again.

My spirit is feeling lighter - and if I keep to the plan my body should soon be lighter too. And unexpectedly, it all didn't cost me was much as I thought it would so my wallet isn't quite as light as I thought it would be.

A good shopping trip.

October 22nd, 2006 at 07:13 pm

Went out last night to get some wire/plastic thingys (the technical term, LOL) to put in my cupboard so I could put more dishes in less space.

Checked a dollar store - nothing. Checked Zellers (the Canadian version of Target/Kmart) Nothing there but people who had mastered the art of stategically placing themselves so that they, their cart and their family blocked anyone else's progress around the store.

Got a cup of tea and a doughnut - gotta love Timmies. I figured after getting so irritated caffiene and sugar were required. As predicted once those were in my system I was a lot happier with life.

Went to Home Outfitters (Canadian version of Bed Bath and Beyond or Linen and things). Lots of 25% off sales and a spend $50 get a $20 gift card to use in the store. Well I had a $75 dollar gift card that was good in the store from last Christmas.

I bought:

*set of flannel sheets
*Nordica Bedskirt (marked down to 25% off of the orginal price)
*2 of the plastic/wire thingys for the cupboard
*set of christmas mugs (xmas present for Killer Kringle or other xmas event we are at)
*set of 2 travel mugs (again for the Killer Kringle or other small xmas gift we might need.

I'm pretty happy. Everything was 25% off except the wire things, and I only had to spend $3 (with taxes it all came to $78).

And I now have a $20 gift card. Not too happy that there is red tape on it. Use between Oct 30th and Nov 12, and need a minimum $50 purchase. But, that's 40% off if i spend $50 and no reason I can't plan some xmas shopping for this store during that period. Usually can get some good deals there if I'm careful to shop sales etc. I want to have my shopping done early this year so that will hopefully help move me along in the right direction!

I'm a geek (look at my pretty spreadsheet)

October 21st, 2006 at 11:45 pm

Just to prove I'm a geek I did a spreadsheet of all the fiesta I bought, how much I paid vs how much the MSRP is and the "sale price on the web is).

I spent $147 on the Fiesta I bought. Had I bought all the pieces full price the MSRP the total would have been $854. Had I bought the pieces on sale (prices are from Macy's sale prices posted on the web and dinnerwareusa.com's sale prices) I'd have spent $592 to purchase what I bought. Sales taxes and shipping/gas are excluded from the above figures.

If you feel like confirming just how geeky I am please feel free to look at my spreadsheet. This was the first thing I've done on Google Docs. Geekiness loves company Smile

Text is http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pMippNKNPqWttbicnuxaebg and Link is
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pMippNKNPqWttbicnuxae...

Made money with a pyramid referral contest

September 14th, 2006 at 07:07 am

I don't normally do those refer friends and get rewards type of promotions. No thanks. That's a great way to lose friends. And it banks on your friends refering people too. A pyramid scheme of sorts.

One of the drugs stores up here has a loyalty card. You get points when you spend money at their store.

They have all kinds of promotions. The last one was a "refer your friends and family" promotion. For each direct and indirect referal who spent $50 on the THE day you got 2000 points plus 20X points on whatever you bought. Maximum 100,000 points from referals. Create a pyramid of friends and make them all spend money with us on this day!! Woo Hoo!

Well I joined a chain of referals through a message board I'm on up here. The owner of the board organized everyone into three lines (was meant to be two but it ended up being three). She had a member of the Board refer me then she gave me another members name to refer under my name. I sent it to a couple of people that I know but while a couple signed up I don't think any spent any money that day. My friends aren't the sort to get all excited about these sorts of things

She (the owner of the site where I got my referal and who gave me the one referal to do) did one damn good job doing this. I spent my $50. Got 11000 points from that. I ended up with 100,000 more points from referrals. Somehow I managed to have 50 indirect and direct referals each spend their $50 that day. For total of 110,000 points. I actually had some so I have 120,000 points

They have a bonus on this weekend. Spend 75,000 points and and get $200 off your purchase. 40,000 gets you $100 off your purchase. Usually you have to spend more points to get that level of savings so this is a very good dealYou can use these for almost anything in the store. Its a large drug store - think Eckard or CVS or Walgreens. That type of chain.

