Are You Ready To Shop Smarter?

Shop Smart With This Method

Sitting on a Mall food court while waiting for my burger, I watch people walk by, some carrying shopping bags from their favorite stores. The traffic was busy especially on a Sunday. I got my Jack In the Box meal for 10% less with my card and a 17% off my tea from Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Actually, I did well with my shopping today. I use my gift cards to save most of my money from leaving my pocket with stores like Macy saving 3.3% and JC Penny with 12.3% off. It was convenient and lots of savings! It just adds up!

I’m sure people shop different ways - daily, weekly or monthly for food, cutting coupons to save from regular consumption and some wait for the sale season to make the most of their purchases. I admire shoppers who like to save by using coupons because it takes effort to collect those coupons and sometimes you don’t even use them.  Some save by watching for sale notice from stores through marketing ads. You know that feeling of paying for an item at its lowest price? It is a triumph for me, thinking I got the best deal. Some even dance for joy! Why pay more when you can pay less? I love sale items, it’s like finding invisible pennies hidden in the clothes you been eyeing for weeks. I even love 90% sale thou it’s very rare.

Most of us go to the stores and buy the things we need, we want or even go shopping for fun with friends. Then, while browsing the aisle, something caught your eye. You went to check it and this feeling of I can’t live without it emerge within. And just like that, you’re on your way to the checkout counter, carrying the item you can’t live without. At that very moment, that’s how you feel and inside you a child beaming for joy, taking home something, you want, like finding a treasure and that is so fun! You may like the color, the design or even making excuses that you need it because there is a reason why you found it. I have been there so many times!

But there is newer way to shop and it’s been happening for years. The digital world is exploding and so is online shopping. Brick and Mortar Stores are closing, switching to online stores. It just gets better with online shopping, less people to hire for one. However, there are still people who like to shop in the store to be able to touch and feel the items they want to buy. And that is fine! It does feel good to be touchy and still save!

The amazing thing is that there is a new wave of shopping and has been ignited by the new generations! You shop with a click! It saves time and money! You can be in your jammies while ordering the cake for your friend’s birthday. Shopping smarter is becoming a new lifestyle nowadays. With the Shop.com portal, you can save, earn and enjoy a smarter lifestyle. So, what does shopping smarter really mean? How does it benefit you?

What if I tell you this is the smart way to shop for the things that you want and at the same time save?

What if I tell you aside from saving, you can also earn?

And it’s FREE to join!

Does it sound like too good to be true? Yes, it does and it’s real! Let’s do an example of pet food. If you have pets at home, you know how much it cost to feed your friend pets. I love pets and enjoy their company which is why I want to take care of my pet by feeding them. I have 1 dog and 3 cats. And saving a little bit can go a long, long way.

Check this out!

What if you only have to pay $46.97 and get $54.74 to purchase from PetCo? You save $7.77!

You get another 2% from Petco

And another 2% from Raise.com

Your total savings will be $9.95.

Your ears open wide now?

Search for PetCo, Raise.com to avail of the savings

Aside from the savings above, you get another 2% from PetCo

This is what I call smart shopping. Instead of spending $54.74, I only pay $44.79!

First, I would log in to my shopping portal with my email and password.

Then I click on Stores tab, and once in, I searched for Raise

When I see Raise.com, click on the drop down Raise.com and you will see Raise.com congratulations to saving, take you to their site. Once in Raise.com site, search for PetCo and it will show how much savings there is waiting for you. Like this one, there are two different ways. You can get a 12% off or 14.2% off! Whatever is convenient for you. Do you want to purchase pet supplies online or you want to pick it up yourself? On my part, there is a Petco store near me and I will be running an errand close by and can’t wait for shipping so I pick the PetCo (In Store Only).

In this illustration, it’s showing how much you can save with Petco. Either way you do, you save. You can play around your shopping portal and see it yourself if you already signed up. If you are not yet signed up and wants to sign up, I will be glad to assist you in the world of savings.

I would like to show you how you can do this to save and use the savings for something else you need. Do not leave money on the table! Keep every penny by using this method. it’s easy and most of all it’s free to join! Best of all, you can use this method for your daily shopping to save from Clothes to groceries that you can do on your own shopping portal.

