We saved $169 today!

Erika had started cleaning her car out today and the shop vac just didn't sound right.When Gerry went to look at it he realized the motor had seized up.So we started looking at prices for a new one and nothing was on sale.To replace the shop vac we had, it would have cost us $169.
So, he took it to the shop, ripped it apart, washed all non electrical parts, blew out the dust from the motor, with an air compressor, lubricated the shafts and put it back together.
Running as good as new now.

It's Only August and I'm Cold!

I hate to say it, but I get cold- easily! I was already thinking of an electric blanket on the bed last night. Mine died on me last year, so I was hoping over the summer someone would have had them on sale somewhere, but I didn't find anything...so, now that it's turning colder in the evenings,and the bed is getting cold, I'm going to have to start the search for one. We have a queen sized bed- so more of an expense for any bedding, the bigger the bed gets.We are heading out of town tomorrow so will see what I can find.I do have a heat pad, so may use that in the beginning, as partner doesn't feel it's cold yet.Unfortunately I have Raynauds,so I do have poor circulation and not as warm as most.
We are investing in an energy efficient furnace this year as well, so in the long run we will save money.
We will also be able to claim up to $1300 of that cost on next year's taxes.(Canada)
We do wear slippers around here as we find that if our feet are kept warm, we stay warmer.Sweaters are great too!
More great tips include:
-foam insulation
-window covering kits
-closing off unused rooms
-give your furnace a tune up and clean the filters
-take advantage of the sun- open all those curtains on sunny days
-use a space heater if you will be in one room for a few hours-example: watching a movie with the family.

Our Pets

I thought you all may like to see our pets.( Pictured here are 3 of the 4 guinea pigs). We also have 2 huge goldfish not pictured- I have tried selling them and giving them away but to no luck.I just feel like I am over run with pets some days.
Before I moved in with Gerry 3 years ago, we had one guinea pig that we didn't know was pregnant when we got her.She had babies and we kept the girls and gave away the boys to my sister. If your anything like me, I always feel bad about giving pets away- you always want to know if your doing the right thing or if they are going to a good home.Since guinea pigs live a long life, we have had most of them for at least 5-6 years.Although they started out as the kid's pets, they quickly became more my pets.They love to eat pellets and romaine so we seem to always need to buy both,as well as shavings for their cages.My daughter worked at the petting zoo this year so she did occasionally bring over some of the lettuce, carrots that the grocery store gave them.
We also have a dog named Chloe- she's around 9- and was here when I moved in- Gerry's dog, who quickly took a liking to me.She snagged her toe nail on something the other day and almost tore it out, so now we are hoping that she will heal it on her own.I have been putting antispetic on it though.
She also takes thyroid pills daily: costs us $65 for a 3 month supply.This will be a life thing that she will need.She was losing hair, had severe dry spots and gaining alot of weight.She has since gotten her nice coat back and lost 15 lbs in 5 months.
Prior to this, last month she picked up a stomache virus and was so sick that we had to get her all types of medication-a big vet bill.
So, if your planning on getting pets, please keep in mind the expense they can occur.

My Backyard

I have lived here with Gerry for the past 3 years.
Originally, he had two gardens in the backyard, growing potatoes, peas, carrots,beans and cucumbers- that year everything grew well.
The following year we put in in a little less vegetables and the only things that really grew good were the potatoes.
This year was a poor, short growing season.( June,July, August).We didn't see alot of sun or feel alot of heat. We planted potatoes, the regular bush of raspberries and I tried growing sunflowers this year. (I always liked the look of sunflowers that others grew in their yards.)
The photos you see here is of our raspberry bush,sunflowers,( you can see how big they only got), the potatoes and some flowers.
We aren't big vegetable eaters and around here if we have plenty of potatoes, we're happy. Blueberries grow wild as well as raspberries.My niece and her friend had picked blueberries this summer and bagged them up in little baggies- they were selling them door to door for .25 a bag...little entrepreneurs.
I think next year I may add some carrots, onions, etc..Definitely nice to be able to have your own garden produce.

Book Closeouts!

