Well I do not know about you but in our household, we or I should say myself. I am a little fanatical about saving money and getting free stuff in the bargain. So as we are on a fixed income like most of the real world. I have a very small Disability Pension that I get each month. Fortunately G. is still working so we get Health Benefits etc from her employer.
We were a two salary family until the Accidents that we both had within 6 months of each other. Since then I have been a house husband and so have been keeping the accounts and always on the lookout for deals.
When we first met and for the first few years of our marriage I did the accounts 6 months in advance. I know I used to get some odd looks from G. as I did this. You know we never had a argument once about money or purchasing stuff. I only do the accounts 1 month in advance now. We have doubled our mortgage payments and I was able get a better interest rate with the bank than we had this time last year. Now we will be mortgage free in a little under 3 years. I am always pitting 1 company against another to get a better deal on Insurance, cable, phone etc. You have to do it , I know you are thinking; I just do not have the time. But believe me it all adds up very quickly so take the time and do some comparison shopping after all it is your money.
Cost of fuel for the car is up so everything has gone up very quickly and of course our income shrinks and does not go up with the cost of living. I just went over to Shoppers DrugMart today and found Thinsations they are cookies only 2 points on weight watchers for a packet. They were on for 1.49 regular 2.99 and I happened to have 8 coupons for 50 cent off each box. I had to walk home about a mile to get them but it was worth it. Hey that was 4.00 I just saved as we buy them anyways they are great for lunches and snacks. Help to keep us on track and not go belly up in the Cookie Jar.
We shop at Shop and Save or any of the Loblaws Chain as we have our bank accounts there and so have no monthly bank charges. It is another way to save our hard earned money.
We get PC Points on our purchases and if we use the PC green bags as well at the check out get more PC points for each dollar we spend. So we do not get any more plastic bags as well so it is a win, win for the Environment. In the course of a year probably get between 100-200 dollars a year in free groceries.
AirMiles we collect them both with the card and our Amex card and we get free stuff like printers, cameras, both digital and SLR ,Ipod, tools, suitcases and free trips all in the course of the last 18 months.
So I reckon because of a little extra time spent comparison shopping, collecting coupons and Airmiles. We are way a head of the game and can afford the little extras now and then without feeling guilty. So if you are a closet coupon collector be proud and hold your head high. When I see coupons that we use. I always take a lot of them as the expiry usually lasts for a while it is money in the bank in the long run.
"Coupon Funerals: 'Let us remember his life, not his expiration date. For we know our Saver (Old Tarf) will redeem him.'
Remember you are saving yourself a small fortune over time. More money for Whiskey and Beer.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Air Miles, PC Points, Clip and Save Coupons
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16 comments:
Ah yes, something I will have to seriously start doing! Just spent a fortune on a new home and doubled our mortgage too boot! I am sure I can walk lots more, eat less and save lots of money! Well done to you for already doing it.
I would do this if I had time. And could add up. and wasnt stupid and lazy and overworked...
Wise words Tarf , its amazing what you can save if you shop around . You are a shining example to us all
***smacks Mutleys legs for being lazy***
i used to do the coupon thing religiously and then just lost time and now don't do it full stop...however i do the airline mile things and stay in a lot of hotels with travel for my job so have earned quite a lot of free hotel stays and will be staying in dublin soon for free for a week...it does add up and makes the vacation a little easier on the wallet...
chris- things are getting on track for you and your family. New home, new location, new start. Remember it is always baby steps before you stride.
Mutley-You always have time ,it is just being a little more organized and less of the #6 Ale.
Beast- not wise words. Just helping the cause.
Hopefully you didn't hit Muletly to hard. As he needs his legs to walk around and comparison shop.
Daisy- they really do add up very quickly and enjoy your flight to Dublin.
I was just thinking to myself the other day that i should try to get married to some so-wealthy-he-has-oil-coming-out-of-his-ass Arab so that i'd never have to worry about money again!
Sabrina- Diesel or High Octane.
All good cost saving measures.
It's worth taking two days off a year to work on a financial review.
The only thing is that one stooopid move and its all gone. I sometimes wonder if it's better just going through life blissfully ignorant.
Kev- one doesn't have to do it once a year. But a little time here, the odd coupon there as I know it is not a hard thing to do. a little organization and a few baby steps at a time. the mountain is soon gone and you can see the horizon.
Yes, there will be times of a really hard slog because life's little emergencies but each bit you save can go into a rainy day pot and use it when the need arises.
Or towards a special vacation now and then. Having a goal in mind helps to keep you moving on down the road.
It's not moving on down the road that is the problem. That seems to be happening with reckless speed as the years go by. I suppose it helps to know that one is not headed for a brick wall.
Kev- you are right. As we get older time really speeds up. I guess it is because life gets more complicated as we age. We are busy with family, work, hobbies and life in general. it is hard to catch one's breath let alone start to take time for the future. We are too busy in the now.
As long as we can get our foot on the brake, no worry's about the brick wall at the end. It is a simple matter of trust and faith in ourselves as well as a trust in God. We have to learn to let go and let God.
Carrie Underwood's song " Jesus take the wheel". really sums up things and puts things into perspective.
Have a great weekend. I put a new tune or two on Youtube the other day. let me know what you honestly think. I value your opinion Kev. I find that I am not able to download anything from youtube to my blog lately. Have you had the same problem? Or is it something I am doing wrong?
oldtarf1 on you tube.
Lol!!! It doesn't matter. Hell it could just be coconut oil..
As long as he's rolling in the moolah! :p
Ocean Lullaby.
Great tune and a nice voice.
Is that a Hohner semi you're playing there perchance ?
I think you should join a group or something. I can hear harmonies there.
I saw a lovely Yamaha classical guitar today - totally electronic with a 'skeleton' body (dismantles to put in a gig bag). I'm really tempted by that and a Boss acoustic amp they have there in Mansons.
Hugh Manson is Luthier to the stars and he and his brother's guitar making go right back to the sixties. They run a great guitar shop in Exeter and they let me have the run of the acoustic room (some guitars are over 4k) as they know one day I will spend a lot of money in there.
I thought I'd miss Denmark Street in London but Manson's makes up for it a lot.
I'll try to set up that skype with you - I had a go a couple of months ago and couldn't get the mic to work ... sorry.
http://www.mansons.co.uk/about/
kev-thank you for the listen to my tunes.
I am playing a electric classical Takamine Eg 124sc.
I will check out masons later today when I am awake and not near any credit cards.
It would be good to talk with you about things musical and other stuff. So hoe you can get the skype to cooperate.
I will have to post a picture of my Old Yamaha Classical guitar for you to see "Old Betsy". She is about 32 years old or more and sounds sweet with age. I keep her up at the camp to play on weekends. Her tone is much better than most.
Life here is about to get a little confusing as we are planning on selling our Condo and moving to some thing smaller and cheaper so we can utilize some equity for other things and invest some. We are asset rich ( not rich, rich) and cash poor. We have all our money tied up in the home and little savings so trying to change that over the next little while.
I am selling off some of my paintings to a collector for a good profit and putting a bunch of folk art in on consignment in a gallery. We need to de-clutter anyways also going to the Flea market to sell a bunch of antiques and collectables.
Sabrina- I guess if he is rolling in dough. He better not be a baker as he wouldn't have a lot of "Bread" so to speak. :))
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