Is It Worth Shopping at Costco?

I'm sure a lot of Sydneysiders are interested whether shopping at Costco is worth it.  So I've collated a few prices of their items and it will somehow give you some leverage for comparison to prices of items in local supermarkets (all prices in AUD, recorded on 12 Aug 2011):

Colgate Plax Mouthwash, 2 x 1L - $13.29
Colgate Total Toothpaste, 4 x 160g - $11.48
Rexona/Dove Roll-on for Male & Female, 6 x 50ml - $18.59
Olay Total Effects, 3 x 50g - $65.99
Palmers Cocoa Butter Value Pack, 1L + 60g - $12.79
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, 2 x 354ml - $17.89
Qtips Cotton Swabs, 1,875pcs - $11.99
Carefree Everyday Liner Breathable, 96 pcs - $8.99
Stayfree Day & Night pack - $20.99
Gilette Mach 2 Disposables, 14 pcs - $27.69
Gilette Mach 3 Turbo Cartridge, 20 pcs - $53.99

Dettol Liquid Hand Wash, 3 x 750ml - $12.99
Palmolive Hand Wash, 2 x 750ml - $7.29
Palmolive Shower Gel, 750ml pump + 750ml refill - $9.28

Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, 2 x 200ml - $18.99
Herbal Essences Shampoo, 2 x 735m - $17.59
Kirkland Hydrating Shampoo, 2 x 1.3L - $8.99
Kirkland Hydrating Conditioner, 2 x 1.18L - $8.99
Tresseme Shampoo & Conditioner, 2 x 1.3 L - $13.99

Palmolive Bar Soap, 20 bars - $8.99
Dove Moisturising Bar Soap, 14 bars - $18.39
Ivory Bar Soap, 16 bars - $5.99

Johnson's Baby Bedtime Value Pack, 1.3L - $11.59
Johnson's Baby Top to Toe Bath Pack, 1.2L - $14.99
Johnson's Baby Powder, 4 x 600mg - $13.99
Johnson's Baby Wipes Scented, 960 pcs - $34.98
Huggies Nappies Infant, 192 pcs - $72.99
Huggies Nappies Newborn, 224 pcs - $57.59
Huggies Nappies Crawler, 184 pcs - $51.79

Centrum Select 50+ Multivitamins, 200 pcs - $26.99
Webber Naturals Fish Oils 180/120, 400 pcs - $14.99
Kirkland Omega 3 Fish Oil, 180 pcs - $31.99
Herron Blue Ibuprofen, 24 pcs - $2.69

Kikkoman Soy Sauce, 2L - $9.99
Lee Kum Kee Soy Sauce, 1.75L - $4.79
Leggo's Tomato Paste, 12 x 290g - $12.89
John West Red Salmon, 4 x 210g - $19.79
John West Tuna in Olive Oil, 12 x 185g - $23.99

India Gate Premium Basmati, 20kg - $44.99
Grape Brand Thai White Rice, 10kg - $9.49
Golden World Jasmine Rice, 25kg - $35.99
Sun Rice Premium White Long Grain Rice, 5 kg - $7.49

Palm Corned Beef, 4 x 326g - $12.99
Spam Regular, 3 x 340g - $10.79

Kirkland Sea Salt Grinder, 368g - $4.39
Kirkland Pure Sea Salt, 850g - $3.79
Saxa Cooking Salt, 2 kg, $1.59
Sunshine Lemon Juice, 2 x 1L - $4.59

Mission Jumbo Taco Shells, 2 x 190g - $3.79
Mission Burrito Dinner Kit, 2 x 560g - $9.69

Red Island Canola Oil, 5L - $12.99
Kirkland Olive Oil, 5L - $19.99
Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1L - $11.99

Bake One Cupcake Mix, 2.5kg - $9.99
Gem of the West Plain Flour, 12.5kg - $8.49
Gem of the West Self Raising Flour, 8 x 1kg - $7.39

Sunshine White Sugar, 25kg - $23.49

Splenda Sachets, 8 x 50pk - $19.99
Sanitarium So Good Soy Milk, 12 x 2L - 23.69
Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix, 60 x 28g - $7.99
Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows, 1.1kg - $4.79
Kirkland Japanese Green Tea, 100 bags - $15.69
Twinnings Infusions Variety Pack, 120pcs - $12.89
Tetley Leaf Tea, 4 pack x 400g - $7.49
Nescafe Blend 43, 500g - $15.99
Kirkland Guatemalan Whole Bean Coffee, 1.36kg - $21.69
Kirkland by Starbucks Whole Bean Roasted Espresso, 907g - $13.99
Kirkland Rwandan Whole Bean Coffee, 1.36kg - $15.99

Kirkland Monterey Jack Cheese, 907g - $6.29
Primo Cocktail Frankfurts, 1kg - $4.89
Primo Chorizo, 1kg - $12.59

