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Free SMS Online

Whenever I ran out of airtime load on my cell phone, I would either go to nearby store or call and ask my hubby to reload it for me.  That’s one of the things that I dislike about having prepaid load on my cell phone.

Good thing I found this online portal about free SMS Philippines, where you get to send free text messages to mobile numbers in the Philippines without any charge. This works pretty well especially for those who work in the office as you don’t really need to go out to reload, all you have to do is check out askimoi.com – input the mobile number, your message, security code and click send. Viola, message sent!

I tried it out myself and it really works. Pretty good on your pockets too as this is free of charge, fast and easy. Very reliable too in times when you needed to get those message to get through on your buddy’s number.

House Cleaning 101

How do you clean your house? For us, I do have a schedule for house general cleaning. Once a month, I make it a point to keep every nook and spic and span! But of course, having two very active kids in the house- my 9 years old Grade four daughter and 7 years old grade one son, it is but a challenge to keep things in order.

For daily basis of cleaning (cleaning things out religiously everyday) would include;

  • sweeping the floor, dusting off appliance and furniture like the top of our refrigerator which holds off our most of our coffee essentials like milk  and coffee containers, electric kettle, etc. So it really needs some wiping every now and then to keep it clean.
  • cleaning and wiping the bed headboard, it needs dusting off everyday.
  • washing the dishes (3x times a day every after meal) we don’t have dishwasher so off we need to do cleaning immediately.
  • emptying the trash, we see to it that trash cans are emptied out every night to avoid rats raiding our trash bins. lol!

For weekly schedule would include:

  • Doing our week’s pile of laundry every Saturday or Sunday. I do wash our undies everyday (every night) and kid’s school uniform (every other day).
  • Bathroom cleaning schedule. brushing off the wall and floor tiles, thorough disinfection of toilet bowl (Though I get to clean it on daily basis) changing shower curtain.

Of course, thank goodness to my cleaning supplies as I really get effectively clean out the mess at home. One more tip is to use environment friendly and natural made cleaning materials and supplies for the safety of you and your family’s health. Going green is the key to a clean and healthy environment.

No Plastic Day at Grocery

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So off our grocery items into a box. It’s a good thing that most grocery stores are implementing the no plastic bags day, although in Q.C it’s a totally no plastic bag use everyday. It was hard to adapt in this kind of set-up at first, but considering the good effect of this in our environment in the long run is worth the  effort.

I used to hear quirks and nasty remarks  from most of customers who lined up in the cashier and demands for a plastic bag. There’s still really a need for educating these people, keeping them aware of the effect of the use of plastics in our everyday living. Sure we know that plastic bags are more convenient to use, but we should really find other means for keeping our things in a eco-friendly ways.

In my experience in doing grocery at SM Savemore store in Q.C, you will be asked to hand carry items or opt to pay an extra P2 (two pesos) for the use of a plastic bag. Seriously, I find the two pesos “mahal” for a plastic. Hahaha!

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I personally keep an “eco-bag” in my bag, the one that can be folded as small as this: PA160021
so I am prepared whenever the need for extra storage arises. My SIL  also sends us a lot of eco-friendly bags from Australia, different kinds and sizes. It’s just one small way of contribution to lessen the use of plastic that are harmful to the environment, but if all of us will do that one small way, it would be ONE BIG HELP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

Putting Off Home Repairs?

Home repairs and maintenance is essential to keep your house in a good and smooth running condition.  This usually takes a lot of DIY “do it yourself” projects around to the purpose of improving and making your house worth living as to convenience, beauty and safety.

One of the contributing factor of course when it comes to home repairs is  the home budget for repairs, fix and maintenance. This usually cost a pain in the pocket especially if it entails some big projects, but we can all do something to make it work on frugal ways. 

Graphic below shows that 63% of American home do not have the $1,000 savings allotted for home repairs and that 1 out 5 home owners put off completing home repairs of their home. That around 39% of them says that it is hard to find and reliable repair service.


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So it is important to be of knowledge and keep oneself armed with necessary skills to do the basics of diy projects and home repairs to save on the service fees. But of course, major repairs needs some skills and services of that a professionals can do as they are also equipped with the necessary machineries and tools needed for the said implementation of service.

