Who needs the Gym? Snow shovelling and Bargain Hunting is a great workout!

Photo: snow on top of patio table on deck

Alberta seems to be receiving freakishly large amounts of snow this winter. Today's physical activity includes shoveling/snow blowing the sidewalks and driveway, and shovelling the snow off our deck and garden shed to prevent collapse. Two Edmonton businesses had their roof collapse yesterday, so rather than experience an expensive and troublesome insurance claim ($1000 deductible - to keep premiums low) we are getting our workout today in a different way.


Photo: Back yard overlooking natural ponds and wetland, bleak in winter, beautiful in our two month summer

Estimated savings on Gym membership $50/month (kidding, we are too cheap for that and have some exercise equipment in the basement-all bought second hand, hubby only pays to use racquetball courts with the boys).

Based on this blog one would think I actually enjoy shopping. The only kind of shopping I enjoy is second hand stores and garage sales. Speed shopping with a list is how I shop the rest of the time. The primary goal here with all our penny pinching is paying off our mortgage as we have no other debt. Our mortgage is a line of credit which is secured against the property. We can pay as much down as we want every month and qualified three years ago during the Alberta oil boom of prime plus 1 interest rate. We always make a much larger payment than we would if we had a conventional mortgage. The goal is to have it paid off by the end of 2012. That is financial freedom, a life totally free and clear of debt. We will try to never have debt after that point in our lives (current age 41 and 48). If used properly credit is a great tool that can cost you little - we will continue to use credit cards and lines of credit to manage our finances but actual money spent on interest will be nothing (if you pay things off immediately on credit cards they don't cost you anything and we get several free plane tickets per year due to our Bank of Montreal Airmiles Mastercard and Royal Bank Avion Visa).

Okay, now for the penny pinching this week:
The stash of shampoo and conditioner were down to the last bottle each so this week I stumbled on a sell off of Loreal shampoo and conditioner. I am not brand loyal (Kraft Peanut butter and Heinz Ketchup being the only exceptions) but when I found Loreal Shampoo and conditioner on a sell-off at my local Rexall I bought a 10-12 month supply:


Regular 5.99 per bottle, on sale $1.24(no coupons used)
Bought 11 bottles, including tax total $15.63 (including 5% GST)

Also at Rexall found:
Peek Freans cookies Regular $2.99 on sale $1.07
Dare Fruit Snacks Regular $2.99 on sale $1.07 -.50 coupon = .57


After scouting the fliers Friday two freebies (with coupons) were found:
4 cans mushroom soup free (.50 at Walmart, used $1 WUB2 coupons)
2 Secret Deodorant free ($2 at Sobeys, used $4 WUB2 coupon)-no photo

3 cans tomato soup for .50 total (used $1 wub 3 coupon at Walmart)





Off to shovelling!