Well, we left the city today and we're back at our rural home from today until Monday. The grass wasn't nearly as bad as last time but our lilac is almost dead and I'm not sure if it will recover. My Munstead lavender, on the other hand, is blossoming again even though I removed all the buds previously and it got a little mowed over last time we were here. We set the sprinkler before coming to town to buy groceries.
But first we stopped at Walmart to buy more line for the weedeater thing and before you know it I'd spent close to $100. No, the line wasn't that expensive. We saw the thing we've been looking for to zap all the mosquitoes. It cost about $46 but it attracts all the bugs, electrocutes them and works over a whole acre. And it came with a 3 year warranty. Given that last time we were here we were almost eaten alive every time we stepped out the door it is totally worth it. And I bought a kickboard for DC who did quite well with her swimming lessons.
I also bought wasp spray because they've taken up residence just inside the roof above the front door. Thanks to Kacie for her post about wasps today and for her telling me how dangerous it would be to try to just seal them up.
And we spent more on groceries than I've spent each of the past couple of weeks. Part of that is because we were out of some bigger items like water (it's dark yellow out of the tap, thank you very much) and instant coffee, as well as all the renewable kind of thing (milk, cream, butter, eggs, hummus, you name it).
Tomorrow we're also coming to town for part of the day and then we're going home to grill the 2 honking rib steaks I bought at the deli this morning before we left the city. This is not something we normally do, but this is our anniversary weekend and this is our celebration. I'll do them just before Shabbos comes in because we don't cook on the Sabbath. Shabbos lunch we have sliced roast beef, nice and pink.
Okay, going home now to eat something because talking about food is making me hungry!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
It Won't Wait Wednesday
Some people call it Anti-Procrastination Day, but that's not as wonderfully alliterative as "It Won't Wait Wednesday". Basically, we all have things we put off, things that sit on our To Do lists for days, weeks, months or even longer. On Wednesdays I'm making an attempt to take care of at least one or two items that I've put off.
Today I accomplished three things with two phone calls!
My first call was to Canada Revenue Agency. I had my 2007 Notice of Assessment handy, but didn't need it for the series of security questions they asked me. I was probably on hold for about 2 minutes. I've received both my 2006 and 2007 tax refunds, a notice telling me we don't qualify for the GST rebate, my July CCTB and UCCB benefit payments, but not my retroactive CCTB (Canada Child Tax Benefit/BC Benefit) for last year. The girl I spoke to told me that I'll be getting a cheque for $730.82 and it will be issued for August 20th.
My next call was to ING Direct. I wanted to talk to someone who could walk me through changing the date that the withdrawals from my chequing account go through. Currently they come out on Mondays. I wanted to change that to Thursday so I would line up better with my paydays (every 2nd Wednesday) in order to avoid the problems I've had recently. The guy I talked to did that and moved $250 from my Vacation Pay account back into my bank account. This is something I've been putting off to my detriment.
So I'm happy with my accomplishments. I'll have enough in my bank account at the beginning of the month to cover the stuff that's coming out, I'll have less problem with being out of sync and having money come out of my account 2 days before the money is in there, and I know how much I'm getting from the government and when to expect the cheque!
Of course, it means that I'll be very tight for money right up until the 20th because I'm getting a smaller than usual cheque on the 6th. Then I'll get paid the first of 2 big paycheques with 1 regular week and 1 week of full time hours and the same day I'm due to receive not one, not two, but three cheques from the government (my retro CCTB of $730.82, my regular CCTB of $56 and my UCCB of $100)! But that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
So, how about it? Does anyone else want to commit to dealing with a task that won't wait next Wednesday? Post about it and come tell me about it, either on this post or next Wednesday's.
Today I accomplished three things with two phone calls!
My first call was to Canada Revenue Agency. I had my 2007 Notice of Assessment handy, but didn't need it for the series of security questions they asked me. I was probably on hold for about 2 minutes. I've received both my 2006 and 2007 tax refunds, a notice telling me we don't qualify for the GST rebate, my July CCTB and UCCB benefit payments, but not my retroactive CCTB (Canada Child Tax Benefit/BC Benefit) for last year. The girl I spoke to told me that I'll be getting a cheque for $730.82 and it will be issued for August 20th.
My next call was to ING Direct. I wanted to talk to someone who could walk me through changing the date that the withdrawals from my chequing account go through. Currently they come out on Mondays. I wanted to change that to Thursday so I would line up better with my paydays (every 2nd Wednesday) in order to avoid the problems I've had recently. The guy I talked to did that and moved $250 from my Vacation Pay account back into my bank account. This is something I've been putting off to my detriment.
So I'm happy with my accomplishments. I'll have enough in my bank account at the beginning of the month to cover the stuff that's coming out, I'll have less problem with being out of sync and having money come out of my account 2 days before the money is in there, and I know how much I'm getting from the government and when to expect the cheque!
