Money Saving Tips Archives - Happy Pinay Mommy

Eight ways to save when you have a newborn baby

happypinaymommy — Tue, 10 May 2016 02:50:41 +0000

Saddled with too much expenses? Here are 8 Ways to save when you have a newborn baby. (Photo Credits)

Expenses pile-up when you have a newborn baby. From the pre-natal check-ups, pre-birth shopping, to hospital expenses, it is really easy to break the bank especially when the budget has not been thoroughly planned.

Once the baby is born, expenses continue to accumulate. From his basic needs, to monthly check-ups and immunizations, up to other miscellaneous expenses. Thankfully there are a good number of ways to scrimp on the monthly expenses upon the arrival of your new addition.

Here are —

Ways to save when you have a newborn baby:

Breastfeed – It is the most natural thing that you can do to provide the needs of your baby. You do not need anything special, just a clean breast and a hungry baby and say goodbye to the many expenses brought about by Formula Feeding. Apart from not spending on Formula (which can rack up up to more than P3,000 pesos a month even more when you’ve got a kid with a sensitive tummy), you also get to save on feeding bottle expenses, regular purchasing of teats and bottle-feeding accessories, the expenses that the daily washing and sterilizing of bottles entail. All these plus of course the best benefit of all – your newborn becomes less-susceptible to illnesses – that means less hospitalizations, medications, and future diseases. Know more benefits of Breastfeeding here. And in case you’d have to go back to work and invest in an efficient and hardworking pump, your expenses for such can be recouped within two to three months.
Use Cloth Diapers – You can save up to P2,000.00 a month for choosing cloth over disposable diapers. Newborns are notorious for using 10-12 nappies a day so imagine buying these disposable diapers at P8.00 a piece? Yes cloth diapering can be a one-time big time expense (except when you get addicted to it), but the P4,000++ that you will spend for cloth diapers can be used until potty training time and can be passed on to your future babies. In case you are planning to just have one child, these cloth nappies can be re-sold to other moms at half the price returning half of your investment! What’s more is that if you cannot afford the initial investment, you can start from buying pre-loved from other moms. And to add more icing on the cake – you are helping the environment by not adding garbage to the dumpsites! Here’s where you can buy cloth diapers for your newborn.

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Use cloth wipes – Before I discovered and mustered the courage to use cloth wipes, we spend up to P500.00 a month for disposable baby wipes for our eldest during her newborn phase. Thank goodness for fabric stores that sell Flannel, we now have wipes that are good for two to three days wash, which also go in with our diaper laundry. Check out my past entry here on where to buy fabric for wipes. Alternately you can also use old shirts, old receiving blankets for this purpose. Recycle an old wipes container, and mix in a wipes solution either in an old sprayer or a mason jar-like container. Pour some drops of baby oil and shampoo in a cup of water, and you now have a wipes solution that you can spray either on the cloth wipe or directly on your baby’s bum.
Take care of the Baby Yourself – This may be hard, but if you can savor the chance to take care of your newborn on your own. Forego getting a nanny (It is hard to find a good one anyway), and take advantage of your maternal instincts! It is a journey you will never forget. By the way, by choosing not to get a Yaya for your baby you get to save at least P5,000.00 in monthly expense which represents her salary, benefits, as well as living (food, toiletry, utility) expenses.
Say yes to Hand-me-downs – Yes it is your first baby, but do not hesitate to say yes to the Hand-me-downs well-meaning relatives and friends give you. If you are OC and it is an article of clothing, you can always disinfect with a hot wash. Same goes with baby gea r that are still in great condition.
Hold-off on the shopping – This is one lessons First-Time Moms usually earn the hard way. There are a lot of stuff and baby gear that the baby will not actually need and use in her lifetime. Like how many booties does she need? And how many times will she be wearing those cute onesies? In reality all your baby needs are just clean clothes, a blanket, diapers, and you!
Never hesitate to buy pre-loved – Most budget-conscious mothers are learning that there is nothing wrong with buying pre-loved. Buy/Sell and Trade groups are aplenty now and moms should take advantage of it. Baby Gears that hardly get used and are still in mint condition get sold over the internet surplus stores and the like. You will be surprised at how much savings you can garner with using or buying pre-loved newborn stuff. Here are some alternative places where you can shop for your newborn.
Take advantage of what the government has to offer — It may be a hotly debated topic in local parenting forums, but the fact is our government offers free immunization shots for babies. Drop by your Barangay health center and ask for an immunization schedule. Discuss the pros and cons with your family, and if you decide to take advantage of the taxes that you are paying for, the just bring our baby to the HC as scheduled. Your private pedia can always administer the shots for vaccines that are unavailable in the center, so you would not have to worry about your baby missing a dose or an immunization. Also, if you are fine with it, monthly check-ups for babies are also free in barangay health centers.
Buy Generic – With my eldest I buy everything labelled “baby.” Baby detergent, baby dishwashing stuff, baby whatever only to find out later it costs up to four times more than the regular products. I’m sure they have a more sensitive formula, but there are generic items that work as good as those that can be bought for a more reasonable price! Like Calla detergent. At P74.00 per kilo, it can wash a lot of cloth diapers compared to a baby brand that will cost you up to P200.00 for every kilogram. Discernment is definitely the key.

