Here's what went on at Chez Sluggy this past week that was frugal.............
* Rebates and refunds--When the tenants moved out of the LA house we told our insurance provider and got a partial refund check because now our insurance on that place is lower. The cost went down by about HALF of what we were paying for insurance as a rental so we don't have two $1K payments to make each year and the one we made already for the year was about $20 too much for the whole year so we got a little bit back. I also sent away for a rebate check I earned years ago but forgot about claiming and received it while away on vacation.............
I haven't used E-Bates in years! I love that they say "Here's Your BIG FAT CHECK!" A whole $3. lolz We also banked a refund Hubs got on his business CitiBank card for a credit on it he had when work closed it.
* Hubs and I stayed home and worked on home projects this past week.
Hubs replaced the wooden strip in the French Door track so we could close the door properly. It was imperative to get this done before the stormy/snowy season coming.
We are waiting on estimates to get our driveway seal coated as well and the wooden deck will be cleaned and sealed next week once we get a string of dry/sunny days. While this will all require spending money, better to maintain things before letting them deteriorate and then it will cost even more to replace.
Since it's been raining lately we've also done inside work.....filing papers and Hubs spent some time going through all his crap in his spare room. We've culled 3 boxes of books to get rid of among other items.
I also tackled the upstairs hallway bookcase which serves to hold electronic hardware and software, notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, etc.
It was crammed full of stuff before. Some items were moved to where they belonged and other things were pitched(like outdated software and anti-virus). I forgot to take a BEFORE photo but here is what it looks like AFTER............
* I earned a $5 e-gas card from a Ziploc Deal I did in early June. This was expiring soon so I had to use it. Easier said than done. It was a big deal to use this at a gas station evidently but you could also use it anywhere to took Mastercard, but your total had to be exactly $5. I tried my local Sunoco gas station but the cashier said she couldn't manually put in the numbers/code there. So I took it to Rite-Aid and used it to get 2 cases of bottled water on sale for 2/$5. It took a few tries but we got it to work in their system.
I'll think twice before doing one of these again. Anybody out there do this Ziploc Offer too and NOT have a hard time using the e-gas card?
* No eating out this past week or "want" spending.
* I earned $3.75 in cash rebates on various grocery apps.
This pie cost me $2.99 after sale/$1off Q/2 x $1 cash rebates......
These were the best "Deals" at Weis last week.........
4 x Progresso Soups on sale $1.49 ea.=$5.96 I used 2 x $1/2 IPQs and got a $1 cash rebate on the purchase so $2.96 for all or .74¢ per can.
2 x Pop-Tarts on sale $1.88 wyb2=$3.78. I used 2 x $1/1 Qs I redeemed Kellogg's points to get so $1.78 or .88¢ per box. These are snacks for Daughter.
I also picked up the new Fall/Winter Weis Coupon Booklet while I was in the store........
Be sure and grab yourself a few when you go up to Weis(PMITA)Markets this week.
So what did you do this week to earn your Frugal Badge? '-)
Sluggy
* Rebates and refunds--When the tenants moved out of the LA house we told our insurance provider and got a partial refund check because now our insurance on that place is lower. The cost went down by about HALF of what we were paying for insurance as a rental so we don't have two $1K payments to make each year and the one we made already for the year was about $20 too much for the whole year so we got a little bit back. I also sent away for a rebate check I earned years ago but forgot about claiming and received it while away on vacation.............
I haven't used E-Bates in years! I love that they say "Here's Your BIG FAT CHECK!" A whole $3. lolz We also banked a refund Hubs got on his business CitiBank card for a credit on it he had when work closed it.
* Hubs and I stayed home and worked on home projects this past week.
Hubs replaced the wooden strip in the French Door track so we could close the door properly. It was imperative to get this done before the stormy/snowy season coming.
We are waiting on estimates to get our driveway seal coated as well and the wooden deck will be cleaned and sealed next week once we get a string of dry/sunny days. While this will all require spending money, better to maintain things before letting them deteriorate and then it will cost even more to replace.
Since it's been raining lately we've also done inside work.....filing papers and Hubs spent some time going through all his crap in his spare room. We've culled 3 boxes of books to get rid of among other items.
I also tackled the upstairs hallway bookcase which serves to hold electronic hardware and software, notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, etc.
It was crammed full of stuff before. Some items were moved to where they belonged and other things were pitched(like outdated software and anti-virus). I forgot to take a BEFORE photo but here is what it looks like AFTER............
* I earned a $5 e-gas card from a Ziploc Deal I did in early June. This was expiring soon so I had to use it. Easier said than done. It was a big deal to use this at a gas station evidently but you could also use it anywhere to took Mastercard, but your total had to be exactly $5. I tried my local Sunoco gas station but the cashier said she couldn't manually put in the numbers/code there. So I took it to Rite-Aid and used it to get 2 cases of bottled water on sale for 2/$5. It took a few tries but we got it to work in their system.
