Baby Company’s Baby Gear Sale 2017

Shopping has always been a therapy for women.  Do you agree?  Well, this is very true at least for me.  Shopping for clothes, shoes, and bags kicks off stress and acts as an anti-depressant.  Even when you become a mom, the shopping never stopped.  You become a more practical shopper – you shop less for yourself and shop more for your baby! J

Baby Company, one of the country’s go-to stores when it comes to baby needs, is holding its Baby Gear Sale from April 3 to 30, 2017.  Aside from the word shopping, moms like me love to hear another word.  Sale. 

And because a sale seems to draw me to a shop like a magnet, I visited SM City Trece Martires, one of the malls closest to me which has a Baby Company store.  

Now let me show you some of the items they have in sale and the items I like most.

Baby Company’s Baby Gear Sale offers as much as 50% discount on select strollers, baby carriers, and car seats.  Brands such as MacLaren, Chicco, Safety 1^st, Apruva, Aprica, Baby First, and Graco are participants of the Baby Gear Sale.  Chicco also offers free Chicco Hippo Gym if you reach a minimum of Php6000 single-receipt purchase.  A Graco Baby Tub or Diaper Bag is also free when you buy a select Graco stroller.

Strollers at 10% off! 

Walkers at 10-20% discount!

 Now let me show you my top picks.  This Graco car seat is on the top of my list of must buy.  Original price is almost Php4000, but is on sale for only Php1650!   So mommies close to SM City Trece Martires, grab it now!

Another one I like is the Pockit Compact Stroller.  This will really be on my to-buy list when I have my next baby.  It’s not on sale yet (I will be waiting when they will put this on sale) and it cost Php10,000.  It’s very compact that you can even hand carry it on airplanes!  Very travel friendly.

This Apruva Hip Seat Carrier is part of my top picks.  This is very practical as hip seat can carry babies until they are 36 months, unlike normal carriers which can only carry babies until 1 year of age.  It cost Php1,899.  We bought this. 

I also love this diaper bag, because it looks very sturdy and it doesn’t look like it’s a diaper bag.  It’s from Carter’s and it cost Php699. 

Nursing and feeding items are also on sale for up to 30% off!  Baby Company offers different brands that cater to various people.  There’s Nuby, Avent, Pigeon, Dr. Brown, Disney Baby, Ainon, and a lot more.  There are a lot to choose from.

Nuby at 30% off! 

There are also several selected baby products that are on sale other than the baby gears and nursing and feeding items.

Washcloth from Php299 to Php150!

Three pairs non-slip socks 

from Php199 to Php100!

Cleaning aides (bottle cleanser and 

laundry detergent).

For taking care of our babies’ teeth. 

And here’s what I bought during my visit.  Carter’s diaper bag, Apruva Hip Seat Baby Carrier, Johnson’s Baby Powder, Johnsons Baby Oil, Baby Clean cotton rounds, Lactacyd (because Baby Company sells items for moms too), and Giggles Baby Wipes (because as moms, we can’t have enough baby wipes! Plus it’s on sale too, 2 packs for Php160 J). 

Now that I have shown you these sale items, I know mommies and daddies are very excited to go to Baby Company and shop for their little ones.  All Baby Company stores are participating in the Baby Gear Sale except Hypermarket branches.   

For more information about the Baby Gear Sale of the Baby Company, visit their website or follow them on their social media sites: www.facebook.com/BabyCompanyPH , www.twitter.com/BabyCompanyPH and, www.instagram.com/BabyCompanyPH

PS:  Do buy a Mom Card too.  I did.  It costs Php100.  It will earn you points per purchase just like the SM Advantage card, but will earn you twice as much point when you buy from the Baby Company.

PPS: All these items I posted are from SM City Trece Martires, so if you are eyeing one of these sale items, I suggest you visit them. J

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post.  However, all opinions and personal choices are mine.