Western Star Butter, 1.5kg - $9.99
Lurpak Unsalted Block, 3 pack - $10.29
Bertolli Olivio Spread, 1kg - $6.79

Lays Potato Chips BBQ, 425g - $5.98
Lays Potato Chips Classic, 425g - $6.49
Kirkland Lightly Salted Chips, 907g - $8.49

Kellogg's Sultana Bran, 1.36kg - $9.79
Kellogg's Cornflakes, 1.45kg - $9.99
Kellogg's Just Right, 1.45kg - $10.99
Kellogg's Nutri-Grain, 940g - $6.99

Skippy Peanut Butter, 1.36kg - $5.69

Isigny Brie, 1kg - $30.49
Dutch Edam Balls - $12.49/kg
Jindi Camembert - $24.99/kg
Happy Cow Cheese Slices, 800g - $6.89

White King Toilet Gel Lemon, 2 x 700ml - $5.98
Kirkland Free & Clear Liquid Laundry, 5.5L - $19.99
Softly Laundry Liquid Woolens & Delicates, 5L - $14.99
Kirkland Ultra Fabric Softener, 5.53L - $15.99
Downy April Fresh Fabric Softener, 3L - $16.58
Cuddly Fabric Softener, 5L - $11.99
Palmolive Regular Dishwashing Liquid, 5L - $18.99
Finish Lemon Powder, 3kg - $13.59

Panasonic Viera, 50" Plasma, 1080P Full HD TV - $949.99
Samsung Series 5/D550 51" Plasma 1080P Full HD TV - $1,149.88
Samsung Series D7000 WIFI 55" LED 200HZ 1080P Full HD 3D TV - $2,999.99

Again, these are only some of the prices I was able to collate on 12 August.  Prices may change everyday or every week.

The big question really is, "Is it worth paying for the annual membership of AUD$60.00?", which my Husband and I also asked before we applied for membership.  We still went on with the membership because we thought experiencing Costco will best answer that question.  So for the whole year, we'll keep our receipts and keep tabs of all the savings we got from all the sales and at the end of the annual membership, we'll see if our AUD$60.00 was really worth it.

We also have these reasons: (1) We have families in the Philippines and shopping at Costco seems more cost effective for us and (2) Buying dry products in bulk will save us money and time.

If we found out that the annual membership is not worth it, we won't avail of the Costco membership for the next year.

Reasons Why the Costco Membership May Be Good For You
(1) You have a big family
(2) You have a business
(3) You regularly have parties at home/organise parties
(4) You send care packages to your families abroad
(5) You love big savings on grocery items
(6) You have ample storage space at home

With that said, we also have to understand that Costco is not the be-all and end-all in grocery shopping.  There are some items that they don't have (yet).  Some items are cheaper in Coles and Woolworths.  We may find cheaper appliances at JB Hi-Fi, Bing Lee or Harvey Norman. I still believe that grocery shopping in local supermarkets is enough to cater to a household's basic needs.  Costco may be a good option to many families in Australia but it is definitely not the only option to all families living here.

Food Preparations in Bulk

I usually have a once-a-month major grocery shopping and on a fortnightly basis for replenshing raw produce .  Our usual stops would be at the nearby Woolworths (an Australian supermarket) and at the Asian market.

The Asian market is complete with raw produce, from vegetables, seafood and meat, and dry products exported from Asian countries.  If you follow me via twitter and instagram (follow @ibyang in instagram if you want), you may have probably seen photographs of Filipino food that my Husband and I sometimes indulge in.  It is in this Asian market that we get our Filipino food fix.

When I shop for raw produce at the Asian market, I buy in bulk so I can prepare, marinate and store them in bulk too.  This is part of organizing and preparing the food that I will cook for the household in the coming weeks.  I store the raw produce we bought in plastic containers and label them so it's easier for me to figure out what to cook on a daily or weekly basis.

I buy a big slab of beef (1-2 kilos) and cut it to different cuts: cubes, strips, for steak.  My choice of beef varies so we try different parts from time to time.  So far, I've tried silverside, topside, rump and scotch fillet.  It's usual that markets already cut the beef for you but I don't really mind cutting the beef myself.  With a 1-2 kilo slab of beef, I get to maximize the meat we bought.  I make my own marinades for Bulgogi and Steaks. 

I also do a bit of cutting of chicken for my food preps, too.  My usual chicken marinades are Garlic Salt, Soy Sauce and Lemon and BBQ.

For Seafood, I ask the market to clean the fishes for me but before storing them, I still clean them the second time around.  I also take out the fish scales also.  For squids, I clean them myself.  I usually lather some salt or garlic salt to the fishes before I store them inside the freezer.

On weekends, I'm most busy in the kitchen as it is during this time that I make time to do some bulk preparations. 

