Balikbayan Take-Home: Xtreme MagicSing

When you live abroad, it's a must na may sarili kang karaoke mic sa bahay lol. Aside from personal enjoyment, importante yan kapag may bisita ka sa bahay, pang-entertain kumbaga. Kaya naman ang isa sa agenda ko sa pag-uwi dito sa Pinas this year ay ang makabili ng Magic Sing hehe.

Most of our friends in Edmonton have this already, kaya siyempre nakikigaya kami. Ford and I are not bibo when it comes to karaoke singing, shy kami sa mga tao. Pero kapag kaming dalawa lang, kanta kami ng kanta haha!

Noon pa namin gustong bumili nito kaso nag-apartment lang kami the past 2 years. Sabi namin kapag nagkabahay na lang uli. At eto na nga, nakalipat na kami last November! =)

I knew that there are so many karaoke microphones now but I only wanted to buy in SM. Wala na akong energy na maghanap-hanap pa, saka mas credible for me ang nabibili sa mall kesa Lazada o Shopee.

While waiting for TanTan to finish his train ride in SM Marilao last May 1, ayun nakita ko ito. Yung presyo na lang talaga ang tiningnan ko haha. Less than Php15,000 so pwede na. Wala akong balak bumili ng mahal kasi nga hindi naman nga kami "pro" ng asawa ko sa kantahan.

When I asked the saleslady, parehas lang naman daw halos ang dalawang units na ito, wireless microphone lang yung mahal.  Lalo akong na-convince bilhin yung cheaper syempre. I asked the saleslady about their ongoing promo, less Php1,000 daw plus Php6,000-worth of hotel voucher (sa Ilocos at Baguio nga lang haha!). Then she suggested na sa May 23 daw, may 10% promo ang SM kaya malaking tipid din. Ayos, sabi ko babalik ako.

At syempre kelangan ko munang hingan ng pera ang asawa ko. My mother was volunteering to buy it for us kaso nahihiya na ako. Super dami na niyang gastos sa amin ni TanTan dito eh. Ford initially wanted me to get the cordless one, but I disagreed. Sobrang mahal na kako yun, doble ang halaga tapos "cord" lang ang difference. Ok na kako muna yung mura, we can always buy again next time kung magugustuhan namin.

A few days ago, a saleslady of another brand was convincing me to buy their product. Grand ang tatak (dating Wow daw). Their cheapest unit is more expensive than Magic Sing's so medyo turn-off ako (lol again). Pero medyo ginoogle ko pa rin kung ano ang mas ok. I also even asked a friend in Edmonton kung ano sa tingin niya ang ok based on their experience.

To cut the story short, Magic Sing won. So bumili na nga ako kahapon.

The salespersons were very happy with their sale hehe. Medyo madami nga raw bumibili nung Php14,900 unit lately, dinadala sa abroad. I think most nga ng bumibili ng karaoke microphones ay taga-abroad. Dito kasi Php500 lang ang rental ng videoke machine kapag may handaan so no need to buy your own.

This is the unit that I bought. Less Php500 lang pala ang summer promo nila. Yung Php1,000 discount is for the cordless one.

I only paid a total of Php12, 960. Not bad na rin. Sulit ang paga-antay ko ng May 23 kasi Php1,440 rin ang natipid ko.

And they were not kidding about the hotel vouchers! Meron talaga! The vouchers are valid for a year kaso kung kanino lang nakapangalan. I had the option to have it under a different name kaso sino naman. Kaloka, gusto ko tuloy mag-Baguio haha! Pero I wonder rin kung makakapag-book nga ba ako using these haha. Let's see.

Ayan, one item off my shopping list! Excited na akong gamitin ito kahit na na-info overload ako sa mga instructions na pinagsasabi nung saleslady. Oh well, bahala na ang asawa ko na magset-up nito. We don't have many friends yet in BC at hindi ko alam kung kelan kami magkakabisita sa bahay pero for sure masusulit pa rin ito. =)

Php2,000-worth of boy's clothes

Ano ang mabibili ng Php2,000 mo na boy's clothes dito sa Canada?

Osh Kosh

Mountain Warehouse

Old Navy

Costco

Ang mura noh? $49.00 lang lahat yan o Php1,960.36. And take note, branded ang mga yan ha. Pero hindi pa rin yan yung masasabing super mura dito kasi mabilisan lang ang pagkabili namin niyan. Kailangan lang kasi ni Nathan ng new pairs of shorts for our forthcoming Edmonton trip kaya namili kami agad-agad. Normally kasi talagang naghahanap lang ako ng talagang sale kapag binibilhan ko siya mga damit.