So there you have it, I am sure there are other ways to save on your newborn’s expenses. Ill be updating this post as soon as I discover more. Hope you can drop by my Facebook Page and hit the like button, so you can receive Regular Updates from Happy Pinay Mommy.

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this tips on caring for your Newborn Baby:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsA2hm8CecM

Eight Filipino Recipes Under 100 Pesos 2016 Edition

**This post contains affiliate links at ABSOLUTELY NO COST to you. Thank you for continuously reading happypinaymommy.com

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Where to Buy Cheap Nebulizers in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 14:00:16 +0000

Where to buy cheap nebulizers in the Philippines. (Photo Credits)

Having a nebulizer in the home is handy especially if one of your kids are asthmatic. If you are looking for an affordable yet effective nebulizer for your child then this post is for you.

I have compiled a list of places where you can buy nebulizers at a cheaper cost. I have included as well some places where you may get pre-loved or second-hand nebulizers, as it is safe to use one PROVIDED that you buy a new kit (Mask and Tubing) for hygiene purposes.

Anyway, here is the list of shops where you can buy cheap nebulizers in the Philippines:

Bambang – This area, which is just super near DOH, and PGH is popular for low cost medical equipment and supplies. If you will be taking public transportation then just alight at the Bambang Station of the LRT. Nebulizers here can go as low as P750.00
Pharmacies – Watson’s, Mercury Drug, Rose Pharmacy, and even The Generics Pharmacy sell Nebulizers. Those in Mercury and Watson’s are usually branded and you can find more affordable ones in pharmacies like Rose.

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Lazada – If you would like to beat the epic traffic situation, and pay on a cash-on-delivery basis then Lazada is your best bet. They have nebulizers for as low as P1,179.00 which you can buy here. One of the more prominent nebulizer brand, which is Omron is now on sale from P5,999.00 it is now at a discounted rate of P3,499.00 which you may buy here.
OLX – You can find pre-loved or second-hand nebulizers through this website. You however have to exercise usual caution in your online transactions as some of the sellers there do not have an online shop where you can make follow-ups or after-sales inquiries. Here is a link to their website. — REMINDER: WHEN BUYING A USED NEBULIZER, MAKE SURE TO REPLACE THE HOSE, FACE MASK AND ALL DISPOSABLE CONTRAPTIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY. MOST LIKELY THE PARTS FOR THESE MACHINES ARE AVAILABLE AT MEDICAL SUPPLIES STORES, OR EVEN IN PHARMACIES.
B/S/T Groups – You can find Buy, Sell or Trade groups whose members may be reselling their used nebulizers.
UPDATED: JULY 8, 2016: Kenko World — this Korean houseware store is a great outlet for Korean-made products, and these includes Nebulizers. They have units ranging from P880.00 to P1,880.00 as of last checking. Here is a link to their website.
UPDATES: Jan 04, 2016: Berovan Medical Supplies is a store where you can buy nebulizers, and nebulizer parts and a host of other top of the line medical supplies and equipment. Check out their list of branches, nationwide in their website here.

Hope I was able to help you in your research on where to buy a nebulizer for your child or family member. I promise to update this post, as soon as I’ll be able to discover more areas where you can buy one. If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy.

If you are bent on buying a pre-loved nebulizer, then you may find this video helpful:

Happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the WEEK#10: Mommy Lan San Juan-Perez

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Where to buy Cheap Christmas Decorations in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 16:38:20 +0000

Want to know where to buy cheap Christmas decorations in the Philippines? (Photo Credits)

Read just now that there are only five Mondays left before Christmas and i felt happy and at the same time panicky because i have yet to find decorations that will make our little home more christmas-y.

