• Shopping

    Online Grocery Shopping Tips

    March 21, 2020

    Because of the current situation, I find it hard to get the groceries I need. I cannot stand the long lines of people outside the supermarket. The last time we went on grocery shopping, it took us 4-hours to get inside the supermarket. My legs hurt from standing for so long. I wonder how sales ladies can stay that long.

    Since I run low on food supplies and avoid trips to the grocery, I decided to take advantage of the online grocery stores such as MetroMart, Walter Mart, and Puregold to supply everything I need. Opting for their delivery services might be better right now. It is like going to the grocery store in the comfort of your home without stepping outside. But to no end, delivery slots and even pick-ups are so tight. I have to check now and then for slots to open.

    I ended up picking LazMart again to replenish my pantry. While they have a large variety of dry goods, they don not have fresh produce, frozen foods, and dairy items, unlike the online grocery store I have mentioned above.

    If you have not tried online grocery shopping yet, below are tips to make your shopping easy-peasy, cost-effective, and safe.

    Have your list ready

    Since we are on a limited budget, it is essential to know what to buy. Plan your meals and snacks for the entire week or two, purchase only what is on the menu. Make sure that it can last at least a couple of weeks. To ensure that you did not miss something, try to group your items into categories.

    Be Ready for a Substitute

    Most of their items sell out fast. Most brands also are not available. Just in case it is sold out or not available, check for other options. Now is an excellent time to be flexible. When choosing a substitute, be mindful of the price since you would not want to overspend.

    Buy in Bulk

    If buying in bulk can save cash, you can buy it in bulk. Just avoid buying on impulse. Shopping products in bulk is better as they would be delivered straight to your home, no heavy carrying is required. Speaking of no heavy carrying, I also purchase my rice and favorite drinks online.

    Order your groceries at least two days before

    Keep that in mind. Since most online groceries face high demand in orders, distribution delays may occur. LazMart never failed to amaze me. I always have my groceries 5 days earlier than their estimated delivery date.

    Do not wait until the last minute

    Most items sold out fast and became unavailable. If you are done with your list, check out and pay. Do not wait for things to replenish. This is what I have recently learned.

    Avoid delivery fees when you can

    Check for vouchers, discounts, or promo codes. LazMart offers free delivery when you spend at least P2,500.00 on your order.

    Use contact-less delivery

    Keep a safe distance from the courier when receiving your groceries. Maintain the 1-meter distance from one another.

    Wash/Disinfect packaging

    Before storing, wash/disinfect with alcohol, the packets and containers that come with the groceries. Groceries may have traces of other people’s hands when they collect and carry.

    Do not forget to wash your hand thoroughly after you store your groceries. Are you considering ordering your groceries online?

    *This is not a sponsored post.

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  • Work/Money Diaries

    {Why} Work from Home is Not for Me

    March 17, 2020

    With the current coronavirus outbreak, the entire Luzon has been placed under “Enhanced Community Quarantine” for almost a month. Many organizations are increasingly adopting telecommuting or work-from-home arrangements to mitigate threats from further transmitting the coronavirus disease in the country. As the outbreak has grown, more and more companies are encouraging employees to stay at home and operate work-from-home arrangements. Our company is one of those who responded. I feel lucky to be able to work from home.

    Honestly, I do not hate the idea of working from home. I feel that home is meant for fun things and the office for work. I do not fault anyone who loves the idea of working from home. Besides, we are all different and unique in many ways.

    I can focus on getting work done when I am in the office. Here are the reasons why work from home is not for me.

    No Dedicated Work Area

    Working from home is a perk for some people, but not when you live and pay rent for a small apartment where you have no space for desk or chair. While working in a bed sounds great, a desk, proper lighting, and a comfortable chair would be perfect for a productive day. Meanwhile, I am using a Megabox container as my desk and my bed as my chair.

    More Stressful

    Working from home is more stressful, more intense work pace, more vulnerable to working long hours, and higher performance expectations. I cannot count the number of times I have been handling separate discussions at the same time, which can make me stressed, especially when I still have tasks to complete by the end of the day.

    Temptations are Everywhere

    Home is filled with many distractions. When you are working from home, you are ostensibly free of distractions like chattering and singing coworkers. But being home, I feel obligated to do more household chores— clean the entire apartment, wash the dishes, dispose the garbage, and so on.

    Hard to Separate Personal and Work

    It is harder to switch off when your personal life and work are under the same roof. You sleep at home, and you are working at home. Establishing a line between work and home is tough. We have to find a way to distinguish between being “at work” and being “at home.”

    I cannot wait to go back to work. I wonder how people who work from home manage all of these. For now, I will stay at home as long as the health authorities advise.

    What challenges have you overcome?

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  • Life Lately

    A Week Before the Quarantine

    March 15, 2020

    March 9 (Monday)

    COVID-19 is spreading quickly. My cousin informed us about the community quarantine. I do not know where the details are coming from. He advised us to buy supplies worth a few weeks. I did not mind at first. But there is nothing wrong if I am going to stock up on food and essentials.

    I scanned my pantry and cleared out anything past its expiration.

    March 10 (Tuesday)

    I got up early. I made a rundown of what is left in my pantry and what to add. I rushed to the office as usual. I even stayed a little longer.

    March 11 (Wednesday)

    I have learned that the virus is sensitive to temperature. I am not really worried about COVID-19. We will make it.

    I booked a one-way trip going home on Holy Week. And check out the bag I have been eyeing lately. I am hitting two birds in one stone.

