bleufacez's blog

For the past few months I have been working toward changing my diet. This is mainly due to health reasons, i.e. acid reflux. And, when I got the flu in December a lot of things were making me sick and I could only eat bland foods. I had to stay away from fatty and sweet foods, especially meats. I love fruits but even the sweetness from a fruit could make me really sick. So, I started to eat more veggies and whole grains.

Eating more veggies and looking at meat as a treat is a whole new way of eating lifestyle for me. So, eating fresh stuffed graped leaves is not something I would've done 6 months ago let alone buying the frozen one. My family were surprised that I had bought it. And, I was a tad hesitant in eating it.

The stuffed grape leaves were nicely wrapped in about 3-inch lengths. It has rice, tomato, and other veggies. I must say that it's a tad oily and salty than I'd like. But, again... I've been eating a lot of bland foods. I have never eaten one of these but surprisingly, I must say that these were good and quite filling. My mom said it tasted too sour. And, yes, it's a tad acidic. I can eat about 2-3 of them for breakfast, although, some people may eat these for snacks or as an apperitiv beacause they are quite small. Given that it's sold at Costco, you can bet that there's about a couple of dozens in the package.

The packaged food inspired both of us to try making these fresh with similar ingredients. If you want to go healthy... these are pretty healthy in comparison to a lot of other foods out there. When you find it... do give them a try.

This morning my carpool partner and I had a discussion about Costco membership. She and I had been meaning to share our annual membership costs because as single people we love costco but don't get as much as benefits as a family size people. And, lately, I've been noticing that Costco's products are downgrading by a tad. In fact, I've found many great products outside of Costco at a fraction of the quantity at the same price or less. Ergo, I've been thinking about discontinuing my membership.

My friend on the other hand is married but childless and she primarily uses it to buy milk. She and her husband love milk and found that Costco's milk to be the cheapest. Otherwise, she shops at Sam's.

Nevertheless, we still love Costco and would love to continue to visit the stores even when we come out empty. 

The problem is that currently, Costco requires that the additional member is to reside in the same household and we just found that this requirement is a bit outdated. I feel the same about AAA membership but that's another matter.

Typically, in a household there's one main person that does all the shopping and rarely both partners go on separate occassions. yes, they may go together but not both partners to be doing the shopping for the family at different times.

We believe that Costco should consider being flexible and/or updating the requirement about the extra person in a membership as Sam's are with theirs. So far, my extra person has been my mom whom I haven't lived with in years but it makes perfect sense because she does all the shopping for the fam and I'm single.

From a friend of a friend who works at Costco - she explained that Costco makes the most of their money from membership than the profits of their products. Yes, that I understand. However, I'm sure that there are many people out there who would take advantage of that whether it's a parent/child relationship or sibling and sibling or boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. So, I see this as a win-win situation. Truthfully, if it wasn't because of my mom - I wouldn't consider renewing it. Although I enjoy my Costco trips, I just don't get as much benefits and it comes out more expensive overall.

For now my friend and I have to think of ways to finagle the system so we can share. It's a tad hard because she lives in a trailer park and doesn't have a permanent address. She also doesn't receive bills.

Sandra

I don't eat fast food foods very often. I often visited Mcd for their cone, coffee or sweet tea. At times my co-worker is kind enough to share me his fries from Del Tacos. They are our favorites and fries is my weak spot. And, about 2 weeks ago I ordered the chicken pita from Jack in the Box. But, other than these instances... I do not eat fast foods. I made a fool of myself a year ago when I drove a coworker to buy McDs because I had no idea what the order taker talked about when she asked me, "Is your order on the screen correct?" I asked 2 more times before I turned to my coworker who sat in the passenger seat to ask, "What screen?"'

No, I do not eat fast foods. I grew up on them, though. In HS my favorites were McD's fish o'fillet and strawberry shake. In college was Jack's fish and chips and jalapeno poppers. And, who can resist In-N-Out burger when you live across the street from it and their cooking makes my mouth water.

So, I've been craving In-N-Out burger for some time. The last time I ate their burger was 3 years ago. Before that... I don't know.  Finally, yesterday I went. I was surprised that the store is full as it was 15 years ago. And, now they've put the calories on the board. And, if my math is correct... one meal is the equivalent of calories for the whole day.

Of course, I ordered my usual #1 with double double and fries. It took them a long time to call my number and I felt like I was back in college in that crowded room. As soon as I got it I couldn't wait to take a bite of it and I'd be lying if I said they weren't good. They were good in a different way. Good... because whatever they put in it made me want to continue eating it. The other side of my brain is saying this stuff is not good. This stuff is nasty. Images of the pink slime came and went but I couldn't stop. It was addictive. After I finished with the burger I felt sick out of disgust and threw out the fries. Funny that after all that food I didn't feel full. I was no longer hungry but I was also not feeling full.