Gift Ideas: Educational Toy For Kids

“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” -O. Fred Donaldson

Kids love to play a lot especially those who are in their toddler years. They are inquisitive and love to explore on a lot of things around them. So to give you  a nice gift idea on what to give the on special occasions like birthdays and holiday season. Educational Toys are very much recommended.

We bought this cute TEACH TIME CLOCK, an educational toy that teaches time wherein the minute hand turns just like a real clock. A birthday gift to a friend’s son who celebrated his First birthday last weekend.

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A colorful and learning toy that encourage and enhances the kids curiosity and explore more to develop their skills and enriches their mind and knowledge.

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This only cost around $3. Yup, on sale! Yey! Just make sure that materials are of quality and doesn’t contain any harmful and toxic materials that will affect your kid’s health.

Lamp For The Bedroom

Since we did a home makeover a couple of years ago, it inspired us to work on things whenever the budget permits. The needs and wants for our house continuously evolve, so it is always a work in progress.

Last week, hubby found a nice table lamp when we did pass by the home section of the mall upon doing some window shopping. He thought that it’s a nice fit and replacement to the old one that we got. I told home not to rush things out and do an impulsive buy.

I am yet to show him the Bestlite lamps at Lighting55.com where I found a lot more interesting kinds of lamps. It is best to do some comparison first to figure out what we really need and check out the specifications if it is worth the price. Hopefully, the one that we will be getting will perfectly fit our room and pockets too.

Weekend Happenings: Attended a Birthday Party

I was up early last Saturday to do the laundry, good thing that Mr. Sun was all up to until the afternoon. So when it rained around 3 p.m. our clothes-line were already empty. I also did the ironing early evening.  I manage to finish all the household chores that day because I don’t want to get caught up with unfinished chores when we attend the party the next day.

Come Sunday, we went to the Marketplace around 9 in the morning (that’s the name of the mall) to buy the little girl a nice outfit to wear some of her dress doesn’t fit her anymore. We were at the party around four ‘o clock in the afternoon. It’s a Jollibee kidde party. Basti, the one year old celebrant was in his Superman costume. It was a fun Justice League themed party. Kids had a blast. WIll share the party pics in my upcoming posts.

Reupholstering a Leather Sofa with Fabric

Leather or fabric? It’s a difficult decision. Leather furniture can look more expensive, and it’s usually easier to clean, but fabric furniture can be more homely, warm and comfortable. Some leather sofas cope well with daily wear and tear, and some people like that ‘worn leather’ look. Other people find that they don’t like how their leather sofa looks when it’s been a part of their home for a while.

Whether your leather sofa is damaged, you find it uncomfortable or you just want a change of style, did you know that it’s possible to reupholster leather sofas by replacing the leather with fabric?

How to Reupholster a Leather Sofa

Choose a professional reupholstery service, rather than trying on your own. Your leather sofa is precious, and a professional can reupholster to the very highest standards. Your settee will look as good as new when it’s returned with fabric covering.

Reupholsterers remove the leather that covers the sofa. They then replace springs, and add new padding if necessary. Reupholstering isn’t simply the process of taking away the leather and replacing it with fabric – your sofa will be restored to excellent condition. Once the leather has been removed, and the inner sofa repaired, fabric will be fitted to replace the leather. Cushions can be covered in the same fabric, to create a consistent look.

Should You Reupholster Expensive Leather Sofas?

It can be difficult to commit to reupholstering if you know that your sofa is a high value piece of furniture. It’s important to remember that reupholstery doesn’t reduce the value of your sofa, and that if it’s already damaged then you can actually increase its value.

If your sofa is strong, well-made and hard-wearing, then you’ll want to choose a high quality fabric rather than one that’s cheaper or thinner. If your sofa had a feature that you were never completely happy with, then you’re able to modify it. As well as your settee’s financial value, think of its value to you and how you’ll enjoy it more if it’s tailored to your needs. Alternatively, if you’re not ready to take the plunge, you can buy furniture covers that fit over your existing leather sofa without the need to change what’s underneath.

