Budget Shopping 101

It has been a while since I last posted an outfit shoot. Well, there's a reason for that... I- for a heartbreakingly brief moment- have let go of shopping and kept my "debt" cards in tight security to make do with my own very little funds I have left to see me through for a month or so. 

I sometimes forget that I'm already married, that I actually have someone to share the monetary burden with (and ask an allowance from *hihi*) but truth of the matter is, I'm simply not that kind of girl. I'll let my husband shoulder all our home expenses, if it really comes to the point that I cannot cover my half anymore, but NOT my personal allowance. No siree. For me, that's a blow below the gut I cannot muster as a "trying to be" independent woman. 

Soooooooo... because I am on a veerrrrryy tight shopping budget now. I am back to bazaars, clearances, offline & online ukay and bargain hunting like it's 1990! *haha* Just exaggerating, I'm only in 1st Grade that time so I don't really shop yet. Not ashamed of it, I'm good when it comes to thrift finds and I have this spread to prove it. 

When it comes to extreme budget shopping, I have two default places I go to:

1. Outlets in SM Sucat, specifically Clearance on 3F.

2. Landmark Bazaar, Makati

If I have more "budget" funds to spare, I'd go to People R People Outlet in Glorietta or the bigger and better branch in Robinson's Galleria, called "The Platform."

You may think tiangges like Greenhills or Divisoria should be my default places for budget shopping but you might be surprised to know you can get better deals in Landmark Bazaar. Same stuff but at a cheaper price. Promise! I once bought a dress in St. Francis Square at P550 and the next day, my mom saw the exact same dress in Landmark for only P250. Talk about profiteering! Obviously, we returned the dress to the bazaar vendor and showed the same dress we bought from Landmark at a cheaper price. Yes,  you can do that! 

Here are some budget shopping tips I can share to make the most out of your scarce shopping money:

1. Since we're talking about "BUDGET" no. 1 tip is to give yourself a budget first before ransacking every store in the mall. Do you have a 100, 500, 1,000? more? or none at all?

2. (P0 budget) If you have NO money to spare for shopping AT ALL, look at the item again and again and again or stare at it for 10 loooong seconds, until you get tired of it. Then tell yourself "I don't need it" OR "I can still live with what I currently have."

3. (P100- P500 a.k.a "one top budget") If you actually have some shopping money to spare, THINK BEFORE YOU BUY. Don't rush and buy the first top you've set your eyes on. Make sure that what you're going to buy is absolutely worth it. The perfect question is, "can you wear this in 10 different ways?" If the answer is yes, then by all means, burn that Ninoy! 

4. (P500- P1500 a.k.a "one - two outfit budget") If you have a somehow enjoyable budget to spare. Mind you, P1,500 for some people are a "one top budget." Get one or two matching or complementary outfits so you know exactly how to wear it and what to match it with to wear for countless times. Not only do you get to have a fuss-free fashionable day coz you already know what that top goes with best, it's sure-ball you'll get to wear it again and again and again. ROI accomplished!

5. Most importantly, check your goods! You don't want to regret buying a top with different shoulder length, I tell you. Do what seamstresses do, make sure the shoulders are aligned, the edging was done in an acceptable quality, no holes in weird places, no discoloration, and no stains.  

When I luckily fell under "one-two outfit budget", these are the matchy-matchy stuff I bought from Landmark Bazaar. I exceeded a bit but ALL accounts to under P2,000. And because I'm always on the run nowadays, my essential wardrobe includes comfy skinnies, breathable tops and flats so, I went for three (3) skinnies + three (3) chiffon tops as follows:

For variety and different moods, I got one purple shade.

Neutral - gray shade

Playful Pastel tones

Can't wait to wear them all and finally do outfit shoots again that I truly miss.

A sweet reminder before I end this post. Budget shopping varies from person to person in different walks of life. And this is mine. Feel free to adopt or go with what your own cashflow can handle. The choice (and budget) is yours.

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

Random thoughts of a Clueless Mind

Wow, I can't believe that it's almost my birthday month and I still have a LOT of blog backlogs to catch up on for this month. This February was tremendously hectic for me, which is now causing my body to break down a bit due to my big and heavy backpack, long-haul commuting, non-stop meetings and excessive over-thinking. Yes, the redundancy of what I'm saying is necessary. 