Scholastic Warehouse Sale 2016

I love reading books.  I am a bookworm.  I so love books and it was a must for me to visit the Scholastic Warehouse Sale even though the sale is located at Pasig and I reside in Cavite.  

We visited the Scholastic Warehouse Sale last December after the Thanksgiving Party of Mommy Bloggers Philippines.  We didn’t get lost, thanks to Google Maps. 

As such with the title, the sale was located in Scholastic’s warehouse.  The warehouse doesn’t have a very huge parking space and only a limited number of cars are allowed to park.

Upon entrance to the designated sale area, books and books and a lot of books are everywhere.  But what really made me decide to go to this book sale is the Book Buffet: Box All You Can for Php799.  You will be given a buffet box and you can take home all the books that would fit in it for only Php799.  Quite a deal, right? 

Sadly, I didn’t avail of the Book Buffet.  L  The book selection for the book buffet weren’t to my liking and so I just decided to buy the books I like.  

Book buffet boxes and the books that can fit in it. 

Book buffet area in the middle. 

I got the Hunger Games trilogy and the Book of Impossible Objects for Php 812.oo!

Is the Scholastic Warehouse Sale sulit?  Honestly for me, it wasn’t.  L  This is because I incorporated the cost and time of traveling to Pasig form my place. 

But I have three suggestions on how you could make it a sulit visit?

·         If you reside somewhere near the place and you love books, I highly suggest you visit the Scholastic Warehouse Sale.  But if not, the cost and time would be same as buying in a bookstore in the mall.

·         Do check the Scholastic website for the list of books they published.  I am a huge Harry Potter fan and this is one reason I wanted to visit the sale.  I am quite sure that the books Scholastic had published would be something I would like.  But I was wrong.  There are a lot of selections that I don’t know or like.

·         If the book buffet selection is to your liking, do avail it.  You will save a lot.  

Scholastic Warehouse Sale happens during November to December.  I do hope they would have another round this year so more book lovers can visit.  

My First S&R Members’ Treat Experience

S&R is one of the country’s membership shopping.  I was not really fond of S&R as you have to pay Php700 for membership which entitles you no perks (points for purchase) except well, you can shop at S&R.  However, a colleague, who’s a member, brought me one time to S&R and told me to buy the maple cured bacon as she vouched to be one of the best-tasting bacon.  And true enough, our whole household loves S&R maple-cured bacon.  After that, I signed up for membership.  I was seduced by the bacon! Hahaha :D

And I was happy I that I signed up for S&R membership.  I get to shop a lot of items that I like in S&R that are not offered in my usual supermarket.  Yes, I am one happy member.  So when S&R announced they will have their Members’ Treat, I logged it in my calendar. J

October 1, 2016 marked my first S&R Members’ Treat shopping.  The hubby and I lined up from 8AM to 12PM (that’s 4 hours waiting in line) before we were able to enter S&R. I was nursing a headache, and was really feeling bad but the sale items made me feel better.

That was my first time to shop during S&R Members’ Treat and I am not a pro, but let me list down some tips to help you (and me) next year.

Be Late – I know, early bird catches the worm.  The hubby and I waited from 8am to 12pm just to enter S&R and shop.  The heat and the exhaustion we felt in line made me think twice about attending next year’s sale.  But a colleague went to S&R by afternoon and she only fell in line in less than 2 hours!  There is no need to worry about sale items as stocks are refilled every 30 minutes (as per an employee).  So let the queue die down before going. 

Don’t Bring Kids – We didn’t bring Neo with us and it was a very good decision.  I saw other shoppers who brought their kids and I pity the little kids as some were already tired and exhausted, crying and having tantrums.  Please don’t bring your kids, they won’t aid in your shopping.

Check S&R A Day Before – A day before the sale marks the day S&R employees put up their sale tag price.  You will get an idea what sale item you will be able to score on the Members’ Treat Day.  You might also be lucky because some of these discounted tag prices are already effective. 