Of course, it means that I'll be very tight for money right up until the 20th because I'm getting a smaller than usual cheque on the 6th. Then I'll get paid the first of 2 big paycheques with 1 regular week and 1 week of full time hours and the same day I'm due to receive not one, not two, but three cheques from the government (my retro CCTB of $730.82, my regular CCTB of $56 and my UCCB of $100)! But that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
So, how about it? Does anyone else want to commit to dealing with a task that won't wait next Wednesday? Post about it and come tell me about it, either on this post or next Wednesday's.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
My 5 Year Old's Mail
Technically, the mail was addressed to me (and my hubby) but my daughter considers that the mail that came today was hers. School must be approaching. We got two pieces of mail from them today.
While we gave in the 10 post-dated tuition cheques some time ago I knew there were more fees to be paid. We actually have 3 more cheques to give in by the beginning of school. The first is a $35 fee for school supplies. Throughout the primary grades the kids use communal supplies that are kept at various stations in the 2 classrooms they use rather than buy their own individual pencils, crayons, etc.
The second is a textbook/field trip fee for the student agenda, a math workbook and field trips. That's another $33. But I'm not going to pay $70 for a Tanach (Bible), especially when it says on the form that the 5 books of Chumash with Rashi are the better (and more expensive) option. Why? Because I already own a perfectly good set of linear Chumash with Rashi (the ones I learn from every morning). [This is the first five books of the Bible with the Hebrew on the right, English on the left and Rashi's commentary at the bottom of the page.] For that matter, I have a Tanach. It's just a weird size with really small print.
The third cheque is for $240 and is for the school service requirement. Each family is required to give at least 12 hours of time to the school and there are all kinds of different opportunities throughout the year for fullfilling the 12 hours. If you don't put in the time by June, they cash your cheque. My goal is to put in our time and get my cheque back!
The other mail was a copy of the student handbook, a code of conduct and the schedule for the first week of school (when they don't go for the full day). Starting the 2nd Monday in September school runs from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The first week is going to be difficult, especially with our various schedules, only 2 vehicles between 4 adults and the little girls to shlep around too.
Not to mention that we'll be entering foreign territory in terms of getting our little owl to school before the time she normally wakes up! Basically, she needs to get up an hour and a half earlier than she does now and she has just over a month to get used to it. I've done this before and it's not fun. My #1 Son actually went to a half day kindergarten that started at noon. All the other kids had lunch before arriving at kindergarten. My son had breakfast and then had to hustle to get there on time. We don't have the option of half day kindergarten, so we're just going to have to get it together. Unfortunately, waking DC up means that every side of the bed just became the wrong one, whereas we have an even up chance if she wakes by herself.
While we gave in the 10 post-dated tuition cheques some time ago I knew there were more fees to be paid. We actually have 3 more cheques to give in by the beginning of school. The first is a $35 fee for school supplies. Throughout the primary grades the kids use communal supplies that are kept at various stations in the 2 classrooms they use rather than buy their own individual pencils, crayons, etc.
The second is a textbook/field trip fee for the student agenda, a math workbook and field trips. That's another $33. But I'm not going to pay $70 for a Tanach (Bible), especially when it says on the form that the 5 books of Chumash with Rashi are the better (and more expensive) option. Why? Because I already own a perfectly good set of linear Chumash with Rashi (the ones I learn from every morning). [This is the first five books of the Bible with the Hebrew on the right, English on the left and Rashi's commentary at the bottom of the page.] For that matter, I have a Tanach. It's just a weird size with really small print.
The third cheque is for $240 and is for the school service requirement. Each family is required to give at least 12 hours of time to the school and there are all kinds of different opportunities throughout the year for fullfilling the 12 hours. If you don't put in the time by June, they cash your cheque. My goal is to put in our time and get my cheque back!
The other mail was a copy of the student handbook, a code of conduct and the schedule for the first week of school (when they don't go for the full day). Starting the 2nd Monday in September school runs from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The first week is going to be difficult, especially with our various schedules, only 2 vehicles between 4 adults and the little girls to shlep around too.
Not to mention that we'll be entering foreign territory in terms of getting our little owl to school before the time she normally wakes up! Basically, she needs to get up an hour and a half earlier than she does now and she has just over a month to get used to it. I've done this before and it's not fun. My #1 Son actually went to a half day kindergarten that started at noon. All the other kids had lunch before arriving at kindergarten. My son had breakfast and then had to hustle to get there on time. We don't have the option of half day kindergarten, so we're just going to have to get it together. Unfortunately, waking DC up means that every side of the bed just became the wrong one, whereas we have an even up chance if she wakes by herself.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Still Talking About Grocery Prices
I'm still thinking about the cost of food after my last post about things that were cheaper at Superstore. And, as often happens when something is on my mind, I came across a couple of related articles (in this case, on MSN Money about buying groceries for less). Some of the information in the articles shocked me.
