Good deals I found in Davao!

May 8, 2014 by feyma

Good deals I found in Davao!

A few weeks ago Bob mentioned to me a set of pots and pans that he saw at S & R. He was explaining to me about it and it really got me interested. But when he mentioned the amount it just turned me off. I will not spend that kind of money unless I really like the items.

He told me that next time I go to S & R to take a look at that pots and pans and let him know whats my take on it. He told me if it were not that expensive, he would have already bought it for me.

The Dutch Oven I got last year

So finally I went to S & R to go shopping. I saw the pots and pans that Bob was talking about. I checked it out and it is a good pan to cook with and it look durable. I liked it a lot. But I told him with the price tag, I’m not really interested. With the high price I would rather have a different set like the pan that he bought me last year and it worked out good for me. I really liked it a lot. Bob bought me a nice porcelain dutch oven cookware the round one ( I’m not that crazy with the red color, but it will do for me right now). It’s good to cook in stove and in the oven. Since I I had the round one, I saw on line that they have now a dutch oven oval shape and I want the bigger size than the round dutch oven that I had. You guys probably wonder why I liked the dutch oven, the one that Bob bought really is nice. It has a nice and thick insulation inside. So now I had my eyes on that. It’s not the Le Creuset brand, I’ve seen that brand here and it so darn expensive. I’m okay with the brand that Bob bought for me.

Anyway, back to that pan that I saw at S & R. Bob really wants to buy it for me. I didn’t know that he was really wanting to get it for me. So last week I went to S & R, then I was just passing by at the back section of the store and I saw the box of the pots and pans on their damaged goods and returns area. I was just curious how much was the price of the damaged goods. When I saw the price it’s around 60% off from the original price, I looked at the tag because it states there the reason for selling at a low price. It states on the outside box “factory defect”. So I just didn’t think about it. I just continued on shopping.

When I got home, I told Bob that they had one box of those pans that we liked there at S & R that’s defective and its 60% off. Bob immediately asked if I know whats the problem with it, I just told him that it says factory defect. He immediately told me to go there and see what’s the factory defect. So after eating our lunch, Aaron and I immediately went back to S & R again. Thankfully nobody got the box of that pan. So we loaded the box to our cart, as soon as I saw one of the sales person I asked him if he had an idea what’s wrong with the pan. He told me that we can open it up and see for ourselves. So we did.

When he opened it, we both inspected the items. To be honest we didn’t see any major problem. The only thing that we saw that’s wrong with it were the rim of the lid that wrapped the glass, the aluminum, the gap on the inseam it’s not totally closed enough (maybe like less than 1 mm gap). Hardly noticed it. The one on display gap of the seam its too close that its not really visible. Also the one that I bought had a small dent inside of one of the pan, that you can’t even see it unless you try to feel the inside of the pan with your hand. So all in all, the items don’t have major damage. So I bought the pots and pans for the 60% off price. The only thing I’m not totally into was the color of it. But hey with the big discount I can live with it.

New Pots and Pans set

Most stores in the Philippines don’t even take returns, so they have so deals like this where a minor factory defect will result in a huge discount! S & R is different, though. They seem to operate more along the American business practice.

Talking about discounts. A few months back I was buying a ceramic jar at one of the malls here. While shopping I saw some items that I liked, but when I talked to the sales lady she told me that I had to buy the whole set. So I said okay I want it. When she’s trying to checked all the items one of the piece the lid of it the screw was missing and its not easy to put it back. So I ask her if I buy the whole set would you give me any discount since one of the piece the screw is missing? She told me “Oh no Ma’am, you have to buy at the same price”. I just told her politely that I’m not interested to buy the items like that without any discount. She said okay. I could tell she wants to give discount. The problem is the sales person here don’t have the say to anything, only the high up people can decide.

It’s just nice to see a store that will give a good discount/deals here. It’s been a long time since I’ve encounter deals like that. It’s just good to know that some stores do care.

January 23, 2014 by feyma

Having business here in the Philippines while living abroad!

I was asked by a reader here with questions “If is is good for her to put up business here in the Philippines while she’s still living abroad?”. I answered her back that I will not recommend that. You know why? If the owner is not around the workers will not do what the owner want them to do with the business. I know of some friends who owned businesses here and letting the family members run the business while they are still living abroad. Really lots of them end up closing in no time.

The lady wants a small eatery place with karaoke and they want to serve beer. In short it’s like karenderia with karoake bar. She wants to start to have business here before her retiring time abroad. She works as a nurse if I remember. She earned pretty descent money. She already had some other properties here and she wants to add more income. She told me that she will have her family manage the place before her retiring time. So she’s asking my opinion about it.

Karenderia

I don’t recommend to people to have business here but you know what I don’t know the people that she entrusted her money with. It’s really up to her. She should study hard and read a lot online about people here putting up business if it succeed or if it fails. She should study the pros and cons to it. I’ve know people that put up business for the family and fails.

