Have you heard of the Canadian Scanner Price Accuracy Code? It could be very valuable to you!
Most Canadian retailers take part in this practice. In Quebec it's the law and in other provinces, it's voluntary. Basically, if you purchase an item believing it to be a certain price but the item actually scans at a higher price then advertised, you receive the item free up to a $10 value! If the item is priced more than $10, then the retailer will give you a discount of $10 off the corrected price.
The code applies to all UPC, bar coded, and/or Price Look Up (PLU) merchandise sold in stores, with the exception of goods not easily accessible to the public (example: prescription drugs and behind the counter cosmetics), and individually price-ticketed items.
To be eligible for the Item Free Scanner Policy, the item must match the product description on the corresponding shelf tag.
Does that make sense?
Quite often the cashier won't give you the product free without you mentioning the Scanner Price Accuracy Code. So if you notice a wrong price, speak up!
At participating retailers you should see a sign on the entrance doors and at the till that reads:
Now that spring is here, your local dollar store will no doubt be well stocked with flip flops in every color and style. Snagging flip flops at your local dollar store isn’t just budget savvy, these flip flops can come in handy all throughout the summer for all sorts of reasons. Want to know more? Look at 5 reasons to stock up on dollar store flip flops so you can make the most of these little gems! You will be amazed at how valuable they can be.
5 Reasons to Stock Up on Dollar Store Flip Flops
1. Keep emergency pairs in the car.
Have you ever had a pair of flip flops break on you? When that happens you can find yourself in a pickle. Buy an extra pair of flip flops for everyone in your family and keep the pairs in the car. That way should you encounter any breaks, you have a back up. For just a buck, it is well worth buying extras and tossing them into the trunk for emergencies.
2. They make cute garden markers.
Buy a few pairs of children’s flip flops and use them as whimsical garden markers. Add some hot glue to the back of them and press them to a wooden stake. You can then write the name of the plant directly on the flip flop with a magic marker. How cute is that?
3. They make for fun pool time.
The fun thing about flip flops is they FLOAT! You can use them for all sorts of pool games. On the underside of your flip flops you can draw words or shapes and use them to play matching games. You can also craft mini boats with them, allowing kids to decorate the flip flop as they wish before setting it sail. These ideas make for some frugal summer fun.
4. Flip flops are perfect for protecting floors and walls.
The rubber that flip flops are made from is durable. Grab a few pairs of dollar store flip flops and cut the foam into squares. You can then use the foam pieces as door stoppers to protect your walls or even place them under table and chair legs to protect the floors. Add some of these foam chunks to planters and flowers pots and they can help act as fillers and even help absorb water.
5. They make inexpensive gifts.
Don’t get caught without a gift this summer. A pair of flip flops with a ribbon tied on makes the perfect gift for a hostess or summer birthday. They are also great to give as party gifts if you are hosting any backyard parties or cookouts. Guests will love getting a pair of flip flops to relax and unwind in.
Who knew flip flops could be so valuable? For just a dollar or so each, they are well worth stocking up on during the warm weather season. Consider these 5 reasons to stock up on dollar store flip flops and put this inexpensive find to work for you.
Are your monthly water bills sky high? Do you feel like your family isn’t vigilant when it comes to preserving this resource? It’s so easy for people, myself included, to get into wasteful habits. However it can also be easy to pull out of these habits. If your family is using more water than it needs each month, it’s time for an intervention. Look below at 7 ways to encourage your family to use less water, so you can be sure to not only save a few bucks but help save the planet’s resources as well. Here are 7 tips to get you started.
1. Keep a timer in the bathroom.
A timer in the bathroom can help cut down on lengthy showers which no doubt send tons of money and water down the drain. A simple minute timer near the shower is a great way to set the allotted time and hear a reminder when it’s time to get out.
2. Encourage turning off the tap while brushing teeth.
One of the easiest ways to waste water is to let it run while you brush your teeth. A family can send gallons down the drain this way. Make it a family rule that the tap should be turned off when teeth are being brushed. This way, water isn’t needlessly going down the drain.
3. Model water conservation when you cook and clean.
When you cook and clean, model water conservation to your kids. Fill the sink with a bit of water to wash produce instead of letting the water run freely. Don’t fill up pots with any more water than you need. Then be sure to save this water so you could water house plants or your flower pots outside. When cleaning, don’t let water needlessly run unless it’s time to rinse the sink or your cleaning supplies. When you model this behavior, kids are more likely to try it.
