Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Tuesday, A Zippery, slippery day!


 Today is about zippers as I think I have about 6 to replace in the shop.  Ya'll know I don't like zippers, but someone must replace them and that someone is me. I always get a run on them when we have a big snow fall.

So far the snow is sticking around, and it is somewhat icy out.  You have to be careful when driving and walking. 

I have no babies today and even though the time without the hassle is nice, I sure miss the snuggles.  I can actually go in and sew without a growth attached to me, the novelty.

The soup I made last night with the prime rib bones/broth was very good and we are eating it for lunch today. I am also cooking up that free ham I received right before Christmas.  THIS SHOULD SERVE FOR SEVERAL MEALS UNTIL WE ARE SICK OF IT.  Then it will go in the freezer for later.

I really do have so much food here in the freezers that needs to be used. I might whip up a pumpkin pie with a pie crust and some frozen pumpkin.  I still have a large squash and a pumpkin outside to cook up and freeze.


I have been perusing youtube videos, of people who do savings challenges.  I was surprised to see many of them who have these cute little boxes that you fold and stick your money into, that involve laminated envelopes labeled 1-100. How cute I thought, and then you go to their etsy store and buy these and at very high price.  Then one youtuber decided  to make her own and she took you through the process. 

I had to giggle as she went to the store and bought the plastic box I have no idea how much she spent on that.  Then she bought the laminating sheets and she said to get the better quality ones and again no idea of cost here.  Then she must have picked up at least 20 different types of colored card stock, to make her laminated envelopes pretty.

She showed the process of measuring, cutting with a special card stock cutting machine.  She then showed you how to run everything through your laminater as we all have one of those lying around, right?  The laminating process had several steps. She times her self and the whole process not counting the shopping for said items took over 6 hours.  No wonder these Etsy people charge for this set up, they need to. Now would I ever, EVER purchace a set of these.  You answer this question for me.

Last year I did my challenge with 2 boxes of small white envelopes from dollar tree.  Cost? $2.  Then the few minutes it took me to label the envelopes 1-100.   I have to admit it was fun to see the stacks grow and to pick out the envelopes randomly, one from above 50 and one from below 50.  But hub's was freaking out with monies stored in the house, especially as I blog, and I run a business, so I was emptying the envelopes about every 4 months and even that did not make him happy.

This year as I am taking the money to the bank to put on the home loan, I decided not to waste the $2 on envelopes, so I searched for a grid marked 1-100.  By the way you can buy these off some sites.  They charge you for the piece of paper with a grid on it, or they email it to you. But guess what, Miss supercheap here found it for free.  SO this year it is taped above my computer with my walking challenge.  Cost 2 sheets of computer paper. I just mark off the amount I put in the bank.  Works for me.

Now I perfectly understand, the want of having cute things to inspire you to save money, (well not really, but I am trying). I think it is great that these people are making money selling these things to people who need cute things.  However, I need to just save money and not spend it on cute stuff to inspire me.  How do you people feel about this?  Inquiring minds want to know?

There are so many really fun money savings challenges out there, I was actually thinking as I watched them that I should do a few more, but then I thought of poor Cheryl and I decided to stick to what I have for the year. :)

Sluggy is already trying to derail me with a cruise to Iceland maybe? See how she is?

Well zippers await:

1. zipper

2. zipper

3. zipper

4. zipper

5. zipper

6. zipper

7. mend coveralls

Let's get to work shall we, what fun/work do you have today?  I hope it is more exciting than mine.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.


Kim


30 comments:

  1. I will never understand all the gizmos and gadgets to make expensive stuff to save $.

    Envelopes come in the mailbox every single day (unwanted junk). Those would work just fine.

    I do no cash programs. We've lived in 1/3 of our income for a very long time and we are mindful. We use a CC and pay it off monthly. That CC has given us a lot of free travel over the decades and I really like that. They get not a penny in interest so it's win/win for us.

    I understand it works for some people but dang, I wouldn't spend a penny on "devices".

    Happy Zippering. Also my least favorite sewing task.

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    1. You are very blessed, but I am sure you worked hard to be in that situation. I was amazed by what I would call stupidity of making these envelopes look pretty. Just thought I would see what others think.

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    2. Yes. I worked very hard and took extra on-call for a long time (surgery). (hubster is not in an overtime career). And we have never 'upgraded' homes. We're 31 years in this home and here shall we age-out. We bought what we could afford and didn't do the refi game that so many of our contemporaries did to drop the payment. We paid extra along the way and paid it off in 19 years so mortgage free before we turned 50.