So here i am sharing with you places where you can find cheap and cheerful Christmas decorations

Here is a list of some of the places where you can buy cheap Christmas decorations in the Philippines:

1. Dapitan Arcade— i so like this place all year round. They have lots and lots of decors that will make you double check if that indeed is the price. The decors are so affordable you wouldn’t think it could be that cheap. I bought here five years ago, nice fabric Christmas decors, matching Christmas plates, serving platters, and pitchers and my golly those are all microwave and oven proof! Another great thing here is you can haggle. Here’s a map.

2. Uniwide in Sucat – one of my friends swear by this place when it comes to buying happy and “bagsak presyo” Christmas finds! Who can resist changing the theme and color motif of your annual Christmas decors when the decorations here are so cheap! I am referring to the Uniwide Sucat, Paranaque branch, and although it looks like a kind of old warehouse, you will be amazed with the Christmas bargains you can find.

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3. Quiapo — if you want native or Filipiniana-themed Christmas decor then this is the place to shop at. The “Quaipo ilalim” has fun and very Pinoy Christmas decors that will make balikbayans (or the clarks of your lives — sorry, faney — im on episode 11 hihi) smile and look forward to the Holidays.

4. Divisoria — The ultimate shopping mecca. Almost any shopping building in Divi — 168, 888, 11/11 or whatever have Christmas decorations that look festive and nice without boring a hole in your wallet! Pick-pockets lang talaga ang bubutas ng bulsa mo dito Besides, if you are the crafty type, then Divi has stores after stores of shops that sell laces, and other raw materials that you can use for your DIY Christmas decor project.

5. Greenhills — okay it is not really cheap here but if you want the bazaar feel, and options that are quite cheaper than those in the malls and department stores then head to this aircondition tianggean. At least here, you can babywear your kid and go through stall after stall until you see the decor that will catch your fancy.

So there you have it. I hope you will be able to buy the decor apt for your theme this year — and stay on budget while you’re at it. If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy.

If you are feeling crafty, then you may wanna check out this DIY Christmas Decors:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/11/01/happypinaymommy-coms-wahm-of-the-week-8-mommy-jelly-lagman-victor/

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How to make homemade Dishwashing soap in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 05:45:56 +0000

How to make natural and homemade Dishwashing soap in the Philippines. (Photo Credits)

As a follow-up to my recent post on natural and DIY homemade detergents, here are some DIY dishwashing soap recipes that make use of ingredients available in Philippine supermarkets.

While most recipes that you will see in the internet call for ingredients like washable soda and essential oils, I am glad to let you, my dear readers know that I have tweaked the recipes below a bit so you will no longer need these hard-to-find ingredients. UPDATED: there are now local resellers that peddle some of the raw materials and essential oils needed in some of the recipes below. For the essential oils please see our updated post >>>here<<<<< and for the othjer raw materials, you may find the merchants over at Shopee.ph

Anyway, here are the recipes I found for natural homemade dishwashing soap in the Philippines:

1. EASY DISHWASHING LIQUID – onegoodthingbyjillee.com shared this very easy to make recipe of dishwashing liquid that only calls for soap shavings (I used ivory plain), water, vinegar, and glycerin (optional but you may buy glycerin from any Mercury Drug outlet, about P40.00 for a small bottle). Check out the instructions here.

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CHEAP AND QUICK DISHWASHING LIQUID – this recipe shared by hillbillyhousewife.com is just so frugal! It just calls for soap flakes (I used Perla), water, and white vinegar. Read the procedures here.
EXTRA STRONG BUT NATURAL DISHWASHING LIQUID – This dishwashing soap recipe shared by frugallysustainable.com calls for a bit more ingredients than the previous two. Just substitute the castile soap with Ivory plain and shave away (I use a vegetable peeler to shave soap), white vinegar, water, washing soda – can be bought from any Shopee.ph merchant, and then optional tea tree oil. The tea tree oil is for added anti-bacterial properties. Try it by following the procedures here.

So there you have it. Hope you could channel your inner DIY Diva soon and try out these dish soap recipes.

Also if you have the time, please drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, You may also follow us on our Pinterest and Instagram accounts so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy.

Leaving you with this easy-to-follow DIY Video on Homemade dish soap:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/08/30/where-to-buy-flannel-fabric-for-cloth-wipes-in-the-philippines/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post How to make homemade Dishwashing soap in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

How to Make Homemade Detergent in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 05:00:41 +0000

Here are some recipes for natural homemade detergent in the Philippines. (Photo Credits)

When the DIY, naturalista and frugalista bugs bite us, we would like to try out homemade versions of everyday stuff that we use.