Now I understand Jamie Oliver's point of view and never would I have thought I became such a fast food snub. I don't know how I grew up on this stuff... and not became ill. In fact, I maintained my weight and quite healthy. I stopped eating fast food because of the calories not because I don't like them. But, I wouldn't have survived if I continue to eat this stuff. It's "stuff" because it's not real food. And, $6-$7 per order that it came out to was waaay too expensive. 

The other day there was a commentary on the radio who said that restaurants are in the business to get you to eat their food, like them and come back. There are stuff they put in that make you want more and for you to come back for more. Whatever they are (whether salt or fat or some chem thing) they've done the research and they know what they're doing. What he said made sense but I doubt it was a consipracy. But, while I was chomping on the burger I noticed the "addictive" stuff. I couldn't quite pin point it because it wasn't the "saltiness" but maybe the "fattiness." I just knew that if I had enough strong will I would've thrown out the burger as the rest of the fries. But, I just couldn't stop... all the while I didn't think the burger was tasty enough. 

So, at the end of the burger feast I head down to Sprouts and bought tons of veggies. I dont know if I was trying to compensate the guilt from the burger or I wanted to wash my mouth. I didn't eat for the rest of the day and today I am enjoying okra with corn and peppers while the eggplants are simmering in the oven. And, I'm feeling quite spoiled.:)

The next time I have a hankering for burger I will be making it from home. No more nasty stuff.

Wow... it must have been a month since I last visited Costco. I am waiting for my AMEX coupon to come in the mail before going on a shopping spree but I just couldn't wait that long.

So, this past Monday I bought quite a few notable things from Costco:

• Flaxplus cereal- with pumpkin seeds (coupon available)
• Berries: strawberries and blackberries
• Kirkland Laundry detergent (coupon available)
• Gift Wrapper

I am obsessed with cereal this past December and tried the Ancient Grains granola from Costco. I am satisfied with this product and would give it two thumbs up for several reasons: low sugar, high fiber, and very filling. They have 2 flavors: Pumpkin Seed and Almond. February coupon now has the Flaxplus Cereal with pumpkin seeds and though this has a little bit higher sugar content than the almond one, I am still happy with this purchase.

I also want to mention the berries. Specifically because I've been disappointed with Costco's fruits this past year. Last year their strawberries were scrumptious and later one during the off season... the strawberries were subpar. The store is selling 2 brands but my take is to buy the square vs. rectangular packaging. This is because I find the square ones looked more riped and therefore more tasty. Like John - I live single and I am a fan of freezing stuff so this is a good time to buy the tasty berries to freeze for future use. So, I did purchase the big package of blackberries along with this.

Kirkland Laundry Detergent - the last time I bought detergent was 2 years ago. Yes, TWO years ago! To date, this was the first time that I've seen a coupon for Kirkland detergent so it was hard to pass. I prefer the eco-friendly stuff and honestly, looking at the numbers - they are not much different than the Kirkland Ultra. I do notice that you have to use the pourer than the spout because it doesn't give enough because one day, to my horror... I found that my clothes didn't smell nice right after wash. I don't want to discuss which part of my body that stayed smelly in the clean clothes but let's just say that if you have stinky feet... your socks would still be stinky. So, do use the pourer vs. the spout pourer.

I also want to mention that Costco has awesome looking gift wrapping papers. They came out with reversible gift wrappers that comes in 4 pack at $10/each. They are super nice. Next to it they sold tons of colorful bows with a variety of designs and shapes. I didn't purchase the bows but I was tempted. Anyone else noticed that Costco has turned more crafty?

 I did buy some other stuff but this is all the writing I have time for.

Until next time!

Sandra

I've been suffering from acid reflux since November. Then I got sick with the flu. During recovery I had to watch what I eat because my throat was very sore. So I had to change my diet and found that my acid reflux was gone. 

So I've changed my diet entirely. Breakfast may consists of eggs, cereal with 2% milk, PB sandwich. For snacks I'll have celery, carrots, berries, cherries, peanuts, jelly or other friendly acid reflux stuff. Lunch is a bit tricky because restaurants rarely offer light lunch. But i'll have baked fish or chicken, sushi, or soups. For dinner I'll have roasted asparagus, brussel sprouts, tomatoes with sugar, cereal (again), or baked sweet potatoes. The key is to keep the portions small.

I'm not a fan of salads. 

