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Archive through October 23, 2008

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan ~ Apr 2009: Savings for a Purpose Thread (ARCHIVES): Archive through October 23, 2008 users admin

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Csnog
Member

07-18-2002

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 7:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Csnog a private message Print Post    
Roxip,

Thats right. I forgot about shrink wrap, I will try it on the one room that is too cold in the spring.

You can buy it on ebay.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 9:07 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
The plastic could work. I don't really care if the house is dark (with the thermal sheets,) I have migraines and keep all the curtains shut most the time anyways since I'm light sensitive. Not too sure the rest of the family would be happy though if it was that dark. Our utilities are becoming so ridiculous though that we have to do something.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 12:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
Our house was also built in the late 50s without insulation. We live in northern CA.

A few years ago, we installed new windows that really do a good job of keeping the cold out (and the hot from coming in through the windows in the summer). When we bought the house, one thing that came with it were wood frames with thick plastic sheeting for all the bedroom windows. They worked really well and you could still see through them just fine. I didn't know if the previous owner built them himself or if the electric and gas company had something to do with it. We bought the house at the end of Feb. over 14 yr. ago. They showed us several mos. of their energy bills. The average then for them was about $60 per month. (quite a bit less than the little apt. we moved out of!) They had never used the furnace, only the wood stove. They had had an energy audit done by the company before they put the house on the market. That audit may have generated the window frames with the plastic sheets. I thought it was a pretty clever idea because they fit the window exactly right and could be used every winter. You just placed them in the windows and they never fell out and you didn't have to work hard at all to place them. I don't remember how the plastic was attached to the wood frames.

We will get firewood soon and use our wood stove. I feel somewhat guilty because of the pollution it causes. We will use as little as we can and won't burn on Spare the Air days. We just don't have the money to use our furnace. Our wood stove works almost too well. Sometimes, especially at the beginning of the season, we stoke it too much and it is probably almost 100 by the stove, 80s in the hallway around the corner that goes to the bedrooms.

War, when you use your wood stove, do you open the bedroom doors and crack the windows slightly? That will help those bedrooms heat up. You only have to crack them the tiniest bit. It really makes a big difference and requires the tiniest little opening. Also, we would use the plastic in the wood window frames and crack just the bathroom windows to draw the warm air from the wood stove into the back of the house where the bedrooms are. We'd close our door and leave the kids' doors open. Sometimes we'd use a fan at the end of the living room to suck the warm air out of the living room and shoot it toward the bedrooms. When they were little and would be asleep when we went to bed, we'd open their bedroom doors so that the warm air would go into their rooms while they were sleeping.

We also put those electric wall heat squares in the kids rooms on timers so that their rooms were warm when they woke up. They are talked about in the Going Green thread in General Discussions.

Another idea is to make sure to open the curtains/blinds to let the sun in and close them when it's dark. (Opposite in the summer to stay cool.)

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 12:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
Here is another saving money thing I came across. I know netflix is a good idea and can be a real money saver. We just don't watch movies from there enough to make it work though. So, I was in Safeway one day and they have a dvd rental vending machine in the front of the store! The movies are now only $1 per night and if you rent 10 you get one free. Much cheaper than the video store or on demand through comcast cable (unless you are watching one of comcast's free movies which they have a lot of ...but they are never new releases).

If they are successful, those machines will probably pop up in lots of other stores. Maybe they already are in other places. I did a very fast search and found an article that they are also in some McDonalds restaurants. http://www.dvdplay.com/ maybe it gives some locations.

You just swipe your visa and there is no membership fee. It took less than a minute.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 12:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Happymom, our woodburning stove is at the far end of the house in the den. It heats up the den, laundry room, kitchen, and living room and that's it. If it reached the bedrooms, I'd never use the heaters. We keep the hall door closed, otherwise we can't even keep the front part of the house warm. Then about 7pm, we turn on the hall heater and by the time Darren and the kids go to bed it's warm back there. I turn it about halfway down (no thermostat) when I go to bed and Darren turns it off when he gets up at 3am. I do turn the thermostat for the living room heater up to 65 when I go to bed, its a little cool for me but Darren and the kids are fine with it.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Thursday, October 16, 2008 - 9:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
That's too bad that the wood stove heat won't reach back to the bedrooms. I find that the wood stove heat is so much warmer than the furnace heat.