First of all, I do always take American data with a grain of salt when I compare it to Canadian costs. Even when the dollar is roughly at par and even when we live about 40 miles from the border, costs are never the same. Some things are cheaper, some pricier, some the same. But it was still an eye opener.
The first article Can A Family Eat on $100 A Week? was a one week trial for a family of 4 to eat on $100 per week. The author, Melinda Fulmer, said she knew it wouldn't be easy because the food stamp allowance for a family of that size is $117! She admitted to regularly spending close to $250 per week, somewhat above the $182 Uncle Sam considers "moderate" for a family of 4. I've been trying to reduce my spending after I realized we were regularly exceeding my budgeted $150/week, totalling about $800 per month. So, I'm actually close to the "moderate" category and spend less than the Fulmer's usual budget even though I buy exclusively kosher foods and a fair bit of junk.
What were the ground rules for the experiment? Well, there were a few. The food all had to come from major chain stores, not Costco or ethnic markets. She couldn't use coupons and the food had to be relatively healthful. Plus, non food items like paper towels didn't count.
What sorts of things did Fulmer buy and which purchases seemed questionable to me? The article made a big deal out of the fact that all the meals had to be carefully planned, with allowance for snacks and it had to appeal to everyone. Some of her "healthful" food items caused me to raise my eyebrows: pretzels and luncheon meat in particular. And some things weren't things I would consider inexpensive, like cheese (I pay about $7 for 8 oz, but I do know that cheese in general is cheaper in the US than in Canada and that kosher cheese probably costs twice what non-kosher costs) or meat. She bought boneless pork shoulder, chicken breasts and round steak on sale (though she didn't say what the price was or how much she bought). Other than possibly the round steak, are any of those really economical cuts of meat?
I obviously know less than nothing about buying pork, but boneless anything always costs more. And chicken breasts are the most expensive part of the bird. I was looking at chicken for Friday night dinner last week and almost bought a pack of 4 thighs because they're the cheapest cut (other than the packs of necks, which I don't think are safe with a small child and all those little bones). All the packs of thighs were in the $8 to $9 range but they were much cheaper than the breasts. I ultimately bought B fry, which is beef sliced like bacon, cut it up into little pieces and fried it up with purple onion, garlic and mushrooms and served it over seasoned couscous. I think it was about $4/lb (I'm not hunting for the receipt right now). For our other meat meal I bought 2 turkey legs for under $9 and cooked one in the crockpot with potatoes and carrots. That means I have another meal left from that pack so I spent under $10 this week on meat (less than my usual $15 to $20).
Did they manage to stay within the $100 limit for the week? No, but they came close. She only spent $105.03 and was only over because of 2 splurges. However, she didn't feel they could replicate this week in and week out. I agree. For one thing, she was able to use food already in her pantry, such as flour, oil and spices. Eventually, the food you already have on hand runs out and you have to buy something that takes a disproportionately large bite out of the budget. Besides that, it was too drastic a change from what the family was accustomed to. Fulmer herself said she overspent (over the $250/week mark) the following week but that a regular budget of $175/week might be fairly realistic and doable. Making that change alone could save her $3,600 per year (or $108,000 in 30 years)!
The second article featured MP Dunleavy's attempt to cut their $400/month grocery bill (for 2 adults and a 1 year old) in half! Now, Mia is sometimes discussed in fairly dismissive terms by financial bloggers and commenters because of her sometimes imprudent spending (given her position as a paid financial columnist), so it was pretty surprising to see just how little she spends on food. Cutting that amount in half successfully seemed unlikely.
How did it go? Right from the start it seemed clear that Mia and her hubby were not on the same page regarding this experiment. He went out on the very first day and spent $48.85, but not on the things they'd discussed! About a week later he went to the store with strict instructions to spend no more than $40 and spent $73! He also seemed to have a bit of an attitude (expressed as, "I'm not going to eat Kraft Dinner"). Well, lah di dah. If you run out of money before you run out of month what are you going to do?
Then there's the small matter of cheating. They "found" $26 in her hubby's pants and used that for beer, lime Tostitos, expensive cheddar and breakfast out but didn't count it towards their total. Why? They spent it on food. The "windfall" aspect of it shouldn't matter. Presumably they weren't cutting back to $200 because they were short $200 that month. It was an experiment in trying to cut back.
Their final total was $300.77, including about $80 over Thanksgiving. Plus the $26, of course. But they didn't feel like they'd failed. Really? You normally spend $400, but want to spend $200. In the end you spend just under $327, only a $73 saving for the month instead of a $200 saving. But you haven't failed? Their rationalization was that they'd saved $100 (instead of the $73 they'd actually saved) and that would add up to $36,000 in 30 years. Her hubby, Matthew Perry, actually said "That's a chunk of our son's education money." Umm, your son is already a year old. Won't he be going on to university some time before his 31st birthday?
