Saving or not?!

This very great and helpful idea came from Glo. Thanks, Glo!

Anyway, I’ve been freaking out trying to think of ways to save money considering that I already have a budget for everything. All this time I was thinking we’re not saving at all. I feel so especially guilty whenever we’re buying food or dining in at a restaurant. I always tell myself I should cook no matter what. But on the contrary, both IFC and I agree that we need to treat ourselves once in a while… not just in food but also on things like watching movies or shopping.

So I’ve laid out all our earnings and expenses for the last 4 months and made a graph for easier interpretation…

Summary:
38% - savings
18% - rent
10% - padala
09% - other expenses
07% - shopping
05% - groceries
05% - utilities
04% - personal allowance
03% - transportation
01% - restaurants

Notes:
- Rent gets the biggest portion of our monthly expenses… something that is not within our control.
- Utilities include telephone, DSL internet, electricity, laundry and phone cards for overseas calls to the Philippines. We try our best not to use IDD. Our electricity bill only peaks up during the summer because of air conditioner’s use.
- The restaurant expenses only came up to 1% because some of our eat-outs come from our monthly allowances. I still think it is minimal even if you add it up to the allowance’s 4%.
- I am proud to say that the 7% share for shopping included some of the Christmas gifts which we charged to our credit card, thus, paid in January. We’re not really crazy on shopping or should I say, we know how to control the urge. Lol.
- For the “others” portion, there was just an unexpected expense that we incurred last month. Had we have control of it we could have saved a total of 45% instead of only 38%.

Overall, I think we did great!

TAGGED!

I hate it when days pass and I don’t even have any new post in my blog. My excuse this time?! I can’t think of any interesting topic to blog about. But now I do! :) Thanks to Caryl for the tag!

A - Available or single: Married
B - Best friend: hubby (pakopya Caryl), Caryl, Ruby, Maridel...
C - Cake or pie: Cake
D - Drink of choice: Raspberry Iced Tea
E - Essential item you use everyday: computer
F - Favorite color: white
G - Gummy bears or worms: both
H - Hometown: Manila, Philippines
I - Indulgence: desserts (i.e. crepes, ice cream, chocolates, cakes, etc.)
J - January or February: January (why? I don’t know. I just chose it!)
K - Kids & names: Wala pa eh.
L - Life is incomplete without? God, family & friends… computer & cellphone?!
M - Marriage date: October 1, 2005
N - Number of siblings: 3 = 1 sister + 2 brothers
O - Oranges or apples: oranges
P - Phobias or fears: heights (but I love to fly! Weird noh!)
Q - Fave quote: “Live life to the fullest”
R - Reason to smile: I’m alive and kicking!
S - Season: Fall (I love the changing colors of the leaves & the feel of the weather!)
T - Tag 5 people: Abby, Marj, Pao, Gracita, Mhay
U - Unknown fact about me: I sleep on my chest with my feet hanging on the other end of the bed.
V- Vegetable you don’t like: Okra
W - Worst habit: Pricking blackheads and whiteheads (thus, the black marks!)
X - Xrays you've had: chest & tooth x-rays so far (I think?!)
Y - Your fave food: anything saucy (most esp. Papa’s caldereta)
Z - Zodiac sign: Cancer

The "Incredible" Martin Nievera

A lot of people didn’t make it to Martin Nievera’s concert last Sunday. (The Nor’Easter should be blamed for that. The rain wasn’t that bad though. It was the wind which made it horrible. We were left soaking wet and the commute going home was a nightmare.) Everyone in the back had to be moved towards the Orchestra Level to fill up the empty seats. It started a bit late and Chapter 2 opened the show by rendering a few songs. It ran for almost 2 hours I think.

Martin’s latest CD entitled “Awit ng Puso” was also on sale there. He did an autograph signing and posed for some pictures too. There was even this time when one of the organizers said they only have 30 minutes left and Martin got up from his seat saying… “Konti lang o… tapusin na natin” That was really nice of him!

He also made a correction to what was published in the Filipino Reporter where it said “His marriage to Pops was his biggest mistake!” He said he meant his FAILED marriage. I think he’s still affected by it up to now. He became very emotional when he sang “Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin”.

And while it was only our 1st time to have watched Martin perform live, I would still say IFC and I are such huge fans. His talent not only in singing but as a total performer is just unbelievable. He handled the crowd very well. He knew how to do adlibs... which everyone really enjoyed. We had fun! And having said all that, I came to a conclusion that he is, indeed, THE CONCERT KING!