Keep your savings for your next purchase and save your savings for a vacation. Shop smarter from now on.

Earn back your family savings!
Earn back your money spent!
Let me show you how!

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Family Travel

Proud Of His Xbox

Jay was bragging about his Xbox one day. He was telling me about what he can do with it and all the fun he gets for having one Xbox. He likes to play video games and enjoys it so much. Jay is a very smart boy in our class. In fact, we are classmate in the fifth grade and so we kind of became friends. We compete with each other but at times help each other too. We are friends in some ways and rival for the class’ number one.

He turned to me and asks if I have an Xbox. And I said no. “What? You don’t have an Xbox? How could you live without an Xbox? He continued on. How about a xbox360?  Do you have any video games? Everything he have, he ask me if I have those and of course, I don’t.

Finally, he said to me “I feel sorry for you Sarah.”

“Why?” Sarah asks him on the spot.

“I mean, how could you survive a life without any entertainment? You don’t have xbox, xbox 5, xbox 6, etc ” Jay responded with a proud heart, thinking Sarah needs a little sympathy.

Sarah’s response was – you know Jay, I may not have any of the things you got but

- I got 7 acres to for everyday adventure and there's always something new, 

-5 cats to play with and who enjoys my company (Jingle, Ninja, Shelly, Glitter and Kittune) 

-3 chickens that lay eggs for me to be healthy (Hope, Pride and Joy), 

-2 bunnies to hop around with (Dawn & Tuxedo) 

-1 dog to protect me from bad people when I do my daily exercise (Bo Derek), 

-4 sheep to comb and sell their fur to earn some money for my college (Pappy, Lammy, Rammsie, S.S.) and a llama to ride for fun (Divinity). Did I mentioned, their fur also makes money?

That is a lot of entertainment for me. These are real entertainment in life, great learning, at the same time having fun. At least, I don’t sit all day and talk to a box.

Jay was speechless, nods and realized that his Xbox is nothing compared to all the things Sarah enjoys in her life because he got none of those either. And Sarah’s got an Ipod and movies to watch if she wants to in her spare time and an xbox in a box stood by too. Sarah forgot to mention that!.

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Family Travel

The Cockroach

Something In My Folder

“Oh no, a cockroach in my folder.” I whispered to myself. Caught by surprise, my voice wasn’t soft enough to escape the ears of my classmate. Everyone around me, all eyes on my folder. The roach may have been surprise as well for when I opened my folder, it stood on four legs with antennae wriggling from side to side, eyes straight to my eyeball. Must be glad there was light at the end of this folder tunnel that kept him in the dark. I shook the cockroach off and the roach fell on the floor.

Now, three pairs of eyes on the floor, Jay, Joe, Jane and Jack, all silently wonder what the roach would do in a classroom full of six graders. The roach tried to hide by the chair’s leg. But it was scary to be surrounded by giants with hands and legs. The furniture fixtures are bigger than a roaches’ colony; there is no way to escape but a roach is a roach. So, it acts like one. With or without protection, the roach started to move around to find some place to hide. The tiny cockroach moves across to Jay’s, tried to hide by the chair’s leg, waiting for a chance to escape from this monstrous world. Jay, feeling gross upon seeing the cockroach, got up to get a tissue. He wipes himself as if it would take away the word gross from the dictionary and just disappear.  I looked at Jay and he was a bit shaky. How someone big, is scared of a tiny creature, the size of a dot compared to his giant self? I question myself.   I keep myself cool but in my mind, I won’t dare touch the tiny creature myself. They cling into your skin like spiders do, crawling and tickling you, making goose bumps all over you. Yuicks!!! But I have to keep cool or Jay and the rest of the class will be laughing at me. Ms. M, our homeroom teacher always point out to us every single day that we are in 6th grade and ought to act like one. We handle situations like 6th graders do. No panicking and screaming because of one tiny roach trying to find its way home. For how it came upon to hide in my folder, I do not know.