So where does all this leave me? I'm not sure. I mean, maybe I should feel better about the amount I spend since people on food stamps get $117 per week and they're sure not buying kosher meat and cheese! But, really, what does that have to do with my bottom line? If I can't afford to spend $700 to $800 per month on food then I need to cut back because I'm tired of my outgo exceeding my income! It doesn't matter what someone else pays. I should do the best I can, not base my spending on any kind of average.
First of all, I do always take American data with a grain of salt when I compare it to Canadian costs. Even when the dollar is roughly at par and even when we live about 40 miles from the border, costs are never the same. Some things are cheaper, some pricier, some the same. But it was still an eye opener.
The first article Can A Family Eat on $100 A Week? was a one week trial for a family of 4 to eat on $100 per week. The author, Melinda Fulmer, said she knew it wouldn't be easy because the food stamp allowance for a family of that size is $117! She admitted to regularly spending close to $250 per week, somewhat above the $182 Uncle Sam considers "moderate" for a family of 4. I've been trying to reduce my spending after I realized we were regularly exceeding my budgeted $150/week, totalling about $800 per month. So, I'm actually close to the "moderate" category and spend less than the Fulmer's usual budget even though I buy exclusively kosher foods and a fair bit of junk.
What were the ground rules for the experiment? Well, there were a few. The food all had to come from major chain stores, not Costco or ethnic markets. She couldn't use coupons and the food had to be relatively healthful. Plus, non food items like paper towels didn't count.
What sorts of things did Fulmer buy and which purchases seemed questionable to me? The article made a big deal out of the fact that all the meals had to be carefully planned, with allowance for snacks and it had to appeal to everyone. Some of her "healthful" food items caused me to raise my eyebrows: pretzels and luncheon meat in particular. And some things weren't things I would consider inexpensive, like cheese (I pay about $7 for 8 oz, but I do know that cheese in general is cheaper in the US than in Canada and that kosher cheese probably costs twice what non-kosher costs) or meat. She bought boneless pork shoulder, chicken breasts and round steak on sale (though she didn't say what the price was or how much she bought). Other than possibly the round steak, are any of those really economical cuts of meat?
I obviously know less than nothing about buying pork, but boneless anything always costs more. And chicken breasts are the most expensive part of the bird. I was looking at chicken for Friday night dinner last week and almost bought a pack of 4 thighs because they're the cheapest cut (other than the packs of necks, which I don't think are safe with a small child and all those little bones). All the packs of thighs were in the $8 to $9 range but they were much cheaper than the breasts. I ultimately bought B fry, which is beef sliced like bacon, cut it up into little pieces and fried it up with purple onion, garlic and mushrooms and served it over seasoned couscous. I think it was about $4/lb (I'm not hunting for the receipt right now). For our other meat meal I bought 2 turkey legs for under $9 and cooked one in the crockpot with potatoes and carrots. That means I have another meal left from that pack so I spent under $10 this week on meat (less than my usual $15 to $20).
Did they manage to stay within the $100 limit for the week? No, but they came close. She only spent $105.03 and was only over because of 2 splurges. However, she didn't feel they could replicate this week in and week out. I agree. For one thing, she was able to use food already in her pantry, such as flour, oil and spices. Eventually, the food you already have on hand runs out and you have to buy something that takes a disproportionately large bite out of the budget. Besides that, it was too drastic a change from what the family was accustomed to. Fulmer herself said she overspent (over the $250/week mark) the following week but that a regular budget of $175/week might be fairly realistic and doable. Making that change alone could save her $3,600 per year (or $108,000 in 30 years)!
The second article featured MP Dunleavy's attempt to cut their $400/month grocery bill (for 2 adults and a 1 year old) in half! Now, Mia is sometimes discussed in fairly dismissive terms by financial bloggers and commenters because of her sometimes imprudent spending (given her position as a paid financial columnist), so it was pretty surprising to see just how little she spends on food. Cutting that amount in half successfully seemed unlikely.
How did it go? Right from the start it seemed clear that Mia and her hubby were not on the same page regarding this experiment. He went out on the very first day and spent $48.85, but not on the things they'd discussed! About a week later he went to the store with strict instructions to spend no more than $40 and spent $73! He also seemed to have a bit of an attitude (expressed as, "I'm not going to eat Kraft Dinner"). Well, lah di dah. If you run out of money before you run out of month what are you going to do?
Then there's the small matter of cheating. They "found" $26 in her hubby's pants and used that for beer, lime Tostitos, expensive cheddar and breakfast out but didn't count it towards their total. Why? They spent it on food. The "windfall" aspect of it shouldn't matter. Presumably they weren't cutting back to $200 because they were short $200 that month. It was an experiment in trying to cut back.
Their final total was $300.77, including about $80 over Thanksgiving. Plus the $26, of course. But they didn't feel like they'd failed. Really? You normally spend $400, but want to spend $200. In the end you spend just under $327, only a $73 saving for the month instead of a $200 saving. But you haven't failed? Their rationalization was that they'd saved $100 (instead of the $73 they'd actually saved) and that would add up to $36,000 in 30 years. Her hubby, Matthew Perry, actually said "That's a chunk of our son's education money." Umm, your son is already a year old. Won't he be going on to university some time before his 31st birthday?