We had a friend, before he and his wife put up a pretty nice business for the family. They also want the money (income from the business) to be saved for their future retirement here in the Philippines. They put up a nice internet cafe business with 15 seat cafe complete with printer, scanners and all those stuff that’s good for the cafe. It was good at first. Then later it was mismanaged by the family members. Later on almost all the customers that’s occupying the seats in the internet were family members. So no revenue was generating with the business. Year or so later the business folded. So it’s really sad.

My really close friend bought like 3 jeepneys and farms for her family and to save some money when time for her to come back here for good. Well, her contract abroad was not over yet and her jeepneys were already starting to deteriorate. It cost her a big amount of money at the end. The farm starts to make money but family’s relationship starts to fail. Comes with the fighting and not talking.

A family member of mine sent money for her family to start a small business. Instead the family bought a billiard table and because it’s not their hard earned money they just left the pool table outside without cover in just a few months after buying it, it was nothing but trash. The big investment just rotted out in-front of them.

So if thinking of investing while not here to manage it? I hardly recommend putting up businesses here.

December 5, 2013 by feyma

Christmas is giving to the less fortunate here!

Well Thanksgiving is over. Time for us to think now of the Christmas shopping. We are so lucky that we can buy even just a few presents for our kids and give some to our friends and family. Living here now for 13+ years, I’ve seen people – too many people here struggling to buy food for their Noche Buena for their family. It’s really sad but that’s the reality here. Noche Buena – A Filipino tradition for midnight dinner for the whole family on Christmas Eve.

I think you probably read here how we started the first Martin family tradition of giving away. We were just sitting on our office in our house one Christmas eve many years ago. Bob said to me that “Hon, I don’t feel the Christmas spirit here because I think I don’t feel the cold weather“. We kind of just smile to each other. Then after awhile he told me what if we will buy something like burgers from McDonalds and cookies and juices and candies from the grocery stores for the homeless people here in the city. So I called up McDonalds if they can provide me with 200 burgers and I will be picking it up in a few hours. I told them of my purpose for the burgers. They were so happy and so helpful that they said yes they will get it ready for me. They told me too that they will get some of the burgers from there other branches of McDonald here in the city. They also provided me with plastic bags so that I can put some of the other goodies in it. So we headed out to town and found homeless people in the city.

Then later we the headed towards Diversion Road and found so many beggars on the road. My goodness our burgers were gone immediately. But it was really fun giving away to them, since they’re not expecting it. We did it for a few years from our very own money. Of course it’s just limited since the funds were only ours and not so big. Until later when LiP was born. Bob started asking here from you guys our readers if you guys can pitch-in. And you guys did without questions. Now we got the LiP DRIVE. So really thankful that you guys did. We can now give out a lot and so many less fortunate people can put a smile on their faces.

I’ve encountered too many events during our giving away. A few of them really remains in my heart and it really humbles me. And it also taught more lessons to my kids. One of the events that stuck in my head was this event: A few years ago when we were giving out near BUDA (the Davao/Bukidnon border). On the way, we stop by at the road side because we saw an older lady, with her I think her daughter or a grand daughter. It’s really hard to say, she might just be looking older because of harder life. She’s getting ready to ride her horse, we stopped and and said hi to her and the little girl. We greeted her Merry Christmas and started handing her some food for the Noche Buena and some goodies for the little girl. She was shocked and didn’t know what to think, she just started crying and she said that “you guys are the angels sent from above” because she said she was praying for miracle because she didn’t know if they will have food for that night. You know what, tears were rolling my eyes and I know Bob too upon hearing her say that. Our kids saw it and I could see their sadness for the lady’s struggles but happy that at least they had food for the holidays. To be honest, It even brought tears to my eyes until now when remembering that day. Really we hear too many stories similar to that lady when we went out giving. Our kids really enjoyed doing it. They like to go to a little remote area and give there because those people never expect somebody like us to go there and just give. It’s good to give to people you don’t know and they are not expecting to get anything from anybody that day. The smiles and the sparkles of their eyes are priceless.

It’s been a good thing that we did give each year here. Our kids really know that too many poor people live here. I could tell by just watching them that they really care also for the poor people here. Our kids always look forward on every giveaway. They help out packing the stuff. It’s really a team effort by all of us. If you can help again this year, please send an email to: [email protected] and you will get full instructions on how to donate. Thanks to all of you that contribute.

We give 100% of all your donations to the less fortunate people here. I know that all of us struggles with the hard economy right now, but if you have some extra money, that amount can really feed to one of the poor family here in the Philippines. We are so grateful for your sacrifices too. More people will contribute, more people will have food for their Noche Buena. We can put a smile to the faces of the people here, the children especially.

From the bottom of my heart “THANK YOU SO MUCH” for helping our cause. To our LIP Family, I’m forever thankful to God for you guys.

A Merry Christmas to you all!!!

October 17, 2013 by feyma

A Taxi Driver’s Story!

I was riding a taxi from Abreeza mall to our house. When the taxi cab driver saw one of my son with me he could tell that my son is a multi-race. So he asked me if my son is mixture of German & Pinoy? I answered him politely nope. He then asked again what country, I told him the USA. He said oh, the US. I have my son and ex-wife there. So I asked him did your wife marry a foreigner? He said yes. He said actually she really is not my wife. We didn’t get married, we were just together for a long time. So I kinda tease him maybe your partner got tired of waiting for you to asked her to marry her? He said maybe and just move on with out me. We kinda both laugh on that.