That's one thing I like here in Canada, nasusuotan ko ng 'branded' clothes ang anak ko kahit para sa pang-araw-araw lang. Parang artista ba, laging maganda ang suot hehe. Kung sa Pinas kasi, I doubt kung mabibilhan ko siya ng Gap o Osh Kosh all the time. Baka kapag birthday lang o Pasko. Kuripot kasi ako sa damit haha, ayaw ko ng paulit-ulit lalo na kapag may picturan kaya nanghihinayang ako bumili ng mahal tapos isa o dalawang beses lang gagamitin. On the other hand, ayaw ko rin naman na Divisoria clothes lang ang ipapasuot ko sa only child ko haha. Ano ba talaga, ateng?  Problematic noh?

Sa SM Department Store pa lang kasi eh sobrang mahal na ng damit. Ang mga shorts, parang Php800 na. Ang mamahal din ng mga t-shirts na local brands lang din naman, tapos hindi pa ganun kaganda ang quality. Kaya kapag umuuwi kami sa Pinas, mga pajamas at pantulog shirts lang ang binibili ko kay Nathan. Nagdadala talaga ako ng maraming damit galing dito.

I'll post more of my cheap buys soon!

Best Black Friday Deal

Nathan and I are going 'home' in the Philippines this January and I was searching for a perfect gift for my nephew who I haven't seen (except in FB and IG) in more than five years. He'll turn 7 na in April 2018. I know that he's into toy cars / trucks but I still asked his mom if there's any particular toy that he likes. Wala naman daw, basta any toy vehicle will make the little boy happy.

To be honest, mahirap hanapan ng gift ang batang yun because he seem to have everything na naman. Maraming nagi-spoil sa kanya. Kaya challenge talaga na makahanap ng something na mapapa-wow siya.

Anyway, we were at Walmart last Monday (November 20) and I saw this Mack's Mobile Tool Center toy. It's actually big and heavy pero kasya sa balikbayan box. Hmmm, pwede. Bagong labas lang ito kasi noon ko lang nakita. And believe me, kabisado ko lahat ng toys sa Walmart at Toys R Us kasi lagi kaming nandun.

The price was $79.97 (+ 9.59 tax = $89.57 / Php3,600.00 - final price) and it was ok. Mura pa rin kumpara sa mga toys sa Pinas.

We were at Walmart again yesterday and I showed it to Ford. He gave me the go signal to buy it. Sabi ko later na lang, tutal sa January pa naman kami uuwi. Saka baka may makita pa akong iba. Marami kasing new toy releases ngayon kasi nga magpapasko. Pero convinced na rin talaga ako na this is what I want to get for my nephew.

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But just tonight, we proceeded to Walmart again after a little black Friday shopping at Guildford Town Centre to buy a blanket for Nathan. Yeah, we are obviously Walmart people, we buy everything we need from Walmart lol.

As expected, the little boy geared us toward the toys section. Bumungad sa akin ito and I couldn't believe it at first. Kaloka, $39.97 na lang siya?!?! Bale $44.77 / Php1,800.00 with tax.

Grabe ang saya ko haha! Imagine saving 50% of what I already conditioned myself to shed off for the toy! Ok talaga dito pag nag-sale haha!

We instantly grabbed one and put it in our cart. Nagcontemplate pa nga ako kung bibilhan ko rin si Nathan, kasi nga sobrang mura na (it looks nicer and pricier in actual ha). But Nathan showed no interest on it eh. And when I told him that he will give it to Kuya Luc as a gift, he excitedly said yes. Walang inggit o question man lang kung bakit wala siya (he's a good boy and inasmuch as he loves receiving gifts, sanay din siyang magbigay kasi talagang tinuturan namin).

Ayan, problem solved na! I got what I wanted at a very reasonable price. Yung natipid ko, I might use na lang in buying other toys/clothes for Kuya Luc kasi nga ang dami-dami naming utang sa kanya. Or pwede kong ibigay ng cash kapag nagkita kami so he could buy what he wants pa.

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If there's one thing we learned about toy-buying here in Canada, it's TO WAIT. Tiyak kasi na magse-sale, lalo na yung mga mahal.

All for Chicklet now!

Ford is such a good dad. When he sold his old tires last Friday, his first reaction upon receiving the "extra" cash was: "Kailangan may mabili ako para kay Chicklet!"

Haha, dati-rati lahat para sa akin! Ngayon kay Chicklet na. $10 na lang daw ang balato niya sa akin kaloka!

Last Saturday (Sept 13), we went to South Edmonton Common to finally buy that "something-for-Chicklet." We agreed on buying some Gap clothes for the baby. We were even aiming to buy Chicklet's first ever Christmas outfit na. Pero nabigo kami, wala kaming nakitang maganda. We were just able to buy one Gap Baby Blanket.