Nonetheless, I am overwhelmed with happiness and pride as I take every inch of a step to reach my dreams. That is to work for myself, do what I love and what I do best, and eventually end up as a couture designer. Being an event coordinator is the most strategic entry-point for me, I think, because organization, coordination and execution is what I do best, while I take necessary studies to be what I really want to be. 

I'm particularly thankful for the people who continuously inspire and encourage me in the clueless road that I am taking. Many have called me "fearless" in a sense that I had the courage to risk all of what's left of my career with the hopes of making it in the competitive world of business. 

Funny thing is, there's nothing much to risk honestly. That probably only make things more difficult for me. I have tried and tried and tried for so many years in my "booming" career life to save up some capital and start my own business. And in those years, I managed to save up enough and then land back to where I started with a series of shopaholic events, traveling, and getting married. Don't take me wrong though, I never regret any single bit of what I spent on and experienced. Well, maybe those few pairs of shoes that I only wore once. Anyhow, what I'm trying to say is... sometimes, there is just no perfect time nor enough amount of saved up capital to start striving for what you really want. Sometimes, you just got to have faith and take that giant leap even if there's a big fat chance that you will fall flat on your face. 

Yes, I must be fearless. 

What's sOoooo a-mazing is... just when I thought I'm about to hit rock-bottom, blessings  come pouring in. Again, you just got to have faith and literally give your ALL. Period. I may not already be in the stature of success but I am getting there. One day, or may I say, one lovely wedding and event at a time. 

A post inspired *again* after watching "The Pursuit of Happyness" for the nth time last night.

Christopher Gardner: Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right? 

Christopher: All right. 

Christopher Gardner: You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.  

Have an inspiring week ahead everyone!

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

A Slice of Heaven

It usually takes me to be in a relaxing cafe ambiance and a grande cup of coffee to inspire me to write. Well, no wonder I've been gaining weight with all the sugar bombs I have consumed when the craving for frappes hit me. But for this blog post, I don't need any coz the look and taste of these pastries can already satisfy every bit of craving in my body for a sumptuous snack. 

Because I'm a proud carbs-lover, there's no shame in drooling over this dense and moist Raisin Bread with chockfull of raisins and a hint of cinnamon that hits the sweet spot for an ultimate foodgasm. Spank it with butter and I promise, you'll want more. *lol* (my own words just made me laugh)

The Banana Bread, on the other hand, is filled with the sweet goodness of ripe fruit,  both perfect partners for breakfast, midday snacks, and steaming cups of freshly brewed coffee or tea. *hmmmm*

You might be wondering where I got these baked goodies I've been munching over the past few days because they're so big that can't simply be devoured at one sitting. Well, those familiar need not plan a whole trip to Baguio city because Baguio Country Club, famous for their trademark treats like these two pastry delights, has finally brought their goodies here in Manila and are now made available at Heaven & Eggs, Glorietta 4. Baked fresh daily at 2am, these are rushed down right away via the new highways from the city of pines to arrive in Makati every morning at 6am, allowing breakfast, dessert, and snack aficionados to have their fill of these pastries before they go about their day. Supplies run out fast and get sold out by lunchtime, but Heaven & Eggs has bread lovers covered as a second shipment sometimes arrives in the shop in the afternoon.

Raisin Bread fanatic and loyal Baguio Country Club Raymond Ilusorio Yap shares, "The Raisin Bread is very special and can only be made in Baguio. The secret is Baguio's atmosphere that gives it just the right amount of fresh air and humidity. It's just not possible to bake it moist the same somewhere else. So I found a way to share my favorite breakfast everyday in Manila. Credit is due to new and fast vehicle engines that can make the 250km trip daily."

Infectious huh?!? Have a taste of Baguio's best from the city below heaven and above the clouds, visit Heaven & Eggs, located at the ground floor of Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati for a slice of heaven you'll definitely come back for again and again. 

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

*this is a sponsored post*

Pray + Eat + Love

Missed me much? Well, I terribly did miss quietly seating in a cafe with no other agenda but to write and share my day with y'all. And I know it's way too late to excite you about this post but I have no more excuses left but to romance you with another sincere apology. So, a heartfelt sorry guys. 