I noticed that the reflux rebounds when i eat fatty foods (meats), drink alcohol, or when I overeat. But, I'm okay eating citrus/acidic fruits and veggies in moderation. I'm also okay drinking soda or tea. Coffee is a bit tricky. My food options are very limiting and I've eliminated a lot of my favorites, specifically red meat. And, the catch is that I need to eat beef or liver to keep my iron balanced. The iron that i need cannot be replaced with veggies or vitamins.

I like to think this condition will help me lose weight and eat more healthily but sometimes it becomes torturous to the point that I'm getting desperate to medicate. Yesterday I overate slightly and I'm still having acid reflux. I'm hoping it'll go away by tomorrow.

Costco is offering samples for Prilosec OTC for acid reflux relief. Based on the comments, seems that many sufferers are relying and depending on it to eat normal foods or having a food fest. This sounds like a miracle drug. I am worried about long term effects...

any honest input from those who have used this would be greatly appreciated.

sandra. 

Someone I met from an online dating site 3 years ago contacted me the other day. he wanted to know if I remembered him; still single; and if I wanted to go on a date this Saturday. 

Hmmm.... I was hesitant: 1) It's been 3 years; 2) I can't remember if we ended it on good or bad terms; 3) he's asking me over texts; 4) what's the rush?? 5) I don't know if I'm ready to date again.

Through the support of my friends and some logic I said yes. There wasn't anything better to do on Saturday night and might as well have some fun. I was also curious why he wanted to see me again.

Three years ago he told me that I was too wild for him. He still wanted to meet and we went to a movie. He kept in touch over the phone and e-mails but I discontinued after I met someone. I just couldn't remember if I just stop responding or if I told him off.  

Nevertheless, I was nervous. It has been years since I went on a date. The most nervewrecking thing is he wanted to have dinner before the show. My mind blanked out on conversational topics. I thought of past first dates and couldn't remember a time when I was this nervous. And, at this age... I have to really make an effort to look good. I mean coloring the hair, tons of foundation and a tad baggy clothes. Ugh... I have nothing "date-worthy" to wear! We spent hours conversing and emailing but I vaguely remember the man. YIKES!

I arrived at the restaurant first because he got lost. So, now i have to wait to find out what he looks like. Every car that passed by I jumped. Finally, he called me to tell me he was at the opposite end of the restaurant. I've been jumping for nothing.

So, there he was... looked completely different from what I remembered. He is much thinner and now he sports a beard. The first thing he did that surprised me was that he pulled me a chair. Boy, I only remember of waiters doing that for me! Then he told me to splurge on dinner. And, he never failed opening a door for me. When we went to the show, he made sure I was comfortable and that I was able to see the stage. 

He was as funny as I remembered him. He was very smart with his comments and observations and weren't afraid to state his vulnerabilities, such as not getting the jokes from the play or that the play wasn't to his liking. He made moves to show me that he's attracted to me and he followed me out of the parking lot after he dropped me off to my car. Then, he texted me to make sure I arrived home okay. The whole night I felt very special and dream-state like. Did I just score a jackpot tonight or what??? As many dates as I've gone... he's the only one who has made it through every mark. I know I'm being trivial with all of these acts of chilvary and I've learned to ease up but I must give credit where credit is due. I dont know if he had a lot of practice or his parents taught him well but I like it! He...he..he..

Other than the chilvary, I admire him for getting back to me. I may not be the first and only he tried to reconnect with, but i had made that impression. I'm quite flattered because he's super selective. I also liked it that he's very smart without flaunting it. He remembered a lot from our conversations 3 years ago that I had to ask if he had kept notes. He has money but he lives very simply. And, surprisingly (this i didn't find out 3 years ago) is that we had a lot in common.

So, today is the day after. I'm sort-of waiting for him to call. It's silly but I'm intrigued to find out more about him. He can get a 2nd date with me if he wanted to where I intend to find out about his goals about "us" seeing each other and what not. 

He called our date "hanging out" without expectations. And, our reconnecting as being "friends". Honestly, at this stage in my life there is no such thing with a man. I want more plus he made innuendos. So, the 3rd date would depend on his answer on this topic. You don't just contact someone out of the blue after 3 years on a full date without some type of a plan in mind. And, I do not want to continue going on dates with man who's still playing the field... no matter how much I liked him or how chilvarious he is. I admit, I will be sad if the second date turns out to be a disappointment because of it. But, then again... there might not be a second date.

So, the wait continues...

Aaaahhh... finally I am off the Flu and will resume to normal life! It has been a week plus of whirlwind pain and suffering of unable to get out of the house, eating bland foods, taking medications, and inability to sleep. 