      Cheers to cheap or free envelopes for your system :-)

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  2. LOL - oh you make me laugh! He-he no need asking what I think about all the gizmos!!!!!!!!!!!!
    If I needed something to stick my money in - I would save bill envelopes that were mailed to me or make some out of newspaper or computer paper - I sure wouldn't buy them all laminated. More power to those that sell them - they get an A for trying to make a living!

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    1. I know, I just had to find out what others like me think. Sorry you are like me....

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  3. There is cute, and then there is expensive. I choose do it yourself cute, just like you and keeping it simple like you did is wonderful.

    Shhh, I hate zippers as well.

    God bless.

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    1. One of those zippers was so hard, it was a double zipper with and inside zipper for a lining. I am going to charge way more for those from now on.

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  4. I can't believe people spend so much money just to have something cute to put their savings in?! Crazy! I stick my different bills into different candy/cookie containers. I have a bunch of different old luxury wafer (I love that stuff) containers, so I know exactly which bills are in it. I don't even have to mark it. I just write my totals on a piece of scrap paper and place it into each container. My coins go into a large (warehouse club store) animal cracker container. It's so old, it no longer has the lid. I've had it for years and it still works great. No fancy stuff for me.

    Two more zipper pulls came off our new coats. I swear they don't make quality items like they used to.I watched a youtube video on how to fix it.

    Don't think twice about that cruise with Sluggy. Just go and have fun!! I'd love to go visit Iceland someday. It looks beautiful.

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    1. Well I will go if we find something nice. I will pull money from an investment account, after all that is why we saved it right?

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  5. I will be whipping up a small bat of pumpkin bread for the kiddo to take home tomorrow to school. We are watching the 511 like a hawk before she leaves-the darn roads make me scared for her. I know she'll need to add at least an hour, maybe two to her drive. I'm sure you miss the babies, but I'm sure your daughters will share again this week.

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    1. Just got a txt from d#2 she is staying the night without the kids as there is another storm coming on the Polouse and she will need to get to work. If Nate who has the next three days off gets called out he will have to take kids to neighbor.

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  6. I hate doing zippers too Kim!! Hate with a passion!! I agree with you - you sure can spend some money on "money saving items". It all seems such a waste to me.

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    1. I know, I was just fascinated with the stupidity of it all.

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  7. Little boxes? Laminated envelopes? I don't even know what you're talking about... I am sooo not with it. Cash, when I get any (rare) gets shoved in a drawer and eventually dropped off at the food bank. Argh zippers, have fun with those! Celie

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    1. Thanks Celie, one was horrible, but the dang thing is done.

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  8. I have so little cash, it's not how I save. I did always enjoy taking eBay sales & other miscellaneous "side hustle" money & transferring it directly to the mortgage. I've gotten out of the habit, and need some sort of fun financial goal, but don't have anything currently. I'll have to give it some thought.

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    1. I am actually looking at ebay sales a little closer, but I'm still scared.

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  9. I need to have something in place to place savings. I rarely have cash on hand since the pandemic. So, I will need to think of a creative way to create a savings plan.

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  10. I wouldn’t spend a dime on that stuff and I know you wouldn’t either, Kim. It’s all neat and cute and serves its purpose, but I will refrain because I’m trying to save money not spend it. 😂

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    1. I know, I just had to shake my head and wonder, why?

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  11. Sorry, but I would not spend money on envelopes for saving. I use envelopes that come with bills for storing coupons and other things. I use a little round box with a coin slot, one that had Tootsie Rolls in them. I hate zippers, too. Some day on my blog I will give you a zipper story.

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    1. One of these was a dual coat zipper that had a zipper in lining. It was awful. I am going to charge a whole lot more for those.

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  12. zippers - ugh! I wouldn't buy those envelopes either. I used to use an envelope system for all our money years ago and it was great, but I just used regular envelopes and tracked what I spent on the front.

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    1. I know right? I didn't realize I was not posh...

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  13. That is a lot of zippers to have to deal with in one day. I'm sure you miss your grandbabies when they aren't around. It's good that you try to enjoy them as much as possible. They grow up way to quickly.

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    1. IT was zipper hell I tell you, but only one more to go and it will be an easy one.

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  14. I used the misprinted envelopes my office was throwing away. I just couldn't deal with the waste. I just can't use them to mail anything.

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    1. I would have done exactly the same thing. Good for you!

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  15. I watch those videos, too. Also the budgeting ones and planner ones. The money that is spent is ridiculous. "I am a little short on cash to fill my car maintenance envelope" and then 2 minutes later "just look at these adorable stickers I purchased from ....". Have you watched the lady who has like 5 different Louis Vitton planners that she uses for her budgeting? I felt guilty spending $9 on a planner from Walmart when I know I could use a $1 calendar from Dollar Tree. I then used star stickers on it to indicate paydays but I've had the stickers for more years than I can remember. $0 spent....that's my budget!!

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