I guess we are lucky to live in CA where we don't have to use heat so much. I am actually a bit cold now here in the house but the high here today should be mid 80s!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, October 16, 2008 - 10:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
LOL, same here Happymom. I need to go over to my aunts, clean her house and help her shower but I'm waiting cuz she won't get in the shower til it's warm.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 8:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
We are getting our firewood this week! I don't intend on running the furnace at all. I also intend on making the wood last and I hope we only go through half of it and have the other half for next winter. I'm hoping to save about 50% by using wood instead of the furnace. I'm not sure if it'll be that high of a savings. It also could be more if we manage to use only half the wood.

My birthday is soon. I told my husband and kids that what I really want is to have them spend no money on my birthday. That would be the best gift they can give me. We'll see what happens. I told them they can be creative and the gift of time is a great gift. (I mean it too. They could do some chores or play games etc. with me.)

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 10:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Yay on the firewood!! You probably will save quite a bit using the wood. I've noticed that when using the wood burning stove, even after a fire dies down, it stays warmer longer than if we turn off the heater.

When is your birthday, Happymom? One of the things we've been doing for a while for gift giving occassions is to buy for each other things we need for the house. Last Christmas we got pots and pans (desperately needed,) plates, and silverware. For Darren's birthday, he got drinking glasses. I'm a wee bit clumsy and break dishes on a regular basis, lol. For my birthday, I got outside lights. Hehe, one year I asked for Mr Clean Magic Erasers (mom absolutely refused at the time, then a few months later called to apologize, she'd tried them, loved them, and knew at that point why I wanted them, lol.) I'm asking for sheets and washcloths this year.

Over the last couple of months, I've been conducting a very non scientific experiment, lol. My normal grocery shopping is to shop at Costco for meat, paper products, lunch foods, and cereal. Then go to Walmart for cleaning supplies and grooming products (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.) Finally, everything else from Vons. Over the past couple months, I've shopped at Vallarta, Vons, Food 4 Less, Winco, Walmart and my normal combo of Vons/Walmart/Costco. I bought the same stuff (or comparable) and bought as much on sale as I could.

I found that I spent more at Food 4 Less than anywhere else. Vallarta and Winco had great sales prices, but there was a lot I could get at Vons on sale that was the same, and neither Vallarta or Winco had as good a selection (I wasn't happy with Vallarta's meat selection or that Winco didn't carry brands I use.) At Walmart I did about the same as I do at Vons on groceries. Buying meat at any of the stores, I didn't do as well as I do at Costco for the price or amount of meat.

I concluded that cleaning and grooming supplies are cheaper at Walmart and I'm better off shopping there for those than anywhere else. While some things, like cereal/breakfast food and lunch foods I can get cheaper at the grocery store, meat, toilet paper, and paper towels are still a better deal at Costco. And for groceries as long as I shop sales and club prices, and can stock up when they have awesome sales, I can do as well at Vons as any of the discount stores. So not much changed, but I'm glad I shopped around too. I'll be keeping my eyes on the sales ads too and hitting any store that has something I use on an awesome sale.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 12:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
War, my birthday is this week. That is a good idea you have about the presents to each other and we do the same things! (re: buying for the house or having a vacation to be our presents to each other) We just actually (after years of planning) built a new bedroom for ourselves! I should say my husband built it. That has been going to be our present to each other for our birthdays and Christmas for the past several years. It is finally done and now my two youngest don't have to share a room anymore!

I just hope my husband doesn't go buy needless stuff for me and have it be from the kids. I really want less stuff and more uncluttered space and really really want to not have him spend the money. so...we'll see if I get what I want for my birthday!

I like your unscientific experiment! We have Food For Less but I almost never go there. I pretty much shop the way you do (sub. Safeway for Vons) except the grooming and cleaning stuff I can't get at Costco I get at Target. I also get some groceries there too. I will go to Walmart every once in awhile to get something like a shower curtain or curtain rod or salad tongs. It is always a lot cheaper than Target for that stuff.

Since you spent more at Food For Less, I think you saved me a trip there. Thanks! I was thinking I probably should shop there more, but I don't really want to and you have saved me some time and money now too!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 1:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day and get exactly what you want!

Our thing is just that neither one of us has very many wants. I like books and craft stuff, he likes computer games, but really we'd rather buy it ourselves since we know what we want, lol. I'd much rather spend on the house. Kids aren't upset that we didn't get gifts and we'll end up buying it (whatever it is) sooner or later.

The new bedroom is a great gift for each other (and the kids!) Much more fun to focus on something like that than a jacket or jewelry and it adds to your house.

