General Shopping

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. 

99 Cents only store is not just for poor people.   Yes I wouldn't buy most of the products they sell.   But, I frequently find good stuff at 99 Cents Only Stores.

For example, below is from January 2011.

I bought 4 Coca Cola cups - Look at them, they are adorable.  They are genuine Coca Cola products made in The USA.

I also bought 8 boxes of Wasa flat-breads.  They normally go for $3 or more at world market & etc..  I love their new rosemary flat bread.

If you watch your diet, then check out WASA products.  Some flat breads have 0 fat and very low Calories.

I like 99 Cents Only Stores for providing low priced products to people who cannot afford expensive stuff.  Several years ago, I bought most of my stuff from 99 Cents Only Stores.  Who cares if they look ugly.  I simply couldn't afford anything else.

To me, 99 Cents Only Store will always be the big brother who helped me out when the time was tough.  They are still one of my favorite stores.

Here's my salute to 99 Cents Only Stores and good people who work there.

Related Blogs

• Shopping For Neckties - Internet Spoils Me (August 13, 2010)
• New Obsession - Silk Ties (August 24, 2010)

Last Summer, I was talking about silk ties. 
Oh, how obsessed I was about silk ties...  I am still interested in ties, but I bought enough ties last year that my itch is gone.

They are all brand name silk ties.  I shall make them last forever.

I have worn 3 ties from this batch so far.

Sometimes I wish we wear shirt and tie at work.

I even thought about getting a part time job where I can wear shirt and tie.

Beside these ties, I have several shirts that I haven't worn.  I also have a brand new suit that I never worn.

This is why I promised myself not to buy any clothes this year.

And here is a bonus picture of my old ties (below).
I think I paid $2.00 for the whole thing about 10 years ago.

Check out the one with soccer balls, yikes.

These are stuff I bought from Bed Bath and Beyond during this Christmas season.

I love Cinnamon Stick scented Yankee Candle.  To me, Cinnamon Stick is the best holiday smell.  You light this up... and it's Christmas.

The big jar was about $15 with the sale & coupon.

Remember, Bed Bath and Beyond takes expired coupons.  Maybe not all stores practice that policy, but all stores I went honored expired coupons so far.

So, I clip and hold on to all coupons from Bed Bath and Beyond.  When I have a coupon in the mail box, I look through the trash bin next to our mail box to look for more coupons.

Coupons are nothing to laugh at.  I saved $5 on a large jar of Yankee Candle.  I have a great respect for coupons.

I would never buy Yankee Candle at full price.  Because, I cannot afford it.  Coupons make it possible for me.

Yankee Candle, olive oil dispenser, olive oil sprayer, straws...  from Bed Bath and Beyond.

I went to Baja Fresh with a friend - Yes, I used a coupon. ($5.00 off on $15.00 purchase).  It was a glorious lunch.

As we enjoyed lunch, I complained to my friend about Costco not carrying 31" waist pants.  I also told her that I couldn't find a pair of black sneakers (good ones like Nike or Adidas).

I needed a good pair of black sneakers.  I do wedding photography during the weekend.  My feet kill me when I work on my feet 7-8 hours in dress shoes.  I wear a nice pair of dress shoes during the day time (purchased May 15, 2009).  But, at night (reception) I plan to wear a pair of black sneakers.   In the dark situation, people will not notice if I am wearing dress shoes or sneakers.  I am willing to spend big bucks on my sneakers.  I must look sharp at formal events.

Anyway, my friend took some time to convince me that I needed to shop outside of Costco.  So, we made a spur of the moment decision. We topped off our soda cups and drove down to the outlet mall.

I went to Gap and easily found 31' waist pants in various designs and materials.  I picked out 3 pairs of jeans.  I also found a shirt that I liked very much.  When I checked out, I got a Gap Visa card and got extra 15% off. 

I paid about $22.00 each on the jeans (not bad). I spent total $91.97

Then we went to Nike store and got a pair of black sneakers for $75.76.

Took this picture on the kitchen table with my P&S camera

I am happy with today's purchase.  I shall do laundry tomorrow.

I had fun shopping.  My friend was a sport.  She stuck around.

But, seriously, this was a significant turning point.

From this point, I will not settle with slightly smaller or slightly bigger pants from Costco.  From this point, I will only buy the pants that fit perfectly.  I hope Costco will carry 31" waist pants.  But, since Costco doesn't carry my size pants, I will shop at local outlet mall for clothes.