I am dealing with the yucky thought of having the roach in my folder, inhabit for a whole night. I wonder what it was doing and what did it touch while in there? I do not like to even think that it might have crawled all over my folder, touching every bit of all my papers and everything in it. I wonder if it pooed in there or ate anything out of my folder. I can’t even think right, can’t spell the word poo correctly or is there a word for that? Or maybe the roach if female, laid eggs while in my folder last night. Oh so many horrible thoughts in my mind, I wish the roach dead! From now one, I will make sure my folder is zipped and no more laying around at night!

Dragging its four legs, it moved from place to place, looking for cover. Everyone was paying attention to the roach, wishing it won’t come close to them. Fortunately, we have a sub today, Mr. B. He is an old guy, around 60 yrs old he’d tell us. He is kind of cool but not very quick to our hidden tactics or maybe he was trying to be nice. This time the roach crawled to where Jane was sitting. Jane is two rows before me and likes to play with her chair. She likes gymnastics, I believe. As she balance her chair using it’s back leg, the roach came crawling to it and Jane fell on the floor, with the roach under one of the chair’s back leg, and you know what happen. A big thunderous laugh in the classroom, seeing Jane on her butt and the roach died instantly. Mr. B joined in the fun while telling Jane to remember that a chair is for sitting, not for playing. Little did he know about the roach’s fate and nobody noticed.

My wish is granted. Cross my fingers…

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Fanbox Experience

Cell Journey

        

         Accidently cell-size                          

    (My journey through a cell)           

Everyone wondered what the inside of a cell looked like. So when a sizing machine was found by a 2-year-old and her father, you can guess what made the headlines. Inside was enough room for up to 5 average grownups or about 7 average kids. The way to make it work was to press the ON button then uncover the two buttons underneath a protective flap. After this, press the button that has the down arrow to shrink and the arrow pointing up to enlarge. World-famous scientists including me, Dr. John Millers knew the exact spot and size we wanted to be: around ten times the size of a cell. One day while we were getting ready, a dog got in and stepped on the shrinking button, shrinking us all about 10 times smaller than what we had wanted to be. We examined our height and figured out that we were smaller than a cell!

''Might as well get going.'' someone said. Luckily the machine had shrunk everything on us, or we wouldn't have been wearing anything at all or equipment. Using our high-tech lasers, we lasered a hole in the ground, to find out what it was. Tests on the strong, green, smooth, surface proved it to be the cell wall. We decided to slide down and explore the texture, smells, sights, sounds, and all of that stuff. While we were down there, we happened to look up, at the cell wall. Suddenly we realized our hole was closing up, leaving us stuck inside of the cell since our lasers' batteries had died.  Sighing we agreed to look around. We realized that if the layer we had just passed was the cell wall, then the layer we had collided on was this cell membrane. This layer was soft, flexible, and full of holes. Soon, we got bored exploring one area and decided to explore further in.

Once we went in, a thick-liquidy gel surrounded us and in seconds we could not breathe. Luckily, we had brought along an air bubble that would help us. Instantly, a man spotted a glowing blob in front of us. Curious, we tried to reach it but fell on top of a huge, blue, soft thing. We gave our thanks that it had been there (because if it hadn't we probably would have been feeling VERY sore later on). We rested for a bit, taking turns sleeping while testing the material, finding out it was a vacuole. We retraced our steps while looking for the hard organelle we had tripped on. Tests proved the long, transparent, pieces were cytoskeleton.

After tripping about 50 times, we reached our destination: the glowing organs. Surrounding an almost perfectly round thing, they emitted a soft glow as they pulsed lightly with a quick sucking in then out motion. Stepping closer, I tried to touch it but accidentally falling on a piece of the cytoskeleton and landed on the round organ which I assumed the nucleus. It pulsated, giving out organelles. Then I guess I got too close and they thought I was a foreign object, hitting me while they tried to catch me. Even though they were smaller than me, I was still scared. But luckily, I was still curious so I captured them. All of us raced as far as possible from the objects that were following us. Suddenly, one by one, we fell into a tangled heap by some thick cords of stringy material. For some reason, our followers did not go after us once we were tangled in it. Quickly, we fought our way out, though not before tests that proclaimed it as a Golgi complex (/apparatus).