So where does all this leave me? I'm not sure. I mean, maybe I should feel better about the amount I spend since people on food stamps get $117 per week and they're sure not buying kosher meat and cheese! But, really, what does that have to do with my bottom line? If I can't afford to spend $700 to $800 per month on food then I need to cut back because I'm tired of my outgo exceeding my income! It doesn't matter what someone else pays. I should do the best I can, not base my spending on any kind of average.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
If the Price is Right
Last night I meant to write about price differences. Differences in grocery prices and gas prices and how difficult it can be at times to keep up and get the best deal. But, by the time I did the shopping and came home I was too exhausted to write about it.
I went grocery shopping last night to 2 different stores. I had a very short time frame for getting to Superstore and shopping there after I finished working at 10:30 pm. Actually, even being able to get to Superstore after work is something new. They used to close earlier but recently started staying open until 11 pm. I arrived about 10:45 pm and moved as quickly as I could inside the store.
The Bolthouse protein drink I have every morning has always been $1.10 cheaper at Superstore and is one of the reasons I went there. I bought 4 big bottles, which would have cost $4.99 each at Safeway. I was expecting to pay $3.89 but the shelf sign actually said 2/$6. So I got 8 breakfasts for $12, or $1.50 each (for 20 grams of protein).
The other things I buy at Superstore on a regular basis are European style bread, butter, sour cream, pistachio nuts, packaged cookies and foil pans. Last night I bought all of those except the foil pans. Some of them (the bread, sour cream and cookies) are only available there. The other items are a better buy. For example, a pound of Lactantia butter is cheaper at Superstore than Safeway, but the President's Choice brand (also kosher) is even cheaper.
Last night I checked the prices of a few other items I needed and bought them there. Kleenex tissues are $4.07 at Safeway. Here they were $2.37! Goodies (a candy coated licorice candy) are $2.65 at Safeway and $1.85 at Superstore. I also bought President's Choice mayo instead of Kraft for at least $2 cheaper but I've never tried it before so we'll see how it tastes.
Prices like these make me want to shop there but Superstore comes with some big drawbacks too. I don't like the produce, the lines at the checkouts are long and many people have heaped carts, so it takes forever to go through the checkout. They don't bag your groceries and you have to pay for plastic bags or bring your own. Besides that, it's out of my way, so it costs more in gas to go there, plus I spend more time standing in line.
But I want to save money, so I think I'll start planning to go to Superstore every 2 weeks. That way I get the better prices, but don't spend too much on gas, etc.
As for gas, the prices rise and fall on a regular basis, much more quickly than the price of a barrel of oil changes and with little visible reason. Since we buy our gas by the litre a change of 4 or 5 cents is equivalent to something like 16 to 20 cents per gallon, so the swings in price are actually pretty significant.
When I went to Superstore I drove past a Chevron station where the advertised price was $1.379. I didn't stop because then Superstore would have closed, but I headed back about half an hour later. As I left the Superstore parking lot, I saw another station with a price of $1.426 and started worrying. Then I passed a Petrocan advertising $138.8 but the Chevron was now also $1.426. I turned around and headed back to the Petrocan.
Let me just interject for a moment and explain a peculiarity of gas pricing in the Greater Vancouver area. A number of years ago the price on the sign used to be the same as the price at the pump. Then a few stations started offering a 3.5 cent discount to "members" (this was actually Petrocan, if I remember correctly). Shortly all the other stations were also offering 3.5 cents off the posted price but without requiring any membership. This has carried on to this day, but only in the Greater Vancouver area. If you go further out into the Fraser Valley gas prices drop slightly (due to less taxes) but the posted price is now the price at the pump.
Are you confused yet? I got to the Petrocan and discovered that the $138.8 they were advertising was the price at the pump. Another 3.5 cent discount was available only to persons with a Petrocan points card. If you also paid with a certain specific credit card you could get yet another 2 cents off. By this time it was almost 11:15 pm and I couldn't be bothered going elsewhere but I was somewhat ticked off. The $1.426 at Chevron would have actually been $1.391 so my "saving" at the Petrocan was really only a small fraction of a cent. Still, it was a far better price than I'd seen recently, so I put in $40 (my tank was almost completely empty).
Then I had to drive in a somewhat convoluted way to get to Safeway. On my way there I passed another Chevron and another Petrocan. They were both advertising gas for less, so I stopped at the Petrocan and the pump price was now a) 3.5 cents below the sign and b) it was for $136.9! I put in another $20, which finished filling my tank. But I was mad that I'd put in the rest at the higher price.