One of the things that my friends in Manila asked me when I was there in April was "Do you really cook the food we see in your blog?"  And the answer to that has always been, "Unless stated that I bought it, yes!".  When I was single and lived in the Philippines, I never really talked about cooking much so it was a bit of a surprise for even my closest friends to see photos of food in my blog and in facebook.  But the truth is, I've always had a love for food and I've always loved eating.  Only it has been magnified now with the gift of technology and social networking. 

Not only do I love to eat food, I also truly love preparing and cooking food.  It's tedious and may be time consuming to some but I find comfort and grateful that I know that what I put on the table for our family is something healthy and created with love.

Life Insurance For a More Secured Future

One of the things I invested in when I became financially stable was a life insurance.  Some people take life insurance for granted but the advantage of having one is the fact that whatever happens to me, I know my family will be taken cared of.  "Having a life insurance gives you peace of mind" may sound cliche to some but for me, it is so true.  I feel a bit more secure knowing that I'm insured for life.

In Australia, if one is having difficulty in finding a policy for life insurance, all they have to do is check out iSelect's website and they can make a comparison on all the life insurance providers available to them.  It's so easy to navigate their website.  All you have to do is fill in the details in the GET A QUOTE portion of the page and it will lead you to another page asking for the types of cover you need.  Just click on your choices and in a few minutes, iSelect will generate a quote for you!

If you don't have a life insurance yet, think it over now and compare quotes.  It is better to be prepared than sorry.

iPhone Applications for Photo Enthusiasts

The Husband not so long ago upgraded to a new phone.  After three years of waiting for the iPhone 4, he finally acquired the phone he wanted.  I know that sounded quite weird--waiting for an iPhone 4 for three years when it only came out this year.  My Husband is a patient man.  When the iPhone came out a few years back, he said he wanted that kind of phone and more.  He knew that in the long run Apple would come out with an iPhone that would cater to all his needs.  And it did.  Patience is indeed a virtue.

Now that he has one, we are now experiencing and enjoying the world of applications and the ones we enjoy most are the apps for photo enthusiasts.

Here are a few of the Apps we like:

Hipstamatic iPhone App gives you the look and feel of lomo-like images.  If you are a Lomography enthusiast, you will love this as much I do.  You can choose your film, lens and and flash, just like you're using a lomography camera.

Here are some samples of the photos we've took:

Diptic iPhone App lets you quickly and easily combine two or three of your photos to create a new image. The resulting photograph is called a diptych (if it is made up of two images) or a triptych (if it is made up of three images). Diptychs and triptychs have been used for many years in art photography. With this app, anyone can quickly and easily create diptychs and triptychs.  Buy this app here and you can make creative collages.

Some sample of the collages we made....

 

Instagram app is an easy way to share your photos online.  Snap a photo with your iPhone, choose a filter to transform the look and feel, send to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr – it’s all as easy as pie. It’s photo sharing, reinvented. You can buy this app here.

Here's a photo we took of a train station in Sydney.  We took this one while we were waiting for the train.  We used a filter to make it look like a lomo photograph.

 

Incredibooth app is your instant photobooth!  Create photo strips wherever you.  A fun app you can enjoy with family and friends.  Buy this app here and start clicking!

Here's a photo strip that my cousin and I took last Saturday.

What about you?  Do you have any favorite photo applications?

We Make Cleaning Fun

Gone are the days when we spend Friday nights at a bar dancing and hanging out with friends.  Now that we're married, we normally get to dance to our favorite tunes at home while we clean and do household chores.

My Husband and I are no saints when it comes to household chores.  Some weekends, we are really too lazy to do anything.  Sometimes, we just want to sleep, eat and play games.  BUT we try our best to get up and spend an hour or two cleaning and de-cluttering the home.  In order to avoid pangs of laziness while doing chores, we turn to our love of music for inspiration.

This is my little work desk at home.  There's the usual stuff on my desk such as my planner, mobile phone, iPod Touch, my Moleskine notebook (placed on the shelf) and any one of our cameras.  We have a secured cabinet for our cameras and lenses but there has to be one camera on my desk which I can grab anytime I need to.

When we clean the home or do our assigned chores, the Husband connects his laptop to our mini-speakers and play our favorites songs via the iTunes. 

We uploaded the Remote application to our iPod and iPhone so that wherever we are inside the home, we can control the music of our iTunes Library in our laptop or computer. 

Other than our cleaning paraphernalia, we get our music ready so that doing our chores are more enjoyable.  While cleaning, we dance and sing to our favorite tunes.  Doing household chores is never that boring as we get to have fun while doing it.

What do you do in order to make your household chores more enjoyable?

No Going Out, No Spending Month - The End

Yesterday, marked the last day of our "No Going Out, No Spending Month" that started on 8 August.  After 29 days (a total of 4 weeks), my Husband and I are so happy with how we managed this challenge.

For a recall on our No Going Out, No Spending Month Project, please read this first.


