Group Buying - When Deals Go Wrong

Group buying sites are sure to stay with all the significantly lower bargains they offer but with a catch!
You have to buy now then decide later to use the vouchers within the allowable time period.
Some may wonder if the deals are so real for the prices are 40-70% off the market price.  While most of the deals are good and valid, there had been fraud stories as well.

Among the top group buying sites in the Philippines is Cash Cash Pinoy.  I came across this forwarded message in Facebook sharing their fraud experience with Landsair Travel and Tours' Journey to Banaue Rice Terraces Promo:

Let me tell you all about what happened. I saw this Banaue 3d/2n tour package. It was claiming an amazing 60% off for the tour, originally priced 21k, you get it for only 9k per pax.  Sounds good right? The promo includes private van transfers, daily breakfast, accommodation at the 3 star Banaue hotel, and tour. So before I purchased the vouchers, I called up Landsair and was able to speak to Malou de Los Santos, she said that in order for the van to be exclusive for the group we got to have 6 pax in the group. And departure time from Manila would be early morning which would be safer unlike buses which depart at night. Departure time from Banaue would depend on passengers according to Malou. However, only my mother and aunt wanted to go. So I clarified with them and they said that it was okay since other tourists will be joining the group as well. So I got the vouchers and reserved for November 30. That was about 2 weeks earlier.

It was nearing November 30, and the cash cash Pinoy deal had only 2 vouchers sold, which were the ones I purchased. So I called up Landsair again and they informed me that if there weren't enough people to join the tour the money would be refunded. That was okay for me then. On November 26, I called up the same agent (she was always the one I spoke to since I had her cellphone number), she said that the tour will push through for November 30. However, since my mom and aunt were already senior citizens, it was "safer" if they travel via "private" bus, complete with reclinable seats and restrooms. I even clarified if it was private, and she reassured me, mentioning that they have rearranged pick up in Espana to provide convenience for my relatives. Upon sending me the itinerary it was noted that the bus will be Florida bus, and meet up will be at the bus terminal on November 29, 9 PM, departure at 1030 PM. Departure from banaue on the last day would be 6 PM (which were contrary to what she first mentioned but I didn't press much on this topic). So then I called her up and politely inquired regarding the so called "private" bus, she said that it's technically private because only tourists going straight to Banaue will be getting on the bus. And a guide will be going with my relatives from manila all the way until the trip ends, and if they were to go via private van there wouldn't be any guide. Anyway, I didn't argue further because I knew that even though the buses for sure will be cheaper in terms of transportation cost, it would be better for my mom and aunt since the bus has restrooms inside. So I agreed and just asked if she could throw in free lunch and dinner instead. She informed me that it was not possible cause they have already thrown in the Sagada tour for free (which upon research was really included in all Banaue local tours). Upon several negotiations,she agreed for 1 "single plated dinner" which I settled for.
On the day of departure, Malou sent me a new itinerary indicating Ohayami bus instead of Florida. I clarified again and she said that both have restrooms inside. It's basically the same, just different bus companies. That wasn't a big deal for me then. But then, when my mom arrived at the bus terminal, they found out that Ohayami buses (costing 450/ pax) do not have restrooms inside!!! And Florida buses (600/ pax) aren't licensed to travel to Banaue anymore. This freaked my mom and aunt, so I again called up Malou and complained how come she reassured me that the buses were the same, and even told me not to worry because they will check on my relatives from time to time. And you know what? She said she was just informed by another travel agency who really manages the Banaue tour, and all information she told me were second hand information from Mr. Albert Gonzaga, whom I should direct my complaints to!!! Then I informed her that the promo involved her travel agency, therefore me speaking to the other travel agent was out of the question since we were the ones negotiating the whole time. She shouldn't have given me information she was not sure about. I even mentioned that how come I paid 18k for public transpo which costs only 1800 2 way for 2pax!!! Well, as usual she said there was nothing she can do since she just forwarded everything to another travel agency and the tour could not be cancelled anymore since everything has been set. So I didn't argue further since I knew she wouldn't really do anything about it anymore. But then that night, I received two text messages from Malou intentionally mis- sending the message " ma'am paki bura cellphone number ko sa lahat ng ads natin thanks", I didn't probe deeper into this anymore. It just made me say to myself, she had the nerve to get mad after what her travel agency and so called service did to me.
So when my mom met the supposed guide at the bus terminal, they were informed that they were just instructed to meet my mom and give them directions and vouchers for the trip. I was able to speak to the guide and she informed me that the tour would cost about 9k for 2 pax. Knowing that, I knew that the promo was not really a promo after all! But then there was nothing I can do since i've already paid for it. I thought, I'll just wait for the outcome of the tour itself, and if it didn't work out okay, I would then forward a complaint.
And you know what??? Contrary to their Banaue hotel accommodation (costing about 43 usd per room in agoda) promo, my mom was asked to stay in People's lodge which costs 6h per room for 2 pax!!! Imagine that. So you guys tell me, was it unreasonable for me to get fuming mad for what happened?
So the next time this discount site offers another promo, pls. Make sure you're really getting a good deal out of it. And if You happen to want to purchase another Landsair agency promo, pls make sure that all their informations are correct... I don't expect any compensations or refunds. What's done is done. This is just to inform everyone of what happened so it hopefully doesn't happen again.