I love reading books, but my library doesn't always have what I am looking for, nor can they get it through the inter-public library loaning sytem. I stumbled across Book Closeouts- they have tons of great books at great, below cost prices.

Please copy and paste this link in your browser to check them out!

http://www.bookcloseouts.com/default.asp?N=0&rid=gme123

Everything Old is New Again

I'm not a big fan of using bleach..I've ruined clothes in the past because I've gotten it on my sleeves or somewhere else on what I was wearing.But at times I do like what it can do with regards to whitening, brightening and sanitizing.

Case in point is my stove dials. I should have had a before photo for you, but they were getting a bit black looking around parts of the dials.Since they were easily pulled off, I took them off, and put them in a bowl with about a tablespoon of bleach and let them sit. The result is new looking dials that my rag and cleaner couldn't get clean on their own.

I also use a little drop of bleach inside the coffee mugs that sit and become stained- cleans them white as white.

For more great uses for bleach see Clorox bleach:

http://www.clorox.com/pdf/what_you_can_do_with_bleach.pdf

A Mystery Shopping Trip

If you want to make a little bit of extra money on the side, as well as get some freebies at the same time, you may wish to try mystery/secret shopping.As well as shops I do in town, we ventured out for a few jobs I had in another town- an hour away. It was worth the drive. For one job,( and I can't mention which places I visited), I was given a 10 piece chicken supper with the works plus paid $10. For another job we visited a grocery store-I got to evaluate a few departments, shop for $15 worth of whatever food I wished, and paid a $20 shopper fee.The biggest shop was for a phone company- because I had to travel out of town and they needed someone to vist here, I was given $25 for the shop plus .36 a km for gas expenses- and I travelled a total of 230 kms. It was a good day.

The only thing I don't like about mystery shopping is that you will initially have to outlay your own money for the shops where you are required to pick something up. But you will be reimbursed within 2 weeks- 1 month. Usually by direct deposit, pay pal or cheque.

I know for us it's a real treat to have someone else foot the bill in exchange for my comments.

The Cost of Living Up North

Next time you complain about your grocery bill, keep these northeners in mind!!!! These are from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut last week.

Milk costs here for 4 litre jugs of milk range between $12-$14

***Price of Life in
the North
The average cost of
living in the North is
60% higher than in
Southern Canada.
Here are some average
prices you would pay:
Return Flight Iqaluit
to Ottawa $1500
4L Milk $12.99
Bread $ 3.99
Basic Cable $58.85
Basic Phone $30.00
plus hook-up fees

***(These facts taken from:

http://www.gov.nu.ca/hr/site/faq/faqbaffin.pdf)

Club Pack Savings

I must admit , that although I save money with buying alot of my food items on clearance, I have only recently started paying more attention to club pack and warehouse items. I certainly can see where the money saved will add up, by buying this way.It will also save on more frequent trips to the grocery store.

Today I bought a case of soup for example that would have normally costed me $1.07 a can, but by buying the case, I only paid $5.99 for the case. Saving me $6.85 on the case. We also bought a bag of 19 pork chops for $17.00- normally this would have cost $42 if bought pre-packaged, and a pack of 12 pizza pops for $5.99 which would have cost $3-$4 more if bought in the smaller boxes.

This is just a small example of how club pack and warehouse packs can save you money.

Of course if you also have coupons for any of these items, this is another added bonus.

Drying Clothes

Where I live, we don't get alot of good weather for line drying clothes.The line goes up sometime in May and is gone by September. Even for those months that we do get warm weather, we do get alot of rain and cooler, sunless days.I try to dry outside when I can.

When I do dry indoors I check clothes often and take them out as soon as they are dry enough to be folded or ironed. My daughter,Ria comes to do a load of laundry once or twice a week and hates "crusty" clothes as she calls it, so utilizes the dryer...her laundry is always heavy items that take a while to dry, so I am always visualizing my meter hands going round and round-LOL

I was thinking of maybe hanging some of the clothes over night on a clothes rack indoors. I still like my towels , and underwear dried in the dryer though. What works for you?