Anyway, to take up where I left off, here's the finale about my sweet escape to Tagaytay last cold January for the celebration of our first year wedding anniversary where we ended the occasion in prayer, eating (a lot), and celebrating love the best way we know how... before your imagination gets playful, I meant spending quality time together. *cheese balls!* (A new expression I picked up from the movie Warm Bodies- MUST WATCH!) 

We were originally planning to hear mass at the Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, where we exchanged our I DOs a year ago, but since we decided to celebrate in Tagaytay, we made it a point to visit the Pink Sisters Cathedral instead to PRAY. It was my very first time to visit the church actually and I was pleasantly amazed with what I saw. I literally felt close to Heaven, with no 50/50 life and death state required. Misty clouds hover the spacious grounds while lots and lots of pine trees and other sorts hide the humble chapel where the Pink Sisters kneel in prayer.  

I had no idea why the church was called "Pink Sisters" until I saw them. And Pink Sisters they really were. Taking pictures inside the church was prohibited, so just imagine women of different ages who have devoted their lives to God, enrobed in bright pink tunic, heads covered with starched white colf, all lined up while they all sing in chorus with voice like angels. I really have no other words but "heavenly."

A lot of advocates visit the church because you can actually write letters with your intentions in a piece of paper then the sisters will pray for you. Now, don't stop kneeling in prayer since the sisters are already doing their jobs, it doesn't work that way. *lol* 

This visit was very timely because both JM and I were at a crossroad in our lives in terms of career, family/ life planning and hopes of achieving both our dreams and ambitions so this visit really helped us connect with God spiritually. I'm also thankful that JM is very faithful and God-fearing because he makes me want to become a better Christian. The fact is, he prays more and loooooonger than I do, which amazes me every time. Although he sometimes fall asleep in the middle of prayer because he talks to God way too long sometimes. *lol*

Here's the facade of the chapel. The exterior may seem structurally traditional with stone-colored walls but the interiors tell a different story. Polished light gray walls with darker gray trimmings and pale pink accents, and low hanging vintage chandeliers. Every corner of room was very pleasing to the eyes and simply breathtaking. I'm thinking, the place would be great for weddings although I'm not sure if they move the railings that encloses the area where the sisters usually seats at mass to cater to such.

As if the universe already heard me, a lucky penny crossed my path- a 1979 20 centavo Hong Kong Dollar. I have no idea why "this old" coin was doing there nor do I understand what it means. Maybe a Hong Kong trip is on the horizon? Hopefully?! I dunno... but it must mean something good. 

Here's me enjoying the cold and foggy weather early Monday morning after sending the Pink Sisters our long letters of personal intentions.

Pink Sisters(map)

After praying, WE EAT. We actually thought long and hard where to continue celebrating our special day. We were back and forth considering somewhere we haven't tried before and somewhere easier on the pocket since we already spent much of our humble budget on overnight accommodations. So, for the purpose of "memories of young love" we went back where year one started. Exactly where we celebrated our first year BF-GF Anniversary- Sonya's Garden.

The place was a lot different from what I remember. Definitely bigger and there were a lot of diners considering it was a Monday. There was even a wedding happening at the other hall. 

But the food? hmmmmmmm.... Still as GOOD as I tasted before or even better, actually. For only P610 per person, you can have unlimited serving of refreshing Dalandan Juice, Salad, Bread, and Pasta. 

Salad- fresh from the garden garnished with fruits, nuts, cucumber, and egg.

Soft, warm bread served with a variety of dips.

Sonya's spot for book signing

Pasta Arrabbiata w/ Blue Marlin bites, Eggplant ratatouille, shitake mushrooms, and capers.  

For Dessert - Turon, Dark Cocoa Chiffon Cake, and real-leaf Tarragon Tea.

The whole dining experience was both nostalgic and refreshing. I cannot wait to plan my next dining visit when the salad craving comes. Oh yeah, I'm a salad lover just in case you don't know. Must be because my mom munches on lettuce day and night when she was pregnant with me. 

Before we left the Sunflower dining hall, here's something that caught my eye. Sonya's Coffee Table Book that Clueless Mrs. like me would LOVE. Story of Sonya, tips on gardening, salad recipes *yum*, even tricks on removing stains! I think Sonya is the humble Martha Stewart of the Philippines. A-mazing. Well, my wallet was a bit tight at that time so I wasn't able to get myself a copy although my palms were itching until we got home because I really wanted one. The book retails at P1,850 and I think it's also available in bookstores in the Metro. If I get to buy one though, I'll get it at Sonya's Garden so I can have it signed by Sonya herself.  