Cost to me $50
Benefit approximately $300 in free merchandise.

Savings approximately $250

Now to figure out what to buy. I'm stocked up just having spent $50. They do these periodically so maybe I should wait til the next one to cash them out.

Or I can buy some Christmas presents in advance. Too bad you can't use them for gift cards.

Such a horrible stress to have eh?

I have retirement money out there I forgot

September 13th, 2006 at 03:00 am

Sounds stupid on my part eh? It is. But it not like I lost the passbook or have the account statements going to the wrong address.

I have 2 defined benefit pensions from companies that I used to work with that I'm a deferred vested in. So when I get to retirement age I have some money coming from them. Not much but I go by the theory it all adds up

I could have taken the money from these but I think (going by memory here) both are indexed therefore it might be hard for me to do as well.

I have never seen any statements from these pension plans. As an employee you get statements very year I don't get statements from them. I don't know if as a deffered vested I am supposed to or not. I haven't moved so its not that they are sending them to a wrong address.

My boss is an actuary, even though he's not a pension actuary I'll ask him if I'm supposed to get statements. He's geeky enough to know that - and honest enough to tell me if he doesn't know. He'll also likely be able to tell me who to ask if he doesn't know.

Stopped Procrastinating - Finally

September 10th, 2006 at 01:37 am

Rhetorical Question of the day: Why does it take longer to procrastinate the task then do it?


I've been really hesitant to finish getting my ING account set up and dilly dallying on making the phone call to set up my PIN etc. I made that call about 15 minutes ago. It took about 5 whole minutes to get it all set up.

In the last 15 minutes I did the following:

1. Made the call

2. Paid my visa bill via my bank website

3. Transfered money into my ING account


I'm a happy camper! I once again owe no money and I have moved my emergency fund along. Woo hoo!

But it was such a good deal... (Savings tip)

September 3rd, 2006 at 02:08 am

Savings tip of the day - if you are buying it because its a good deal, you shouldn't be buying it. It is simple. The way to really save is to not spend money on things you don't need.

Yeah, I buy stuff in this category too. But less so when I remind myself that I save even more if I don't buy it.

Added one more to my collection

August 21st, 2006 at 03:43 am

Got me one more of those dangly store cards that get me money off at a grocery store. This one for Quality Foods. There is one I pass just off of the NY Thruway.

Got me some decent savings, so I didn't feel too badly about adding it to my collection of key chain danglies. Used my boyfriend's addy and included a phone number fairly similar to his. Frankly I just want the savings. I can live without the profiling.

Have to pull the actual card out of my wallet, too many store cards in it make it too heavy.

Survey and two free meals

August 15th, 2006 at 02:41 am

I got paid for a survey last week. One of those that pays a few $ by cheque each time you do one. They asked if they could send me a free sample.

So today I got two free meals delivered to try sometime this week! And I'll get paid for another survey after I eat them.

A nice bonus and when I get it another $5 for the challenge

Today's Saving To Do List

August 14th, 2006 at 06:18 pm

I want to ensure I do this tonight.

1. Read info from ING and set up link with my online banking service so I can easily transfer funds.

2. Call Air Miles people and ensure they have correct information on file for me.

Savings Increased

August 11th, 2006 at 03:45 am

Went in to see the financial advisor and his assistant. I so like her. She's so sweet! Always so happy to see me.

Increased my retirement savings by $200 a month. I'm feeling good. This means I'm now doing 10% of gross into retirement savings plus what I'm contributing to my work Pension Plan plus what I contribute to government retirement plan.

Note to self: Add up total contributions. This should bring me to my 15% goal if not over.


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