I wasn't sure what I had but at one point I had 103F fever that lasted for 2 days. I had such a hard time getting up that my family feared I had gone to fever coma. I had to take so many meds (because nothing worked) that I started to hallucinate. In fact, I started to have a fever on top of a fever. It was sooo crazy! When it finally went away, I woke up without my voice for about 3-4 days. During this time I begin to appreciate the strength of vocal box and the wonderful invention of ipad and texting. I also learnt how others react learning about my disability - from people at the store, at work, close friends/fam.

I went to the docs and still not sure what I had other than the flu and laryngitis. I went there asking for a super strong cough medicine that will knock me out with a hint of codeine and super strong expectorant in there. I basically just ask the doc to prescribe me a cocktail of super strong drugs. And super strong drug I got. I was finally able to sleep even though I was in pain. 

Other noticeable things while I was sick: how bad the air is. My lungs were so sensitive to the slightest dust and it is pretty dusty out there!

And, that our processed foods are way too salty and sugary. I'm not fond of sugary stuff and will eat certain ones I think are less sugar. Well, big surprised... too sugary! I tried eating some of my other fave foods... waaaay too salty! Ugh that limited my choices to very very bland foods. 

Nevertheless after the illness dissipating I immediately ordered a big feast to go from Lucille's. Life is too short to play it safe. Hahahaha!

So, now I am a lot healthier. I'm still coughing, expelling phlegm and have to occassionaly blow my nose. But I can breathe the bad air and swallow the yucky processed foods without problems. And, to me... that's healthly!

I'm ready to begin 2012 (I completely missed the new year). And, I see a Costco trip in the near future.... (today or tomorrow)!

Happy New Year!! 

I'm Bleufacez... a name that was picked off an ocean fish from a tropical country. Normally, I go by Sandra. I ran into this website by accident because I was looking for information on the Coach's Oats oatmeal. I fell in love reading John's blog and when I look around my house I see that it is covered in Costco's products. So, I decided to contribute as a regular blogger, especially since I'd buy girly-like stuff that I know John wouldn't normally buy. It is also nice to blog here because John has all the categories of all the things I'd write about like Money and Single Living. After a few blogs, I figured I should write something "About Me" to introduce myself.

I'm 30-something single hardworking woman and I purchased my first home last year in the sunny side of California. My house is located in the suburbs complete with farms, cows and flies. At night, I'm being lullibied by cows and in the summer flies are my regular guests. But, the view of the farm is hard to beat. And, other than the occassional cows stuck in the middle of the road... there's hardly any traffic here. That's a luxury thing to say about Southern California.

Living off in a farm, we don't get a lot of access to shops, including grocery stores. I traded my option for disney annual membership for Costco's because it's the "adult" version of Disney. For $50/year that includes free parking... that's pretty hard to beat. I love Costco because it has non necessary products that are not sold in regular stores. They also sell things in bulk for a tad cheaper. This helps when the nearest store is 10 miles away from home.

After the house, I became obsessed with living frugally and so I spend my free time finding ways for DIY projects using items readily available. I love reading DIY, eco friendly and frugal living blogs. And, of course.. Costco blogs. 

And, of all the blogs I've read I feel that I, too have much to say. So, I hope that some of the people who come here would enjoy the things I've written.

Thanks for visiting.

~Sandra 

I've been sick for the past 3 days. I woke up with what feels like a grapefruit of a tonsil in my throat on Thursday at around 3 AM. I tried different remedies to put me back to sleep only to wake up with super bad headaches, even bigger tonsil that made me hold my tongue up as I speak and a fever. I immediately called my friend to cancel her 50th birthday party that I was hosting on Friday. I offered to lend her my house (she lives at a small trailer park) while I holed up across the street at my sister's. She declined and suggested we'll have one in January. 

I feel bad but I spent the day in bed with some strong medication, hot water, and my loyal dog, Bori. I was awaken on/off. I managed to be somewhat productive with some home projects (right now I'm obsessed about wine bottles and converting old laptop into a framed art decor) and babysitting my nephew. My parents who live with my youngest sister and her fam accross the street kept coming by to deliver some food and love. And, I felt soo much better I feel like I could host a party.

At about 10:30 PM I received a hysterical phone call from my oldest sister while she was at work whose child has been picked up by the Child Protective Services because her husband took him to work (and I just finished babysitting him a few hours before). I was confused, shock, and not sure what to do. To make a long story short... as it turned out her husband had taken their almost 10-yr old child to work because there was no one to babysit him (I was sick) and he stayed in the car to play some games. They were parked outside the store when around 8:30 PM a customer who was a social worker with high ranking saw my nephew alone in the car. She striked up some convo but failed and decided to call the cops as abandoned and neglected child. All the while my brother in law was clueless... came outside and with some short questionings got arrested. They both got hauled in separate black mariahs: one to jail and the other to the children shelter. 

