Review: Valiram Friends & Family Sale 2016

Seeing that I was on the lookout for my next bottle of body mist I thought that I would see what I might find at the Valiram Friends & Family Sale today. The sale is being held in JW Marriot and runs from April 1-3, 2016.

The sale wasn't spectacular, really. I only purchased a Bath & Body Works body mist, a Victoria's Secret body lotion and five Victoria's Secret thongs.

A body mist, a body lotion and frilly things :)

The queue to pay was super long but since I was in no hurry, I patiently waited. I found it strange that the priority lane for platinum Maybank credit card holders was long as well (so much for priority, huh?). 

Anyway, I would most probably be giving this sale a miss in the future unless of course, I run out of my toiletries again.

Kipling Polka dot Print Wallet Review

I went to the Kipling Members Sale Preview last week in 1-Utama solely because my then wallet was disintegrating to the point that it was kinda embarrassing to be seen using it and I was looking for a replacement wallet.

The sale itself was mega crazy. There was barely any room to move in that tiny store!

I got this wallet for 40% the original price. It was still pricey after the discount but I desperately had to get a new wallet and let me tell you, I have been looking for a replacement wallet for a long time already and have yet to find something that I liked, until today, that is. 

I have since used this wallet a little over a week now and so far, I love it! It has two zippered compartments, one for cards and the other for cash and coins. I like that the zippers are in fuchsia which contrasts with the polka dot prints. It also feels  comfortable in my hand --- something that I find is important to me. 

Baskin Robbins 31% Off

It's the 31st of the month and as always Baskin Robbins are having their 31% off promo today.

I was down at the local Baskin Robbins and picked up just a pint of Black Forest Cake Ice Cream. There wasn't too many people there when I got there around 6 pm. I went home after purchasing my pint of ice cream to put it in the freezer and later went out again and passed by the Baskin Robbins outlet and it was full of people at around 6:45 pm!

Phew! I was lucky that I was there just a tad earlier and missed the mad crowd (yes, it can get pretty mad in there on the 31st). There was once, a few months ago, I went there thinking that I was going to purchase ice cream on the 31st but gave up after seeing that there was just waaayyy too many people in there.

I got lucky today and I'm not complaining! :) I've now got my ice cream treat in the freezer!!! :)

The Big Bad Wolf is Back in Town!

The sale that I've been waiting for all year long is finally here.

...and this is only a third of the hall!

I was at the Big Bad Wolf Sale earlier today (or should I say yesterday, considering that this post is being published at 12:20 am, Tuesday morning). It was HUGE!!! Lots of books --- I was in heaven!!!  :)

Needless to say, I bought loads of books!

I didn't have trouble getting there. In fact, I didn't even have a map with me. I figured that I knew where UPM was and that since MAEPS, the venue of the sale, was somewhere near UPM, I would eventually see signs for it. And so, I headed for UPM, followed the signs showing the directions towards MAEPS and found my way there.

While the hall was really spacious with lots of personal space between customers (so we didn't have to rub shoulders and god forbid, whatever else!), getting to the hall from the car park might be a challenge for some people as it is a fair bit of distance to walk and at some points, it is an uphill climb.

I just treated the walk up and back down to the car park as exercise. In fact, I walked up and down from the hall TWICE as I had TWO shopping sessions --- Shopping Session 1, walked down to the car park to put my purchases away, walked back up, had lunch and after lunch, Shopping Session 2!).

I understand if you're not as crazy as I am and if the very thought of having to walk uphill in the heat turns you off or if you have young children or the elderly with you, I would strongly advise you to take the shuttles (yes, there are shuttles from the car park to the hall).

Pizza Hut on wheels! 

Food isn't an issue as there was a Pizza Hut food service truck just outside the hall. A personal pan pizza with ice lemon tea costs RM10. There was also another vendor selling drinks and hot dogs nearby. There is a fairly big canopied dining area (with fans) outside where you can have a quick bite or just have a drink while you rest your tired feet.

Books, books and more books! :)

Most of the books were going at RM8 each. Others were RM10, RM12, RM15 and RM20. If you're a bibliophile, this is a MUST go event. The sale ends this Sunday, October, 16, 2011.

As always, one visit is NEVER enough! Hmmm... maybe I should go visit the wolf just to see how he's doing soon... ;)

The Big Bad Wolf Sale

The much awaited for sale is finally around the corner. I'm looking forward to making my annual book purchase. This time around I'm on the lookout for personal finance books as well as novels.

For those who are contemplating on whether or not to go, listen, it is worth your time going there. The books are dirt cheap (paperback novels at RM8!) and they are new.

This time around, Big Bad Wolf promises an even bigger sale with 1.5 million books! I've been going to the BBW sale ever since it started and during each sale period, I've made two to three visits. One visit is never enough!

The books that I purchased have given me many hours of reading pleasure. If you're like me and you absolutely cannot imagine life without books and you want to stretch your budget, this is the book sale that you MUST go to to stock up on books.

Yes, I've heard some people moan and groan that it's in Serdang, but you know what, Serdang is not out there in the sticks as some of you may want to believe. It's only 20 minutes from KL if you take the PLUS highway. Have a sense of adventure and venture out to this new location. You just might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Will I see you there???

LOREAL Stock Clearance Sale

I went to the Loreal Stock Clearance sale in Sri Petaling Hotel today. Okay, granted that it was quite a drive for me to get there but I thought that I'd go to check it out to see if I could pick up some treats at a discount so that I wouldn't kick myself so much if the products didn't work out.