Lastly, LOVE. One year has passed but it still feels like we just exchanged I DOs yesterday. JM - you're my best friend, my hero, my soul mate. I love you. *major cheese balls!* *lol*

Sonya's Garden

Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, Philippines

(within the vicinity of Tagaytay City)

For Reservations: +63917 5329097 or +63917 5335140

info@sonyasgarden.com 

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

The couple who eats together, gets fat together.

A Perfect Retreat at the Tagaytay Windgate Manor

Tired of the city? Here's an amazing place in Tagaytay I highly recommend for a quick  retreat on a budget. Literally, the place is sooooo quiet you can definitely meditate, pray, or just sleep in peace (that doesn't sound right but you get what I mean) *lol* The Tagaytay weather in January was also perfect, with harmonious balance of the warm sun, brief rain showers and refreshing cool breeze. The simple remembrance of it makes me shiver with delight. *sigh*

The place where we stayed at, Tagaytay Windgate Manor, is a  two storey property with a total of 24 quaint rooms with 80% open spaces. Once you get to the place, you'll know what I mean. Huge parking lot, huge garden, and a huge common balcony with a view of a vast green lot.  Its convenient location along Magallanes Drive (map), a 5-minute drive from Starbucks along Aguinaldo Highway gives it an additional feel of privacy away from the busy main road, which makes it even more a perfect place for a tranquil vacation.

There's nothing very special about the room, it's a straight forward four-wall room with a double bed just right for two wrapped in crisp white linens, mood lights and all, but what makes it exemplary is the mattress enhancer! Oh yes, old-age backaches begone because we slept like babies that night.  

Oh, and clean bathroom with bidet? CHECK! And, I don't know if it's just me but I could swear the towels smelled like berries.  

The huge garden makes a perfect venue for a garden party, don't you think? The pool was also almost inviting but I dared not because it was super cold. I don't get why Tagaytay hotels and B&Bs have pools when no soul can dare to jump in and risk hypothermia. Wouldn't it be better if they have hot tubs instead? Just like the ones in winter cabins where people go skiing and snowboarding then jump into a boiling hot tub after... *dreaming of snow now*

The pink bungalow at the back end of the garden is where they do the massage. The quality of the massage is similar to P300 below massages you can find within the village for a momentary ease of body pains so it was okay for the price of the whole package. What I somehow didn't like about the massage experience was that the clock was a bit noisy, up to the point where your heartbeat goes in sync with the tick tock. Pardon me, I really have a dysfunctional sense and level of irritation, and my family can attest to this, but I think they should really have their wall clocks replaced. Relaxing music and aromatic room scent would be good suggestions too.

The Wellness Package we availed also came with a complimentary Shabu-Shabu dinner. For P500 more, you can actually avail of a Steak dinner for two in lieu of the Shabu-Shabu but we opted for hot soup to counter the bone-chilling evening temperature.    

The serving was generous and the hotpot came with both choices of chili soup and the regular soup where we can have the meat, veggies, and noodles dipped in. I'm not really much of a fan of Shabu-Shabu but I particularly enjoyed this one. The broth was suuuuper good unlike other Shabu-Shabus I've tried before. Both soups are so good I had to mix it in the end to have the best of both worlds. We loaded our tummies up to our necks until we couldn't breathe anymore. *haha* Yes, that's how full we were after dinner. 

Shabu-Shabu P400/person

As if we haven't had enough of pigging out the night before, we woke up in full plate of yummy sinangag dishes matched with a delish home brew.

Breakfast meals P250/person

Even though we only stayed for one night, our bodies and spirits were refreshed and reenergized to face reality back in the city. Stress, bring it on!

Price Tag?

Wellness Package P3,800

*Room accommodation for 2

*Daily breakfast for 2 (worth P500 for 2)

*Shabu-Shabu dinner for 2 (worth P800 for 2)

*Therapeutic Massage for 2 (est. worth P600 for 2)

Hence, the room accommodation only costed us P1,900

Check Rate & Availability here

Overall experience? Great. Will I go back? 100% Yes.