Even though we had somewhat escaped from all chasers or trippers or tanglers, we now wanted to leave, and PRONTO!!!!! We retraced our steps carefully. By the time we reached a familiar landmark: the cell membrane. Gratefully, we raced over. Slipping through we ran to the cell wall. Suddenly we realized: how would we get out? We had gotten in by using our lasers, but, they had to recharge! On a fragile hope, we looked at our technologically advanced lasers. A soft beep was heard just when we lifted them to our eye level saying that they were fully charged. Yelling out our joy, we rejoiced. Suddenly an anteater snuffled in, following a trail of ants while sucking them up with its long tongue. Accidently, it stepped on the up button, zooming us to our regular size.

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Sweet Potato Festival

My First Sweet Potato Festival

September is the Sweet Potato Festival. Jenna’s mom asked if we would like to go and my mom said yes. This will be our first time to check it out thou it had been going on for years. It is an annual festival held in our town of different cultures. I heard there’s a lot of activities’ going on this day. In fact, my classmate told me to bring at least $50 to spend on this festival. I am not sure how true it is but decided to ask dad $100, which he immediately gave without fuss. I gave the $80 to mom and kept $20 in my pocket just in case I get separated. This is my first time and does not know what to expect. There will be fun rides for the kids and the animals to pet as well. Jenna mentioned about feeding camel.  I have seen camels but have not got so near like feeding them. What would be camel’s food, I wonder? Oh, it must be a potato! Sure, there will be lots of potato on this day, being a sweet potato festival. It makes me wonder what they do with sweet potato during the festival. Are there sweet potato fries? Maybe, sweet potatoes for sale at a bulk, for a cheaper price but my mind drifted to all the rides there is…

It starts at three, according to Jenna’s mom and plans to get there early. It was already half after 3 when we drive by the place. Mom was looking for a parking spot at the big space intended for parking. Since this is our first time, mom did not know where to park. You know, being cautious not to pay more like in the fair, you have to pay to park whether inside or outside. She went into the parking area but changed her mind, made a U-turn and park by the roadside instead. It was good to be early, get a good parking spot by the roadside. We decided to park across the ground where it was held. At the time, there were few cars already parked but it’s still pretty much empty. Behind us is a blue sedan, a big gap and three more cars in different brands. I called my friend’s mom to find out where they are so we can join them. At the end of the line comes “Hi”, Jenna’s mom must have expected my mom calling, a pause followed by “We decided to walk to the ground” is what I hear.  Oh ok. I hang up and waited for them live across the soccer field. It did not take long for them to show up, their heads pop out of the corner, the kids running as they cross the street without cars. We got out of the car and followed them.

“I heard that they have Indian dances today.” Jenna’s mom said as we catch up with them. So they want to watch the dance with a good seat in the front row. That is the reason they want to be early. I see. Brisk walking to where the stage is supposed to be, we look around to see if there is any vacant front row seats. There was no time schedule for when the program will start and so we waited. The music started with a deafening sound, we kids covered our ears for we were sitting close to the box. Everyone was startled with the loud noise and then it was bearable. A guy was up on stage, connecting all the microphones, came down to where a big guy was turning knobs between square shape black metal box or are these the sound control box and they talk a little bit. He went back on stage and tried the other accessories, came back to the other guy, hand him a CD and went back on stage but haven’t started yet. By then it was already 4 o’clock. The girls were getting tired of waiting and hearing the deafening sound, so close to their ears. This is what we get for setting in the front row!

The weather was fine, a bit sun and a bit cool but having seated for half an hour with no entertainment, the heat is starting to get to our skin. You know how it is when you are focusing on the sun because there was nothing else to focus on in front. My mom saw Jackie, the lady in charge of this festival and went to ask, “What is going on?” Jackie explained that the guy in charge was late and so the schedule was off. He has to set it all up before the program starts. Oh well, I wish to disappear and enjoy the festival but I can’t because Jenna’s mom wants to watch the performance. Finally, around 4:30, the first dance performs. We were glad but it was short-lived. After the first dance, the two guys were back to doing something with the equipment and the spectators end up waiting again. The music was loud but no presentation to show.  It was irritating but we stayed for the sake of the dance. After half an hour, a beautiful costume lady came up the stage to announce the second dance and by then it was already 5 o’clock. It sucks! The dance went on for 12 minutes or more and I do not enjoy it anymore, especially it’s in a language I do not understand. While they were dancing, I noticed some other kids lined up at the right side of the stage. I recognized a few of them. They are wearing fancy dresses, so colorful, I feel like having one. They are going to dance next. I would like to watch them dance. I have seen them before but only seen the last part of the dance for less than a minute. And we did! It was nice to see them swirling around with their beautiful dresses. We left afterward so we kids can go for rides.