The whole thing was a big misunderstanding because my nephew is genetically small... as per DMV it is okay to leave a child over 6 yrs old alone in a car. Further he was parked a few feet from the store, he has a cellphone, the doors were unlocked and it was within curvew. It took a lot of heart wrenching efforts but we got our nephew back. The poor thing was so confused and scared to be taken by police in a strange building with strange people, asked deep questions and poked and prodded by a doctor in the most unusual parts of his body. Imagine... the poor boy has a hard time getting a haircut and he had to endure all that. So he cried and begged to come home and after CPS did a home visit evaulation of my sister's house, they finally let him go. Of course, not before we had to bail my bro in law from jail, getting my sister all hysterical at the social services, us not sleeping and all sorts of chaos. 

At the end... I told my friend, it was a sign that I was forced to cancel our party the day before as this happens. And, glad that she refused to proceed with the party anyway. With all that drama, I was in no shape or form to host. In fact, halfway through the day I almost passed out. 

Today... everything is quiet, except after yesterday's bruhahaha... I'm sicker than a dog. My body is in pain, my throat is on fire, and I dont want to move. I've spent most of today reading other people's blogs, evaluated whether I should continue with home projects that will require me to go outside and shop, or maybe I could catch up on some magazine and comic books reading, or just at least take the dog out while the sun is still out. Whatever I decide to do... it has to be quick, not too energetic and close to home.  

Happy 2012.

I cannot believe that 2012 is almost here. I feel that with the world's economic status, I flew through 2011 with lots of anxiety with no end in sight. I had to make many small changes in order to be financially fit and some are quite radical for me but necessary. Let me share some of the changes I've made:

• Negotiate everything! I negotiated my mortgage down to $40/mo increase from $90/mo. I also negotiated my level pay plan for electric and gas to $5/mo less (each).
• Carpool. I carpool about 3-4 days per week. With 2.5 gallons per day, this method saves me about $150 to $200 per month at the pump and toll roads.
• Use natural/organic stuff. These items do cost more but the differences by using more natural products are worth the costs and consequently, it saves us money because they are more healthy, last longer, and more effective/efficient. For example: oil is naturally more concentrated and dense so I only needed to moisturize my face once vs. 4-5x per day. 
• Learn DIY projects for home improvement. This was my first house and I was overwhelmed that a new house requires some attention. I was ignorant to home care and because I needed to save money I was forced to learn to do many things DIY-ish. This past year I successfully installed 2 doggie doors, hung curtains, drilled many holes beautifully, unclogged drain, rid of pests, and re-wired electrical panel for internet connection. I amazed my sister who is a home-owner of 15 years because she's advantaged to be able to rely on her husband for many things. I joked that before I date any man I'll put him to the test on whether he can hung a curtain as this project is way more difficult and time consuming and can easily be undermined.
• Mix my own cleaning products. I find that cleaning products can easily be broken down by 2 chemical compounds: base and acid. Use one or the other more heavily to offset or a combo of both for super tough jobs. Also, don't forget the significant of rubbing alcohol. It is used to clean wounds which means also great for cleaning other things, including mold. My puppy was soiling the carpet lots and through many cleanings, it started to grow mold. Alcohol was my savior... it's a natural disinfectant and it dries up quick. This was my secret to mold killing.
• Invest... invest... invest. The market is volatile right now but do invest in strong companies with reasonable dividends. The advantage is that the stocks are now quite affordable. I have made more money in a year through investing than I had been years in savings. I invest conservatively and I learned from veteran investors... these are the quiet people who are happy to be your secretary or delivery man. They enjoy their drama-free jobs and made money elsewhere with very little energy. If you don't have access to such people, the Motley Fool website is a great resource.
• Maintain the car. I overwork my car... there's no excuse for not caring it. I also learn to DIY minor fixes, such as changing light bulbs, windshield wiper, etc.
• Conserve energy. Changing to CFL lights, unplugging unused major appliances, and getting rid of unused items. 

I also do little things like cooking vs eating out, buying less clothes and shoes. I trained my dog on my own and found ways to be creative at gifting time. I learned to sell a lot of items and finding savings when buying. I am surprised at how much people spend and my friends are surprised that living modestly I am still in need to find more ways to save money. 

