FRUGAL QUESTION OF THE DAY

[constanz22]

12/24 QOTD Yes, I will be going out shopping tomorrow morning for a couple hours. I have some ECB's from CVS that expire tomorrow (left over from Black Friday deals) so I will get wrapping stuff. I noticed while putting stuff away that I am low on tags and curling ribbon. Although I like to wait til 75%-90% off for that, I'll probably use my ECB's on them tomorrow so I don't lose them. I got a few gift cards so may take a look at a couple of those stores (Target, Sears). I also may hit Yankee Candle (like I need another candle) and B&BW...depends on how much time I have as my family is coming tomorrow afternoon to do gifts.

[kadee]

My budget is easy so I nearly always stay on it. But I don't charge anything! Pay cash (check) !

[Apple]

Last year I bought more for DS than I had intended, so I spread the gifts over his B-Day and this Christmas. It was stuff for his military collection so it's not like it could "go bad." I only had to buy him a couple things, and since we pretty much cut out all other gift giving, we only had my parents to buy for--and they got the yearly handmade/blown glass ornament made by DS, a tradition we started a few years ago. So glad the local glass guy did them this year.
The few other people we gave gifts to got DS's homemade soaps.
So, yes, even though I don't have a budget, I think I stayed within it.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

We stayed on budget only because we don't celebrate Christmas and don't really have to buy presents for anyone, or decorate. So I guess that's sort of cheating, huh? (grin)

[cronewitch]

I don't budget for gifts or holidays but this one was light on spending probably around $200 total.

[marvholly]

12/25 question

I actually came in under budget because budget was set 1/2010 and I lost my job 8/2010 so I HAD to reduce spending. Lucky we agreed several years ago on NO adult gifts, just the kids.

[Deleted]

I didn't really make a budget but I am sure we paid too much. I have so much guilt because DS is an only child and now that my parents are gone he doesn't have a lot from other people. Stupid I know...

[gailbon]

12/24 QOTD There will be no day-after-Christmas shopping for those of us from coastal NJ since we are absolutely buried in a huge snowstorm!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

[a href="SUNDAY 12/26 QUESTION OF THE DAY"]SUNDAY 12/26 QUESTION OF THE DAY[/a][/u][/color]

If you like to shop online, what are 1-2 places you really like?

[Nazgul Girl]

For items we always stock up on when it's on sale, Diet Coke or Pepsi, toilet paper if it's a brand that we like, CQ10 ( heart supplement ), dog food that our poodle likes, some canned goods, nuts, Progresso Chickarina soup ( my husband loves it ).

For whether we met our financial goals this year, I would say that on the whole, we did. We had to foreclose on a property which had been in legal contention for years, and respond to a series of lawsuits that the person who had bought the property had brought against us, so money was somewhat limited. However, we were able to raise the funds to remodel the office and resell it for a medical office, pay off legal fees we incurred this year, invest in my 457 at work ( $1400 per month ), and partially fund my husband's roth IRA. We couldn't fund mine this year, but hope to fund both for 2011. We recovered some of our EF that we had had to spend and will increase it in 2011.

My husband is retired and we like to travel, so we took a trip to Florida this last week. That was our gift to each other. We did not overspend on most of it. I had found some bargains for car rental/condo we rented, so that came out pretty well.

Christmas gifts for family were limited to $20 per person except for our daughter, who got an airline ticket to come out and see us and her grandfather, and $100 cash.

We will continue to cook at home as much as possible and seldom eat out, continue to save and pay down my husband's student debt, and pay off a car as fast as possible which I got this year after my old one was showing signs of mechanical death.

[suzwantstobefree]

12-26 Question - I really like Amazon for most items that I buy online. I haven't had any problems with anything that I have bought using Amazon plus their shipping is really quick. I was really happy when I got an Amazon Gift Card this year. The other site I really like is Zappos which is a place you can buy shoes. I run and like NB running shoes. I generally buy one pair per year or two at the local running store so that they can fit me correctly and then I buy the same type off of Zappos. I also like Hushpuppies Soft Style shoes for work and will get them off of Zappos as needed. They ship free and quickly. Returns are never a hassle and the prices are competitive, without having to go to the local stores.

Occasionally I shop on Ebay as well. However, I have to be carefully with what I buy and who I buy it from on Ebay.

I love buying items over the Internet because I really don't like to shop anymore!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I like Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Overstock.com ... at least as a starting point.

[NancysSummerSip]

12-26 question: you may be surprised at this one, but it's Speedo.com. I am a competitive swimmer, and I always buy my suits online. Once they have your size info, it's easier to do that way. Plus, there are not a lot of shops around, even here in South FL, that sell competition swimwear in a decent range of sizes.

[suzwantstobefree]

NancyinFl - You may want to look at swimoutlet.com. I found them about a year ago and they have the speedo swim suits and some are on clearance so it makes the price really low!!!!

[Deleted]

I love Vera Bradley and Shoebuy.com. I always shop through a rewards site and get cash back. I'm starting to love Wal-Mart.com. I ordered my soon to be born daughter's crib mattress from them last Tuesday and it was delivered Christmas Eve. Shipping on the mattress was less than $2.50.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

12/26: Amazon is my favorite, mainly because I LOVE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING

[yogi]

12/25 Did you stay on budget for this Christmas and what will you do next year if you did not?