Tagaytay Windgate Manor

Magallanes Drive, Barangay Maiitim II

West, Tagaytay City

T: +632 806-8390

M: +63917 568-8861/ +63922 821-3551

E: info@windgatemanor.ph

Book Now!

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

Skills and Crafts

I have been soooo focused on my business lately that I regret to miss out on few blog posts I intended to write. I haven't even started on my 2013 blog redesign and full-year marketing plan yet, which I have been planning to do for so long already. Do not worry though because I do not have any intentions of parking the Clueless Mrs. anytime soon- or ever- coz believe it or not, this blog, which started as a personal journal-sort of thing- is one of the things that actually keeps me going. It's my gravel path, my roadmap, my compass, my constellation, my northern star on where I want to go and what I need to do next. 

Nevertheless, I am so proud of myself for accomplishing a lot of things on the days I was MIA (Missing in Action) because I was able to secure 90% of all the legal requirements and permits needed for my business, and oh boy, *kudos kudos*pat on the back* for me coz this is the most legit of a business I have ever gone. From DTI, Barangay, to Mayor permits, name it. *phew* Special thanks to my dad for being my handsome driver and tutor on how to go around city hall.

I have also launched my new website www.fairytaleweddingsnevents.com you definitely MUST check out (not sure if online hypnosis can work but *with a very low mala-fortune teller voice* - go... to... www.fairytaleweddingsnevents.com....... after you read this post...) *crossing fingers now* (And oh, *back to low voice* ...and book me as your wedding coordinator soon...)

Anyhow, I'm particularly proud of this website because everything was specially designed by MOI. And seriously, photoshop editing up until the wee hours of the morning is no joke! I even tried (with bloody nose for five days) fixing my own domain, which I have frustratingly failed at 5x. Lucky for me, I have my last resort SOS tech support, my sis' boyfie, and after 10 minutes... *voila* it's finally fixed. *clap for skills*

What else have I made myself busy with? hmm... Mostly preparing for the very first bridal fair I will join on February 15-17 - the Weddings & Debuts 2013 Bridal Fair, organized by the Wedding Library, which will be held at the Megatrade Hall SM Megamall. Aside from the permits I have 90% secured already, we're talking about booth design, flyers, calling cards, service agreements, and the to do list goes on. And since I'm on a veeeeeeery tight budget, I have to make a lot of stuff, including my website, on my own from conceptualization, design and production. Total DIY crafty things!

Another thing, or shall I say skill, that I'm also proud about is how I managed to save and learn something new from this experience. Like, making homemade notepads! In my case, service agreements. Here's how I did it, and I'm sure you're gonna love this. 

The key ingredient? - Padding Glue (aka Padding Compound)

If you wanna go all out DIY, there's also a recipe I found for a DIY Padding Compound here but if you're lazy like me, just buy a ready-to-use one which can be found in Bookstores or Office Supplies Stores. It's a bit difficult to find actually but if you pray for it hard enough, you'll find one. *haha* 

Step 1 - Print out and gather the papers you want to bind. 

Step 2 - Align your paper in a straight edge and bind them with clips. 

For better results, (I just discovered this) place a ruler on top of the paper along the straight edge and another ruler at the bottom along the same straight edge before binding both sides with clips to hold the papers firmly together. (source)

Step 3 - Apply the Padding Glue with a paint brush. 

Step 4 - Make sure the whole edge is fully coated and allow to dry for roughly 10 minutes. Apply 2-3 more coats for better results and allow to dry.

Step 5 - Remove the clips and you're DONE!

Tip: you can also add a card board paper as backing for a firmer pad.

Price Tags?

Padding Glue P70.00, Powerbooks, Greenbelt 3

100 pcs. Short Typewriting Multi-Purpose Paper P55.00, Office Warehouse

100 pcs. Colored Short Bond Paper Moods P97.00, Powerbooks, Greenbelt 3

Paint Brush P25.00, available at any hardware stores.

So, don't throw away those scratch papers just yet. Instead, turn them into notepads you can use for your doodles, phone messages, or even playtime pads for your kids. *sigh* *I can already feel Mother Earth smiling back*

xoxo,

The Clueless Mrs.

PS- Show me some love guys, leave a comment if this is useful.