Results of Our Project

No Going Out : We didn't attend parties.  We declined road trips.  We didn't have dinner or coffee with friends.  No meet-ups with online friends. We didn't watch any movies.  We only went to grocery stores to buy stuff based on a list (no more, no less).  We stayed home on weekends.  We didn't hung out in malls.  I missed a couple of events in Sydney that could have been used for articles in my blog (I was kinda sad about this but I needed some rest from attending and covering events anyway).

During the four weeks, we made 1 exception to this rule and that was when we attended a Christening reception of my longtime friend's daughter.  It was very fortunate that the reception took place at a restaurant two blocks away from our place.  We sneaked out of the house for only two hours.  What drove me to decide to attend even if we are going thru this project was that it is more important to be there for friends, even if only for a while. 


No Spending : We didn't spend!!!!  I mean, we didn't spend on things we didn't need like clothes, shoes, bags, gadgets.  We didn't even spent for car petrol.  We spent for the usual groceries and bills and didn't go over our budget--it was actually the opposite, we were able to save a couple of dollars because we became conscious of sticking to our budget.


Rest : We were able to rest, as in really rest.  Our days spent at home were so relaxed.  We didn't think much of time (or catching up with time).  We were able to catch up on much needed sleep. 


We Feel Healthier :  We've been cooking and eating at home more since there really is no reason to eat out.  We're now back to our usual meals that consists of more veggies, fish & fruits.


Other Things: We were able to de-clutter our home and we were able to catch up on our photography projects.


Challenges, Strategies and Realizations
Our strategies and realizations are based on the challenges we've gone thru during this project. 
 
Challenge 1 :  Busy, hectic long days at work.  Incidentally, the Husband and I had the busiest four weeks at work that resulted to going home late.  The temptation to dine out after work is so huge.  Can you imagine being all tired and hungry and then going home and still prepare food? 

Our strategy:  We did batch cooking (cooking in bulk) every weekend so that when we arrive home during weekdays, we'd only heat up dinner.  I also try to go home early every chance I get so I can cook dinner at home.  Another thing we did was bring crackers to munch on while we're inside the train going home.

Realization:  Batch cooking not only saves time and energy but it saves us money.  It doesn't make us dependent on eating out knowing that there is food at home.

Challenge 2 :  Food cravings (with an "argh!").  Whether it was because I'm hormonal or the Husband misses a certain food, this was one challenge for us. 

Our strategy:  We didn't linger in places that offer our "cravings of the moment".  My Husband and I talked sense to each other whenever we'd have cravings.  We gave each other support and pep talks in getting over one's craving especially when what we're craving for was something unhealthy. 

Realization:  The great thing we learned from overcoming this challenge: whatever big or small project my Husband and I get into it really helps when we work as a team---an optimistic and "sees-the-positive-effect-of-a-challenge" team.

Challenge 3 : Sales (both online and in malls).  There are sales everywhere, anytime of the year.  There are several good deals that come out every day.  My Husband and I are members of online websites that gives big (like 70% off the original price) discounts.  We receive emails of these online sales everyday.  This challenge isn't as difficult but when one sees a good deal, we know that it can be very tempting.

Our strategy:  Simple...whatever email about sales we received, we deleted them right away.  We didn't open it anymore. 

Realization: A few realizations, (1) We have no urgent need for any material thing, we have what we need inside our home and in our lives; (2)  When we are determined not to spend, we don't get tempted; (3)  We shouldn't spend on stuff just because it is on sale [believe me, if you missed it, it will go on sale again, probably on a much lower price].

Challenge 4 : Dinner date on a (AUS)$20.00 budget.  We underestimated this challenge.  We forgot to take into consideration that we don't usually eat fast food, that we also need to order drinks and that we also deserve to have dessert!  Yes, we can find small restaurants or decent stalls in food courts that offer meals cheap but there are times when I would really like to be served a good meal.

Here's a summary of our cheap $20-dates ($20 x 4 weeks = $80.00):

13 Aug (Fri) = $0.00
I invited the Husband to a coffee date so we used my coffee "me time" money of $10.00, hence, we decided to go home after coffee since we're not hungry yet.  We had dinner at home instead.

20 Aug (Fri, our monthsary) = $26.40
Since it was our monthsary that day, we hung out at Chinatown and had streetfood dinner.

Korean Rice Cake (small)=$5.00; Chicken & Prawn Dimsum=$5.20; 2 Pork Buns=$4.00; Pork (Shanghai) Dimsum=$5.00 and Bottled Water=$2.20(the cheapest bottled water we could find) 
Total = $21.40

Then the Husband saw Japanese Cakes which said he misses already and we thought, we haven't had dessert yet.  So we bought 3 pieces for $5.00

27 Aug (Fri) = $12.50
I wanted Sweet and Sour Pork for dinner so we went to the food court of Myer and had Chinese food.  Food courts in Australia have the food on sale when the clock strikes 5pm (some of them earlier).  Some meals are usually half price.  So my Husband and I went to the food court at 5:30pm. 