This morning, some 8 or 9 hours later, gas was selling everywhere at a posted price of $144.6 ($141.1 at the pump). So the rise and fall of gas prices is like a game. It goes down at night and then back up in time for rush hour. When our new 2.4 cent carbon tax went in at the beginning of the month almost all our local stations were advertising gas over $1.50. Now I can get it again under the $1.40 mark if I watch the signs like a hawk. Plus, what was this nonsense with two Petrocan stations (10 minutes from each other) not only selling at 2 different prices but one only offering the 3.5 cent discount to "members"?
I don't want to buy another car. This one is paid for and runs well. I don't need to add a car payment to our financial situation. But I would like a car that is super-economical on gas because playing these gas games is really irritating!
I went grocery shopping last night to 2 different stores. I had a very short time frame for getting to Superstore and shopping there after I finished working at 10:30 pm. Actually, even being able to get to Superstore after work is something new. They used to close earlier but recently started staying open until 11 pm. I arrived about 10:45 pm and moved as quickly as I could inside the store.
The Bolthouse protein drink I have every morning has always been $1.10 cheaper at Superstore and is one of the reasons I went there. I bought 4 big bottles, which would have cost $4.99 each at Safeway. I was expecting to pay $3.89 but the shelf sign actually said 2/$6. So I got 8 breakfasts for $12, or $1.50 each (for 20 grams of protein).
The other things I buy at Superstore on a regular basis are European style bread, butter, sour cream, pistachio nuts, packaged cookies and foil pans. Last night I bought all of those except the foil pans. Some of them (the bread, sour cream and cookies) are only available there. The other items are a better buy. For example, a pound of Lactantia butter is cheaper at Superstore than Safeway, but the President's Choice brand (also kosher) is even cheaper.
Last night I checked the prices of a few other items I needed and bought them there. Kleenex tissues are $4.07 at Safeway. Here they were $2.37! Goodies (a candy coated licorice candy) are $2.65 at Safeway and $1.85 at Superstore. I also bought President's Choice mayo instead of Kraft for at least $2 cheaper but I've never tried it before so we'll see how it tastes.
Prices like these make me want to shop there but Superstore comes with some big drawbacks too. I don't like the produce, the lines at the checkouts are long and many people have heaped carts, so it takes forever to go through the checkout. They don't bag your groceries and you have to pay for plastic bags or bring your own. Besides that, it's out of my way, so it costs more in gas to go there, plus I spend more time standing in line.
But I want to save money, so I think I'll start planning to go to Superstore every 2 weeks. That way I get the better prices, but don't spend too much on gas, etc.
As for gas, the prices rise and fall on a regular basis, much more quickly than the price of a barrel of oil changes and with little visible reason. Since we buy our gas by the litre a change of 4 or 5 cents is equivalent to something like 16 to 20 cents per gallon, so the swings in price are actually pretty significant.
When I went to Superstore I drove past a Chevron station where the advertised price was $1.379. I didn't stop because then Superstore would have closed, but I headed back about half an hour later. As I left the Superstore parking lot, I saw another station with a price of $1.426 and started worrying. Then I passed a Petrocan advertising $138.8 but the Chevron was now also $1.426. I turned around and headed back to the Petrocan.
Let me just interject for a moment and explain a peculiarity of gas pricing in the Greater Vancouver area. A number of years ago the price on the sign used to be the same as the price at the pump. Then a few stations started offering a 3.5 cent discount to "members" (this was actually Petrocan, if I remember correctly). Shortly all the other stations were also offering 3.5 cents off the posted price but without requiring any membership. This has carried on to this day, but only in the Greater Vancouver area. If you go further out into the Fraser Valley gas prices drop slightly (due to less taxes) but the posted price is now the price at the pump.
Are you confused yet? I got to the Petrocan and discovered that the $138.8 they were advertising was the price at the pump. Another 3.5 cent discount was available only to persons with a Petrocan points card. If you also paid with a certain specific credit card you could get yet another 2 cents off. By this time it was almost 11:15 pm and I couldn't be bothered going elsewhere but I was somewhat ticked off. The $1.426 at Chevron would have actually been $1.391 so my "saving" at the Petrocan was really only a small fraction of a cent. Still, it was a far better price than I'd seen recently, so I put in $40 (my tank was almost completely empty).
Then I had to drive in a somewhat convoluted way to get to Safeway. On my way there I passed another Chevron and another Petrocan. They were both advertising gas for less, so I stopped at the Petrocan and the pump price was now a) 3.5 cents below the sign and b) it was for $136.9! I put in another $20, which finished filling my tank. But I was mad that I'd put in the rest at the higher price.
This morning, some 8 or 9 hours later, gas was selling everywhere at a posted price of $144.6 ($141.1 at the pump). So the rise and fall of gas prices is like a game. It goes down at night and then back up in time for rush hour. When our new 2.4 cent carbon tax went in at the beginning of the month almost all our local stations were advertising gas over $1.50. Now I can get it again under the $1.40 mark if I watch the signs like a hawk. Plus, what was this nonsense with two Petrocan stations (10 minutes from each other) not only selling at 2 different prices but one only offering the 3.5 cent discount to "members"?