Sorry medyo madilim lang mga shots... not sure if it's because of the lighting or maybe my camera is no good at all. :)

more pictures here...

Belated birthday greetings to my brother Mickey who celebrated it on April 15th!

Happy Birthday Bro! Hope you had a blast!

Martin Nievera XXV!

I told IFC we have to watch Martin’s (25th Anniversary) concert the very 1st time I saw the poster in “Palengke” (Filipino store near our apartment). He just gave me a plain “yes”… without any excitement in his voice not to mention that I was so giddy about it. :) That was in February if I remember it right. We always talk about it but there was nothing definite until today. Yes, we are going to be at the Lehman’s Center in the Bronx this Sunday and we’re going to be seated at Row O of the Orchestra Left Center area. I convinced him to get the $78 ticket so we could be near the stage compared to the $58 (that he initially wanted) in the mezzanine. Yey!

Happy Easter!

IFC's bday celebration

Irvin’s birthday fell on a Friday so we couldn’t eat meat (in observance of Lent). We have agreed to just go out this Sunday for lunch. It’s more practical that way than cooking for just the two of us. I told him I’ll just cook sardines for dinner.

On my way home yesterday, I told him I would pass by Kohls and check on the items on sale. The truth is I went to Tai Pan Bakery in Flushing to buy him a birthday cake. I also ordered Shrimp Parmigiana, 2 slices of Cheese Pizza and 2 slices of Mushroom Pizza from Romeo’s as soon as I got home. The thing is he got here before the delivery. *Sigh*

Tita Laling sent him the Eagles’ Farewell I Tour DVDs earlier this week. And I got him the Lacoste Shoes that he wants along with some Green paper bills.

IFC's Birthday!!!

Happy birthday, Sweetheart! May all your wishes come true! Keep in mind that I'll always be here for you no matter what. And that I love you... today... tomorrow... and forever.

Snow/Ice Storm on Friday, March 16th

Here are the pictures I took on the way home during the storm…

IFC's birthday card from Miggy

It’s IFC’s birthday on March 30th and he received a card made by Miggy… a 5 year old kid who’s very creative…







Thank you, Miggy! From Tito Idols...

WifeSpeaks' Anniversary!

Happy 2nd anniversary to WS! And as a reader, I would like to share my As to the “Misis Slumbook” Qs as follows:

THE BASICS:

1. What is your (screen) name, and why did you choose that as your screen name? faye070574… it’s a combination of my name and birthday so it’s easy to remember.

2. How long have you been married? Have kids? A year and a half… with no babies yet…

3. What is your favorite color? And how has your color preference influenced your life (if it has)? Red. Many people perceive it as bold and strong. I think I have been one having surpassed all those times that life seemed to be a little harder.

4. What are your hobbies?
Blogging
Listening to music
Cooking

5. What is your motto in life? Nothing can be achieved the easy way!

6. Do you have pets? Nope.

7. What are the three adjectives that best describe your spouse?
Kind
Loving
Responsible

8. Give three songs that best describe you.
I am what I am by Gloria Gaynor
When I See You Smile by Bad English
You’ve got a Friend by James Taylor

9. What satisfies you about the work that you do? Talking to different kinds of people… difficult to deal with or not.

10. Do you blog? Where? Can we visit? Yup… right here. :)


CHIKAHAN:

1. Define Love. Love is patient and kind.

2. Kakaibang talento mo. I easily remember numbers… be it money, telephone number, etc.

3. Share your adobo recipe. Palpak adobo ko eh. Pwede yung kay Irvin na lang?! Hehehe

4. Describe your current screensaver/wallpaper. A picture of the beach I took in Club Paradise Palawan.

5. During your teenage years, what fad/s did you follow? Why? Wearing mini skirt with hi-cut shoes… Nenuco… Angel’s breath… and Aqua Net. Lol. Uso nga po eh.

6. How many times have you had a broken heart? Which was the worst and how did you recover from it? I think only once. I just realized one day after losing so much weight that it’s not worth crying for. Besides, I was young then. I told myself someone would come along and then there was hubby.

7. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? I want to be RICH so I can help the less fortunates.

8. What frightens you about getting old? The feeling of being alone… the feeling that people seem to care less for you or simply that of being neglected.