Eat and Drink – Waiting in line for hours means you will be exhausted and thus, foods and drinks are needed.  We forgot to bring anything and were lucky that there’s a convenience store nearby to buy water.  We ate when we were able to finish our shopping.  We love S&R pizzas and even brought home for our little boy! J

Set A Budget – As such with all shopping adventures, a budget is always a must.  You don’t want to be broke and feel guilty after the shopping, right? 

Have a Buddy – Bringing someone with you is a good decision.  You can actually bring 4 more people with your S&R membership card, but a buddy is okay.  Because cashier line is so long that one of you can line up the moment you enter, and you can alternately do the shopping.  It saves a lot of time! J

There you have it!  Hope these tips help you if you plan to go to S&R Members’ Treat next time.

Saving Money Through Groupon Coupons!

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are mine.

Mommies like me are such practical beings.  We make sure we get what we need and want at the cost that we deserve.  We don’t pay more than what the product (or service) is actually worth.  We make sure we get the most of every penny spent.  Though there are certain times that you want to get a certain item way beyond your means.

Luckily for us, moms, group buying sites are now available and actually offers so much practicality.  Groupon Coupons is one of them.  This website is an answer to those certain times you wanted to buy certain quality items (and services or experiences) that you deem quite expensive and yet, Groupon Coupons give a very great discount.

Photo grabbed from Groupon Coupons’ website.

Let me give you some of the deals you can try at Groupon Coupons:

You wanted to buy a special gift to mom because its Mother’s Day, and you want it to be extra special, why not check out Jewelry and Watches category, and you’ll be surprised to see that Cartier watches can be bought at 59% discount!  Or you wanted to buy an advance Father’s Day gift to dad, you can check out the Sports and Outdoor collection to see that Puma items are priced as much as 40%lower than in stores!

Groupon Coupons offers us all, not just moms, a very good way to get the item we wanted at a very practical price, without of course, sacrificing the quality because you can choose a lot from the wide range of products offered by Groupon Coupons.

Check out their Facebook and Twitter pages to be updated on different deals. 

Re-purposing Neo’s Crib

Neo’s crib was made-to-order.  It was because we really wanted it to be like a small bed which Neo will use until he reaches pre-school.  We want it to be sturdy and thus, we had it made-to-order by the local carpenter that Neo’s Lolo Jun knew.

When Neo reached the age of 3, his crib started to lose its durability.  This is because whenever Neo is in the crib, he would shake the railings with all his might.  So when he reached 4 years old, we wanted to save whatever we can of the crib’s body.  

The last time he went inside his crib for a one-last-picture.

This started the project of re-purposing the crib.  There are a lot of ideas that came to our mind but we settled on a small bed (which was the original idea). 

Re-purposing a crib to a small bed is just a simple task.  All you have to do it remove side the side railings and re-paint.  We used white paint and added a blue tinting color to achieve the baby blue color that we like for the small bed.  We also added a 2x2 wood plank as support in the lower part since the crib was a bit shaky already.

And tadah…!  Neo’s new bed! J 

We already put a mattress on this, some Lightning Mcqueen pillows and Neo already used this bed twice already for afternoon nap only since we still co-sleep.

Divisoria Christmas Decors Shopping

Neo is 4 years old.  He is no longer a stranger to what Christmas means to kids – that is gift giving and Christmas decors.  As early as October, when a lot of areas (from our neighbors to the malls to wherever we bring him, even in television) have been putting up Christmas decors, Neo would always bug all of us that it’s pasko already, and he’ll be grabbing our Christmas decors stocks under the stairs. 