What we ate: Sweet and Sour Pork with rice=$4.00; Fish Fillets & Chicken with Veggies and Rice=6.00; Bottled Water=$2.50. 

2 Sept (Thurs) = $28.50
I left work late and I wasn't able to have my coffee "me time".  The moment I met with my Husband, I was so hungry.  I wanted to just sit down and eat anything.  Since I didn't use my weekly coffee allowance, I added that to our $20.00 dinner budget.  Then we thought, "Pizza!".  So we went to Pizza Hut and shared a large Meatlovers Pizza and Chicken Wings.

Grand Total of Dinner Expenses for 4 weeks = $67.40 (not bad huh?)

Our strategy:  We just had to be creative.  And we just had to find enjoyable places that serve good food in Sydney like Chinatown on a Friday night. 

Realization:  (1) When you're creative, things become fun!  While we were looking for food in Chinatown, we felt like we were contestants in Amazing Race with a challenge and all.  We really had fun!  (2) It doesn't hurt to spend a bit more to get quality food.  We may have saved a lot and it can be fun finding cheap eats in Sydney but in my heart, I believe we deserve a weekly treat more than $20.00 for all the hard work we did.  So next year, we plan to increase our weekly dinner budget (that has yet to be decided).

In a nutshell:
We are so happy to have managed this project well.  One of the best learning we've had during this period was that it is okay to say "No"--no to spending and going out especially when we think that it is not worth spending money on things we don't need or going to events that we know will happen again and again.


Some tips if you want to do a project like this:

1.  Commitment and teamwork from the whole family is very important. 

2.  When planning this project, don't just focus on saving money. Focus also on the values that each family member can learn from this project.  If you have little kids at home, this would be good practice for them.

3.  Try doing this for a week.  Then next time, do it for two weeks.  The following year, make it three weeks.  That was how my Husband and I started.  That's why it wasn't too difficult when we made this project official for four weeks.

4.  This project would be easier if the family members (or at least one family member) cook.  When there are home-cooked meals at home, there would be less (or nothing at all) reason to dine out.

5.  You don't have to take away some important things to each member of the family.  For example, we never took our coffee "me times" and weekly dinner date out of the equation.  Those two things are not just about loving coffee and food but those are things that keeps us sane throughout the week.  There are some activities that you can still do, you just need to make the rules clear.  Also, this project is meant to teach values, not deprive a person.

6.  Make your own rules as each family is unique.



To end, We would like to thank everyone who supported us and wished us luck on this project of ours.  I hope you learn a few things from our experience.

No Going Out, No Spending Month

A Project of the Mr & Mrs
From 8 August to 5 September, the Husband and I will officially have a "No Going Out, No Spending Month".  Last year, we hibernated for three weeks right after our parents left for Manila.  We called it "hibernation" but in actuality, we avoided going out and rested our pockets from spending.  It was the first time that we were able to observe not going out for three weeks.  In earlier years, we have tried this project for a week...then two weeks...then last year, three weeks.  This year, we are officially tagging this as one our household projects and we're leveling up to four weeks (!!!).

Let's Define Things, Shall We?
No Going Out means no parties, no eating out, no dinner out with friends, no road trips, no movie dates.  We will still go to work (just had to clear that hehe) but we will avoid hanging out at restaurants and shopping malls after work.  Also, no overstaying in supermarkets.  My Husband and I sometimes have dates inside Woolworths on Friday nights and before we knew it, we find ourselves at the counter paying for stuff we don't need yet.

No Spending means we will only spend for the usual monthly expenditures like groceries, bills and maintenance/repairs in the home (if ever something does come up).  It is very critical that we stick to our budget for four weeks so we have both agreed that we won't shop for unnecessary things (read: things we DON'T REALLY NEED) and we won't give in to sales (which is usually the culprit--those freakin' tempting sales).


Reasons That Turn Into Goals

We want physical rest. Initially, we planned this project for the whole month of June because we thought it would be great to re-charge in the middle of year and at the same time get ourselves ready for the 2nd half of 2010.  However we had to postpone it because my mom arrived in June for a short vacation.

We want rest from eating out.  We want to stay away from restaurants for awhile and just observe eating in.  Sort of like a detox.

Exercise the discipline of not spending for unnecessary things.  Last year, one of the things that we learned from not going out and spending for three weeks was the things we have are the things we need and there is no need to buy things just because it is on sale.  Sometimes we want a certain item is one and found out that it is on sale, we immediately think "We've got to buy this, it's on sale already!"  But the truth is, we don't really need it.  This doesn't happen all the time but this project is a good reminder to my Husband and I to always count our blessings and always ask ourselves "Do we really need this?" before purchasing stuff.