4. Take short showers instead of baths.
Try to convince family members to take showers instead of baths. You will waste less water this way and even your water heater will get a break. If kids really love baths, see if you can convince them to take more showers and stick to one bath per week.
5. Get sufficient wear out of clothing before tossing it in the wash.
Don’t let kids toss clothing in the wash after it has been worn only once. (Unless it’s truly dirty!) Teach them to evaluate clothing and make sure it is in need of a wash. Jeans can be worn several times before they need to be cleaned, as can most sweaters. Don’t be so quick to toss clothing in the wash and instead get a few uses out of it.
6. Don’t run dishwashers/washing machines unless they are full.
Running a half full dishwasher or washing machine is quite wasteful. Instead, be sure no one runs it unless it is 100% full. Show family members what that looks like so they know how to make the best use of the space both appliances offer.
7. Avoid filling sinks, tubs, and cups all the way full.
When taking a bath, doing dishes, or even getting yourself a drink of water, avoid filling items all the way full. See if you can use less water and still get the job done. When drinking water, of course you can always pour more once the original amount is gone. This just prevents you from pouring more than you can drink in one sitting.
Are you ready to start using less water, start saving money, and start being kinder to our planet? Then try these 7 ways to inspire your family to use less water and see how easy it can be!
I’d love to hear what works for your family when it comes to saving water! Let us know in the comments below!
We’ve been in our new home for about 2 weeks now. I’ve had the chance to put our most used stuff away in their proper place and we’ve been enjoying getting into the swing of things! This includes being conscious of how we’re using our electricity in our bigger home.
Thanks to BC Hydro’s fantastic electricity tracking tools, we’re able to pick the best ways to save electricity. One thing I’ve noticed is that on laundry day (Monday), our energy usage does a big jump. Because of this, I’ve started using cold water with most of the washes.
We also have a programmable thermostat in our new home so I’ve programmed the temperature to be cooler at night while we’re sleeping. I’ve also been turning the heat down if we are going to be out all day.
Two 100-watt incandescent bulbs switched off for an average of two hours per day could save you $12 over a year. Save $12
Use natural light
A single south-facing window can illuminate 20 to 100 times its area. Turning off one 60-watt bulb for four hours a day is a $9 saving over a year. Save $9
Take shorter showers
Hot water is expensive. If two people in your home cut their shower time by a minute each, you could save $30 over a year. Save $30
Turn water off when shaving, washing hands, brushing teeth
Reduce your hot water usage by 5% to save about $21. Save $21
Fix that leaky faucet
Fixing a hot water leak in your faucet can save up to $33 per year in energy costs. Learn how to fix that leak.Save $33
Unplug unused electronics
Standby power can account for 10% of an average household’s annual electricity use. Unplug unused electronics and small appliances to save $50 a year. Save $50
Manage your thermostat
If you have electric heat, lower your thermostat by two degrees to save 5% on your heating bill. Lowering it five degrees could save 10%. If you have a programmable thermostat, program it to lower the heat at night or when you’re at work all day. Save $72
Cut one load of wash per week, even if you’re already using cold water only, and you could save $30 a year on your laundry costs. Save $30
Wash laundry in cold
By switching from hot to cold water for an average of three loads per week, you could save up to $27 per year on your energy bill. Save $27
Hang dry your laundry
If you do eight loads of laundry a week and use your clothesline for 50% of those clothes, you could save $47 a year. I hang a lot of my husband's clothes so they don't shrink! Save $47
Be efficient with refrigeration
Keep your fridge and freezer at their ideal temperature. For your fridge this is between 2°C and 3°C and your freezer should be at -18°C. Save $25
Skip the heat-dry setting for the dishwasher
That heat-dry setting is expensive. De-select it and, based on one load of dishes a day, save up to $37 for the year. Save $37
Use the microwave, slow cooker or toaster oven
A microwave takes 15 minutes to do the same job as 1 hour in an oven. Use a microwave, slow cooker or Instant Pot instead of your oven 4 times a week and save $20/year. Save $20
Because I’m big on fuss-free meals, I’m putting my slow cooker to good use saving us electricity. I also told you I had a recipe for Slow Cooker Taco Chicken! It’s so easy and you can put it together in no time!
This slow cooker taco chicken is perfect for taco night. Make a big batch and stick some in the freezer for an easy to reheat dinner! Serve it as a taco salad or in soft or hard taco shells with all your favourite fixings like guacamole, salsa, sour cream, beans, cheese, tomatoes, peppers and whatever else you enjoy.