Because we were all busy with work, decorating our house went below our to-do list.  Christmas décor shopping was not a priority.  I would browse at malls for Christmas decors – particularly Christmas tree - but would not buy one because we weren’t decided yet to get one.  We will be using it for years so we needed something that’s durable.  So when we finally decided on what Christmas tree we wanted, the malls no longer has stock for it L

That is when the hubby and I agreed to visit Divisoria.  We were up so early so as not to get stuck in traffic.  We parked at the Lucky China Town.  Parking rates before mall hours is Php1oo for the first 3 hours and Php5o each hour after (if it’s mall hours: Php5o for the first 3 hours and Php2o each hour after).  The hubby wanted a secure place to park the car because he’d rather pay the parking fee than pay the damage of parking unsecured.

We toured Divisoria in finding the perfect Christmas tree for our home.  And I was really glad we did.  Why?  The Christmas tree I was eyeing at the mall is a 7ft needle type green-colored tree.  It costs Php3,899.oo at the mall.   We were able to buy the same kind of tree at Divisoria for only Php1,4oo.oo! J 

Christmas Trees in different variants, colors, and sizes.

And thanks to saving a lot from the Christmas tree, I was able to buy some Christmas decors too.  And since I saw a lot of Michaela outlet stalls at 168, I decided to buy something for gifts well.  But of course the little boy got a treat too J

Here’s our shopping lot that day.

7ft Needle Type Christmas tree costing Php1,4oo.

Garlands (Php13o per bundle) and poinsettias  (Php15o-2oo for 12pcs).

Christmas tree decors at 3 for Php1oo.

Michaela loots.  Sorry, can’t show the exact thing because I’m giving it as a gift.

And our Christmas tree J

The little boy just wanted a picture beside the tree.

Happy Holidays!

Applying for Pag-Ibig Fund’s Re-Pricing

Many of us, homeowners, have acquired our home through mortgage to Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-Ibig Fund.  Pag-Ibig right now has the lowest interest rate in their housing loans compared to the past 5 years.  This is a very good time to convert your loan to the Full Risk-Based Pricing Model.  We did so last week.

We applied for conversion to Full Risk-Based Pricing Model at the main branch of Pag-ibig at Mandaluyong.  You can check the nearest Pag-Ibig branch to you if they allow processing of re-pricing.  I believe Calamba branch process re-pricing, however, the branch closest to us, Imus Branch doesn’t – reason why we need to go all the way from Cavite to Mandaluyong just to process it.

Before going to Pag-Ibig Mandaluyong, I called Pag-Ibig Imus first and asked for requirements.  Which are:

1.    Duly accomplished Application Form for Conversion to Full Risk-Based Pricing Model.  [You can get this at Pag-Ibig or ask Pag-Ibig to email you a copy].

2.    Photocopy of latest Tax Declaration – Land and Building.  [You can get this at your Municipal Hall’s Assessor Office.  I didn’t pay for anything for this, but someone said she paid Php50 at their City Hall. #Attention Red Tape].

3.    Photocopy of latest Real Property Tax Receipt – Land and Building.  [If you are religiously paying your real property tax, this shouldn’t be a problem.  But in case you are not, be prepared to pay a lot.  I think the interest per year goes as high as 20%].

4.    Php1000 processing fee.

We arrived at Pag-Ibig Mandaluyong around 930AM.  We were queued at the re-pricing counter.  Because I am worried that I will mistakenly put wrong information in the form, it was only there that I accomplished it.  Note (1) if you are married, it is advisable to go there as spouses.  The forms need to be signed by spouses and will not be processed by one spouse alone.  Note (2) please bring a photocopy of your marriage certificate and valid ids.

During checking of requirements, we were asked if we will be paying by PDCs (post dated checks) or cash.  We were confused.  Note (3) apparently, once your loan is re-priced, you will need to pay 3 months in advance of your amortization.  This is for Pag-Ibig to ensure that you are a good payer.  We didn’t bring 3 months of amortization with us (because that was not included in the requirement list).  But since the person assessing us, checked our records and knew that we are good payers (meaning: paid already weeks before due date), he allowed us to just pay 1 month.  Whew.  I honestly don’t want to go back and forth Cavite and Mandaluyong.  The person assessing us told me that it was their prerogative and job to check if applicants are responsible and can pay.