I wasn't able to get a screenshot of the deal, but here are traces of the deal left in Google.

 This reminded me of another deal that went wrong from Metro Deal's Ugly Birds Cake that circulated last month:  (Story by Jeff Ngo)

Dear Fashion PULIS,
My mother got this deal a few weeks ago on line in time for my brother's birthday.

Advertisement

From the ordering to the reserving of the cake, it turned out to be a major disappointment. The cake company was so hard to contact and the staff won't even reply to our texts messages. It was even worse when we picked up the cake. It was so ugly and it looked so different from the photo that was advertised online.

Photo of the actual cake

My 11-year-old brother, who is a big crybaby , was really upset when he saw his cake. We also ordered the cake pops which were sticking to the plastic. The sticks came off and we had to place them on top of another cake. I tried one and it tasted like uncooked cake dough. I hope this serves as a warning to the people who also got this deal. Please be more cautious in availing promos because pictures can really be deceiving.
 Thank you very much FP! God bless.
 Yours truly, Jen Ngo

Have you had any bad experiences with daily deals?  What's your story?

The Promise of Abundance

This month's series is about God's promises of abundance entitled "Abraham's School of Finance"

It talks about the life of Abraham and how he lived his life in faith and obedience that eventually led him to God's overflowing abundance.

The pastor today was Chinkee Tan who's a very successful motivational speaker, author and radio broadcaster in his new series "Chink Positive"

We started off with the verse from Genesis 12 2:3 which reveals God's promise of abundance to man.
"And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and magnify your name, and you will be blessed."

"And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and magnify your name, and you will be blessed."

What does the first verse mean?
Our destiny is to become great. No one is an accident and each and everyone have a purpose to be a great influence and blessing to others.

God's will is not just for us to be spiritually and emotionally blessed but financially as well.

God blesses us to become a blessing to others.

To whom much is given, much is also required.

The second verse speaks about how God will treat those who bless you and those who curse you.

God will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.

With God, we have His protection in our lives. We shouldn't fear if circumstances come our way that doesn't make sense in our own eyes. We must have faith and trust His heart.

The Road to abundance
God owns everything.
We are simply the managers of God's resources.

Our resources may be in the form of time, money, and talents.

Chinkee discussed the 4 areas we should treat our blessings when we receive them.
1. Tithe- give back a portion to God what is rightfully His.
2. Charity/donations
3. Keep earnings
4. Spend

What man's heart usually says
"God I'll donate money when I can earn more"
"God I'll work excellently when you give me the promotion"

How God blesses
It is true that the extra finances and promotion our hearts desire comes from God.

But if we aren't obedient to what God wants us to do with His given blessings, how can he entrust us with more?

When you don't know how to tithe or save, how will you tithe and save when you have more?

When you don't know how to perform your work excellently, how will you be entrusted with a job promotion?

We can't pray for health when we are harming our body with junk and vices.

God says, "Be faithful in the little things He has entrusted us, for He will entrust you with more."

Those entrusted with larger amounts have a greater responsibility than those entrusted with smaller amounts.

Often times, we fail to wait on God's time.
Be still and know that God is in your life.
Be faithful and obedient to receive the promise of God.
Stay in God's calling and you shall be blessed.

