Comments on: Trying to find a way to cut our expenses http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/ Random Thoughts about life in general, living in the big city of Toronto Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:28:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Survival Simon http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-38817 Survival Simon Thu, 20 May 2010 17:26:42 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-38817 Sorry to read about your financial woes. It seems to be hitting everyone these days - myself included. It certainly helps that you are an avid gardener. This takes on a whole new meaning when times are tough. I wish you the best. Sorry to read about your financial woes. It seems to be hitting everyone these days – myself included. It certainly helps that you are an avid gardener. This takes on a whole new meaning when times are tough. I wish you the best.

]]> By: Tony http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-38652 Tony Sun, 09 May 2010 10:41:09 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-38652 I am sorry to hear that fellow people are struggling in one way or another in their lives. I would like to ask if it is possible to compare the costs of utility providers as it is in the UK? The same with cable and broadband as many companies here offer packages! I am sorry to hear that fellow people are struggling in one way or another in their lives. I would like to ask if it is possible to compare the costs of utility providers as it is in the UK? The same with cable and broadband as many companies here offer packages!

]]> By: Dave http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-36066 Dave Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:01:09 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-36066 After 10 years with my homecare billing software company, I was laid off. All of a sudden, I was a non-person in the eyes of the banks and credit companies. Years of being responsible, had swirled down the drain because of a lay off that I had no control over. Makes one think about this society. Maybe it's time for a change. After 10 years with my homecare billing software company, I was laid off. All of a sudden, I was a non-person in the eyes of the banks and credit companies. Years of being responsible, had swirled down the drain because of a lay off that I had no control over. Makes one think about this society. Maybe it’s time for a change.

]]> By: Chris Harrell http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-36034 Chris Harrell Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:07:00 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-36034 I'm sorry that you and your husband have to go through this. The economy is hitting a lot of people hard and so many people are losing their jobs that they thought were secure. Is there any chance that your husband's hours will pick up after the New Year or is this a permanent cut in his hours? Can he look for another job since he will be working less or get a second seasonal job for now? It sounds like you are doing great with saving money on items and you have a good plan in action, but you can't make money appear when it isn't there to begin with. I wish you and your husband all the luck and hopefully your sites will start picking up this winter. I’m sorry that you and your husband have to go through this. The economy is hitting a lot of people hard and so many people are losing their jobs that they thought were secure. Is there any chance that your husband’s hours will pick up after the New Year or is this a permanent cut in his hours? Can he look for another job since he will be working less or get a second seasonal job for now?

It sounds like you are doing great with saving money on items and you have a good plan in action, but you can’t make money appear when it isn’t there to begin with. I wish you and your husband all the luck and hopefully your sites will start picking up this winter.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35665 Tricia Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:44:31 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35665 Sheila thanks for the link to pinchingyourpennies.com I'm in the process of checking it out. Hopefully all of the coupons aren't US only. We always try to reuse items and bags if it's at all possible. I buy freezer bags because we tend to buy meat in bulk when it's on sale or at this great wholesale butcher that we go to (mmm cheap and tasty chicken breasts) so I package them up for easy meals for two and store them in the freezer. I always reuse those bags until they won't seal properly anymore. We also reuse tinfoil if it's still fairly clean or cleanable. My mom always saved bags and tin foil too. She even saved bread bags and she'd reuse them for her own homemade bread. I always thought that was a great idea! We don't get plastic bags from the grocery store unless we've forgotten our own cotton bags, but I always do keep plastic shopping bags and then use them as liners for waste containers etc. We do try to reuse things when possible for several reasons - 1 to save money and 2. because it's also better for the environment. I do have a crockpot. I've only used it a few times though. I should pull it out and use it more. We have a gas stove (the only gas appliance in our home as our furnace runs on oil) and it doesn't seem to use much gas as our bill is fairly low. The one thing I really like about the gas stove is that it heats up so fast so you don't waste time and energy (electricity/gas etc) waiting for it to heat up before you can start cooking. I also unplug items in the house. I don't know if it's saved us much on the electricity bill but anything helps! We also use CF bulbs in most of our light fixtures so that saves money and in addition to that we generally only have lights on in the room that we are using ... so our house is fairly dark in the evening! Thanks for your great tips! Sheila thanks for the link to pinchingyourpennies.com I’m in the process of checking it out. Hopefully all of the coupons aren’t US only.

We always try to reuse items and bags if it’s at all possible. I buy freezer bags because we tend to buy meat in bulk when it’s on sale or at this great wholesale butcher that we go to (mmm cheap and tasty chicken breasts) so I package them up for easy meals for two and store them in the freezer. I always reuse those bags until they won’t seal properly anymore. We also reuse tinfoil if it’s still fairly clean or cleanable.

My mom always saved bags and tin foil too. She even saved bread bags and she’d reuse them for her own homemade bread. I always thought that was a great idea!

We don’t get plastic bags from the grocery store unless we’ve forgotten our own cotton bags, but I always do keep plastic shopping bags and then use them as liners for waste containers etc.

We do try to reuse things when possible for several reasons – 1 to save money and 2. because it’s also better for the environment.

I do have a crockpot. I’ve only used it a few times though. I should pull it out and use it more. We have a gas stove (the only gas appliance in our home as our furnace runs on oil) and it doesn’t seem to use much gas as our bill is fairly low. The one thing I really like about the gas stove is that it heats up so fast so you don’t waste time and energy (electricity/gas etc) waiting for it to heat up before you can start cooking.