I am afraid that my clothes shopping days at Costco is over.  We have a wicked huge outlet mall that contains every imaginable store in the world (check it out).  Once I start shopping there, I am very likely to fall in love with what they have to offer (perfect fit & variety).

PS:

I understand Costco's position.  Average men's waist size in the US is 40 Inches.  This puts me in minority.  I understand that Costco made a strategic decision not to sell 31" waist pants and I respect that.

I was looking forward to today's Costco shopping. 
I was hoping to find black jeans & black sneakers.

I went to Costco before 5pm

I thought 1+ hour of shopping time will be enough.

But time flew.. I ended up rushing up and down the store to complete my shopping list.  I needed more time.  I didn't fully enjoy the shopping experience. Hm...

Costco Pants:

I have one complaint about Costco. Costco doesn't carry 31" waist pants.  I believe I look the best in 31 waist pants.  Costco rarely carry 31" waist pants.   They always have 30 & 32 waist sizes.  They usually skip on 31" waist.

I have several blue jeans in size 30 waist.  I can only fit into them when I am really good with diet & exercise.  I need bigger jeans.

Today, I bought a pair of Calvin Klein blue jeans in 32 inch waist.

They are too big... really big.  So I need to take these pants back.

I am a little frustrated that there are no 31 Inch waist pants in Costco.

I couldn't find black jeans & black sneakers.  I may have to go elsewhere for clothes.

Chocolate Cake:

I didn't have chocolate cake for the longest time.  I couldn't fight the urge today, so I bought one.  I plan to freeze half and enjoy it slowly.

What you don't see: Chocolate cake, 5 dozen eggs, extra sharp cheddar cheese, ravioli, cilantro lime shrimps.

I spent $124.35.  Coupon saved me $12.00
Then I put some gas in my car.

It should have been a better shopping experience.   It was just OK.
1 hour is not enough for me to enjoy shopping at Costco.
I needed more time (stupid, stupid...)

This is an example on how Internet can spoil you.

I was shopping for some neckties.

Currently, I have 2 dozen or so neckties.  They are very old (10-30 years old.).  A lot of my neckties are from thrift stores.  I paid average $0.50 each.  Some ties had sweat stains when I bought them.  I was perfectly happy with used sweaty ties.  I know how to stay satisfied within my own financial ability.  Of course, I always try to improve myself.

Anyway...
I thought it was about time I replace those sweaty ties with new ones.

My budget was about $10.00 a tie - $45.00 total budget.

I went to eBay and searched for ties in $10 range.  Below picture shows typical silk ties in $10 range.  I thought they looked pretty nice, much better than the ones I have.

I managed to pick out a few sellers and put them as my favorite sellers.  I was happy and excited about those cheap but nice silk ties.

I was ready to make a purchase.

Right before making purchase, I thought I would take a look at some of the expansive ties.  I wanted to see what the rich bugers are wearing.  And I found Donald Trump collection.  They were all around $25.00 each.  And they looked like these

I was blown away by their elegant design.

After seeing these, I could no longer purchase $10 ties.  I just couldn't.

Anyway, I am going to buy 2-3 ties from Donald Trump collection for now.  I shall get more ties as I feel the need.  I am going back to eBay.   Wish me luck~!! 

I hope I don't get obsessed about buying ties.  You know I get obsessed easily.  You know what happened with my Shopping for Eyeglasses project.  Yikes...

TGIF everyone.

I am thinking about taking my parents to dinner tomorrow after work.

These are my three recent financial failures.  My total loss was about $10.00.  But, this bothered me enough that I had to share this story here.

1. Coffee Filter: I bought these coffee filters.  A week later, I bought a new coffee machine just to realize that my new coffee machine takes different kind of filter. (I love my new coffee machine, by the way).
2. Pepper: This jar of peppers has a built in grinder.  You can't beat this price ($3.99).  Anyway, I used the grinder too rough one day.  I broke the grinding mechanism.  So, I had to buy another one.
3. Vitamin D3: I paid regular price 2 weeks ago.  A week later, I received a $3.00 coupon from Costco. 

On all these cases, packages were already opened and I had nobody but myself to blame.  Even though Costco is likely to make refund, my conscience didn't allow me to take them back.

I have to be more careful, that's all. 
Anyway, I am out $10.00 and this bothers me somewhat.  Hm...

Update

I bought vitamin D3 with a coupon, then returned it with the old receipt.

I just received this pair of fuzzy boots.