I don't want to buy another car. This one is paid for and runs well. I don't need to add a car payment to our financial situation. But I would like a car that is super-economical on gas because playing these gas games is really irritating!
Not Really Posting
The blog post previously scheduled for this time period has been delayed and will appear tomorrow.
Why, you ask? Two reasons. First of all, I was really late getting home after work tonight because I stopped at 2 grocery stores and 2 gas stations. Thank goodness for stores that stay open until midnight! Then I had to put everything away and have a snack.
Secondly, I got caught up reading other peoples blogs instead of writing my own. (My name is Shevy and I'm a compulsive reader.)
Now it's very, very late and I have to get up very, very early because Eldest Daughter has to go out of town on business again and she has to leave for the airport incredibly early. Since Son-in-Law is driving her that means Bubbe Shevy gets to go upstairs and try to nap in the girls' room for about an hour. Then maybe I can try for another hour of sleep downstairs before I absolutely, positively have to get up.
Of course, tomorrow is one of my full-time days in the office, plus I have to bus there. I am going to be very sleep deprived tomorrow.
Why, you ask? Two reasons. First of all, I was really late getting home after work tonight because I stopped at 2 grocery stores and 2 gas stations. Thank goodness for stores that stay open until midnight! Then I had to put everything away and have a snack.
Secondly, I got caught up reading other peoples blogs instead of writing my own. (My name is Shevy and I'm a compulsive reader.)
Now it's very, very late and I have to get up very, very early because Eldest Daughter has to go out of town on business again and she has to leave for the airport incredibly early. Since Son-in-Law is driving her that means Bubbe Shevy gets to go upstairs and try to nap in the girls' room for about an hour. Then maybe I can try for another hour of sleep downstairs before I absolutely, positively have to get up.
Of course, tomorrow is one of my full-time days in the office, plus I have to bus there. I am going to be very sleep deprived tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Taking Care of Business
I finally took care of some business with my bank that's been driving me crazy this past month. I have a small amount of overdraft protection (that costs $3 or $3.50 per month) and this month I've exceeded it twice.
I get paid every second Wednesday but I have a lot of things that come out of my account on fixed dates (the majority of which are clustered near the beginning and end of the month). So, as my pay dates cycle around on the calendar they gradually fall more and more out of sync with the pre-authorized dates. This is why I have overdraft protection and it usually works fine. So, what happened?
Partly I overspent a tiny bit while we were at the house, plus we spent a lot on gas. I thought everything that normally comes out at the beginning of the month had come out, but one thing that comes from the States didn't make it before the 4th of July, so it came out on the 7th. Then, after it came out ING took the $12 I transfer to my Emergency Fund every week. I didn't get paid until the 9th. Both the US debit and ING were sent back NSF on the 8th. And, to top it off, the NSF fees just went up, so I got dinged $42.50 for each one!
It gets better. I got shorted on my paycheque. It was missing 3 days that I took as vacation because my vacation pay was already paid out for the year, 3.5 hours I'd worked (on days I'm technically scheduled to work fewer hours) and 4 hours for Canada Day. The 3.5 hours weren't really a problem. The accountant said she'd pay them on my next cheque but she hadn't paid me for the statutory holiday because I had taken the 30th of June as a vacation day and she said I didn't qualify for it unless I worked both the day before and the day after the stat. This is what happens when your head office is in a different province from the one you work in. I emailed her the link to the BC Employment Standards Act that clearly states an employee qualifies if he or she has been employed for at least 30 days and has worked at least 15 out of the 30 days prior to the statutory holiday.
So, after deductions and after I put the cheque in the bank I was back in the black to the tune of $66. That's $66 to last for 2 entire weeks when I pay for all the food, more than half the gas, have pre-authorized stuff coming out, etc. Hubby transferred $75 to me and I could have, should have transferred $150 from my ING Vacation Pay fund ($50 for each vacation day I took). But I didn't. I'm still not so comfortable with moving stuff from here to there and back again, so I just never got around to doing it.
I spent barely any money these past 2 weeks. The absolute minimum on food and gas. My big splurge was the $5.66 I spent last week for a hard cover book. The pre-authorized stuff came out, my life insurance and ING. Would you believe I missed it by that much? By $6 to be exact.
So, I went to the bank this morning before work and had a little meeting with them. I basically said, "This is what I want or I walk and take my RRSPs with me". When the dust cleared I was assured the payment to ING would not go back, there would be no $42.50 fee (although there will probably be a $5 one), they took the earlier ING NSF fee off and increased my overdraft by $100. I also deposited the $56 benefit cheque to reduce the overdraft.
What have I learned from this? First of all, this wouldn't have happened if I had kept a closer watch on the bank account. I've been trying to get back into the routine of entering all the money we spend but I've been having a tough time doing it. I have to try harder. Second, I wouldn't have had any problem whatsoever if we weren't living paycheque to paycheque!