Anyway, he was really curious with the life in the USA. I told him that maybe his son could petition him later for him to go there. He said maybe. He said that his son did not expressed any interest of getting him. He told me that he still continue communicating with his son there. I could tell the taxi driver really is interested to go to the USA for he wants quote and quote to make his and his new wife and kids have a better life. I can’t blame him for wanting a better life. He really regretting not finishing school, its imminent when he’s talking.

Davao Taxi

I asked him how old is his son. He said he just turn 20. He said his son had been in the States for 5 or so years now. the son’s working at McDonald and studying college too. I could tell that he is really proud of his son. Which he should be. He said that his son told him that he cannot send money for his dad because he is paying his brand new car right now. He said his son bought an Audi car. I don’t know why he mentioned the brand of the car. I said really, that’s a very expensive car. He said his son said that he needed that car for his job. So I asked him then what’s the position of his son at McDonald? Is he an executive? He said his a server. I just said ah okay. I just said that he probably needs it then. Well, if the son thinks he needed that car, so it’s his choice. But the taxi driver really said his frustration that his son did not bother to send him money. I didn’t say anything because it’s not my place to tell him what to do.

For me in my opinion, it’s okay for that kid to not support his dad here since he is going to school. But I don’t think he really needed that expensive car for him to go to work. When we were there in the States before, kids of friends of mine who were going to college bought used cars for them to go to school and to go to work. It’s too early to show off a very expensive car. I asked the taxi driver maybe his ex-partner were the one paying the car, he said no, it’s just his son. I just didn’t know that the son can afford an expensive car payment, plus school, plus his personal things.

Because of the taxi driver’s dilemma I was thinking then for my son Aaron. Since AJ is getting serious of going to the States to visit GrandMa and maybe to study. I was thinking then what’s best for AJ to do when he will be in the States by himself without Mom and Dad. Just Grandma will be there with him. I would not want him to be burden with car payment. For me if he wants to study in America, he can ride the bus. So many buses route from my mother-in-laws house to the nearest college there. I would rather he uses the extra money for his personal things than the car payment. Hopefully Aaron will think it through on what to do than buying stuff that’s not so necessary for him. Anyway, that’s just my opinion.

Cheers!

September 12, 2013 by feyma

Flip flops: It’s more fun in the Philippines!

I think we really know what we have to be thankful in life until we see everyday the poverty that just shows on our very eyes. Really to be honest seeing lots of less fortunate people here really has changed the way I live daily. I know sometimes that we want more than what we have which is a normal thing. But most of the times living here again really opened up my eyes on what really I prioritize in life. Seeing the poor people here I know they prioritize “the need” over the want in their daily living. Of course the needs were pretty imminent to a lot of poor people here.

Flip Flops

I was browsing through my pictures that I had on my desktop, I came across the pictures that I save for awhile now. A picture of the foot of an old guy wearing a flip flop made of bottles and rope. It really shocked to know at first that some people wears those kind of stuff. My heart ache for the old man (seeing at the foot of the guy, I just think its an old man). Can you imagine wearing those over the hot sunny days. It would be so uncomfortable. It might feel your foot is on fire, because of the plastic. It really amazed me how the ingenuity of the people due to poverty. But I guess just to make out of it, they have to endure the uneasiness with it. I guess the empty bottle slipper might be a bit better than without something on their foot then.

Our helper made slippers out from the cardboard box. She put ribbons as the strap. It was meant to use for indoors. She was just showing our youngest (Nicole) here in the house that it’s easy to make something of what we have inside the house. It was a smart move for her to show Nicole the life she’s living in the province. I’m glad she did. It was kind of an eye opener for the little one.

I remember during my grade school days. I studied in public school. Some of my schoolmates were from the mountains. They’re the natives in our area. Sometimes some of them don’t have any flip flops at all. They go to school barefoot. Can you imagine walking on the mountain without anything on your foot? The roads might have small cut trees or maybe the small roots of the tree on the pathway. That could give slivers to their foot. But even without slippers they still went to school on time. With the determination in their minds few of them became teachers and were teaching on the school I graduated from. It really makes me happy that even with the hardship in life they became somebody later.

One of my nieces is a teacher in one of the remote areas in GenSan. Most of her students were the natives and had no slippers in going to school. She told me what the kids told her ” Ma’am would we really buy slippers first over the food? Of course our parents chose to buy the food ahead of the slippers.” My niece then continued on saying that most of her students don’t have nutritious food to eat during lunch time. All they have were rice and soy sauce. Sometimes my niece gave them some food. She said she can’t afford to be feeding those students all the time. She really is trying on helping those kids. Some kids can’t go to school everyday because of lucking of food. It sad but it’s the reality of some schools here, especially those in the remote areas of the country. Feeling sad and hurt for them. I’m hoping that the government will have more programs for those indigenous people in the province.

To all of you in the West: Enjoy the last days of summer in your part of the world. Get ready for the cold days again.

Mabuhay!