I would like to add a verse I remembered upon encountering this lesson:
From Isaiah 55:2
"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food"

Do you have a story where God blessed you at His perfect time? We'd love to hear your story.

Catch the next chapter at Greenhills Music Museum next Sunday at 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 6:30 pm

Ace Water Spa - Fun Water Therapy for Muscle Pain Relief

Just came home from a super relaxing experience.

This afternoon, we decided to try out the newest branch of Ace Water Spa at Pasig City.  This time, they brought it up a notch.  No longer it was an ordinary water spa, but a full hotel, condo, and commercial plaza.

It's probably been at least 2 years since my last trip to Ace Water Spa.  For those who are not familiar with it, Ace Water Spa is a hydrotherapy water park.

I was really amazed with the uniforms for it reminded me of
professional flight attendants

What is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy involves using different levels of water pressure and temperature to relieve body pains.  Think of it as a jacuzzi park with different varieties to experience.

Upon entering, you can see a view of the waterpark from the restaurant

What to expect from Ace Water Spa
I really loved the hydrotherapy experience.
My personal favorites are:

• Acupuncture rainfall - perfect for insomniacs, wanted to go to sleep after a few minutes of trying it.  You lie down on your chest and let the water droplets fall on your back and thigh.
• Jet chair - water pressure that massages your thigh, lower leg and butt
• Bubble bed - feel as if you're being boiled in a pot with all the bubbles from underneath
• Heated aromatherapy pools - hot pools with aromatherapy oils added and a cold metallic beam to rest your head.  I tried mint, jasmine, and lavender which is the hottest pool.  The heat penetrates your skin, and soothes your aching muscles.

In the heated pools section, you will find the sauna and steam room as well as an ice cold tub in the middle and drinking area.

Ace at night

Tips for your trip to Ace Water Spa

• Proper swimwear is required.  Trunks for men and for ladies, one piece and fit swimsuits are highly recommended for the water pressure can sometimes strip you off.
• Towels are not provided so you have to bring your own.  But they provide swim caps.  I believe swimwear rental is also available
• Locker Rooms - their locker rooms are equipped with shampoo, soap, hairdryers, q tips, hair gel and hair dryers.  They even provide plastic bags for your wet clothing.

After the water therapy experience, I became so famished!  Which is probably why they placed the restaurant upon your exit.

Ace Coffee Lounge

Dining area

However in the mood for chinese food, we went to Luk Foo Cantonese Restaurant near our area and ended my evening with an unexpected massage date together with my good friends Joy and Yo at Nuat Thai - Traditional Thai massage.

...And some room for a midnight snack and chit chat at Wendy's

Super relaxed and refreshed!

What are your best ways of relaxing?  Do share your methods in the comments section =)

Water Conservation Habits to Slash Your Water Bill by Half

Our water bill arrived today and the guy that delivered it told us, "You know, your water bill is either half or one-third than most of the neighbors here"
"Wow!" my mind said, this guy gave me a new post topic.

My mom is the goddess of recycling.  Anything she sees that could still be reused or transformed into something else, she would definitely do so.  You won't believe the creative ideas she's got and often times I find myself giggling when I find her again creatively converting junk to reusable items or trying to guess the leftovers she used to create a whole new dish when cooking!!  She's fantastic!

So what about our incredibly 'lower' water bill?
It all starts with our dish washing.
Rule #1 
Don't use fresh water to wash off the food stains from plates and cutlery.  Collect soapy water from previous dish washing and use it for washing off food stains.

How to achieve this?
In our home, we have a double kitchen sink that looks similar to this:

On the left sink, we place a plastic basin, this is where we collect the soapy water while rinsing the dishes.

with cover preferred so you can cover it when not using it.

How to collect your first batch of soapy water?
Things you need:
Always have 2 separate sponges, one for soaping, another for removing food stains.  Never mix these two.  Have a small cup for collecting soap water.

• Start soaping the glasses first before anything else.  Glasses are least likely to have food stains on them so your sponge will stay clean.  After soaping the glasses, rinse them off while collecting the soap water using the basin.
• Now scoop some soap water using the small cup and use the second sponge for removing food stains.  Keep  You'll have plates and cutlery free from food stains without using fresh water at all!  Just imagine the amount of water you'd save when you practice this habit after each mealtime!
• After removing the food stains, you can now continue soaping the dishes with your clean soap sponge.  Remember to collect the soap water while rinsing.

