Back To School....Again

     Aside from Christmas shopping one of the one thing kids look forward to is shopping for their school supplies, we parents should admit that buying the things needed for our children is one of the most stressful part of the year as well. Our children looks forward to buying new school shoes, bag/s, lunch boxes, socks and others. Nowadays time is really difficult, aminin, so if there are ways and means to save we always do it. As a mom of 3 girls (2 pre-teens and a 6 year old), I have to stretch the budget that my husband gives me. So I would like to share with you some tips on how you could save and stretch the money that you have.

1. MAKE A LIST  - always, always make a list of the THINGS NEEDED.... repeat that NEEDED. There are schools that usually give the lists of the things, specifically, for every level (especially for the nursery, kinder and preparatory students). You're lucky if you have these so that you could buy immediately. While there are schools that usually sells their OWN NOTEBOOKS with the school logos and all (but quite expensive compared when buying at the bookstore).

2. When buying things especially needed by your children, buy brands that are trust-worthy. I hope parents will understand what exactly I mean. Example, last year, I bought my 2 older daughters school shoes from a good brand, and I tell you this year my daughters will still be using the same shoes we bought. Because if you invest or buy things with good quality it will definitely go a long way.

3. When buying school supplies, especially if you're going to bookstores, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR KIDS to someone you could trust. I tell you every time my I go to the bookstore and look for the latest books, there are kids crying, mothers who are hot-headed already because her children WANTED something else. So to lessen the dagger looks by the moms to their kids, leave them behind and besides it will be easier for you to shop cause you will be able to buy things that are within your budget.

4. As early as April, I am done already with all my school shopping, why is that so? Because when I had a money on hand, I started buying things that my kids will be needing, so that the remaining money that will be handing to me will be allotted to something else. Now that is what I call BUDGETING.

5. Don't forget to bring your reusable bags, as many as you could bring, so that it will not be added to the items that you have to pay for. A price for a reusable bag, could go for 25-35 pesos each, so sayang naman if you have to pay an extra for that.

6. Wear comfortable clothes. Since it is not yet rainy season, wear something comfortable especially if you will have to go to the mall and buy the things needed for the coming school year.

7. RECYCLE - In some schools, they usually give the free hand to the parents/students what kind of notebooks the want to buy. So if there are still few leaves from the past school year left, reuse it. You saved from spending, you helped Mother Nature as well.

     I hope with these simple tips from a mom of 3,  have helped you. Enjoy school shopping Mommies

Time to Drink the Medicines

Last week I brought Amaya to the pediatrician because she has water stool for the past 2 days and I got scared she might go on dehydration. So she was checked and was given A LOT of medicines to take. I told the doctor that I am having a difficult time giving Amaya the medicines especially if it is not a good flavor. So she was kind enough to change the medicines that my daughter will love. So when we left the pediatrician's clinic and bought all of Amaya's medicines, I sat down and wrote in a scratch paper the time, the amount and how many days will be the medicines should be taken. Here is what I usually do:

If you would notice, the name of the medicine is on the right portion, then I placed more boxes for the date. I also include how much of the medicine she will be taking and then I check if she has taken it already.

I hope that this simple tip could help you in giving out the medicines in each member of your family especially if it is a lot.

Rainy Days are Here Again

As a lot of people know, here in the Philippines as soon as July enters, everybody gets to get ready their umbrellas, raincoats, and rain boots for it is the Rainy Season.... But wait is it? Lately the hotness and humidity of the weather is really over the top, as the usual text I sent to my mom who is in Laguna, MOM IT IS SOOO FREAKING HOT AND DINAIG PA ANG SUMMER (WORSE THAN SUMMER). And if it will rain, it will just be few hours, swerte ka na nun (your lucky) and worse is just a few a droplets of rain.

Lately my 3 daughters have either cough, colds or worse asthma attack. So to avoid these, let me share some of my tips with you mommy/mommies:

1. ALWAYS let your kids drink vitamins, especially VITAMIN C. On my part, the pediatrician of my daughters prescribed either PEDZINC or PEDCEE.

2. Let your kids bring either an umbrella or a raincoat to protect them from the rain.

3. Since the weather is really on the "abnormal" side due to climate change, I usually let my kids bring an extra shirt in case they perspire too much, para ndi matuyuan ng pawis and avoid cough and colds.