We want to de-clutter our home.  We have the usual weekly de-cluttering at home but we'd like to do more de-cluttering in the next four weeks.  We plan to sort out our clothes and shoes, pack up some of the things we don't wear or doesn't fit and give them to church.  We want to box up some things that we don't use in the meantime and store it properly.

We want to finish up on our photography projects.  We will take this opportunity to finish up on two events we've covered. 


A Bit of Preparation

1.  We checked our calendar and made sure we don't have family or friends who will be having parties. 

2.  We informed friends about it.  We also announced the project via twitter and FB.   It is of great help when people around you know that you have a project like this.  We really appreciate all the positive reactions and support we got from friends (thank you!).


A Little Provision

The Husband and I are still entitled to a little breather and small pleasures.  The last thing we want is to splurge and pig out as soon as the project is over.  So we have agreed:

To have dinner at least once a week ---take note: with a budget.  The dinner should not be more than AUD$20.00, and that covers both of us (so that's AUD$10.00 per person).

That I'll still have my weekly coffee "me" time.  I will work on a budget of AUD$10.00 or less per coffee date with myself. 

That the Husband is also entitled to coffee "me" times when at work.  His coffee at work is only AUD$2.00-3.00 a cup so in a week, he will only spend about AUD$10-15.00, which is about the same cost as my weekly coffee time.



A Feeling of Excitement
The moment we decided to make this project official for four weeks, we had a bit of nerves about it.  Who wouldn't, right?  Four weeks of avoiding temptations seems kind of overwhelming.  But we are really excited about this project.  We have faith in each other (teamwork to the max!) and in this project.  We are very positive that we can do it because we really want to rest most of all. 


Wish us luck!  Since this is an official project, I will be taking notes and will share on how things turned out for us.




Thanks the Husband for the very cute logo he created for this project.

Edited (6 September 2010):  IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT, click here.

 

Good Food & Wine Show (Sydney, 2010)

The recently concluded Good Food & Wine Show in Sydney was a blast! 

It was my husband and I's first time to attend this awesome event and we're so glad we shared this experience with my mom.  For weeks, I've been so excited to attend this show at the Sydney Convention Centre and it didn't disappoint at all.  Not only were we able to discover and taste culinary delectables, we were also able to watch two celebrity chefs in action.

We arrived at the venue at a quarter to 10 on Sunday morning.  We were the first ones to enter the venue and we got on to exploring right away.  The Husband bought a Good Food and Wine Show Granny Trolley, his way of gearing up for the shopping that awaits us (how cute!!!), and a Wine Glass with Wine Glass Holder (a pink one especially for me!) so I'm all geared up for all the wine tasting ahead.  How thoughtful, right?

I love the clever concept of the The Wine Glass Holder because it keeps your wine glass insulated and has a strap so you can wear it around your neck for easy mobility.  It also helps you avoid losing your glass.

What's in the Good Food and Wine Show?  Other than an opportunity to taste food and wine, you also get to discover appliances and knick-knacks related to cooking, plus there are stalls for magazine subscriptions, all for discounted prices and lots of give-aways.

On the first hour of the morning, we were able to walk around and took photos of the place conveniently but after lunch, there was very little space to move and the hall looked like this...jampacked!

Nevertheless, it was still fun.  The event organizers provided a Show Planner and Map to help people maximize their stay and in getting their way around the place.

The best experience of the day was having to watch celebrity chefs and Masterchef (Australian Reality Cooking Show for Amateur Chefs) hosts & judges Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris.

I am a fan of Gary Mehigan.  I've seen him once when I was at the Vivid Sydney at the Rocks just a few weeks back and I was happy to see him in person.  To watch him on a show and do what he does best was such a great pleasure. 

The show we watched at the Celebrity Theatre was entitled "Your Place or Mine" which is a 45-minute cooking show by Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris.  I'm not much of a fan of George but he is a great chef as well and I like him too.

  

Together, Gary and George make a very entertaining team.  Not only did we learn a few recipes and cooking tricks from them, they made the show really fun--they made us laugh and dance.  As judges in the Masterchef show, they sometimes appear strict but on-stage, they are really approachable, funny guys.

The Celebrity Theatre had a big TV screen on stage so everyone can see what Gary and George are doing while they cooked and for close-up views of the food.

I remember they made pasta then turned them into tortellinis.  Another dish they made was baked prawns on a bed of Hommus.  They baked bread too.  And they made this dish that has beetroot as a main ingredient but I forgot what it was called.

After the show, George went straight to the Good Food Magazine stall and made a cooking demonstration again.  I didn't watch this time as I wanted to get on with my shopping and going around.

We had lunch somewhere else as we had to meet up with friends.  We went back in and went straight to the Nespresso stall to watch a demonstration of the Nespresso machine and for free coffee.  Chris wanted me to see how the machine works. 