Times are tough and money is tight. The expenses are overwhelming and costs are rising. I made a lot of radical changes and switching my perspective about money. I admire those who can live quite modestly and happy. Before the house I was able to live more than comfortable and I didn't want anything because everything was within reach. Now, I want more stuff and I have to work hard to get it. This somehow gives me a new sense of purpose, goals and challenges and motivation to do better. In a way... this has made me a better person as I have more appreciation to those who skimp and save. 

I continue to look for ideas and suggestions to save so feel free to share your thoughts and experiences. 

May you all continue to live richly and prosperously with loving friends and family in 2012! 

I recently found out about the Costco Auto program through the news. Funny that being a Costco members for years, no one in our family is aware of this incentive. And, their fliers are posted all over the customer service areas.

Anyhow, I am in the market for a new car as my 5-yr European car is starting to be more of a burden than an enjoyment and my 80-mi roundtrip to work drive is burning a hole in my pocket at the gas pump. So, I decided to give this auto program a try.

My experience was very disappointing because it doesn't give you options of which nearest participating dealership to associate with. It just automatically sends your info to a dealership who will contact you. The dealer contacted me on the same day. We made some exchanges via emails and once over the phone. I was very specific on the car I wanted including all of the options. I also asked the salesperson about the comparison between 2 of very specific cars. The lady didn't answer some of my questions over the emails. She also didn't provide me with a price. I stopped exchanging contacts. Then she called me. I re-iterated everything I stated over the emails and demanded her to give me a quote. She refused.

First refusal was because she didn't know which cars I wanted. So, I restated all of the specifics. I said Hybrid with Leather and no Nav - quote. And, Civic EX-L with no nav and no other options. - Quote. (Honestly... how many versions of Honda Civic /Hybrid can there be???)

Second refusal was because she needs to verify my Costco membership. I told her I'll be glad to give her all of my Costco details. This shouldn't be a deterrent of giving me a price over the phone. I told her that if the price was attractive enough to begin with... you might just get me off the couch.

Third refusal was because she said prices changes daily like the stock market.

(Uh.. seriously??? How much changes are we talking about? double digits? triple digits? that you can't quote me a price????? If pricing was so unstable how are you doing on the internet sales???) 

 So then it ended. I terminated all contact. I refused to deal with people who expect you to come in and negotiate on what's supposed to be a "fixed" and "pre-negotiated" price through a partnership auto program. I submitted my negative review to Costco and never looked back.

 So, here I am writing this review only because I tried a different auto buying program through AAA. I also started digging around on different experiences with auto buying programs through the web. Many expressed mixed feelings and similar experiences with the Costco program.

However, when I used the AAA - it was very clear cut. It outlined all of the incentives and what I will be paying for an exact car at 3 different dealerships in my surrounding areas PRIOR to me submitting my personal information. Further, AAA allows you to make the initial contact to the dealer vs. AAA chose the dealership for you and made them contact you first. I am very comfortable with this method. As far as pricing is concerned, many of those reviewers stated that the program can be beneficial and the amount is probably off give/take by a few hundred dollars. And, to me that's worth the difference. I refuse to waste 12 hours at a dealership and still feeling like I'm getting ripped off when I leave.

So my car shopping journey continues. I really would love to hear your thoughts if you have or know of someone who have experienced using the auto program whether through Costco, AAA or other companies. 

I cannot believe that THE DAY is finally here. I'm hosting Christmas again this year and our family celebrates on the 24th where we can relax on the 25th.

 This is a special year since we will be celebrating more than just Christmas but also my baby sister's recent engagement to her long time partner  (of 14 years). They have a child and a house together so when finally decided to make it official... we were very excited. Also, her birthday was on Dec 20 and we haven't celebrated it yet. So it's going to be an exciting Christmas for all of us.

Last year I did everything alone for 14-15 people... by the time it was 10 pm I had to kick everyone out due to fatigue. We didn't end up doing our usual fun games of charade and pictionary. So, this year I plan to bring the fun back into our get together and expected everyone to contribute to our family party. That did not stop me from going to bed at 3 am last night decorating the house and wrapping gifts. I still have to do last minute touches such as cleaning, putting gift tags and buying flowers. I plan to do all of my cooking an hour before the party starts.

Another thing that's different this year is that I have to becareful with eating. I've been having acid reflux for the past month and it's been torturous. I have baking soda in stock just in case... getting old super sucks.

This year I also have decided to buy my 2 nephews stock options rather than the usual presents of toys and money. As they get older there seem to be lesser and lesser things that I can give them. I wanted them to have something that they can enjoy and appreciate in years to come.  

Well, there's so much to do still and I am already stressing that I won't finish everything in time.... after hosting so many parties, I should learn that preparation will never ever finished but the party will always comes out a success!!