Safeway and Vons are owned by the same people so you're probably getting the same deals and sales as I am. Vons always has something I use on sale, and a lot of times it's the 10 for $10 stuff. My prob with Food 4 Less was the meat was pricey and they didn't seem to have as many of the sales on stuff I'd normally buy. Lots of sales on junk food, but I do try to limit that.

LOL, I was quite happy with the results. I like Vons, like the staff, like the choices. But, I'm also serious about cutting the grocery bill and was willing to give it up if I needed to.

Csnog
Member

07-18-2002

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 2:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Csnog a private message Print Post    
Did you use the shrink wrap or thermal foil on any of your windows?

It's funny to see the names of different grocery stores. In Michigan we have Kroger, Meijers, and Walmart. Farmer Jack went out of business.

Kroger does the 10 for $10 stuff.

We are limited in Florida. Publix has taken over the state along with Walmart. Once in awhile you will see a Winn Dixie or Albertsons but very few.

Costco is 50 miles away Sams about 30 but we have a warehouse near called BJ's. Not as good as Costco except for gas prices. Everyone here is asking $2.94 to $3.29 near tourist areas. BJ's is $2.69 today and the cars are lined up.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 2:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serate a private message Print Post    
I need to direct my hubby and bonus kids here. They all get upset cuz I first of all say I don't want presents. And I don't. If I'm pressed I always want something for the kitchen. Last year I asked for a griddle. The year before that I bought myself some socks and wrapped them up. *L* I do have to say I'm going to insist on NO PRESENTS this year as with his bonus last year my hubby got me new dining room table/chairs, new silverware, and a kitchen aid stand mixer. So I might wrap up the jeans hubby forced me to buy before we went to Kansas for Christmas this year. *L*

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 7:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Costco's toilet paper prices are easy to beat watching sales and coupons. Our Kroger affiliate store has coupons every week, and at least every other week, one of them is for toilet paper at an excellent price. Walgreens also has excellent coupon sales on toilet paper, but you almost have to go on Sunday morning to find any in stock.

Charmin and Bounty now both have toilet paper and paper towels that are called Basic. They seem fine to me. Our Kroger affiliate carries them at regular price for what they usually have as sales prices for other brands. Beats Costco prices all to hell.

And you don't have to save up to buy it. Or get it for your birthday.

Disposably yours,


Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 9:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Juju, Costco's tp and paper towels both last much longer in my house than anything else. I can go every 6-8 weeks buying it there compared to the every 2 weeks I've been doing while my grocery store experiment was going on.

Nothing on the windows yet Csnog. It's still almost 90 here during the day. We've still got the window cooler in, but it's been ok not using it, just using fans and windows open. We've got another week or two before we take the cooler out.

Christy358
Member

07-10-2007

Monday, October 20, 2008 - 10:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Christy358 a private message Print Post    
If you are watching sales, Walmart will price match anyone else. I also have found that the 10 for $10 stuff (and we have 2 stores here that do that..Bashas and Albertsons) is usually something like $.93 all the time at Walmart super centers.

Walgreens is doing rebate books right now. Every month, they have some coupons and some rebates. If you use computer and let them send you rebate in a Walgreens gift card, you get %10 bonus. There are even some things that are free after rebate.

I am at grocery store almost 3 times a week, cuz it is just me, so I have to buy fruit and veggies in small amounts. I always look for the in store specials on meat. I got chicken last night. Whole chicken for .68 a lb and chicken legs....$1.98 for a pack of 12 legs.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 8:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
Thanks War!

Csnog, I know what you mean about seeing different names. I was recently in North Carolina, there is a store called Harris Teeter, I really thought that was an funny name for a grocery store.

Christy, I don't know how you do it, 3 times a week for shopping, I don't like to shop. My favorite way to save money is to not shop! I have to go to Costco today though, blah...

Thanks to everyone for all the tips.

I found some good money saving tips here http://www.switched.com/2008/10/16/how-to-save-money-on-your-monthly-tech-bills
It's quick to click through the tips and just skip the ones we already know.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 9:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Argh! I wish I could avoid shopping several times a week. I do my aunts grocery shopping and have been doing two seperate trips, mine and hers, cuz it's just too much for me alone to do one trip. Since sis and bil live there now too and do their own shopping, plus contribute to the house, sis is supposed to call and give me a grocery list. Half the time she doesn't and I have to wing it. But what really ticks me off is that I make it a point, anytime I'm going shopping, to call and see if they need anything. So Sunday I called and sis gave me a list with four things on it. Picked those off, dropped them off at the house and noticed aunt was out of water and diet soda. Went and got that yesterday, then aunt calls to tell me she's out of toilet paper. Sis just called to tell me they need meat too. And I'm sitting here banging my head on the desk.

Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 9:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
Costco is about 50 miles away from me and Sams is about 30. I got to our local WalMart (about 5-6 miles) just because it is convenient (but they aren't doing that rebate book thing).

I've started going to our local Dollar Generals for paper and cleaning products...for the most part they are much more cost effective and we even have one in my little town so I don't have to make the drive. Our local grocery store closed down last year...and although it was not a great store I didn't realize how much I used it for "drop in" visits until it was gone.

Christy358
Member

07-10-2007

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 1:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Christy358 a private message Print Post    
The grocery store is right on the way home from work. Generally, I do "big" shopping on my day off. That would be up and down the aisle with a cart. Maybe spend $30. The other stops are quick in and out....fruit, veggie, soda kind of stops. During those, I also check out meat that might be on sale, and the little corner in the back where the discontinued items are. You never know what treasures you can find. Got a foodsaver that is usually $150 for $50.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 12:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
LOL, Christy, my grocery store is right down the street. That can be a pain sometimes, so easy to just pop in and grab something.

We went to Costco today. Actually stuck straight to the list too...meat, soda, and tp for my aunt, socks for Darren. Another uh oh situation, Costco now has their Christmas stuff out. They have great Christmas stuff.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 2:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
It's hard to find stuff for my Sis at Christmas. She lives in Phoenix (hot or warm in Winter) loves to come up here to Seattle (cold). She has a bedroom with all her cool weather clothes downstairs so she doesn't need to keep packing, can come anytime.

Anyway, yesterday I popped into Joanne's to pick up some nylon net $1.29/yd (regular mesh, not the fine stuff), best thing ever invented to scrub bathtubs/sinks without scratching the porcelain or even scrub vegetables/cantelopes. A yard of it lasts me forever.

Ahah! I noticed fleece at $14.95/yard. Sis is a huge Seahawks fan plus UofW Huskies for college play. They had fleece for both teams. Great! Bought a quarter of a yard of each to make her neck scarves for Christmas stocking stuffer & birthday in January. Just cut snips to flutter on the ends and wowla a neck scarf. No sewing but yummy warm. Doesn't fray when washing.

Unfortunately, when I got home I discovered that in all my excitement on the Huskies scarf it has been cut right through the "Huskies" line. We've got Dogs, we've got "UW" symbols, but the only "Huskies" spelled out line has done the chop-chop straight thru the midsection. Just another 1-2-inches more and I would have scored.

So, I guess I have now inherited a new neckscarf for myself (even though I don't Do Sports) and it's back to Joannes to buy more fleece.
Yay Teams!

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 2:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
BTW, I confess. When I'm sitting here at the computer if it gets cool, I use a fleecy neckscarf whenever & the old scarves WERE getting a little bare anyway. Nobody around to see that the Husky got clipped, so it wasn't a lost cause. I'll still get my money's worth.

Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 4:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
War, would it help if your Aunt had a simple list on her refrigerator to refer to as a reminder of what she needs? Your SIL can check it off if she notices your Aunt is short on something, too.

I just zipped this off in Excel to show you an example. You could even put it into a sheet protector and use a grease pencil so that it is reused every week without reprinting. Someone could call you with the list before you head out to the store.



I made simple category headings, and you could fill in her standard purchases (as shown, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, etc), use the "other" area for things that aren't purchased regularly.

Besides the categories shown, I also used Canned Goods & Pastas; Breads & Pastas; Personal Items; and Cleaning/Household Supplies

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 8:51 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I wish it would Hukd. My aunt doesn't look any further than what she's going for at the moment. If she was making herself a sandwich and sees she's out of pb, she'll let me know, but won't think to check if she has anymore bread or if she's grabbing a bottle of water and sees she's almost out doesn't check to see how much soda she has left.

Sis' problem is that she just doesn't like to plan ahead. I do aunt's grocery shopping plus her share of the house shopping (aunt and sis/bil buy their own toiletries, cleaners, lunch foods, snacks, and drinks) and they split the common meals (breakfast and dinner) down the middle. I do my aunts shopping like I do mine...I plan ahead, I know what we're having for dinner two weeks from now. Sis on the other hand hates to plan it out and has no problem running to the store every night. It gets very confusing sometimes, lol, especially when she decides she wants to cook something that I didn't shop for or when she waits til Wed. morning to tell me there's no meat in the house for Wed. night.