We went to feed the camel first. I was right! We will be feeding sweet potatoes to the camel. It cost a dollar to do just that. We got our tickets and one by one we fed the camel with sweet potatoes. Each of us was given two small sweet potatoes and as soon as I got close to the fence, the camel came to check if there’s any sweet potato for him. I assume he is a he. I do not really know. He was quick to lower his face to me as if he was trained to do so. One by one we feed him until no more sweet potatoes left. The camel was so tall, with only one hump. He has dirty brown shade and probably stands tall to 10 ft. his face is so huge, I feel like he can swallow my whole face with his mouth. It was scary at first but with my friends around, it gave me a bit of support knowing if they can do it, so can I. Next, we petted the goats and pig. One of the goat is male with pointed horn, I was hesitant to get close to it but Jenna’s older brother Gabriel went to pet the male goat. He was brave to do that, I suppose. Finally, it is time for rides.

We rush to the line so we can be the first in line but I do not have tickets yet. Just then Mia passed by, tagging along her little brother Kyle. Mia used to play in the same soccer team with me and Jenna but we were never close. She goes to a different school and that is why. Jenna and Gabriel already went for rides using their day old bracelet from yesterday while I went with Mia to get a bracelet for unlimited rides. I wasn’t going to get a band but since Mia is staying with me, I better get one for she has one too. We can ride together with our unlimited bracelet for $25. Sometimes, Kyle would ride with us but there are rides he cannot go with us for he is shorter. Melissa showed me around since she has been to this festival a few times.  After a few rides, you can see more people walking, coming in, some with food on one hand. I watch this ride where it goes up and drops by surprise, the riders were closing their eyes as if in prayer. Isn’t it funny that people like to have fun and get scared but wants to go back again and again on the same ride? I guess, that is just the way people are. The crowd was getting more crowded at this time. The crowd is not that much yet but seems like growing every minute as the day creeps to night.

We were standing in line waiting for one ride when I saw my friend Roma. She is a year older than me but we kind of like each other, being country girls. We enjoyed our laugh, catch me if you can games and country life. I have not seen her for months and it was fun to see her again. Wish we could have a play date. She is really nice. We hug and talk a bit but with the other friends around, it’s kind of hard to concentrate on her because she doesn’t want to go on rides. Bummer!!!  “Come on, Roma.” I encourage her but she just won’t. I wonder if she feels shy with all the other friends I have. Just then I saw Becky on the other ride. I waved to her and she waved back to me. So many friends I met today, I feel so blessed. We were all standing – Romy, Becky, me, Mia and Jenny. It’s like the old time again, like we were in preschool. They were my preschool buddies and after 6 years we meet again here in sweet p  otato festival. There are friends everywhere, I feel like I was in Hollywood. Hahahah… dreaming moment of my life.

One by one they went home. Jenna first, followed by mia Roma next and last but not the least was Becky. I was the last one standing. I stayed with another classmate who is older than me and we went for rides, not paying attention to hunger and cold. It was getting late, around 8 in the evening and the weather was changing. But I plan to make the most of my bracelet until my body can’t stay active anymore because I was hungry and cold. The last ride I took was the coldest ride I ever had. I came out cold and wanting to go home. On the way home, I throw up and still feeling dizzy from the last ride. I had a warm shower as soon as I step in the house, had tea, blow dried my hair and went to bed early. I was beat up by sweet potato festival.

The next hour, I felt much better and warmer after a good warm shower. But I learned a lesson: don’t forget to stay warm.

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