After passing the requirements, we were asked to pay for the processing fee.  We were asked to photocopy the receipts.  And wait for 2-3 hours processing.  Yay! So we don’t need to go back na talaga. 

While waiting we opted to go to SM Megamall for lunch and visit the Home Sale happening that weekend.  Both the hubby and I are so engrossed in the sale that I forgot to check my cellphone for anything.  We went back at Pag-Ibig exactly 3 hours after we left and found out that Note (4) the person assisting us texted me 1 and half hour ago that our papers are due for signing already.  Tsk tsk.

We were asked to have the papers we signed notarized (there’s a Notary Public just outside the Pag-Ibig office costing Php100).  We paid one-month advance amortization at the cashier and had the receipt photocopied.  And what a surprise!  Our monthly amortization is now lower by almost 17%.  This is a lot considering you need to pay for this amortization for years.  J 

Since our Pag-Ibig housing loan is under Full Risk-Based Pricing, and we chose 3 years Fixed Pricing Period, our monthly amortizations will change every 3 years dependent on the prevailing market rates.

If you want to know more about re-pricing, just visit any Pag-Ibig branch.

Mandaue Foam Is On Sale Again!

It’s almost a year ago when I blogged about buying a sofa set at Mandaue Foam’s annual sale.  I am so satisfied with our sofa set that I already bookmarked this time of the year to go back at Mandaue Foam’s showroom at Las Pinas, because they are on sale again J

If you are a homemaker, a sale such as this is just like heaven for you.  Look at all the different furniture on sale at Mandaue Foam.

All sofas on 20% off!

Mattresses are on sale as much as 40% off.  

The little boy loves this Kiddie Sofa but it’s small for him na. 

All bed frames on 25% off! 

All wardrobes and cabinets on 25% off! 

All dining sets on 25% off! 

What’s really nice is that everything is on sale.  Even decors, lamps, side tables, linens and everything!  If it’s not on sale (which are the yellow tags), they are already marked down. 

So what are you waiting for?  Go and visit Mandaue Foam.  Sale is until August 31, 2015.

This is not a sponsored post. 

Maxicare EReady Card

Taking care of our health should always be one of our top most priorities in life.  After all, how can a person work and earn for a living if he or she is not healthy.  Sickness will always be our enemy.  Being sick will not just rob us of our health, but also with our money and our emotional disposition.

I am lucky to be working in a company that offers me good medical benefits.  And we are lucky as a family because the hubby’s company offered each of us HMO benefits.  So whenever we get sick, we are secured that the bills will be covered.  

But this is not the case for my parents.  They don’t work in a company that offers the same medical benefit.  And needless to say, when they get sick, we as children are affected as well.

It’s a good thing I was introduced to Maxicare EREady card last Blogapalooza. 

What are the details of Maxicare EReady card?

·         It can be used for illnesses or injuries that are defined as emergency, which means it’s immediate and urgent in nature.

·         It is divided into 2 plans.  PLAN1 cost Php549 without access to 6 major hospitals.  PLAN2 cost Php749 with access to 6 major hospitals namely: Asian Hospital Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, St. Lukes Medical Center Quezon City and Global City, Makati Medical Center, and The Medical City.

·         It’s a one-time availment with Php15,000 coverage for emergency cases.

·         It has one-year validity.

·         Easy SMS enrollment registration.

·         It has Life AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) up to Php25,000 with Double Indemnity Feature.

·         Card holder is entitled 20% discount on Metro Dental, and 15% discount from My Health Clinics.

Where can you get one?

You can purchase it at Maxicare’s head office at Makati or from their agents.  

We bought each of my parents Maxicare EReady card because nobody is ever prepared when 

it comes to emergency. 

For more info visit: https://www.maxicare.com.ph/faqs/maxicare-eready-faq/

Note this is not a sponsored post.  There are other HMO companies that offer coverage of the same extent or better.