With our upcoming move to a bigger home, I’ve got energy consumption on my mind. Specifically, how can we keep our bill from doubling just as our square footage is doubling? As a budget conscious British Columbian it’s important to me to be mindful of our energy consumption especially since our goal is to save money and ultimately conserve energy to the benefit of our planet.
That’s why when I was setting up our change of address over at BC Hydro, I was excited to come across the tools and resources available at powersmart.ca. These tools make it easy to make smart energy choices by equipping consumers with the tips and tools necessary to help make choices that improve your wallet and life.
First things first, understanding how you use electricity can help you save. By tracking your energy consumption using BC Hydro’s online energy tracking tools and checking back regularly (once a month or so), you’ll gain a better understanding of how things such as seasonal changes, your everyday habits, vacations, and even family gatherings in your home affect your electricity use and your bill.
Compare your electricity use to similar homes nearby, to last year’s electricity use, and to the average outside temperature.
Set up alerts and reminders.
Download your home’s electricity use data for offline analysis.
See your projected bill amount based on current patterns of use.
There’s even a $50 reward incentive if you, as a BC Hydro customer, join BC Hydro’s Team Power Smart and start a Reduction Challenge and successfully reduce your energy consumption by 10% over 12 months! I’m game!
To start tracking, you’ll first need to create an online account. If you have one already, login and select view detailed consumption from your account to access the electricity tracking tools. Once you have logged in, you can view your detailed consumption. Be sure to check back monthly to see how you are doing.
If you’re a BC Hydro customer, I’d love to hear your thoughts on your energy consumption. After logging in, were you surprised to see how you were using electricity? I was actually surprise to see that even though the temperature outside is warming up, we’re still using a fair amount of electricity! What are some changes you could start making to reduce your bill?
Don’t forget to join Team Power Smart and start a reduction challenge for your $50 reward!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BC Hydro. Many thanks for reading and sharing!
We all need to save money these days. It feels like the value of a dollar gets smaller by the day! These everyday items you can stop buying and easily replace with less expensive options and even help out the planet in the long run.
Paper towels
While there may be a time and a place to put paper towel to use, most of the time, old towels or old shirts can work just as well. I actually like using old rags better than paper towel for cleaning glass. They don't leave little bits of paper on the mirrors! They're also easy to toss in with your dish rags and towels to wash on laundry day.
Disposable Disinfectant Wipes
When it comes to common products that make life easier but are wasteful, disposable disinfectant wipes come to mind. Sadly these also have quite a high cost. You can easily make your own by filling a small container with a disinfectant solution (1 cup water, 2 tsp bleach, 2 tsp dish soap) and tossing in rags. This is a great way to reuse old t-shirts! Because you are using old t-shirts, you can toss it guilt free if the mess is too hard to get out of the cloth.
Glass Cleaner
Another thing that can be a waste of money is glass cleaner. At $3 or so for a bottle of cleaner you are basically throwing your money away. You can save a large amount of money by filling a bottle with half water and half vinegar or rubbing alcohol. It works just as well for just a fraction of the price.
Dryer Sheets
You can save big bucks by making your own Dryer sheets. You can find my recipe to make your own homemade dryer sheets right here. To make things even easier, you could simply add some white vinegar to the liquid fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine.
Diaper wipes
If you are a mom, you know how handy diaper wipes can be, even for older kids! The good news is, you can make your own easily and save money. If disposable is a must, try cutting a paper towel roll in half for this. If not, baby wash cloths from the dollar store are perfect for a washable version. Mix a few drops of baby wash or castile soap into about a cup of water, then pour over top of the cloths or paper towel that are in an airtight container.
Lotion
Lotion can be made for a fraction of the cost without all of the chemicals that are bad for you. All you need is 1 part shea butter and 1 part coconut oil. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to make it smell amazing!
Shaving cream
You can use nearly any oil, body butter, or even conditioner in place of shaving cream. This is a great one to stop buying for healthier skin too.
Foaming hand soap
Foaming hand soap can be made for next to nothing. Refilling your bottles saves you so much money! Simply fill your used foaming hand soap bottle with 1/2 water and 1/2 soap. Shake well.
Every craft lover knows the wonders of Modge Podge. The good news is this expensive crafting staple can be made by mixing half school glue and half water together. Use the same as ready made for all of your crafting fun.
I'd love to know some items that you have stopped buying because you've found an alternative. Let me know in the comments!
