As things go, I do some shopping every two weeks or so. I don't need to, but I want to maintain stocks while it's still doable. This is not yet the time to be depleting storage, but it's coming on fast, here.
How did I save money today?
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I'm the same. I go each week to fill a cart at Aldi. 3/4 of it goes in storage. The other 1/4 is fresh stuff we'll eat that week.
Since I'm still recovering from my foot injury, I saved money today by reading a library book... and eating some of the leftovers in my fridge. Only had one beer as well, just wasn't in the mood to drink with my foot on the mend. The sooner it heals, the sooner I can ride the 'Monster Thumper' up to Cloudcroft... but I want it 80% healed before I do that, and I think it's only about 50% healed right now, as it's still stiff & sore at times. At least my range of motion is good, no worries there... I reckon it's just a matter of time, and keeping activity to a minimum so the bruised bits can heal. 
I guess another way I am saving money is that I have turned the heat off. Daytime high is up to 50 F and nightime low is 35 F. Heat just isn't needed for us until things cool back down.
I am also opening the windows during the day and getting some fresh air in. I was sweating stacking wood and had to change to a lightwt. long sleeved shirt.
I am also opening the windows during the day and getting some fresh air in. I was sweating stacking wood and had to change to a lightwt. long sleeved shirt.
As my kids were the eldest, and there were no other nieces and nephews, my family were always very generous to them at birthdays etc, so now they have children I feel I should return the favour. It's getting harder to find nice gifts, things are smaller and more expensive - I miss the days of dolls and footballs! So I've started buying their gifts for during the year, on sale. My youngest niece is getting a craft box full of things to make journals etc. Buying at half price now, and I've bought some otherwise expensive books for others.
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I needed some supplements so I went on the Swanson Vitamin website (swansonvitamins.com) and made an order over $50 so I got the free shipping too. Most of the supps were on a great sale price. It didn't take long for me to find other supps I would need soon (and even some new ones to try) to get to the $50 price since I wasn't really planning on getting that much. I compared their price to what they sell for on Amazon and the Amazon price was wayyyyy over what you could get it on their site for.
If you buy your supps at a big box or drug store, you might want to check out Swansons prices right now. I'm not at all affiliated with them, but I have ordered from them before and have been satisfied. I think Pearl might have brought them to my attention before I placed my first order with them. So, Thanks Pearl, if that was indeed you.
If you buy your supps at a big box or drug store, you might want to check out Swansons prices right now. I'm not at all affiliated with them, but I have ordered from them before and have been satisfied. I think Pearl might have brought them to my attention before I placed my first order with them. So, Thanks Pearl, if that was indeed you.
I love their site. Sometimes their shipping is faster than Amazon! If you are not a Prime member!I needed some supplements so I went on the Swanson Vitamin website (swansonvitamins.com) and made an order over $50 so I got the free shipping too. Most of the supps were on a great sale price. It didn't take long for me to find other supps I would need soon (and even some new ones to try) to get to the $50 price since I wasn't really planning on getting that much. I compared their price to what they sell for on Amazon and the Amazon price was wayyyyy over what you could get it on their site for.
If you buy your supps at a big box or drug store, you might want to check out Swansons prices right now. I'm not at all affiliated with them, but I have ordered from them before and have been satisfied. I think Pearl might have brought them to my attention before I placed my first order with them. So, Thanks Pearl, if that was indeed you.
I am headed out right now to a parking lot sale from a business (meat market) who is advertising 20 Rib Eye steaks for $40. I'm gunna have fun seeing how their blades can cut a rib eye steak into the thickness of a slice of bologna.
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Wow! Two meals brought by today...one from our amish neighbor that I drive her daughter to school. She was making lunch for the school kids today and made us a pan. It's called ham underground. Mostly ham on the bottom of the casserole, then mashed potatoes, gravy, and cheese. Then our newly widowed neighbor came by with lambchops. They raise sheep. Very sweet, and I visited with her awhile.