Nevertheless... Merry Christmas, everyone... hope you all have an amazing holiday. And, thank you John for having this awesome website!

~Sandra

One of the things I love in life is a fresh squeeze orange juice. I fell in love with fresh squeeze during my trip in NY. I couldn't find one bakery, restaurant, bagel shop, vendors on the streets that doesn't sell fresh squeeze. I had it every day morning, day and night as if it was gelato in Italy.

Lately Cotsco has been selling boxes of oranges at a price. Depending on the brand or the shipment it varies from $8 to $13/pb. I'm not keen at buying oranges at a store out of pure laziness. Typically, stores do have better prices for oranges but I get discouraged looking at perfect shaped, colored fruits after watching the movie Food, Inc. So, I stick with fruits at Costco. 

After buying 3 boxes of oranges I find that all of the oranges at Costco are not quite ripe. They are very sour. However, the sunkist ones are quite juicy. I use manual squeezer so having thin, soft and juicy fruit helps me with my arm.

I have tried waiting a few weeks before I use them but this is just too inconvenient. I don't like having to adjust the flavor of the juice, although I have now become fond of honey in my orange juice. (I have used white sugar, and sugar vanilla - by far honey is my favorite method of sweetening the juice).

So my request to Costco is simply to have at least half that box of oranges to be ripe and sweet so I can enjoy my juice right away and not wait a few weeks.  

Yesterday I started on my Christmas shopping and decided to get the Fringe soap box bars. At $14.99, I find this item to be expensive and had thought that I would divide the contents for gifting. When I went to the cashier I was surprised that the pricing had scanned at $10.00 vs. $14.99 as it notes. The cashiers told me that if I were to see an asterisk (*) on the label or if the prices are ending with. 97 or .00 then it means that it is on clearance. Wow... I didn't realize that. I went back to the store and found a lot of items with an * signs. Unfortunately, the adjusted prices do not show unless you bring it to a cash register but this initiated my research on special pricing signs.

 If you would like to learn more about Costco's special pricing indicators and other secret codes you can google a blog written by Len Rapoport in the Hubpages. I find that his article has the most detailed information and he updates it periodically with more current information about pricing and return policies. The key words are Len Rapoport Costco. The blog is titled Secret Codes Will Save You Money at Costco.

Speaking fo adjusted pricing, the Adult Chocolate milk has gone down from $14.97 to $9.97 in the past month. Now with this newfound information I'm thinking that maybe I should just stock up on these before they are completely out. 

I found a new exciting product at Costco today that I just have to share...

About a year ago I learned that sulfates (SLS), which are bad, are present in all of our soapy products, i.e. hand soap, shampoo, body soap, body wash, laundry detergent, dishwashing soaps, etc.

So I decided to try SLS free shampoo. It was hard to find this item at general shopping stores. I believe they sell it for a pretty penny at Amazon, health food stores, etc. But, L'Oreal came out with SLS free that can be bought anywhere. It was pricey but worth a try. 

I have a very long dark hair and had to wash my hair daily to every other day. Head and Shoulder was the only shampoo that didn't irritate me. So, I had reservation switching products but I took a risk anyway. And, I'm glad that I did. I find that the SLS free shampoo is very gentle and keeps the moisture/oil in my hair. After I shampoo I treat my hair (not the scalp) with argan oil and let dry. 

And, I find that I don't have to shampoo as often. My hair no longer smells so fast or have that yucky oily residue. In fact, I don't remember having a yucky oily residue since I used the SLS free shampoo even with the argan oil treatment. On average, I shampoo about every 3 days now. I have gone about 4 days without washing my hair. And, the less I shampoo the less I would strip away the moisture from my hair.

I have not gone for a hair cut or trim in about a year. I treat my hair with curling iron/hair straightener almost every day and i still have not seen breakage/damage in my hair. In fact, I received compliments of how great my hair looks because of its shine and smoothness.

So with these findings, I became obsessed with SLS-free stuff that I decided to switch my hand soaps to SLS-free also. I love it because I don't have to use hand lotion as often. In fact, when I wash my hands outside of home I find that the hand soaps are too abrasive for me.

The only problem is that SLS-free stuff are so got-damn expensive and harder to find. A year ago i turned to Costco but was disappointed to find that their shampoo had SLS in it. And, tonight I just happened to look for the Kirkland shampoo again and pleasantly surprised that they now sell SLS and paraben free shampoo. It stated that their it is made with 100% natural ingredients and it only costs $10 for a 33.8 oz!! I used to pay this much for a 6 oz bottle. And, it smells soooo nice.