I'll think twice before doing one of these again. Anybody out there do this Ziploc Offer too and NOT have a hard time using the e-gas card?
* No eating out this past week or "want" spending.
* I earned $3.75 in cash rebates on various grocery apps.
This pie cost me $2.99 after sale/$1off Q/2 x $1 cash rebates......
These were the best "Deals" at Weis last week.........
4 x Progresso Soups on sale $1.49 ea.=$5.96 I used 2 x $1/2 IPQs and got a $1 cash rebate on the purchase so $2.96 for all or .74¢ per can.
2 x Pop-Tarts on sale $1.88 wyb2=$3.78. I used 2 x $1/1 Qs I redeemed Kellogg's points to get so $1.78 or .88¢ per box. These are snacks for Daughter.
I also picked up the new Fall/Winter Weis Coupon Booklet while I was in the store........
So what did you do this week to earn your Frugal Badge? '-)
Sluggy
I'm over spending on the grocery budget, due to the weekend and my Wednesday tough night, and hubs went loose in the store. However, I stayed mostly on track for meal planning, and other than a date lunch with hubs, we did not eat out or get take out/fast food at all this week. My stomach thanks me for that! I'll just need to plan really well the rest of the month.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful my Hubs never goes "loose in the store"....though he does go loose in the beer distributor and liquor store at times. I am still trying to get back into the meal planning groove here and it's been 3 weeks+ since we came home. ugh.
DeleteHusband is cleaning out his cave? Husband replace something, how much whining and how long, and ......
ReplyDeleteHad my attic and basement, along with the cellar sillplates insulated. $$$$ but it is projected to pay for itself in 5 years. Since I have no intention of moving ever again, this works as an investment in my home as well as comfort, and anticipated, lower energy bills. Been keeping TWO eagle sharp eyes on all perishables, we really have had zero food waste, not that we ever have created much. Focus has been on using foods on hand to create recipes, and my grocery list grows. I just went shopping, spend more that I had hoped to, but it's all good as my son would say. Bought mostly must haves as well as took advantage of some coupon deals and store offers such as buy a pkg of Mrs Paul's breaded fish up to a certain weight, get a bag of store brand frozen fries up to a certain weight for free. Naturally, I chose the heaviest pkgs of deal eligible items. The fish was also on sale so figure $5 for fish and tater tots that would easily feed the 3 of use twice over. Works for me. I also grabbed 2 store brand "Dijiorno" type self rising crust fzn pizzas on sale @ $4. Cheaper than take out, if I find I need a convenience item to fall back on. Another reason I spent more than I initially planned was that after viewing the circular, I decided to take them up on a coupon loss leader hotel style turkey breast @ $1.29/lb. We love turkey, and I had already planned on cooking one next Sunday so the flash frozen one I bought today (heaviest I could find) is sitting on a tray, thawing in the garage freezer.
ReplyDeleteYeah for loss leaders and getting the weighest to maximize your savings. I am the crazy lady who weighs heads of lettuce, etc.(when they are sold by the piece and not weight). I like to have some convenience food too(bought on the cheap)for those days when the cooker doesn't feel up to cooking. About the only thing I can get Hubs to cook when I am ill is pasta so I need a back-up plan there. lolz
DeleteMostly I picked a boatload of free blackberries, got hubby to pick up a year's worth of our laundry detergent that he is not allergic to as it hit the absolute lowest price I've ever seen and came in 4 litre jugs, scoped out a cheap chicken deal for later in the week when I am closer to that store, cut up and froze a bunch of tomatoes as my cherry tomatoes are still throwing flowers and producing like crazy, bought bowls at the thrift store after killing one on our counter - 10 for $1. Even though they don't match got a couple of pairs that do. I got hubby signed up under ebates too for any online shopping he does so I get $5 referral fee (he was buying something anyway on his amazon account). Ate at home all week - except tonight is our datenight so eating out. Pretty cheap week actually :)
ReplyDeleteYeah for cheap weeks! I could use a few more of those now. lolz
DeleteMy garage is filled with cheap laundry soap....it's on my list of "Don't Buy That" for the foreseeable future. ;-)
I have another $87 in my pocket each month after clearing out a storage unit. Since price-matching ends T MIDNIGHT Sept 11, I am still fully participating and got celery heads 2/$1. I will dehydrate. There have been other things I have forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI am all for getting rid of storage units!
DeleteSounds like you had a good frugal week. I wouldn't want to redo that Ziplock deal either. My week was good. I worked 3 days, took lunch all three days. I'm tired today and I'm staying home and being frugal. And getting a nap in later too, lol.
ReplyDeleteYeah that e-gas card turned out to be a real PITA to redeem.
DeleteI went out to get an rx(and more Rite-Aid freebies on Daughter's card)but otherwise it's a stay home kind of day here. I'll be joining you in the napping dept. too. ;-)