    March 12 (Thursday)

    PRRD addressed the public about COVID-19. He announced that NCR will be placed under community quarantine effective March 15. And will last until April 12. I talked to a few of my colleagues about my plans for going home. I really wanted to go back.

    March 13 (Friday)

    After work, I did a quick round in the supermarket. I bought a few essentials. People are panic buying, causing long queues in the supermarket. Alcohol, face masks, thermometers, and disinfectants flew off the shelves. There is a lot more to prepare than hoard alcohol and face masks.

    I ordered a few essentials through LazMart. Stocking up on dry goods: cup noodles, coffee, cereal, and canned goods.

    I have been informed that BOSH Training this Saturday is canceled.

    March 14 (Saturday)

    I dropped by 7-Eleven to buy breakfast, instant noodles, and a liter of juice. As usual, I hurried to work. Our team had a quick meeting about the quarantine. We are going to work by group. I have decided not to go home anymore.

    I later went to the bank to pay my apartment rent and went to the grocery to buy some more essentials, maximizing it only to 10 items. No, I am not panicking, really.

    March 15 (Sunday)

    I decided to clean my unit, change to clean sheets, and do the laundry. I wanted to go back to the grocery store to get a few more items, but I decided not to do that.

    I started to watch the “Kingdom.”

    How was your week before quarantine?

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  • Work/Money Diaries

    10 More Ways to Save Money

    January 22, 2020
    You must learn to save first and spend afterwards. – John Poole

    If I am going to write down all my expenses, below are what I spend lavishly for a month. I splurge on things I do not really need. I am such a huge spender. I need to cut down these expenses and grow my bank balance again. It is probably a lot of money if I had to add it up. The main reason why I do not have any savings is because my expenses and my debts are piled up. And for the next few months, I have/need to think about my credit card and hide it deep down before I have settled all my debts.

    I  have been thinking about this over and over. I had to cut those extra expenses and start saving for my future. Cutting my daily expenses to a simpler life will make it possible for me to save a lot of money without finding an additional source of income. For the sake of saving, I need to make small sacrifices.

    Break Off my Caffeine Fix

    I love love coffee. Who doesn’t love coffee? And it is now time to say goodbye to fancy coffee at Starbucks or Coffee Project and say hello to Great Taste White Caramel. Giving up isn’t that easy especially for a coffee addict like me. But cutting back on expensive coffee will make substantial savings.

     Money I Can Save – Php 150/day; Php 1,200/month 

    Cook/Pack my Own Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

    Bringing my own lunch and also dinner to work will save a couple of bucks. I don’t need to worry about health and sanitation issues anymore.

     Money I Can Save – Php 120/meal; Php 240/day; Php 5,760/month 

    Cut down Massages/Spa

    I can’t give up on this completely. For a very stressful week, pampering myself is the only thing left. There are still ways to look good, but with a smaller budget.

     Money I Can Save – Php 500 – 1,000/month 

    Stay Home More Every Weekend

    Staying at home can save up. I spend too much on things I don’t need and end up still buying when I go out. Getting together with friends and family at home can save money. Enjoy the benefits of staying at home ; staying in is more fun.

     Money I Can Save – Php 1,000/weekends 

    Save Money on Movie Watching

    My sister and I love watching movies in theaters. A movie costs us Php 200-400 each depending on the cinema/theater. That’s a lot of money.

     Money I Can Save – Php 800/weekends 

    Sell Stuffs

    I have a full of unused, unneeded, forgotten stuffs in my closet /storage. I am thinking of selling instead of keeping to make use of it.

     Money I Can Earn – Php 5,000/year 

    Clean out my Credit

    I am working on paying off our debt. Interest has already summed up a large part. Before, I disciplined myself to pay full each month. Since, we put all our expenses on it and exceeded our monthly budget, it incurred large amount of money.

     Money I Can Save – Php 1,600/month 

    Save Automatically

    A certain amount of money or percentage of my paycheck must be deposited in my savings account.

     Money I Can Save – 20% of paycheck/cut-off 

    If you want to save even more money, sacrifice little changes. Hopefully, I can stick to this to save up money. By the end of the year, I have a huge amount of money in my savings. Just embrace the idea of budgeting and it is going to be simple.

    The more I can save, the more adventures I can have the sooner.

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  • Life Lately

    About Me

    January 8, 2020

    I have a hard time introducing myself. I do not know why words and phrases do not fall out of my head and onto my screen. Maybe because I am afraid to admit that I am nobody or shy to discover something about myself. I know I am sometimes shy and timid. This is how I often describe myself.

    I stalked the “About me” pages of bloggers I know. And I began to think about what to write in mine. After a few revisions, I have come up with the typical one, Hey there.

    Hey there! I am Nikka Shem. I am a graduate of Electronics and Communications Engineering from Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, currently employed as a System and Application Engineer. Work has kept me busy nowadays, but I see that I spend a lot more time traveling and staying in touch with my friends and family. I am a Monday hater but a weekend and holiday lover.

    About My Blog

    I started blogging in 2003. Unfortunately, when I moved to the city, I stopped. I cannot find time for my blogging. But writing my daily activity is my passion. It has gone through many incarnations and remained there for a long time.

    NikkaShem.com is a room for my thoughts, my opinions, my experiences, my travels, and my life.

    This blog is my outlet – a distraction from the real world. I hope to contribute information through my misadventures and adventures, my wanderings, and my stories.

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