Moms like us use laundry detergent all the time, and I am sure, I am not just the only one wondering if I can make a natural and homemade detergent in the Philippines that I can use. The frustration however comes when you try to research and most of the recipes you see call for ingredients that are not locally available.

For instance, washing soda is not widely available in our country (although you can buy it here), and essential oils are available but are not as affordable as we want it to be. (Check out these essential oils gifted to me by my US based sister in law, you may get it here too if you wish). UPDATED, there are affordable pure essential oils in sampler sizes in some of the shops mentioned in my updated article >>>>here<<<<<<

Anyway, allow me to share with you some of the DIY detergent recipes that I have discovered, experimented on and tweaked a bit so as to conform to what is available in our local supermarkets.

Recipes for natural homemade detergent in the Philippines:

1. LIQUID HOMEMADE DETERGENT — This recipe from tipnut.com calls for just three ingredients: Water, Grated bar soap (think ivory), and two cups of baking soda. Check out the procedure here.

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2. COCONUT OIL BASED LAUNDRY BAR SOAP – This DIY recipe from mommypotamus.com is fairly easy to make, and just needs a super common ingredient available in our country which is coconut oil – not even the extra virgin that is quite expensive. Just the usual coconut oil. This actually reminds me of Perla. Anyway, you will also need Lye, which is available in hardware stores (Ace), and then water. You may wanna add an essential oil if you want fragrance but it is entirely optional (i love lemon EO for this particular recipe). Anyway, check out the procedure here.

3. POWDERED LAUNDRY DETERGENT — This recipe from wellnessmama.com calls for Washing Soda (I know, I know this aint available here, but you can make your own by turning your baking soda into one as shared by onegoodthingbyjillee.com here) UPDATE: THERE ARE SOME SHOPEE STORES THAT SELL WASHING SODA SO CHECK THEM OUT or if you want the easy way just get it here. Then you will need some borax – you can get this one from hardware stores but not the ones in the malls, the ones beside your subdivision or along the road! For some reason true value, ace, and handyman does not carry borax, but the small hardware stores do (PLUS AS AN UPDATE THERE ARE SOME SHOPEE MERCHANTS THAT SELL BORAX AS WELL). And then some grated coconut oil-based bar soap like PERLA. Click here for the step-by-step instructions.

So there you have it. Hope you could indulge your inner DIY Diva soon and try out these recipes. J

Also if you have the time, please drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this DIY Video on Homemade detergent:

Where to buy washable breast pads in the Philippines

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post How to Make Homemade Detergent in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Quick, Easy, and Cheap Filipino Dessert Recipes under P100.00

happypinaymommy — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 03:20:30 +0000

Here is a list of some quick, easy, and cheap Filipino dessert recipes under P100.00. (Photo Credits)

As most pastry chefs say, “life is short, eat dessert first,” and so we mommies, no matter how budget conscious we may want to be, have to set aside a little extra for an added sweetness in our life.

Hence I thought of compiling a list of some quick, easy, and cheap Filipino dessert recipes under P100.00

These are all easy to whip up and could serve a family of four. Here is the list:

1. Saba con Hielo – What could be more delicious than glazed or minatamis na overripe saba, with evaporated milk and shaved ice? Who could resist this? For an added oomph, why not add some sago balls. You can buy a piling of Saba for less than P40.00, half a kilo of brown sugar, a can of evap milk, and i am sure, you will even have some extras for meryenda. Here is an easy to follow recipe.

2. Mango Sago – When it is mango season, and you see a lot of overripe bananas in the supermarket, and even in streets, take advantage! Make a smoothie out of the mango, grab and boil some mini sago balls, and you’ve got yourself some Mango Sago! For those who want measurements and procedure, here’s a quick recipe to follow (you may want to omit the condensed milk since the mangoes are usually very sweet, just use evap or whatever milk that is available in your ref — but you can do away with the milk altogether).