Should have taken a picture, but not only 1/4" thick, they were full of fat and the size of McDonald's regular hamburger
Yep, a scam, and we walked away from Shaniqua and her partner.
I ran my January numbers. Lowest it’s been in some time- still more than I would prefer, but I’m not willing to let our supply dwindle so 
I began tracking our power usage weekly. I had done it daily for a period of time but that got to be too much to keep up with. So far weekly is manageable. Our power bill was another kick in the teeth. Since tracking and trying to unplug anything possible, this month we are on track to cut it by 20%. I also picked up a meter so I can see which appliances are pulling the most juice. There’s not a lot we can do about the heating. I turn it way down during the day.
Will continue with my plans and see what happens.
I began tracking our power usage weekly. I had done it daily for a period of time but that got to be too much to keep up with. So far weekly is manageable. Our power bill was another kick in the teeth. Since tracking and trying to unplug anything possible, this month we are on track to cut it by 20%. I also picked up a meter so I can see which appliances are pulling the most juice. There’s not a lot we can do about the heating. I turn it way down during the day.
Will continue with my plans and see what happens.
Lemons can be pickled, there should be info on the internet on how to do that, all I know is to stuff sliced lemons in canning jars with canning salt.
I kept all my receipts through Jan to compare and see what I could cut. I'll be 300 less a month after May. Got a bargain on mince so yesterday made a ton of burgers and meatloaves.
The heating hasn't been on much- had the window open last night, it was very warm here. Going to get some of the rads turned off today.
The heating hasn't been on much- had the window open last night, it was very warm here. Going to get some of the rads turned off today.
I saved about $800 today. I've been working on tracking our power lately since our power bills last 2 months have been painful. I got one of those little "kill-a-watt" meters to plug an appliance into to see how much it's using in a given time. So I wanted to see which freezer uses the most so I can consolidate out of it. In doing this, I checked our freezers. My little ol' freezer that I love - things were frozen but didn't seem as frosty as usual. I plugged it into the meter last night. Luckily, we've been chilly still. Looked this morning and sure enough, still read zero. Hubby pulled it out and I pulled out about a half bale of straw from under it. I was hopeful to get it going because there are no freezers available around here. Well, after getting it cleaned out, I found the culprit. There was a broken wire. Hubby put a connector so it's safe and we plugged it in. It works! I am so thankful. So I reset the meter for this evening and I will see tomorrow how much power it's using. Anyhoo, glad it works.
Also, on track to decrease our power usage by 20% this month. I want to get it even further down but one thing at a time.
Also, on track to decrease our power usage by 20% this month. I want to get it even further down but one thing at a time.
So just a quick middle of the month update: So far, I've spent $47 on groceries though that will go up next week when my Azure order comes in. I am on track decrease power (already mentioned) - cold snap expected next week so will see how that rolls. I did break my no-spend. I have a small usable items glass collection. It's just a couple pieces of real hand-blown glass items I enjoy and use often. One item I've been on the lookout for for a couple years now is a piece of true yellow blown glass. Amber is common, but not yellow. I was at the thrift shop looking for a waffle iron for my mom and saw it. It is a handled drinking glass and is a true yellow & was $2.99. Still haven't found a waffle iron for my mom (she doesn't want Belgian style).
So all things considered, even though I "broke," I don't really feel like I've failed, and I will continue to try to save where I can.
(Maybe I should disclose, I don't yet have an orange piece or a purple piece - just in case God decides to make me look a fool
)
So all things considered, even though I "broke," I don't really feel like I've failed, and I will continue to try to save where I can.
(Maybe I should disclose, I don't yet have an orange piece or a purple piece - just in case God decides to make me look a fool
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I stayed home, ate leftovers.
Refilled my farm diesel tank. I expect the case for prices going up is stronger than the case for prices dropping? Energy in general.