I'm so excited that I just wanted to tell the world about it. And, tomorrow morning I get to try the shampoo to find if it is as good as it smells and looks. 

My sister, her in laws and I went to Thanksgiving dinner about 1 to 1.5 hours away from home. I didn't know that my sis had plans to go to WalMart's black friday after dinner to get the XBox. So, I suggested that we'd to WalMart close to the restaurant rather than trying to rush home.

After we ate we went to a Super Center WalMart 2 mi away from the restaurant. At the super center they allow people to wait inside the store rather than outside and this is why we chose it. When we got there it was around 9:10pm and the parking lot was already full. 

The line for the XBox was already looping around the veggie sections and we weren't sure if we were able to get a box. After 45 min wait, we found that there were enough XBox for everyone and then some. They had about 3 extras. My sister had wanted to get one for her friend but because she was indicisive I decided to get two systems just in case she'd change her mind (her in law helped). I figured I can either return, re-sell or gift the items. I have now spent from $0 to $400++ and the confused owner of two game systems I don't wish to own.

I used to be a gamer for years but those days are over now. I just play games lightly. The systems now sat in my garage and I am tempted to open one, esp. after I saw the ad on the microsoft.com. Oh... how I don't want to be addicted to games, spend wasteful hours in front of TV and spend my hard earn money on games I'll enjoy only for a couple of months! 

I'm itching to open one but I will wait. After that shopping we drove home and my sister wanted to check out other stores closer to our houses. We drove around until 1 am. I wasn't going to be dragged in the hype this year as I'm trying hard to save money. But with this event I started to get curious and checked out the sales offered. I went to bed at 2AM, woke up at 6 AM and hit the stores by 7:30 AM.

I also stopped by Costco but didn't get any of their sales. I'm glad that I went, though because I had forgotten about their annual recipe book give away. I had kept reminding myself to get one and completely forgotten. 

Nothing much really intrigue me other than the games for my new system (now it has become MY system). But, of course I had to check out the Apple.com. With their sales, I couldn't resist... I am now the proud owner of MacAir that will be delivered to me sometime next week. That came to about $1000.

We hit the stores again at 4:00 pm and convinced myself that I didn't need anything. 

Last week I had spent $50 on a new laser printer I'd never use. $100 on make-up. $200 on underthings. $70 on a CK coat. (oh I love coats!) $75 on a heater.

So, by today I'm $2000 poorer within 1 week. And, I'm about to hit the stores again today to get some games for the XBox.  

I have yet to shop for Christmas for about 10+ people (3 sisters, 3 in-laws, 2 nephews, and 2 parents) and birthday gifts for my 2 best friends, and my lovely but bad influence sister. I tried to convince one of my friends for a home cooked meal of steak and lobster. It will set me back about $50 but that's dinner for 2 you can't get at a restaurant. I just hope he'll buy into the idea. 

Let's see what other cheaper ways I can do for gifts.

Purchased the Bionaire Micathermic heater a few weeks ago and I'm not finding it in the Costco's website anymore... :(

Anyway, since SCE placed SmartMeters in my house I am obsessed about saving energy. Last year my gas bill was over $100 so that is another reason why I need to closely monitor my energy usage.

This year, I am well-prepared by installing proper window treatment (it used to be paper and now the nice plantation shutters), having thick curtains and utilizing an electric heater... the Micathermic heater.

The Bionaire Micathermic is very stylish, light and super quiet. I have mixed feelings about this heater because sometimes I have to check if it's working. Many of the reviewers on Costco's website stated that it can heat up about 400 sqft of space. I am not sure on this. The way I'm utilizing this heater is by heating up my house with the central heater then maintaining the heat using this space heater. I like that the heater is silent but on the other hand it worries me because you can easily forget that it's on. Luckily, there is a trip shut-off feature for in case of fire.

Does it really heat the room? No, it simply keeps it warm or warms it up. I also own a Holmes space heater that heats up the room very fast to the point that I have to turn it off.

Does it save energy? Somewhat. I put it on high for 3 hours straight and it raised my electric about $1+. I think this is cheaper than having the central heat on at all times. But, I don't have a comparison with a different space heater as I placed my Holmes at work (and they're paying for the cost).

Do I recommend it... I am not sure yet.

UPDATE 11/27/11: I have decided to return this product. There were a minority of people who ran into the same problems as I did that it doesn't heat up the room. This is due to their fan being blown up (horizontal) vs. to the side. Given that I have a pretty good height in my house it makes heating up a room close to impossible.

I cannot 100% recommend this product despite my effort to want to love it. So, back to the store it went.