The distressed Dad was not happy. He has to spend his money daw for Chicklet talaga. Then we saw the OshKosh Shop.

For the first time, he excitedly entered a clothes store. You see, Ford is never into clothes. Whenever I would enter a baby shop that sells clothes, he would just wait for me outside. He said it's my territory.

Daddy was willing to really splurge for Baby Chicklet this time but nabigo uli siya. Wala siyang makitang type niya.

Thankfully, we saw this clearance rack haha!

We were so happy kasi ang cheap. We bought four pairs of clothing for the baby. Yung pang-six months ang kinuha namin. Very timely kasi by the time six months na si Chicklet, nasa Pilipinas kami. He'll be needing 'summer clothes' there.

Drowning in the sea of baby clothes!

Don't worry, Dad. We'll find that perfect Christmas outfit for Chicklet soon!

Ford still wants to go back. He has lots of money pa raw. And hindi lang pala balato ang gusto niyang ibigay for Chicklet, he wants to spend all the money for him (minus my $10)! So all is for Chicklet now! Poor Mom, naagawan na sa affection and money ni Dad lol!

Ooops by the way, now that winter is approaching, it's best to buy out-of-season items na - like summer clothes. Hope we could find more good deals. =)

Shopping EARLY for Christmas decors

It was so fun shopping for Christmas decors on the 26th of December! Everything came at 50-80% off!

Ford and I were at South Edmonton Common yesterday for the 'Boxing Day' and I couldn't help but grab some Christmas tree decors. Honestly, I was so overwhelmed with the many possibilities of Christmas themes next year. Sa dami ng nakita kong Christmas tree designs in Facebook, na-lost na ako!

While at Michael's, I tried to remember my 2014 Christmas tree peg so I got variations of yellow greens and pinks and blues. Pero walang white! Hmm, mukhang malabo ko ng ma-attain ang blanco-themed tree for next year ah.

Anyway, I was happy naman with my color choices. It's a deviation from the traditional red and gold trimmings that I always dress our Philippine home with. Yun nga lang, hindi na ako pwedeng magbago ng isip kasi nakabili na haha!

I observed that many Canadians were shopping "early" for Christmas ornaments, too. Akala ko ako lang ang interesado because deprived ako ng Christmas decors this year because we haven't moved to our town house yet. Walang space dito sa maliit na lungga namin.

We're going shopping again later this afternoon after our bank appointment.I am hoping to find more nice and cheap Christmas decorative pieces. At sana makabili na rin kami ng tree haha! =)

Ring for Bing-Bing

I love putting on simple silver/white gold accessories but I realized that during winter time, they won't be sulit because of all the layering (of clothes) that you have to go through in order to survive the cold. In fact, I bought a Pandora bracelet three weeks ago and I've never worn it until now. Hindi nga kasi makikita haha!

But then last (Black) Friday, I saw some nice rings from Old Navy at 50% off. And they carry my ring size which is XL! Yep yep, I have uber fat fingers and I had difficulty buying fancy rings in the Philippines.

I instantly tried on many many rings and ended up buying four. This is one of them. Nice noh?

Hmmm, I think I'm into a new addiction. Although I would have to put gloves every now and then, at least makikita ko pa rin hehe.

Hoping for more rings for me in the coming days! Hurrray!

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* Bing-Bing is one of my childhood nicknames

Excited for Black Friday Sale

I was about to enter Bath and Body Works (at West Edmonton Mall) last night when I noticed this...

Whoaaah! They'll open up at 6am on November 29! I postponed my plan of buying some hand soaps. Sa Black Friday na lang, baka may mas magandang deal.

Black Friday Sale is an American shopping phenomenon. Thanksgiving here in Canada happens in October and it's not as 'big' as its US counterpart. But Edmonton retailers have of course noticed the lucrativeness of having a grand sale on a black Friday so they've decided to try it here in Canada.

According to the website of West Edmonton Mall, the so-called biggest mall here in North America which houses most of the biggest brands here in Canada, they'll be operating from 8am to 11pm on November 29. But it seems that other shops will be opening their doors as early as 6am!

Now I am glad that I am not yet working because I have all the time to shop on a Friday! Ford and I will be needing a lot of stuff for our house so I need to grab this chance.

Since Ford has to go to work on that day, the original plan was that he'll drop me off at WEM at around 7:30. But I now wanted to be at the mall at 6am so he better wake up super early! I'll also ask him to stay with me for a while so he can carry my loots and later put them in the car.

I am so excited!!!

I'll tell you about my Black Friday shopping experience soon! =)

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POSTSCRIPT: November 22, 2013 -- Ooops, Bath and Body Works further adjusted their store opening at 5am!