Metalicious : Every Penny Counts

Today's 50 % off shopping discounts at Sobey's - paid $6.39

2012-01-20T12:36:00.001-05:00

Here's what I bought for $6.39 at Sobeys:

x1 decorated chocolate cupcakes - paid $2.00
x1 decorated vanilla cupcakes - paid $2.00
x1 hot dog buns 6 pack - paid $0.99
x1 hot dog buns 12 pack - paid $1.40

Love my bargains!

Yellow Stickers all over Sobey's today : 50% off

2012-01-17T10:10:00.002-05:00

50% off stickers were plastered all over the store so I bought the following:

x4 fresh made pizza - paid $4.50ea
x1 skinless chicken breast - paid $4.44
x1 skinless chicken breast - paid $4.14
x1 brown rice california rolls - paid $3.00
x1 chocolate pastry - paid $2.24
x1 mini cinnamon buns - paid $2.50

OOP $34.32
shocking that it would have cost $68.64 at full price!

Free Cineplex movies passes and snacks!

2012-01-15T10:33:00.003-05:00

Taking DD and her friend to a Sunday afternoon movie to watch "We Bought a Zoo". DD received a coupon on her last birthday for 2 regular entrance passes, 2 drinks and 1 popcorn. In addition I have 3 Cineplex coupons found on the inside of the Old El Paso Taco kits for 1 free snack of choice (candy, popcorn, drink, nachos). I'm sure it will be a fun afternoon for the girls.

How much are you spending on lottery each month?

2012-01-09T21:21:00.005-05:00

How much are you spending on lottery each month? How frequent or infrequent do you play the game(s)? Putting the numbers down on paper may be astonishing at what is really coming out of your pockets. I have heard a phrase that playing the lottery is a “tax for the stupid”. Really?......

I do play a couple of bucks per week on Canada’s Lottario game – I choose not to spend much on the games because I have a budget for entertainment that I am very strict on. I play per week less than some people spend on coffee in a day. It’s true…. have you seen the price of a latte? Incredibly overpriced.

So why does a frugal person like me want to plunk down a couple of bucks a week to play? Because there is another phrase that sticks in my head - "you can't win it unless you're in it"!

Being Frugal : Washing Clothes

2012-01-08T10:18:00.006-05:00

A couple of times a week I wash clothes early in the morning before 7:00am, let hang dry and then fluff in the dryer late at night around 10:30pm for approx 10-15 minutes. Saves big on energy charges!

What $10.27 bought me at Walmart

2012-01-07T22:51:00.003-05:00

Went to Walmart specifically for the Schick razor and Revlon conditioner and found a few more goodies.

x1 Shredded Wheat cereal $1.97 (used a $1.00 coupon)
x3 Terry's orange chocolates $1.00ea
x1 Revlon Outrageous shampoo $1.00 (price matched from Fortino's flyer)
x2 Revlon Outrageous conditioner $1.00ea (price matched from Fortino's flyer)
x1 Schick razor incl 1 extra cartridge $1.00 (used a $3.00 coupon)

OOP $10.27 incl. tax

Update : SDM Bonus Points Mailer

2012-01-06T22:30:00.000-05:00

Today I purchased 3 bottles of Vitamins C & D @ $3.99ea and collected 1500 bonus points at SDM
I was pleasantly surprised to find a mailer from SDM offering bonus coupons on some products that I commonly use.

1500 when you spend $10 or more on batteries
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any skin care products
~~1500 when you spend $10 or more on any vitamins~~
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any hair colouring products
400 when you purchase any 5 friskie's cat food
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any Gillette shaving products
1500 when you spend $10 or more an any contact lens products
1500 when you spend $10 or more on Cover Girl cosmetics
1500 when you spend $10 or more on Tylenol products
500 when you purchase any Crest Toothpaste
300 when you purchase any Blistex lip balm
4000 when you purchase Cold FX bottle 200mg

Keeping track of Finances : a monthly commitment

2012-01-05T09:46:00.003-05:00

Keeping track of finances is critical to staying on budget. I write down each purchase and at the end of every month, I enter all the numbers into an Excel spreadsheet.

Start by keeping separate running lists for the following categories:

Misc purchases - items not listed in your monthly fixed budget
Grocery
Fuel

By keeping these three lists separate, it is easy to identify where the money is spent every month (and where you can scale back).

My Excel spreadsheet is very simple to use. I plug in the numbers each month and it will automatically tell me if I'm over or under budget.

Remember, the key to staying on track is to document every single purchase otherwise you're fooling the numbers and back to being in the dark about your financials. If you're in a relationship, your significant other must also be on board as you can't do just half a budget. You both need to commit strongly to this life long process.

