My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

SandiSAHM wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:21 pm Unless something weird happens, DH should outlive me. Should that not happen, God forbid ('cause he's a nice guy and should have a good long life), or we downsize together the last time, I don't think I'd want to be in an apartment.

I was in a condo once, in NC, that had a back deck facing some woods and a neighbor only on one side. That might not be too bad again. But it would have to be ground level, and there'd have to be a garage. And a soundproof wall between me and the neighbor (my nextdoor neighbor there was the program director for the largest rock station in town).

I've lived in single-family houses for so long I'm not sure I want to routinely hear (or feel) a bunch of noise just on the other side of a wall, ceiling, or floor. Kind of semi-detached living would be okay.

! Ex-h's aunt lived in a "quad" in an over-55 development. Four living units, each with their own door, their own sunroom off the door (she had lots of plants), their own garage. That was pretty slick; never heard a peep out of any of her neighbors so it must have been well insulated. Or they were super quiet.
Not really thrilled with the apartment idea, but if necessary will do so. Still looking online at various places. It is pretty hard to find a one level place in the city our youngest lives in, but I will continue to do so....
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
floridacatlover
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by floridacatlover »

Jackielou wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 4:53 pm Yipee, another no spend, no drive day. Planning projects that hopefully will save us cash in the long run.

I will take some meals with us to youngest when we stay there. He puts up with us taking over his home so the least I can do is feed us all.

I have been doing downsizing thinking today and realized that if we move into an apartment with a small balcony/deck we could actually use youngest sons garden. We could expand it and plant more. Pretty sure he would be more than okay with that. We could also have one of our freezers in his basement and share the bounty.

We could give him our rototiller, and the eldest could get our snowblower.... Got to be fair. Downsizing without even leaving the house here.
Those sound like really good ideas about sharing your son’s garden and putting your freezer in his basement.
Quilter51
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Quilter51 »

Jackielou wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:32 pm Not really thrilled with the apartment idea, but if necessary will do so. Still looking online at various places. It is pretty hard to find a one level place in the city our youngest lives in, but I will continue to do so....
Never thought I would do the apt thing, but I have come to appreciate both the smallness and the connectedness. As I get older I appreciate people living close enough to know if my car has moved and bring me goodies and so on, even as a fairly solitary soul.
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Did some more research as to condo's and such in the city youngest lives. Man some are very expensive and the monthly condo fees range from almost $900 a month to $600 a month. Not including taxes. Beginning to think a small house would be the better deal.

Another no spend day, but I did spend some of my allowance at the second hand store. Found a winter coat to replace my old one when the zipper goes. Just a tiny bit over the cost of purchasing a good metal zipper for the old coat.

Using up things in the fridge for our supper tonight. Leftover rice, leftover stroganoff, and a salad using lots of items in the crisper.

Packaged up the yarn I pulled into project bags, tidied the sewing/craft room and found more yarn to knit a another sweater for next winter. Also found some more cotton yarn that I could make more dish cloths from (how on earth did I manage to accumulate so much of that type of craft yarn). I also found yarn to knit a couple of small poncho's. Those I just might try selling.

Since the sun shone for most of the day (we did have rain and clouds earlier) the drapes were open to take advantage. Every little bit I can save by using solar heating and lighting is money in my pocket. Especially after getting the bill for electric today. Wow, that increase was really big.

Tomorrow I bring up the main dish ingredients from the freezers downstairs. Since whole chickens were not on sale I will probably do something with some type of chicken pieces. I need to check and see if we have chicken legs with back attached, those always bake up nicely, and will use something up from the freezer.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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There are still too many bits and bobs of leftover roast meats in the fridge freezer. This means I have redone some of my monthly menu plans. I really need to get a handle on those.

No spend day today. Number 4 for the month. Pretty sure that number will grow before I head out shopping again. The more I stay out of stores the more cash we save.

Hubby got the pieces to fix his BBQ and the cost of those was close to being 1/4 of what purchasing a new one would be, and that fixed will probably last us until we leave this home for another. Hubby says he won't take the BBQ with him but will take the smoker (can use it as a BBQ as well).
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Lots of sunshine today which means the furnace hardly ran at all. Money saved on heating costs (and electrical).

I fixed a pair of Hubby's jeans and did a bit of a hem on the sleeves of the grey tunic I made. They were much too long.

I finally found some Murphy's Oil Soap and so will be able to finish washing and oiling my kitchen cupboards. It was on sale at Canadian Tire and Hubby bought it with his allowance.... I think he wants the cupboards nice and clean.

The sweater I am knitting will use up quite a few bits from my stash. Then the second one will use up even more. Got to love being able to pull enough of something from what I already have to make something.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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