9. Do you have a guilty pleasure? None that I could think of.

10. What's your favorite chore? Cleaning... that's why some calls me a "neat freak" Lol.

11. Describe your wedding ring. It’s white gold with 5 princess cut diamonds.

12. If you could have a tattoo, what would it look like? Sorry but I’m not really crazy on tattoos.

13. What book would you like to be made into a movie? Who would you like to star in it? The books I’ve read so far (based on what I remember) have already made into movies... I think?!

14. Share something that you do not believe in. People tend to overuse the term “busy”. No offense intended but for me, a simple hello whether through emails or on the phone can mean a lot to someone. It wouldn’t take much of your “busy” time to do this don’t you think?!

15. What qualities are important to you in friendship? Trust and constant Communication.

16. So far, what WS topic have you found most helpful? Most entertaining? Most controversial?
Helpful – dealing with sensitive topics like financial issues.
Entertaining – beauty tips.
Controversial – dealing with in-laws/extended family.


QUALIFIED TRUE OR FALSE:

1. First love never dies. TRUE. I believe in the saying that no one forgets anything which happened or felt the 1st time.

2. You can change your partner once you're married. FALSE. It's a commitment that you accepted when you got married so any differences have to be sorted out the way they should be.

3. The Philippines is worth it. TRUE. There's still no place like home. I'm in my adopted land right now just because this is where the opportunity is. But i'll definitely go back to the Philippines.

4. Women are moodier than men. TRUE. I think women easily gets irritated than men. Women in general makes a big deal out of small things. Well at least for me...

5. James Yap is innocent (Sorry Kris!). FALSE.

6. 80s fashion is coming back. TRUE. Hello mini-skirts! :)

7. Angels. TRUE. That's why we're always safe...

8. Good and bad luck come in threes. FALSE. Everything happens for a reason.

9. Destiny. TRUE. It will happen if it's meant to be.

10. It is better to have love and lost, than never to have loved at all. TRUE. Being loved is the bestest feeling ever and that is where you learn your lessons too.


TIPS:

1. What is your favorite skin care product? St. Ives Apricot Scrub

2. What do you do to keep fit? Eating right since I’m already too tired to do some exercise.

3. Where do you do your bargain shopping? Walmart, Target

4. Recommend an effective household cleaning item. Water mixed with a little vinegar

5. Sex. Keep your spouse happy.

Happy Birthday, Tatay!

all sorts...

Thanks to Lea Salonga!

I finally met Nette and her husband Mike in person last Saturday. Thanks to Lea Salonga (LS) who will be performing for Les Miserables from March 6th till summer. Nette is a die hard LS fan!

Maybe some of you are wondering who is Nette. Well I got to know her through an online community which I joined when I was preparing for the wedding. It 1st started with just complimenting and commenting on all sorts of things within the group until a friendship blossomed. We were in constant communication through chats, emails and blogs.

Anyway, I went to Milford Plaza Hotel where they were checked in at around 7pm or so. Nette was all smiles as she was coming near to where I was seated in the lobby. I too was so giddy that I’m meeting my blogging buddy at last. We were too comfortable with each other that we talked about so much stuff.

Dinner was at Tony’s where I made a reservation a day before. Irvin just went directly to the restaurant since he was working that day. We ordered caesar salad, calamari, linguine with seafood in garlic and olive oil and shrimp and chicken franchese. Everything tasted good and their servings are really huge that we had to take home a lot of left over.

We strolled around Rockefeller Center afterwards. It was chilly though but nothing could be nicer for them since Chicago is colder. We said our goodbyes at almost 11pm.

To Mike & Nette… We really had a great time! Thanks for meeting us... and for the dinner too. Hope to see you guys again.

Recipes from pinoycook

I like trying new dishes from time to time. I think that’s one thing you have to do when you’re married. You wouldn’t want your husband to be eating the same thing repeatedly. I love this cooking blog from Ms. Connie. I learn a lot from her. She even has her own recipes that are just amazing. She has this way of improvising her cooking just so her kids will like it.

Broiled Pork Chops and Onion Rings





Chicken Menudo





Flowers from IFC

It was really nice to have had an early Valentine’s date since we had the snow storm on Feb. 14th. There was no gift whatsoever but the flowers were very much appreciated.





False Alarm

I had the symptoms but they’re very similar to when you’re having your period. It was my 1st time to have used the home pregnancy test kit and I didn’t realize that it was going to be that disappointing once you get a result other than what you expect. *Sigh* We just have to be patient I know. I guess I just have to say it will happen in God’s time…

Tag from Caryl

Caryl... sorry for the late post.