Years ago, we planned to buy this machine for our home but I've been delaying it.  Chris already got me Nespresso cups and saucers but I said, "let's wait awhile before we buy the machine".  However, after attending this show, we finally decided on what Nespresso to buy in the future.  Now we are just waiting for the right time to buy it.

After coffee, we went around for a taste of more food.  The last order of the day was to buy wine.  We went to a several wine tasting, boy did I have so much fun.  Other than the taste of the wine, we wanted a good deal from sellers because we were buying in bulk.  We discovered Beelgara wines and bought two bags of wines from them.  Since we bought wines in bulk, they gave us two wine bags.  The wine bags are insulated to keep wine cool.

We went home with all of these from the show....

Two of these food magazines were free while the other two came from the two grocery bags we bought.

We bought two grocery bags for only AUD$15. The products inside those two bags where fixed and the total value of both bags were AUD$189.  Since you are buying it from the Good Food and Wine Show, it was only AUD$15.  Such big savings! 

What we paid AUD$15 for-- From Left to right (from top row): bag of caster sugar, small bottle of olive oil, small packs of condiments and spices; 2 jars of pasta sauce, cans of tuna, a jar of chicken soup; packets of chips, biscuits, peanuts and dried cranberries; samples of coffee and tea; bottled green teas; dog and cat food; small tube of whitening toothpaste, smales tubes of suntan lotion and Nivea facial wash and Blistex lipgloss; cleaning products and wet ones.

It was a long but fun day.  We learned a lot from the celebrity chefs plus we get to bring home lot sof goodies, some free and some bought at discounted price.

I look forward to attending next year's show.

Some Tips:

1.  Book your tickets early.  The earlier you book, the better seats you will get on the Celebrity Theatre Shows and more freebies.  The later you book, you might not have a chance to watch a celebrity chef cooking demo.

2.  Be early to avoid crowds and get more freebies.  In the afternoons, most freebies are gone and there are long queues for free wine/coffee/food tastings.

3.  Bring a granny trolley or your own grocery bags if you plan to buy lots of stuff.  You can also buy the Good Food & Wine Show granny trolley bag.  It's good quality bag and can serve as a souvenir from the event.

4.  The event's Show Planner and Map is your best companion.  Get it from the information booth as soon as you arrive.  It lists the schedule of cooking demonstrations, exhibitors and their corresponding stall number.

5.  Be prepared.  Check out the Good Food and Wine Show website so you know what to look forward to.

6.  Have some cash with you.  Some exhibitors don't have and EFTPOS/Credit Card system so having cash with you will surely make your shopping more convenient.  There are ATMs in the convention center but since there are a lot of people, there is also a long wait to withdraw money.

7.  Bring your own or buy your own wine glass.  Most wine exhibitors don't have wine glasses for wine tasting.  Having your own wine glass is a must if you will attend this show.
 
8.  Be discreet in taking photographs.  Not all exhibitors like people taking photographs of their products.  If they ask you to delete the photos you took of their store or products, delete them.  It's their loss anyway.

All photos by Chris and Ivy Sanchez, Copyright 2010

Blog Guesting at Wifely Steps

Hello and good day from the rainy Land Down Under!   Hope all of you are having a great week. 

I was asked by one of my bloggy friends, Toni of Wifely Steps, to join in the celebration of her wedding and blog anniversary by sharing my own wifely steps.

It was such a great honour to be a  part of her celebration so I especially wrote "Lessons Learned from Marital Fights" (click! click! click on the title) for her blog.

Please visit and share your thoughts.  Thank you!

Five Blessings on a Monday Morning

I know, I know...it's Monday once again.

But before we enumerate the reasons why we'd rather be somewhere else but at work, I'll share with you one exercise I do in order to help me feel better about going back to work after a great weekend.

As soon as I'm at the office and before I dive into work, I take a few moments to count five (5) blessings in my life.

This morning, the first five (5) blessings that came into my mind were the following:

1. My Husband and I starting the day together inside the train on our way to work.

2. A job that I really love.

3. Monday---I love Mondays because it's the start of the workweek and I like starting it at the office--yes, most of the time I really do.

4. A new week! A new week means a chance to start fresh, to forget about troubles from the past week, a reminder to move on. Don't you just love beginnings? I do!!!

5. That I had a great week! I was able to find time to rest, bake a cake on my own for the first time (promise, no help from the Husband), cooked hamburgers that tasted good and did some personal errands. On top of that, my Husband & I were able to accomplish a rush job to create a wedding AVP for Saturday (no sleep on Friday night just to beat the Saturday 10:30am call time--super stress!!!). Busy weekend but I had some down time to rest and relax.

This habit of mine gives me inspiration to face my Monday with a smile. It helps me start the day and week at work in a positive perspective.

Try it! Tell me what you're grateful for on this lovely Monday morning.

For a few more tips on how to have a happier Monday, please click here.

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Recipe: Oven-baked Parmesan Chicken

If you want a change from your usual chicken recipes and lessen your time in prepping and cooking, I suggest you try this recipe.