I stayed on budget, but the budget was set WAY too high in my opinion. My bf's family goes overboard for Christmas to say the least...we do a gift exchange and spend $200 on ONE person! Plus, we buy for all of his nieces/nephew and his parents. Talk about shelling out a lot of $$$ all at once. I have suggested spending less on each other in the past, and they lowered the limit by a whole whopping $25! I mean.. give me a break! Christmas is all about spending time with one another, not material items and breaking the bank but I seem to be the only one who feels that way

[Sharon]

12/28 Question of the Day

What would you like to learn how to do or start doing to help save money?

Maybe we can take some of the ideas from this and start threads to expand the knowledge base.

I want to be better and getting small ready to eat meals in the freezer. DD has a hectic schedule (what high schooler doesn't) but I still want to have healthly dinners in 15 minutes. This is something I have started but I need more ideas. Tonight we are having meatloaf for dinner. I will make a double batch and cook a regular meatloaf for us to eat on and then the other half I will bake in Muffin Tins and we will end up with mini meatloaf to pull out of the freezer and pop in the microwave.

[carolinagirl]

Love the meatloaf idea!

I want to really learn how to use the coupons/reward card for rite aid. I think I have over researched it and have no idea where to start.

I also want to learn the art of stocking up and only buying the perishables each week.

[sidney]

12/28 question I have is regarding our bread machine. We bought a bread machine at a yard sale (of course). When I make the bread it's to big for sandwiches. No one wants to take it for their lunch. What do you all do to make the bread from a machine that is smaller in size.

[NancysSummerSip]

NancyinFl - You may want to look at swimoutlet.com. I found them about a year ago and they have the speedo swim suits and some are on clearance so it makes the price really low

I did use them recently, and went right back to Speedo....very, very disappointed with what I bought. Nothing fit right, though it was less expensive. I felt kinda bad about it, because our team advertises the company.

12-28 question: I want to be a better gardener. I do grown some produce, but would like to do a better job in terms of variety and quantity this year.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Dec 22, 2010 14:47:57 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

THURSDAY QUESTION OF THE DAY

As 2010 draws to a close, did you meet some (all?) of your money-related goals?

At this point I just feel like we are treading water making no headway.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Dec 23, 2010 14:43:12 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

heh heh heh ... OK, yesterday was WEDNESDAY, so I messed things up royally with a Thursday Question of the Day a day early. (oops) So here's a new one.

THURSDAY DEC 23 QUESTION OF THE DAY

Name three items you almost ALWAYS stock up on if you find it at the right price!

Cereal

Toilet Paper

Soup

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Dec 26, 2010 16:06:30 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

[a href="SUNDAY 12/26 QUESTION OF THE DAY"]SUNDAY 12/26 QUESTION OF THE DAY

[/a][/u][/color]

If you like to shop online, what are 1-2 places you really like?[/quote]

I avoid shopping online unless it is a necessary evil. I have a paranoid thing about ID theft, and put as little of my info out there as possible.

[Value Buy]

#1 beer
#2 rum
#3 peanuts
Get your priorities straight, people!

[woodwand]

Sidney, just cut one piece in half & make your sandwich. That's what I always did with those really large loaves of whole grain bread.

[sidney]

Thanks, AKA. LOL I never thought to cut it in half. Duh!

[texaspn]

Went over but it was kind of a planned overage-we still came out with no debt and very satisfied with the results

[cronewitch]

Dec 28, 2010 11:17:14 GMT -5 Sharon said:

12/28 Question of the Day

What would you like to learn how to do or start doing to help save money?

Maybe we can take some of the ideas from this and start threads to expand the knowledge base.

I want to be better and getting small ready to eat meals in the freezer. DD has a hectic schedule (what high schooler doesn't) but I still want to have healthly dinners in 15 minutes. This is something I have started but I need more ideas. Tonight we are having meatloaf for dinner. I will make a double batch and cook a regular meatloaf for us to eat on and then the other half I will bake in Muffin Tins and we will end up with mini meatloaf to pull out of the freezer and pop in the microwave.

Look at TV dinners for ideas of what freezes well for heat and serve. You don't have to use divided plates or put it all on one dish or any dish. You can also supplement the frozen meal with fresh food. Rice takes 20 minutes plus the time to boil water but pasta can cook in under ten. Freezing sauces in single serving sizes, white, red, meat gravy or cheese sauces you can boil pasta while thawing a sauce. Blanched veggies like broccoli can be frozen in individual servings and boiled or microwaved at the same time. So if the person wants say Alfredo sauce on pasta with broccoli they could make it in under 15 minutes. If you also had frozen boneless chicken breast or grilled chicken in the freezer they could add some chicken to the dinner.

I cooked before mircowaves or crockpots were common or even invented and when too busy to cook because I worked all day then went to college nights I had a plan to make dinner in 10 minutes or so. I cooked on Sundays and froze corning ware dishes of food like spaghetti sauce. My husband got home from work first and if he saw a pot of water on the stove turned it on simmer. He would take any corning ware of food off the top shelf of the frig and put in the oven at 250 then go take a shower and change clothes for school. I got off work at 4:30 and started school at 6 so we needed to eat and go. I would turn up the heat on the water and food, drop food like pasta or hot dogs into the water and have dinner ready before 5 since I worked 2 blocks from home. We would eat and be out of the door before 5:30.

[bobbysgirl]

Dutt here.


(that's sort of cheating, huh) Molly said this

LOL Molly is a cheater!!! (Sung to the tune of na na na na na na)

Molly I love your kitty pic. I'm going to have to figure out how to do pics.

Everyone has done so well in 2010. I have too. No debt, lots of rebate money and such. The heating is killing me though. Good thing I don't owe anyone else because the heating man is thirsty.

Now that there is no spell check, everyone will know my secret. I can't spell well!!!!