I was looking for something like this for about 2 years.  I didn't want to ask here, because I was afraid that costcogirlinVA would introduce me to something super expensive like the last time I bought a pair of Ecco shoes.  Haha~!! Just kidding.

Anyway, I paid about $30.00 from a military surplus store (online).  I will wear them indoor only.  These are for cold days when my feet are cold.  Before each use, I will wash my feet and put on clean socks.  I don't plan to wash them for a long time.  I am afraid I will not retain its fuzziness once it's washed.   I'll be happy if these will last 3 years ($10/year).

So far, I've been enjoying these a lot.  Very nice... I love them. 

OK, I tell you a little secret.  Do you know the ultra soft socks for women only? (Costco sells them).   I have a few pairs of them.  I wear them rarely (when I feel like it).  Good stuff.

Picture:

Oh my God, what do you know.  I can see my Ecco shoes in the kitchen. On the left you see my weights & exercise mat. I use that stack of books to do uneven push up.

* 4th Costco Shopping this year, 1st time this month.

There is no picture of my Costco shopping as I only bought one bag of carrots for under $5.00. 

Cost Plus World Market

I hate to bring up this subject, but this is a major development in my life.  So, here we go.

I've been shopping at Cost Plus World Market lately.

Costco doesn't carry everything I need, especially for my low calorie diet. So, I have to shop somewhere else for these items.

Products that Costco does not carry

Product description (What Costco doesn't have).

• Low acid coffee. ($8.95)
• Flavored coffee
• Wasa crispbread.  Low Calories, 0 fat calorie, high fiber. ($2.99 each)
• Low calorie (low fat) soup mix ($3.99 each)

I enjoy these products.  I wish Costco would carry these items or something similar.  But, I understand that Costco cannot carry everything in the world.

Wasa crispbread ($2.99/pack) is my new best friend.  It has low calories and it's good for you.  They have 0 fat calories.  I grab a few of these at work when I feel hungry.

I've been doing good with my diet and exercise.  I feel good and I enjoy my life-style.  

I love this little pot.

I bought this at Ross for $14.00

I have always wanted one in this size.  It's a perfect "Personal" size.

But the handle gets too hot to hold with bare hand, what stupid design.  I think that's why they were selling it so cheap.  Hm..

This is my last blog post on Vegetable Shopping - I think I made my point.

I enjoy driving to supermarkets at night.  It's very relaxing. 

Total cost on tonight's shopping was $7.77 (Vons & Ralphs).  I saved $15.28.  But who really pays $2.50 for a pound of tomatoes.

I get onions, bananas, and potatoes from Smart & Final - their regular prices are usually better than sales prices at supermakets.

I went to Vons, Ralphs, & Albertsons.

I bought:
bananas, broccoli, tomatoes, peaches, plums, blueberries, & squashes

I spent total $8.25
I saved $15.11
And I made $1.00 donation at Vons for MDA research.

I did good.

This is another sign of getting old.  Nobody has to tell me to eat fruits and vegetables anymore.  I eat 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  Also, I workout.  And I still worry about getting sick and dying too early. Haha..

This is my typical day's diet.

• Morning: Juice (2 apples, 3 potatoes, 4 carrots, some fruits).
• Breakfast & snack (at work): Fruits - 2 serving size.
• Lunch: I stopped eating fast food.
• Dinner: Balanced with vegetables.
• Night (sometimes): 1 serving of fruit.

*Fitness
My take on eating good:

• If you eat bad - you feel satisfied for that moment.  And you feel bad for the rest of your life. You have a better chance of getting sick and die. And you look bad.
• If you eat good - Food is still enjoyable.  I can still enjoy bad food in moderate amount.  I feel good for the rest of my life. And I look better.
• Food is addiction just like tobacco.  - Food industry is putting stuff that people cannot resist.  Think about that the next time when you eat insane amount of fat, salt, or sugar.  If I open a can of Pringles, I usually finish the whole can in a day or two.  I know I must stop, but I keep eating.  Why is that?  But if you understand the fact that industry is designing food so you eat more, then you have a better chance of fighting that craving. 

I went out on a routine grocery shopping on Sunday night.  Ralphs had some good stuff.

8 corns, 3 peaches, 3 nectarines, 3 oranges, 3 bananas, & 2 bags of grapes.  Total Price: $8.56. All from Ralphs

inside of my mini cooler on a typical morning
Fruit of the season & any vegetables I found on sale

I am almost done with my "Shopping for Eyeglasses" project.

My initial budget was $400.00 or less.
I am afraid I am going to spend over $500.00 total.