We don't have a big enough buffer and I'm not comfortable enough moving money between my main bank and ING. It's ironic, but if I hadn't moved the vacation pay I got a few weeks ago out of my bank and into ING I wouldn't have been in overdraft at all, let alone exceeded it. But I'm trying to learn new skills so, just like a kid with the training wheels removed, I'm having a few falls. I have to keep trying. I have to keep adding to my Emergency Fund (yes, I know it will take only slightly less than forever at $12/week, but that's what I can do) and I have to start doing set-aside accounts (escrow, Freedom, whatever you want to call it) in order to have money ready for irregular expenses.
After I did all of that I called Fortis BC to ask if I had another electric bill due for our rural house. Yes, there's a payment of just under $69 scheduled to come out on the 25th. So, tomorrow I need to go to a Credit Union and deposit money into my account in the Okanagan. And, while I was on the phone with them I signed up to receive my future bills via email. That way it won't matter whether we've been to the house or not. I'll still know how much I owe and when it's due!
I get paid every second Wednesday but I have a lot of things that come out of my account on fixed dates (the majority of which are clustered near the beginning and end of the month). So, as my pay dates cycle around on the calendar they gradually fall more and more out of sync with the pre-authorized dates. This is why I have overdraft protection and it usually works fine. So, what happened?
Partly I overspent a tiny bit while we were at the house, plus we spent a lot on gas. I thought everything that normally comes out at the beginning of the month had come out, but one thing that comes from the States didn't make it before the 4th of July, so it came out on the 7th. Then, after it came out ING took the $12 I transfer to my Emergency Fund every week. I didn't get paid until the 9th. Both the US debit and ING were sent back NSF on the 8th. And, to top it off, the NSF fees just went up, so I got dinged $42.50 for each one!
It gets better. I got shorted on my paycheque. It was missing 3 days that I took as vacation because my vacation pay was already paid out for the year, 3.5 hours I'd worked (on days I'm technically scheduled to work fewer hours) and 4 hours for Canada Day. The 3.5 hours weren't really a problem. The accountant said she'd pay them on my next cheque but she hadn't paid me for the statutory holiday because I had taken the 30th of June as a vacation day and she said I didn't qualify for it unless I worked both the day before and the day after the stat. This is what happens when your head office is in a different province from the one you work in. I emailed her the link to the BC Employment Standards Act that clearly states an employee qualifies if he or she has been employed for at least 30 days and has worked at least 15 out of the 30 days prior to the statutory holiday.
So, after deductions and after I put the cheque in the bank I was back in the black to the tune of $66. That's $66 to last for 2 entire weeks when I pay for all the food, more than half the gas, have pre-authorized stuff coming out, etc. Hubby transferred $75 to me and I could have, should have transferred $150 from my ING Vacation Pay fund ($50 for each vacation day I took). But I didn't. I'm still not so comfortable with moving stuff from here to there and back again, so I just never got around to doing it.
I spent barely any money these past 2 weeks. The absolute minimum on food and gas. My big splurge was the $5.66 I spent last week for a hard cover book. The pre-authorized stuff came out, my life insurance and ING. Would you believe I missed it by that much? By $6 to be exact.
So, I went to the bank this morning before work and had a little meeting with them. I basically said, "This is what I want or I walk and take my RRSPs with me". When the dust cleared I was assured the payment to ING would not go back, there would be no $42.50 fee (although there will probably be a $5 one), they took the earlier ING NSF fee off and increased my overdraft by $100. I also deposited the $56 benefit cheque to reduce the overdraft.
What have I learned from this? First of all, this wouldn't have happened if I had kept a closer watch on the bank account. I've been trying to get back into the routine of entering all the money we spend but I've been having a tough time doing it. I have to try harder. Second, I wouldn't have had any problem whatsoever if we weren't living paycheque to paycheque!
We don't have a big enough buffer and I'm not comfortable enough moving money between my main bank and ING. It's ironic, but if I hadn't moved the vacation pay I got a few weeks ago out of my bank and into ING I wouldn't have been in overdraft at all, let alone exceeded it. But I'm trying to learn new skills so, just like a kid with the training wheels removed, I'm having a few falls. I have to keep trying. I have to keep adding to my Emergency Fund (yes, I know it will take only slightly less than forever at $12/week, but that's what I can do) and I have to start doing set-aside accounts (escrow, Freedom, whatever you want to call it) in order to have money ready for irregular expenses.
After I did all of that I called Fortis BC to ask if I had another electric bill due for our rural house. Yes, there's a payment of just under $69 scheduled to come out on the 25th. So, tomorrow I need to go to a Credit Union and deposit money into my account in the Okanagan. And, while I was on the phone with them I signed up to receive my future bills via email. That way it won't matter whether we've been to the house or not. I'll still know how much I owe and when it's due!
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