NY Winter Restaurant Week

It's time! Feast dates are from January 18-23 and January 25-30. Make your reservations now. I'm happy that the dates coincide with an anniversary and a birthday.

Lunch and dinner fares for a three-course, prix-fixe meals remain at $24.07 and $35 respectively. I learned that this year, for the first time, many participating restaurants are adding Sundays to this culinary event. It only gets better!!!

Download a free copy of Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan

If you would like to have a better sense of how to take control of your personal finance, enrich your financial knowledge and be more money savvy, download Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan now!!!

Hurry, you only have until January 15.

Enjoy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Note: Free download, courtesy of Oprah.com 

Beauti-Fall Weekend

 Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.  ~Elizabeth Lawrence

 

We were in New England over the Columbus Day holiday weekend, and what greeted us was a visual feast of the beauty that is autumn!  The drive up had us "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing", a favorite reaction that was repeated throughout our stay.  :P  Can't help it.  We were enjoying great weather, scenic routes, crisp autumn air, blue skies, and a dazzling display of color-tinged leaves.  The wedding reception we attended was held outdoors, and the family's spacious backyard was transformed into a truly warm and inviting harvest celebration.   OMG!  Simply perfect!  

   

There's this song from Noggin that I've been singing along to... "I feel like I'm falling for fall."  Well I've fallen for fall.  I love it!  And to all fellow leaf peepers out there, it ain't over til the last leaf falls!

*picture courtesy of cnn.com

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama!

Do unto others...

I clip coupons, get them in the mail, or print them from store emails. I don't use them all, but I usually bring them anyway so that other people can benefit from them. I enjoy handing it out while standing in line at the check out counter.

Tonight, the lady in front of me handed me a coupon for the popcorn that I had in my cart. Just like that. She also told me that today is a triple-your-coupon day. What a treat! I just thought it was sooo cool!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

Pearl of the Orient Seas

What is the Philippines? Yep. We were just there, and that explains the inactivity here. Back in September, I was too busy making sure that I was packing everything that the little boy would need. I tell you, it was no joke... especially since I was packing for a family of three and we're flying to another country. Come on now, you can relate! It's a lot of planning and work and lists. I took over the guestroom, brought out the clothes and gifts and things and more things, and got crazy filling the luggage that I lined up on the floor. Sure, we can buy essentials that we may have missed to bring or we ran out of. BUT, this is a short vacation and I didn't want to be bothered with grocery shopping when I could be in Greenhills shopping for things that I want. Haha. I wish.


This visit was really just to be with family. We met up with dear friends as well. So much to do, so little time. We made sure Andrew had his taste of the Philippine scene. We did a pictorial in historic Intramuros. We took him to Manila Ocean Park, which was amazing. A family outing to Zoobic Safari was also arranged to celebrate two of his cousins' birthday. We also dropped by the 29th Manila International Book Fair, where I got him numerous bilingual (filipino-english) books. After a family day at the farm in Pao, we did a quick side trip to the Monasteryo de Tarlac in the Lubigan Eco-Tourism Park. The view was breathtaking! It. is. beautiful. up. there. You should visit!

I'll stop now and let some pictures do the talking.

approaching Clark Airport, partial view of Ortigas

swimming with Ate , "it's all mine now"

"cool chairs" , fish spa!

MOP

Manila Cathedral , Fort Santiago

Calesa Ride "I'm shy!"

Intramuros, Fort Santiago

Juan Tamad at the Book Fair, Monasteryo de Tarlac

Today's High: My Grocery Savings

So I wanted to talk about coupon power. It started out at BJ's where I used 10 coupons (manufacturer's and in-club) and saved $26.25! I had $5 off a box of Pampers baby dry, another $5 off Pampers wipes, $4 off Pampers cruisers, $4 off Tide and Downy, $2 off Nesquik, etc. Add $11 of instant rebates, and voila, a total of $37.25 extra savings! I'm a happy camper! This is the main reason why I selectively clip coupons to complement my shopping list, and very *seldom* leave home without it.

BJ's (and other warehouse club) prices are much less compared to regular grocery store prices because of bulk packaging. To lower the *lower* price is what I call savvy shopping. 'gotta trim our outlays.

Off to Waldbaum's next, viewed the circular and weekly specials, breezed through the aisles, picked this sale item and that, checked-out, used my valued shopper club card, and ka-ching, saved $40.75.

Last stop: CVS. 'needed Infant Motrin. 'shaved $1 off with my coupon, and somehow earned $1 of CVS money by using my Extra Care CVS card.

Truly, a great day of savings for me. No matter what other people say about loyalty club cards being a ruse and not really saving you money, I don't give a hoot. I know my products and how much they're worth, and I sure know when they are priced high, priced right, and priced-to-be-grabbed.

Hi! I'm Faye, and I shop smart.