But, most people buy 2-3 pairs of glasses with $500.00 (including exam).

I am going for 7-8 pairs total. 

Some of the eyeglasses I have so far

I enjoy staying up all night Saturday night.  I usually enjoy good coffee and take care of my personal projects until I see the Sun coming up the next day.   I think it goes way back when I was young (in the 80s - 90s).  I used to enjoy staying up all night, play games, and have fun.  Still, when I stay up late, I get all that young and fun feeling back again. 

I used to live with my parents and siblings.  I had to keep things quiet while I watch TV, snack, and work on my personal projects.  Even now, I keep my Saturday night quiet.  I try not to bother my neighbors.  Sometimes I feel like I can hear my father snoring.

I still have that 9 inch TV I use to watch in my room.  I watched a lot of Columbo on VHS tapes that I recorded.  Now I own every single episode of Columbo on DVD.

I enjoy grocery shopping on late Saturday night. 

I went to VONS tonight

Check it out - I saved 55%.
I used Costco American Express card.
Strawberries were so cheap, cheaper than Costco.
I don't know if I can finish all that.

OK, back to work... Good night everyone.

-

Related Stories

Oh boy...  this is it.

I hope this is the final chapter of Nike vs. Adidas story.

I saw Adidas running shoes at Costco, in Simi Valley, and I just had to buy them.  They were $28.99.  Now I have three pairs of brand new Nike & Adidas.

I think most people own 2-4 pairs of walking shoes & gym shoes.  I have three pairs now.  I think that's a reasonable number.

I spent less than $90.00 for all three pairs.  I think that's pretty good.  A lot of sneakers cost well over $100.00 a pair.
Also, I've been very good with saving money.

(I'm trying to justify my purchases)

Related stories

Oh boy, story continues.

I saw a stack of Adidas sneakers at Costco.  They were $29.99 each.  I just couldn't pass that opportunity.

So I bought a pair.

Now I have both Nike & Adidas -  I only spent $60.00 total (plus tax).

My co-worker better not buy any more sneakers.  This is getting ridiculous.

Adidas from Costco

Before going out for lunch, I cleaned my favorite cool shades using my shirt.  Then I thought I'd photograph that moment.

These are B&L Ray Ban Chromax W2053.  I paid about $30.00 at Big 5 about 12 years ago.  Then about 6 years ago, I replaced the lens with yellow glass (prescription).  So, I spent under $70.00 for them.

When I see good sales on sunglasses, I buy them for $20-$40 and hold on to them.  This makes sense to me because it's difficult to find right glass frame at right price.  I don't want to wait until the time comes and I  have to buy something fast.  Eye glasses are like a job.  The best time to look for them is when you have them.  

Later, depends on the model, I can put clear or colored lenses.

Now with Costco's optical department, I can save even more.

Anyway, these glasses are now going for $250.00 on eBay.  
It became a hard to find item of some sort, I guess.
These are my favorite pair of Sunglasses.

Related Stories

Nike vs. Adidas Pt. 2

Nike vs. Adidas Pt. 3

Nike vs. Adidas Pt. 4

I have 3 pairs of dress shoes and 2 pairs of boots.  But I don't have any white sneakers. (I have a pair of gym shoes for workout & running, but that doesn't count).  I don't have any sneakers because I never wear jeans.  Somehow I find (ironed) dress pants more relaxing.

When I go visit my parents, I make sure that I am not wearing blue jeans, because I cannot take a nap while I'm in them.  It's suffocating.

Last time I bought a pair of sneakers was 10+ years ago.

Anyway.. Recently, one of my coworkers bought a pair of Adidas.  Then we had a serious discussion on "Nike vs. Adidas".  Most people favored Nike.  But, one guy hated Nike (this is the guy who just bought a pair of Adidas).

After all that talking about sneakers, I couldn't fight the urge to buy a brand new pair.  So, today I went to the Nike store and found this pair on sale for $29.99.  This was the cheapest pair, also the best looking one.  They were the last pair marked down as "Floor Model".

I also checked out the Adidas store.  But I couldn't find anything I liked.

Now I have to buy some jeans and matching shirts.

$29.99 - Much better than Kirkland Signature's sneakers

PS. Oh, I was so lucky that I found this pair.  Because all the sneakers nowadays have crazy designs.  They all look so stupid and childish.  It's very difficult to find normal looking shoes.  It's ridiculous.

Oh yes, I fixed dinner tonight with my new shoes on.