I haven't been to the Loreal Stock Clearance sale for quite a while now and I must say that it has changed quite a bit. Their warehouse sales in the past have been quite a mad house with loads of women pushing their way to get to the products. Back in those days the sales were often held only on one day and some women would take the day off from work just to go to it. Today, shopping was a breeze.

The products are no longer as cheap as they used to be, I'm afraid. I remember the days when the Maybelline  lipsticks used to be RM 10 each. Now, they cost RM19 each. Kinda pricey for a drugstore brand sold at a warehouse sale, if you ask me.

I recently bought the Maybelline Angel Fit Foundation at Watsons for RM32 (and that was a discounted price, the normal price is about RM40). I saw it at the sale today and it was selling at RM22. Strangely enough, it didn't have the same names that they have for the products in the stores. The bottles only had code numbers which can be difficult to buy especially if you're thinking of picking up a bottle after having tested out the colours at the stores earlier on.

Here's what I bought:
1. Loreal Derma Genesis Pore Minimising Smoother (Gel Cream) for RM27 (This product contains Hyaluronic Acid and it was a curiosity purchase as I've read so many good things about Hyaluronic Acid)
2. Loreal Touche Magique Concealer for RM20 (I've read great reviews about this product)
3. Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (Waterproof) in 01 Black for RM23 (I've read great reviews about this product too). The package includes the gel liner as well as its own eyeliner brush.
4. Maybelline Clear Skin Minerals BB Cream in Fresh  for RM14 (This was my curiosity purchase. I've tried out the testers at the store many times before but never got around to forking out around RM20, normal price, for it. It's a small tube that's easy to carry in my bag and it comes with SPF 26)
5. Two Maybelline Eyestudio Eyeliner Pencils for RM6 each (for my mom)
6. Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Permanent Hair Color for RM14 (This is my staple purchase)

The good thing is because everything was kinda pricey, I wasn't going crazy and getting EVERYTHING I saw. I was quite reasonable in selecting my purchases.

If you're thinking of going to the sale, it runs till Sunday, September 18, 2011.

Tracking my daily expenses

I've recently downloaded a free personal budget template from Google docs and have been tracking my spending habits since the beginning of April.

I'm curious to see what I have been spending my money on and I'd like to see if there are areas that I can cut back on (I'm sure there are!!!). Many times we think that we spent x when in reality, we spent x+30. It's easy to fool ourselves when we don't really know what our outgoings are.

I've set myself a daily budget and try to stick to it as best as I can (I'm not always successful I must admit!).

So far, since I began tracking my expenses, there have been two occasions that I have impulse shopped --- something that I am guilty of time and time again. I just can't resist the four-letter-word --- SALE!!!

I don't know why I buy more of the same things that I KNOW I already have... While there are days that I cave in the minute I see something I want on sale, most other days I am pretty good and am able to walk away from a sale, telling myself that if I really want it, can't get it out of my head 3 days down the road, I'll go back to the store and make the purchase. I'm happy to say that on most occasions, I'd have forgotten about the "must have" item by the time I get home :) 

call of the mall: why we buy by paco underhill

i  just finished reading this book.  i bought this book in a book sale a few years ago.  don't know why i never got around to reading it until now.  okay, it appeared to be a very "factual" (= boring) sort of book.  that was until i picked it up and started reading it.

it's an eye opener with regards to how malls and retailers get you to shop.  it also explains why people go to malls.  not everything is new information for me though as i spent quite a number of years as a store designer so i am aware of some of the stuff that this book presents.  still, i enjoyed reading this book.  even though it presents facts based on years of research, it's written in an entertaining manner which makes it very easy to read.  i am thinking of look out for the other two books by paco underhill why we buy and what women want.  wonder if i might find those in bookxcess...

my splurge

i was at 1-utama today and as i was walking into the mall, i saw the sale sign in marks and sparks.  went in thinking that i was not going to find anything --- boy, was i wrong!

i ended up buying two bras, two tank tops (it was a set, RM 39, normal RM 59), a pair of per una pants (really nice for RM 69, normal RM 299!!!). one of the bras that i purchased was in nude, a colour that i almost never buy but it was on sale (dirt cheap at RM 29, normal RM 89,  in  fact both bras were going for the same price. the other bra is in blue and really pretty and it normally retails for RM 109) and it fit really well (push up), so i guess, i made a colour compromise.

omg!!! another pair of shoes!!!

yup, guilty!!!  i just couldn't help it!!!

i was passing by the vincci store in 1-utama today and was unable to resist a read pair of heels that was on 50% discount!

yes, it is my fourth pair of shoes within the same week, i know!

shoe sale!!!

did i happen to mention that the shoe sale is on at vincci and i bought three pairs of shoes last sunday???

in my defense though, all three pairs, i am happy to announce were on 50% discount!

i bought a pair in gold (which would look great worn with jeans) and two pairs in black (which i thought would be great for work).

it seems like such a splurge but i figured that i might as well buy all three pairs as i sometimes cannot get shoes in my size especially in sales.

Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki

i finished reading the last book and have just started reading this book last night.

Cotton On

I just discovered Cotton On in 1-Utama (okay, I'm probably the last person on the planet to discover this!).  I saw loads of people in the store (there was a sale on).

I'd never heard of the brand before and went into the store to see what was going on.  I LOVED it!!!  People were going crazy and the clothes were everywhere...the last time I saw anything that resembled this was when I was in Primark in London.

The prices were affordable and there were loads of stuff that I liked (and bought!). In fact, I loved it sooo much that I went back there the next day (when the displays were more organized).