Contemplating local utility peak shut down incentive. For a few hundred dollars, they will shut off irrigation power with short notice between the hours of 3-10, for four hours. Tried to figure out how I could work that in the past, but maybe I missed something and didn't try hard enough?
Oh yeah! sent my rifle scope in for lifetime warranty. Even shipping was covered. Saving me a fortune in wasted ammo?
Contemplating local utility peak shut down incentive. For a few hundred dollars, they will shut off irrigation power with short notice between the hours of 3-10, for four hours. Tried to figure out how I could work that in the past, but maybe I missed something and didn't try hard enough?
Oh yeah! sent my rifle scope in for lifetime warranty. Even shipping was covered. Saving me a fortune in wasted ammo?
Off topic, but 'yellow glass' rings a bell with me.
Interesting story:
When I was in Bama and had just gotten my CD-V700 low level radiation meter, I did a sweep of the house.
All clear... except it chirped in front of the curio cabinet.
The culprit ended up being a yellow glass ashtray that was part of a set from back in the 50's.
They used uranium to give the glass the yellow color back then but stopped in the 60's because it got too expensive afterward, for obvious reasons.
Now back to pinching pennies:
I have preached before about programmable thermostats and a timer for the water heater.
Nobody listens.
Being a confessed owner of stock in a big power company, if you want to hit us in the gonads, that is where to kick.
The H2O heater isn’t but the furnace is on a thermostat. It’s 57 when we are at work, 68/69 when we are home and awake and 64 at night. I change the filter as I’m supposed to. It hasn’t been serviced since we moved in over 3 years ago. They will be here first thing Monday morning.Off topic, but 'yellow glass' rings a bell with me.
Interesting story:
When I was in Bama and had just gotten my CD-V700 low level radiation meter, I did a sweep of the house.
All clear... except it chirped in front of the curio cabinet.
The culprit ended up being a yellow glass ashtray that was part of a set from back in the 50's.
They used uranium to give the glass the yellow color back then but stopped in the 60's because it got too expensive afterward, for obvious reasons.
Now back to pinching pennies:
I have preached before about programmable thermostats and a timer for the water heater.
Nobody listens.
Being a confessed owner of stock in a big power company, if you want to hit us in the gonads, that is where to kick.
We are in a rental and they seem to have no maintenance schedules unless I pester them
Today I finally scored a new (to me) swather!
I've been shopping for an upgrade to my old reliable 1975 machine for the last four years. Just couldn't work a deal for something that will be more asset than liability. Finally found one. 1989 120hp. 16 ft. In good condition and well maintained.
Been paying custom rates up to $30/acre, so this machine will pay for itself in two years. Grinning like a pole cat?
I've been shopping for an upgrade to my old reliable 1975 machine for the last four years. Just couldn't work a deal for something that will be more asset than liability. Finally found one. 1989 120hp. 16 ft. In good condition and well maintained.
Been paying custom rates up to $30/acre, so this machine will pay for itself in two years. Grinning like a pole cat?
So my power issue
The fella came this morning to look at the unit. The AC unit is 38 years old and the heating unit is 15-20 years old. The heater is overkill for the size of house and only requires 140 but is on a 220 breaker so is drawing almost twice as much power as it needs. It has 3 breakers so he shut off the "aux" breaker so it won't draw unnecessary amperage. He said if it seems like it's running constantly or not heating as well, we might want to turn it back on. He showed me where it was just in case. He's going to give them a quote for a new heatpump/unit. It's basically old and inefficient. Prayers they go for the new unit. Also, don't think I mentioned - I seldom use the clothes dryer which is a major user of power. I read the meter on Fridays. I read it this morning after he flipped the extra breaker and I will read it again Fri. so should have an idea as to how much it is helping.