Can You Keep Bits of Leather?

A professional furniture reupholsterer will work to your requirements. They’ll be able to completely replace every inch of leather, or to keep some original features if that’s what you’d prefer. You might find that you want to keep a few leather cushions, rather than having them modified to match the rest of your sofa. That’s your choice.

Why Not Buy a New Fabric Sofa?

You chose your leather sofa for a reason. If it simply needs a new cover, then the choice to reupholster might be the right decision for you. Your sofa might be an expensive, high quality piece of furniture that you don’t want to dispose of, or a piece of furniture that holds special memories. On the other hand, you might find that you’re happier to buy a whole new fabric sofa, and that you can find one that suits your needs. If you’re not sure whether you want to buy a new fabric sofa or have your existing leather sofa reupholstered, then local companies are usually happy to provide free quotes. Once you have a figure in mind, you’re better equipped to make your decision.

Have you had a leather sofa reupholstered, or are you considering reupholstering yours with fabric? Share your experiences by commenting below.

Nat Slater is a writer for Plumbs, specialists in loose furniture covers and reupholstery.

Family Bonding Moment

One of the things that our family do during spare time (no classes or weekends) is to do some fun activity that the whole family will enjoy.

Mall hopping. Whenever budget permits, we do go to the mall and tag the kids along whenever we do shopping. Kids love it whenever we also do grocery shopping as they get the chance to choose their favorite snacks to school, they also love to line up in the cashier whenever it’s time to pay the groceries.

Dining out. Food tripping that is! We make sure to try out what’s the latest craze in food section and restos. 🙂 Buffets, milk tea craze and more.

If and when we’re on tight budget, we just stayed indoor and do something creative! Kids love to do some arts and craft. To keep the whole family involved, we do play game boards like Monopoly, scrabble, twister and more.

Infographic below shows game boards that keeps family on a fun game nights!


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Family game nights are fun ways to keep family bonded and the kids very happy without hurting your pocket. Nothing beats being at the comfort of your home and in the arms of your loved ones! So time to set up a family game night every once in awhile. 😉

Flats to Rent in Birmingham

If you are in the process of searching for, locating, or moving into any of the new flats in Birmingham it can be quite an expensive venture. It requires advanced planning and budgeting. There are many things to take into account. Not just the rent that you will have to pay the landlord each month.

For example, set aside a little money each month for socializing. There are also some hidden costs that may not occur to you. They will be a part of your expenses on a monthly basis. Therefore, those are involved in any calculation of the rent you can afford to pay.

Transportation costs are one of the important items to be included in your budget. You will probably have to move your belongings into your new home. Depending on how far away you lived before, the costs for professional movers can add up.

It is worth the additional investment to hire a professional service like Netmovers to oversee the process. To also make sure your belongings arrive in one piece, safely, and securely to your new home. If you are investing in a U-Haul or transporting some of your belongings in your car or taxi, it may take you several trips.

When you arrive at your new home you may wish to make some small changes that have to be approved by your landlord. These changes are just small touches that will add your personality and taste to your new surroundings and put you at ease.

You may begin to feel comfortable and at home in the flat you rent in Birmingham. It may be painting a wall here or adding some small design elements to the existing décor. It will cost money and so it must also be taken into consideration when calculating your budget for the new move.

The other important item of expenditure has to do with your recurring expenses. A great example is getting to and from work from your new home. This is why location is so important when looking at the available flats to rent in Birmingham. Hopefully you are nearer and not farther away than you were before.

If so, there is no need to further increase your budget. Set aside some extra money to take a cab in the first few weeks until you get to know the neighborhood and can move around freely without the fear of getting lost.

Try to socialize in your new neighbourhood and get to know your new neighbours.

The extra money you put aside will come in handy to assist you in becoming familiar with your new surroundings.

Moving into a new community can be strange and unsettling, especially if you are on your own. If you have children, they may need a little help in making friends and getting to know their new surroundings.

Use the extra money to see the sights, visit the restaurants, and other places of interest. Use the flat you rent in Birmingham to host a getting to know you party. Make new friends and meet your neighbours. 

Written for Netmovers by Sean Jones