I also unplug items in the house. I don’t know if it’s saved us much on the electricity bill but anything helps! We also use CF bulbs in most of our light fixtures so that saves money and in addition to that we generally only have lights on in the room that we are using … so our house is fairly dark in the evening!

Thanks for your great tips!

]]> By: Sheila http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35661 Sheila Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:43:48 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35661 Tricia- A couple more thoughts on cutting expenses. If you have a crockpot it may be more efficient on energy depending on what kind of stove/oven you have. I have also heard leaving appliances plugged in uses energy even of they are turned off. I have started unplugging toaster, coffee maker, etc. I have started reusing the sealable bags store products come in instead of throwing them out. I just wash thoroughly and hang in sun to dry. I also reuse foil using same method. (My mom did this when I was a child- I thought she was nuts but now "get it"). I encourage you to check out www.pinchingyourpennies.com. Site is free and alerts you to sale bargains. Also under state category it lists what item is on sale where, and what coupon to put with it. They also give you links to internet printables for each sale item. You have Walmart and maybe other stores we have in the US. Good luck. Tricia- A couple more thoughts on cutting expenses. If you have a crockpot it may be more efficient on energy depending on what kind of stove/oven you have. I have also heard leaving appliances plugged in uses energy even of they are turned off. I have started unplugging toaster, coffee maker, etc.
I have started reusing the sealable bags store products come in instead of throwing them out. I just wash thoroughly and hang in sun to dry. I also reuse foil using same method. (My mom did this when I was a child- I thought she was nuts but now “get it”).
I encourage you to check out http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com. Site is free and alerts you to sale bargains. Also under state category it lists what item is on sale where, and what coupon to put with it. They also give you links to internet printables for each sale item. You have Walmart and maybe other stores we have in the US. Good luck.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35635 Tricia Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:03:39 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35635 Beverly Hills Locksmith I'm sorry to hear about your vacation days being taken away (is that legal?)! As I just said above I'm very sick and sometimes the only thing for me to do when I'm feeling really bad is to watch TV as I'm too sick to work on the computer (maintaining my many many sites) or to even read a good book. Also, since I do work on the computer for long hours each day (16+) it would be impossible for me to watch TV shows or movies online as I couldn't work and watch at the same time .. not unless I had two monitors I couldn't! Plus .. sites like Hulu don't work in Canada so that cuts off quite a few streaming options for me. Beverly Hills Locksmith I’m sorry to hear about your vacation days being taken away (is that legal?)!

As I just said above I’m very sick and sometimes the only thing for me to do when I’m feeling really bad is to watch TV as I’m too sick to work on the computer (maintaining my many many sites) or to even read a good book. Also, since I do work on the computer for long hours each day (16+) it would be impossible for me to watch TV shows or movies online as I couldn’t work and watch at the same time .. not unless I had two monitors I couldn’t! Plus .. sites like Hulu don’t work in Canada so that cuts off quite a few streaming options for me.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35634 Tricia Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:59:49 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35634 Electrical contractors in Concord NC If I wasn't chronically ill and home pretty much 24/7 I'd consider cutting the cable completely ... but when you're sick and feeling really ill the TV is a great distraction. Sometimes I feel so bad that there's no way I can lie down and look at my computer (to work on my sites) or read ... so the TV is all I've got when that happens. Electrical contractors in Concord NC If I wasn’t chronically ill and home pretty much 24/7 I’d consider cutting the cable completely … but when you’re sick and feeling really ill the TV is a great distraction. Sometimes I feel so bad that there’s no way I can lie down and look at my computer (to work on my sites) or read … so the TV is all I’ve got when that happens.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35633 Tricia Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:57:29 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35633 Jake we do actually have an electric blanket ... although I'm not sure how much electricity it would use (electricity is expensive here in Ontario!). I went looking for it and found it, but the controls are missing. My husband said he saw them in a bag somewhere but he can't remember where! LOL We haven't used the electric blanket since we were living in an apartment so I guess it's been 10 or 15 years since we last used it. We have a really warm duvet on our bed so we're warm enough once we get in bed ... but it's the cool room prior to going to bed and while getting changed that's the trouble! Still we do keep our furnace set to a lower temp at night ie 65 F in order to save some money on our heating bill. Jake we do actually have an electric blanket … although I’m not sure how much electricity it would use (electricity is expensive here in Ontario!). I went looking for it and found it, but the controls are missing. My husband said he saw them in a bag somewhere but he can’t remember where! LOL We haven’t used the electric blanket since we were living in an apartment so I guess it’s been 10 or 15 years since we last used it.

We have a really warm duvet on our bed so we’re warm enough once we get in bed … but it’s the cool room prior to going to bed and while getting changed that’s the trouble! Still we do keep our furnace set to a lower temp at night ie 65 F in order to save some money on our heating bill.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.feverishthoughts.com/2009/09/23/trying-to-find-a-way-to-cut-our-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-35621 Tricia Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:19:54 +0000 http://www.feverishthoughts.com/?p=4710#comment-35621 Tony Lee you're right. You can save a lot of money by growing some of your own food. Unfortunately for us, when I started our garden back in 2002 I had a flower garden in mind. We have over 60 rose plants and many many other perennials! So there isn't a whole lot of room for veggies! But ... I do plant veggies in small open spaces in my garden and in containers so we get our fair share of home grown veggies during the summer months. Tony Lee you’re right. You can save a lot of money by growing some of your own food.

Unfortunately for us, when I started our garden back in 2002 I had a flower garden in mind. We have over 60 rose plants and many many other perennials! So there isn’t a whole lot of room for veggies! But … I do plant veggies in small open spaces in my garden and in containers so we get our fair share of home grown veggies during the summer months.

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