This is Sooo important!So my power issueThe fella came this morning to look at the unit. The AC unit is 38 years old and the heating unit is 15-20 years old. The heater is overkill for the size of house and only requires 140 but is on a 220 breaker so is drawing almost twice as much power as it needs. It has 3 breakers so he shut off the "aux" breaker so it won't draw unnecessary amperage. He said if it seems like it's running constantly or not heating as well, we might want to turn it back on. He showed me where it was just in case. He's going to give them a quote for a new heatpump/unit. It's basically old and inefficient. Prayers they go for the new unit.
So much has changed in just the last 10 years, it will make your head spin instead of your meter.
When we had problems with the 20-year old system here in 2019, I told them to tear out both the inside and outside units and replace them.
1/3rd of our power bill vanished
.By now, more than half of the cost of the system has been "free"
.(oh, and as an evil stockholder in an electric company, I should say: "Keep that old system going as long as you can
, because we love all of your money that you are sending to us!
")
Just spoke to the maintenance fella at Property Mgt. I asked if there was any way he could "encourage" the owners to go for the new unit understanding that it was ultimately up to them. He said maybe we could charge a museum admission to view a 38 year old unit still in operationThis is Sooo important!
So much has changed in just the last 10 years, it will make your head spin instead of your meter.
When we had problems with the 20-year old system here in 2019, I told them to tear out both the inside and outside units and replace them.
1/3rd of our power bill vanished
By now, more than half of the cost of the system has been "free"
(oh, and as an evil stockholder in an electric company, I should say: "Keep that old system going as long as you can
He is going to see what he can do as soon as they receive the quote and will keep me posted.
Going to put this here in hopes of encouraging folks: some need it / some do not. Regardless ~
68% of Americans do not have enough saved to cover a month's expenses if the main earner in the household lost his/her job. That's accounting for the fact that many households have more than 1 income earner. Among Gen Z, the number was 85%!
I guess I would like to encourage folks to have a nest egg - just in case. I know it can be difficult. I've been there. We have a lot of tidbits and tips on here
68% of Americans do not have enough saved to cover a month's expenses if the main earner in the household lost his/her job. That's accounting for the fact that many households have more than 1 income earner. Among Gen Z, the number was 85%!
I guess I would like to encourage folks to have a nest egg - just in case. I know it can be difficult. I've been there. We have a lot of tidbits and tips on here
Ran February numbers. There has only been one month since 2018 that we've spent less than this past month. I wasn't really expecting it to be less than last month, but it was so I'm glad. Will see what March brings. Think I've mentioned Hubby doesn't really partake in my "self-inflicted little challenges" so this includes anything he's doing.
Saving on the electric bill? I noticed the week the wife was gone helping with a new grandchild that our monthly electric bill dropped by 20%
I have been all over this. In our house, I am the one going behind Hubby shutting off lights etc. Yesterday I shut the breaker to the H2O heater, reading the meter in the morning and evening. Today, I left it on and read the meter this morning and will read it when I return home. I am doing whatever possible to nix as much of the power bill as possible.
Maybe they finally got around to actually reading the meter and found they had been overcharging you.
I was talking to my best friend yesterday, he's still on the beach in Coronado, and he told me he made some killer corned beef sandwiches... they sounded so good that, despite the huge pot of Irish Stew in my fridge, I decided to check and see whether the remaining corned beef at the store had been marked down in price. Had to go to the store to resupply with beer anyway, you understand... well, sure enough, the corned beef was marked down and folks were grabbing it too, but I managed to snag a nice thick slab for only $8, lol, and I'm gonna bake it for use solely in sandwiches, lol. I'll probably get half a dozen thick sammies outta that slab, so I'm happy... hey, it may not be THAT much money, but it's the food I'm thinking of here, lol. I'm gonna mack delicious Irish Stew AND corned beef sandwiches till month's end... I also found a bottle of Beaver brand 'Grandma Rose's Cream Horseradish' sauce for only $1.29, so that went directly into my shopping cart, lol. If anything, the savings will offset fuel costs for the beer run, lol...