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3. Chocolate Clusters – You can buy those very affordable oishi-brand cereal that looks like coco crunch. Buy as well the plain chocolate bars over at the baking aisle of your favorite supermarket, and you’ve got yourself ingredients for chocolate clusters that your kids will surely love to make and eat! If you’ve got change for your P100.00, you can buy some colored sprinkles over at the ice cream section or still in the bakery aisle. Here is a recipe you may wanna follow.
4. Fiesta Ice Candy – Buy a small can of fruit cocktail, a small can of evap milk (or even fresh milk if that is what you have in the house), and presto! You’ve got yourself ingredients for your fiesta ice candy. Just add some sugar and ladle on your existing popsicle makers or ice candy plastic, and you’ve got yourself a healthy popsicle for the kids all under a hundred pesos. I am sure the kids will love helping you out too, and bonus points for another day’s supply of this yummy and cheap dessert!
5. Iced Coffee Jelly – Of course you would not want the kids to have this lest you will be chasing them all day! Anyway, head on over to your favorite supermarket, buy those unflavored gelatin, and two sachets of 2-in-1 black coffee mix (so that you do not have to add sugar). Make this into your gelatin mixture. Pour into a container, let it rest, and then refrigerate. Once the gelatin is set, cut into little squares. Make iced coffee out of three or four sachets of your favorite three-in-one coffee mix, get a shaker, and mix with cold water and ice cubes. In separate glasses, add the coffee jelly and pour in the three in one mixture and put in some ice cubes. Serve! For kids, you may want to substitute the coffee mix/flavor with any kool-aid or tang juice flavor (strawberry?), and then instead of unflavored gelatin, just get strawberry flavored gelatin instead! All under a hundred bucks. If you’ve got an extra change from the one hundred, why not buy those fat colorful straws? 

If you want to know more easy, quick, and affordable recipes, check out this book 

So there you have it ladies! Hope you’ll try them soon, and if you have time, hope you can head on over at my facebook page, and hit the like button so you can get regular happypinaymommy.com updates directly unto your newsfeed.

Thanks and enjoy the sweet life!

Here’s a video of my favorite dessert Chef Anna Olson, which you may wanna check out:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/08/27/requirements-for-a-philippine-solo-or-single-parent-id/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post Quick, Easy, and Cheap Filipino Dessert Recipes under P100.00 appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Eight Ways to Lower your Meralco Bill

happypinaymommy — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 13:25:59 +0000

Ways to lower your Meralco bill. Photo Credits.

The electricity bill remains to be a sizeable chunk of any household’s monthly budget. And why not? During summers one cannot help but turn on electric fans and aircons to an almost 24/7 basis. For us moms, when the kids scream “aircon,” we can do nothing but turn that a/c on again, and tell ourselves that we could compensate by turning it off a little earlier the next morning.

Anyway, for mommies who are looking for ways to lower your meralco bill, here are some tips you may want to read:

1. Regular Maintenance. Make sure your air conditioning unit gets regularly cleaned and maintained. When your unit is filthy and ill-maintained, the a/c tends to work harder to cool your home – using up more electricity than it has to. It will also help to have a regular electrical maintenance shedule in our homes. This is not only a way to lower your Meralco bill, it also helps ensure home safety.

2. The little things count. Train the kids to turn off the lights when not needed. Turn off fans, as well as other appliances inside rooms that are unoccupied at the moment. Refrain from opening refrigerator doors unless necessary.

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3. Unplug. Yes it may be inconvenient to plug and unplug appliances that we regularly use, but these devices use up electricity even when turned off as long as it is plugged in. This is because they remain to be on standby mode. So before sleeping or leaving the house, unplug everything except your refrigerator.

4. Skip the heater. If it is not too cold, refrain from using your shower heater. Apart from saving up on electricity, cool water helps tighten your pores and will leave you feeling refreshed.

5. Avoid overcharging. Your wallet, as well as your gadgets will thank you for it! Electronic devices are not called ‘vampire electronics’ for nothing. As long as the devices like phones, tablets, PCs and other appliances are plugged to a source of electricity, they suck up energy.

6. It is a rice cooker, not a slow cooker. Bear in mind that the former can cook rice for you in under an hour and there is no reason for you to keep it on all day. If you want steaming hot rice every time you eat, either you reheat it from there or just nuke it! Same goes with your air pot, and even your water cooler. Why not just use pitchers and use the ref for cooling water??

7. Use your microwave sparingly. Not only will you lower your bill, you also lower risks of contracting possible illnesses which may be brought about by using microwave. Read this article when you have time.

8. Turn off the background. A lot of us just like to sleep with the TV on. Work with the TV on. Cook with the TV on. And most of the time we do not even watch it. So turn it off and just concentrate with what you are doing. Get the kids off the couch and do other activities that will not help jack up the electricity bill instead will help up happiness and bonding in your family.

In your family, what are the ways you save up on electricity?

Leaving you with this Youtube video on cleaning an a/c unit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMC6oufo-34

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/04/07/seven-ways-to-save-on-grocery-shopping/

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