Below is a snapshot of the spreadsheet I use:

My Aldo Online Purchase : Grey Suede Boots

2012-01-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

Attractive & Versatile. These are the two visuals of online shoe shopping. The third and most important factor to keeping my purchase is comfort (and can I actually walk in them)? Sometimes the third point doesn't work out and I'm forced to return but sometimes it is as if the shoe was made specifically for me.
Aldo online clearance prices keeps me coming back for more. I picked up on these great looking grey suede boots (also available in black and red). Original price $80, marked down to $27.99 (for the grey pair only).

Attractive -
Versatile -
Comfort - TBA

SDM Bonus Points Coupon Mailer

2012-01-04T13:40:00.001-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised to find a mailer from SDM offering bonus coupons on some products that I commonly use.

1500 when you spend $10 or more on batteries
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any skin care products
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any vitamins
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any hair colouring products
400 when you purchase any 5 friskie's cat food
1500 when you spend $10 or more on any Gillette shaving products
1500 when you spend $10 or more an any contact lens products
1500 when you spend $10 or more on Cover Girl cosmetics
1500 when you spend $10 or more on Tylenol products
500 when you purchase any Crest Toothpaste
300 when you purchase any Blistex lip balm
4000 when you purchase Cold FX bottle 200mg

January : Get Organized Month

2012-01-03T21:56:00.001-05:00

What is your organizing style?

I make lists, use calendars, storage what I can according to theme and utilize wall space rather than clutter the floor.

I have a collection of 1980s movie soundtrack LPs and bought LP frames from Michael's Craft Store (on sale of course). The LPs have become wall art instead of just being boxed.

Just for fun, I'll list the movies and let you reminisce about the good ol days:

Some Kind of Wonderful
Footloose
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Flashdance
Stand by Me
St. Elmo's Fire
The Lost Boys
Weird Science
The Breakfast Club
Valley Girl
Pretty in Pink
Sixteen Candles
Youngblood
Back to the Future
The Outsiders

Please Don't Clear the Store Shelves!

2012-01-02T16:58:00.001-05:00

Couponing is a way of life for millions of households and in these economic tough times, I find it very reasonable to save money in every way possible. Coupons are equivalent to money and when a store reduces an item in their weekly flyer paired with a coupon, it equals great savings. So what stops a person from buying said items? – shelf clearing! This is when another person(s) - likely with the same coupon intentions, clears a shelf of a particular product leaving nothing for anyone else. I know people pad their stockpiles and even sometimes donate to charity but I too do these things and still leave some items for the next shopper.

Without couponing, an example of this is just this past Saturday when SDM had their Saturday only specials with a limit of 4. I purchased the limit of the 3-pack Irish Spring soap .99ea; Colgate toothbrushes .88ea; Colgate toothpaste .99ea. I’ve put these items aside and will include them to donate to a local women’s shelter. See, I bought only 4 of each item and I didn’t think about going in 10 times to purchase the same amount because I know there are a lot of opportunities throughout the year to pick up on good deals. I’m a deal hunter and always looking out. J

My plead is this- unless there are a couple of the item on the shelf, please do not fill up your cart and clear the shelf. Keep others in mind because good deals need to be spread around. We all need a chance to save money.

Being Frugal : Dishwasher Habits

2012-01-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

I have the energy star appliances and avoid using the dishwasher in the evening after dinner – I use the ‘delay start’ set for the middle of the night when energy costs are lower.

Being frugal : I make my own Cinnamon Sugar

2012-01-01T14:21:00.001-05:00

I Grind cinnamon sticks and mix with white sugar = cinnamon sugar for a lot less than buying it in the jar.

Family Tradition Easy Tiramisu Recipe

2012-01-01T10:19:00.003-05:00

I made this to celebrate the first day of 2012. It's very easy to prepare and is delicous!

Note: I didn't want to make the 4-quart dish (which is what the ingredients listed will make) so I cut the ingredients in half and made a smaller version as pictured below.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp Kahlua
1 Tbsp dark rum
2 containers of Marscapone cheese
Cocoa powder
2 pkgs Savoriardi brand cookies (there will be left over)
2 “mugs” black coffee (your usual coffee mug size will do)

Prep: Have warm coffee ready in a flat bowl; add dark rum

In a large bowl, blend eggs and sugar until smooth. Add one container of cheese and blend until smooth; add second container of cheese and Kahlua until well blended. Set aside.

Quickly roll one cookie at a time into the coffee mixture (do not over soak) and line a 4-quart glass dish completely– break cookies to fit gaps in corners. Pour half of the cheese mixture over the cookies and coat with cocoa powder. Repeat this step to add a second layer.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2011 : Half a Year in Review

2011-12-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

Reflecting on my savings gives me great pride in what I've accomplished in only 6 months. Here's what I have saved since June 2011:

Redeeming SDM Optimum Points : $830 in free products & groceries
Redeeming Sobeys club points : $200 in free groceries
Redeeming CAA points : $230 for 4 free Canada's Wonderland and Movie tickets
Free gift cards earned through various sources

Sobeys : x2 Nestea mail-in rebates = $40
SDM spend $50 receive $10 Tim Horton's = $40
Stouffers Rewards = $20
Kellogg's Gas Cards = $20
Marks Work Warehouse = $10
Swagbucks = $100

Couponing : Lost track .... but is over $1,000 which includes all my FPC's!