This dish is healthy and very easy to cook. All you need are a few ingredients, an oven and 35 minutes of your time. If you don't have an oven, a mini-oven or toaster oven will do.


What you need:

4 Chicken Breast Fillets
2 cups Multigrain Bread Crumbs
3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
2 Spring Onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
4 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Olive Oil

What you need to do:

1. In a small bowl, mix in your multigrain breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, spring onions, melted butter, salt and pepper.

2. Using your hands or a fork, press the mixture on top of the chicken breasts, to form an even coat.

3. Transfer the chicken breasts to a greased shallow oven tray. Before putting inside the oven, pour the olive oil and lemon juice on top of the coated chicken breasts. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

4. Remove chicken from the oven and keep warm. Add the parsley on top and serve.

Tips:

1. The type of breadcrumbs is up to you. I use multigrain breadcrumbs at home to up the fibre nutrient of this dish.

2. Go easy on the salt. The breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese has a certain saltiness already so taste your mixture before pouring in the salt.

3. Pour a bit of water on your oven tray before placing it inside the oven to avoid dryness of the chicken. Other than a tasty, delicious flavour, we want the chicken juicy as well.Bon appetit!

Thank you's



I would like to thank everyone who email, tweet or message me their feedback(s) on the recipes I share and for letting me know that they have tried my recipe(s). Your comments and appreciation bring joy and inspiration to me. Maraming salamat!

Cooking Tip: Fresh is Always Best

In cooking, it starts with the produce that you buy from the market or grocery store. There are some produce that I buy in the market and there are some that I buy at the grocery store. I'm currently lucky to have a mini-market two blocks away from where we live. Some days, I don't have any planned meal in mind and I just figure it out when I'm in the market. I let my senses lead me to the freshest and most beautiful produce I could find on a certain visit.

I'm grateful for my mom for bringing me to markets when I was a kid. I learned about traveling inside a big market, being friends with sellers and butchers and knowing when a certain produce is fresh or not.

 
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Here are some of the tips I follow when in I shop for fresh produce:

On Buying Fresh Produce
(1) Do the squeeze test and look for bumps and bruises before buying.
(2) Take your time. Fresh produce is vital to our diet and it is worth shopping around for.
(3) Be friendly with local grocer owner/s or market sellers or butchers. They will be of great assistance should you need help in finding the right produce for you.

On Choosing Fresh Produce
(1) The freshest produce are the ones in season--take advantage! In spring, buy apricots, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, carrots. In summer, buy berries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, figs and garlic. In fall, buy apples, broccoli, fennel, pears, sweet potatoes.
(2) Buying out-of season produce does not mean it's not fresh. It may only mean that the produce may be smaller or weaker in taste compared to in-season produce.

On Buying Vegetables
(1) Be selective. Examine each vegetable individually. Be on the lookout for rotten pieces mixed in with the good group.
(2) Look for bright color.
(3) Check for firmness and crispiness. If you see wrinkles or wilted looking greens, that is not fresh at all.

On Buying Ripe Produce
(1) Remember that overly ripe produce is squishy and overly juicy.
(2) Check the color. If a produce has pale color, choose another one that has more color.

On Buying Fresh Fish
(1) Look for bright and clear eyes, plus shiny, metallic and clean skin.
(2) Fresh fish smells like clean water or has a scent of the ocean.
(3) The place where you buy seafood should not stink! If you find yourself in a fish market that reeks, leave.

On Buying Fresh Meat
(1) Look at the color. Beef should have reddish color, pork should be pink, poultry should be white or pale yellow.
(2) Smell the produce. Avoid buying if the meat has a rancid or strange smell.

These are some of the tips that I normally follow whenever I do my shopping at the market or grocery stores. Hope these few suggestions will help you in finding the fresh produce you need for cooking.

**This post is also in response to Fave Diets Blog's monthly Healthy Bite. The question for April is "What is your favorite healthy cooking tip or trick?"

Fruit Fixes For The Day

I get my fruit fixes for the day by eating fruits during morning and afternoon tea. Sometimes, I make fruits my appetizers before my main course for lunch and dinner. Or make them my after dinner snack.

For my morning tea at work, I bring fruits in small containers. I slice them in small pieces the night before and keep them in the fridge together with my lunch box.

I have a foldable, re-usable fork (got them from instant cup noodles) that I use so I don't have to pick the fruits with my fingers.

The fruits I bring to work are usually watermelon, green apple, kiwi and grapes.

On days I wasn't able to prepare a fruit box, I buy bananas or strawberries on the way to work. Good thing we have a fruit shop a few doors ways from my office.

In the afternoons, I usually just have a warm lemonade or calamansi juice with honey when I arrive home. Aside from being a soothing drink for the throat, I also get my dose of vitamin C from it.

How do you get your fruit fix for the day?