GuiltWhat is yours? Explain yourself Culinary: Beef Stew (Caldereta in Filipino)
I really love Papa's Caldereta so I keep on trying to perfect mine. It's not as good as my father's but I think it's still good.
Literary: BloggingI don't mean to copy Caryl but I just like it having new found cyber friends and of course keeping track of what's happening to them.Audiovisual: Prison BreakI just love the thrill of events that I couldn't stop wishing to have a complete DVD collection of it.
Musical: Soft MusicIt makes me feel at peace when the world around me seems so complicated.
Celebrity: Hugh JackmanHaving seen him in person with no make up wearing just a shirt and jeans, I have to say that he is really good-looking and neat.

Now I tag:-

Pao, Nette, Abby, Alynn and Kitts


to complete this same Quiz, Please click THIS.

It's been a year for IFC!

Yesterday marked the 1st year since Irvin came to the United States. How time flies huh! I can’t believe it’s been a year already. I think he has already adjusted to the environment, people, etc. I remember how he was complaining about the weather when he arrived. By now he knows how it’s like after experiencing his 1st winter storm on V-Day. Well pretty much… he didn’t experience a blizzard yet. I’m just happy the homesickness he had wasn't that bad.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gail... Hope you had a blast! All the best!

HaPpY bIrThDaY, Caryl!

I know you are happy and contented with what you have right now but I still wish that He will continue to shower you with blessings that you truly deserve.

Sama naman ako sa Jollibee! :) I really miss that!

Happy Birthday, Joe! Hope you're enjoying your stay in Cebu. :)

Snow Storm on V-Day!

We had a crazy day yesterday with the snow storm mixed with rain and sleet. I didn’t think it’s going to be that bad wearing only my regular shoes to work. But as time went by, the road has become more messy and slushy. What a Valentine’s Day Treat huh! Still it didn’t stop some people from delivering the flowers. They did whatever they could to still celebrate a special day. :)

And despite that crazy weather, many people said we’ve had a long drought this winter and having a day like yesterday was the best. Well not for me. I mean yes I’m thankful for not having a bad winter season this year but I definitely don’t want too much snow.

It is sunny today and many are expecting the snow to melt. I guess not since temperature is very low. I don’t think it will since it is very cold.

I feel bad for Irvin though not having snow boots. I brought him to the store before for a few times asking him to pick one. He may be thinking that we’re having a really nice winter then so he kept on saying next time. And he didn’t like anything that was on display too. But come to think of it… snow boots is snow boots. You buy it for your protection and not for fashion. Oh well! I hope he learned his lesson.

Pictures of yesterday’s storm courtesy of CNN…

And here’s more snow storm coverage…

Happy Valentine's Day!

An Early Valentine's Date!

We went to see the movie Night at the Museum yesterday at the Lincoln Square’s IMAX Theatre. The tickets were given to me by my superior a few weeks ago. I also want Irvin to experience IMAX. It gave us a headache though with the big screen and all.

Anyway, I think the movie was nice. We both liked it though Irvin said the movie was very simple where they basically just concentrated on the museum as their location. Though the title already says it, we think it could have been better considering those great actors in the movie. But overall, I would still watch it. :)

Synopsis: Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley, despite being perpetually down on his luck, thinks he's destined for something big. But even he could never have imagined how big, when he accepts what appears to be a menial job as a graveyard-shift security guard at a museum of natural history. During Larry's watch, extraordinary things begin to occur: Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; in his quest for fire, a Neanderthal burns down his own display; Attila the Hun pillages his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminds everyone why he's history's fiercest predator. Amidst the chaos, the only person Larry can turn to for advice is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt , who helps our hero harness the bedlam, stop a nefarious plot, and save the museum.

We had a hard time finding the theatre location. Lincoln Sq. is on Broadway which is supposedly 2 blocks away from 5th Ave. if you in 34th St. So I was thinking we can just walk when we get off at Lexington Ave.-63rd St. and 5th Ave. but it’s not. We still had to take a cab just so we could be there on time.

After the movie, we headed towards Times Sq. to have dinner at Olive Garden. The wait time was 45 minutes so we decided to just dine in at another restaurant of which the name I’d rather not say. Irvin and I were both surprised when we looked at their menu. The prices were almost double compared to the same one we have near our apartment. I understand they may be paying higher rent and for other expenses being in the city but had we realized that soon, we could have just gone to the one that we usually go to. Oh well just charge it to experience!