Happy 2012!

Advil Cold and Sinus Bonus Count : $4 Coupon

2011-12-30T15:48:00.001-05:00

Current Walmart flyer has Advil Cold and Sinus on sale marked from $10.92 to $8.47. I applied the $4 coupon found on a tear pad (from Shoppers Drug Mart) and brought the price to $4.47 for a 50 count bottle. It's already opened because DH is ill this week.

Easy Rice Pudding Recipe that tastes like Grandma used to make!

2011-12-28T18:51:00.002-05:00

So much more cost effective to make at home than buy store bought versions. I found an incredibley easy and tasty Rice Pudding Recipe that I would like to share. It tastes just like I remember my grandma making but this uses instant rice.

Makes only 2 servings so I double up on the ingredients that it calls for:

1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup instant rice, uncooked
2 Tbsp of sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, rice, sugar and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 6 minutes (stirring constantly).

In separate bowl, whisk egg and vanilla until blended. Add a small amount of hot milk mixture and mix well. Pour egg mixture to saucepan, cook and stir on low heat for 1 minute (do not boil).

Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes. I also sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

My preference is to serve cold but also tastes yummy warm!

DD shops smart too : Makes a mama proud !

2011-12-27T23:35:00.001-05:00

Children do learn from example and my 10 year old made me proud. We browsed the Ardene store and she was looking for discounted items! She paid only $10 for the necklace, bracelet and earrings. The necklace is heavily beaded and the bracelet is quite heavy so I'm thinking it's glass beads.

The jewlery box pictured was a DiY project turned from an ugly brown to white adorned with glitter star stickers. Cost of the jewlery box = $8

How I was frugal this Christmas and no one had a clue!

2011-12-27T18:21:00.005-05:00

I became extra frugal this holiday season but seemed as if I spent lavishly to my recipients.

Throughout the 2011 year, I took every opportunity to collect Shoppers Drug Mart points and redeem during bonus (and mega) redemption days. I picked up a Wii console and fit game / USB sticks / earbuds, Dior, Givenchy, Million and Beckham cologne & perfume sets. I also collected free $10 Tim's gift cards for having spent the minimum of $50 (on items I would have normally purchased).
I also earn points from Swagbucks and redeemed for Starbucks gift cards, books, USB charging cables for ipods and a self gift of a latte machine.
I sold items on ebay and etsy to earn paypal funds and inturn shop on ebay for clothing to gift
Shopping at Sobey's when they offer great bonus points (ie, kraft dinner for $1.99 earning 300 pts per box) allows me to earn points quickly. I redeem at the $50 level and made gift baskets of jams, teas, mineral water, coffee, crackers, cookies, chocolates, peanuts, almonds and honey.

Zellers: 50% off one item - December 26-31, 2011

2011-12-27T14:09:00.001-05:00

I casually browsed through Zellers today to see what Holiday items were left on the shelves. I picked up a couple of packs of wrapping paper and 2 leaf ornaments that I will use to adorn the gifts for next year. Best part is that I took the 50% off one item offered by Zellers facebook (and yes I said the code word 'cucumber' to get the deal) hehe. Out of pocket was $6.73 and saved $13.00.

You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less

2011-12-26T09:33:00.001-05:00

This Christmas, I redeemed swagbucks points towards amazon gift cards. One of my purchases was this learn to draw book for my nephew and turned out to be a great hit! I paired it with a portfolio, drawing paper, mechanical pencil, crayola from the dollor store and a personal name stamp I had created from Vistaprint.

Vintage grey glassware collection

2011-12-17T13:33:00.001-05:00

Showing a sneak peak of my glassware collection that is on display in my new kitchen cupboards (behind the patterned glass door inserts). The decanter and glassware in pic 5 was sent from Australia! I l love the shapes of each piece and will continue to add other lovelies to the collection.

Kitchen Reno - Part 3 : Custom Glass Decals

2011-12-08T15:37:00.002-05:00

In an effort to have a focal point in the kitchen but still keeping costs at a minimum, we opted to have custom decals made through a shop found on etsy.com and placed on glass inserts. The pattern colour is grey to keep with the stainless steel.

The backsplash still needs to be installed but that will be in a few months - for now the range is up and functional.

My Ralph Lauren sweater and leather belt purchases - paid $13.99 !

2011-12-07T10:34:00.003-05:00

I have an eclectic style and love to find fashions at rock bottom prices (who doesn't)? I picked up this stylish orange knit sweater with boat neck, RL buttons at the neck and 3/4" sleeve length for only $9.99. The leather belt was only $3.00.