4. I make it a point to include veggies in some of the menus that I cook especially during dinner time. My kids love broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kangkong (water spinach).

I know what I shared are just simple but I hope that it could help you one way or another.

Stay safe and stay away from fever, coughs, and colds.

School Shopping 2012

Last Week I started my school shopping, this is besides the books and the notebooks ha. Thursday last week I went to the mall, ALONE, so that I could concentrate on what to buy and these are the basic things my daughters needs for this coming school year. The following are the things I bought for my 3 daughters.

1. A pack of handkerchiefs. By pack I mean 3 pieces of hankies in a box. And this cost me around 170.00 a pack, and I bought 2 for my older daughters.

2. A pack, which has 6 pieces of undies in each pack, for my 2 older daughters which cost me 269.75 each.

3. A pack of small white towels, which has 3 pieces in it, for my youngest daughter and it just cost me 40.00

4. Socks, in a pack consists of 3 pairs of socks and for the cost, 199.75 each for my 2 older daughters.

the socks above belongs

to Ate Arielle

this pair of socks belongs to

Ate Joie...

the socks above

belongs to Amaya

The last picture, the socks of Amaya is more expensive than her sisters', because it is knee-length kind of socks and it cost 249.75 a pack which has 3 pairs in it already. Then last Saturday Francis bought the school shoes of the girls already.

this is the school shoes of

Amaya, Dora the Explorer

and it cost 849.50

The pair of shoes above

belongs to Ate Joie and the brand

is Gibi Shoes and it cost

1,799.75

The above shoes belongs to

Ate Arielle and from Gibi as

well. It cost 1,699.75

If you would notice the socks of my kids, they are colored on the soles. I learned this actually from my Francis, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT to wash the socks. Aminin parents, especially Mommies, there are times that kids are playing and they sometimes remove their shoes and if it is pure white ang sole ng socks, it is difficult paputiin. So every time I buy school socks, yung soles eh colored talaga.

Another thing, I make it appoint to buy the shoes, any type/kind, DURING THE AFTERNOON. I have read somewhere that our feet usually expands in the afternoon, or parang relax na yung feet. And then I usually bring an old pair of school socks when buying new shoes, para I could know the fit of the shoes. I usually buy my daughter's shoes one size bigger. I don't know if that is a good thing or not, but for me that is what I usually do. Kasi if I buy yung half a size lang, the school year hasn't ended yet, buy na naman kasi masikip na. And be sure to buy shoes, or any thing for that matter, MADE OF GOOD QUALITY MATERIALS.

NSO Experience

This morning I went to National Statistics Office here at Fiesta World Mall, Lipa City. Since I have to finish my household chores here at home, I left my place at 10:00 in the morning and arrived there at 10:30 a.m. It is Monday that is why traffic is all over the place. Anyway, as soon as I arrived, I saw this long, long line. As in. I almost backed out but I told myself that I have to sacrifice because I really need an NSO copy of my kids birth certificates and mine as well.

So as not to waste my time, I asked somebody where to get the form to that is needed to be screened. Someone pointed to window 2. So off I went to the window and got 4 forms for the birth certificates. I have to fill each form so be sure to BRING YOUR OWN BALLPEN. After filling up all the forms, I started to go to the last person in line so that I could be next. It took me 15 to 20 minutes just to get to the SCREEN WINDOW. The lady behind this window will just encircle the names and the dates that they need. The lady will stamp your forms with a number that will be called for the payment process. So guess what my number was, 1006 to 1009.

In fairness to them it took me another 20 minutes to be called for my payment. After paying, you get the receipts and have the patience until your number is called. In my case, I asked the lady how long do I have to wait, from the time I paid. She told me and hour to 2 hours maximum. So while waiting for the time, I decided to eat lunch, with my friend, Elaine. We decided to go back to the main office of NSO at around 2:15, and after 15 minutes my name was called. I almost shouted because I can't believe that I am almost finished.

There are few things that I noticed in the main office of NSO.

1. The aircondition is broken. Just imagine our perspiration and all. To think lahat ng amoy ng tao na nandun naghawa-hawa na. The only "cold" part is when lining up to the windows when you are called.

2. Be sure to bring a fan, water, biscuits and pen.

3. If you are going to get documents, PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS with you especially if they are babies or toddlers. I really pity the children who were brought by their parents with them.