Other uses for the collected soap water

• We use it to wipe dining table, kitchen table, stove, floor, bathroom sinks etc.

Other forms of water you can recycle

Rice and vegetable washings - instead of throwing them away, use it instead to water the plants.

Hope this helps slash off your water bill.  Do you have any water conservation tips to share?  Post your comments below!

Rediscovering Tagaytay

I'm loving November!  It's full of holidays!
Without any itinerary planned, we decided to spend one night at Days Hotel Tagaytay just to enjoy the cool air and nature-like environment you don't see in the city.
Since my childhood, everytime I hear the word Tagaytay, it just means seeing Taal volcano, passing by the horse riding area, and fruit and flower vendors.

Today there's alot of charming places to visit, from classic inns and gardens to specialty restaurants and resorts.

We originally planned to visit Hacienda Isabella but was shooed away by a rude lady who bluntly told us that we can't enter unless we had an appointment and to come back tomorrow.  Apparently ABS-CBN was filming an episode of Maria la del Barrio in their location.  It was extremely annoying and disappointing for it was quite a long drive from the main road.  Don't let the location map fool you to thinking that it's near.

We had no choice I guess but to leave the place losing complete interest to ever visit again.  However in the process of going back, something funny happened.  We chanced upon Balay Indang's location and eventually decided to stop by to take a look.  It's a charming bed & breakfast with a lovely garden.
Here are some photos I took from Balay Indang:

Entrance from the parking area

classic wooden sign

path to the main house - Balay

the dining area

lobby

Dining area

a peek at their accommodation

common area

They even have a pool!

garden and pond surrounding the common area

function room

outdoor dining area

garden paths

It's quite a relaxing and peaceful place.  In fact, so peaceful they do not even have any television nor wifi.  The manager mentioned that some guests do bring their own portable television with them lol.

We didn't make it in time to their lunch service for the wasted time with Hacienda Isabella (grrr to them)
However, we decided to check out Mano's Greek Taverna and Hotel which features a mountain view restaurant and 3 private rooms as accommodation.

The path is pretty steep but you won't be disappointed.

one of the 3 private rooms

path to the restaurant

interesting wall design

you have reached the restaurant!

nice view while dining

their freshly baked bread with feta cheese and Tzatziki

moussaka

Baklava

I also had a rare and beautiful view of the sunrise

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day"
Genesis 1:31

Unfortunately, the beauty of it wasn't captured very well from my phone.

What other interesting places you have visited in Tagaytay that are worth visiting?  Post your recommendations below!~

What to Do When Lies Become Truths and Impressions Towards You at Work?

Have you ever had someone say things about you which aren't even true?  It's only natural that we face this everyday.  The hardest situation is when those lies become truths to the people that have been told.
Especially your boss.

I work remotely.
No office, no transportation worries, no putting up with a fake disposition to anybody.
All I need is a stable internet connection and a decent computer.

The deal with remote-based jobs
To alot of people I've shared about the nature of my job, the first replies I usually get are, "Wow that's so nice!  Wish I had a job just like that!"

They all think about not having to get out of bed too early, not having to worry about hours wasted in traffic, more time for themselves and stuff.  In short, the 'convenience'

Do take note that this 'convenience' comes with a heavy price as well.  It is a whole new lifestyle to adapt to that requires more discipline to get things done.

For the first few months, yes, you'll feel free from all the morning routine crap you go through before reaching your workplace.  Hallelujah !

Then your mind starts to feel 'caged' for seeing the same environment day and night til the next workday.

You have no physical contact with coworkers to talk or hangout with after hours.

Depression and paranoia can sink in confusing you into thinking, am I in the right career?

At some point, you will even find yourself sick from using the computer even if it's for entertainment.

The danger
While there are some forms of convenience.
Most of the time, you only have yourself to rely on to do your job.
You resolve technical issues + shoulder maintenance cost (if any should arise to get the job done) instead of relying on your IT department
You go through online training instead of the usual training and team building opportunities most companies have.

The perks
You manage your own time but still keep in line with the project's timeline.
Stay close to the people you live with at home.
Work from any location- your home, your friend's home, or even your local coffee shop.

And this "just in case I'm in the coffee shop impression" is what has concerned me.

When impressions become truths
Apparently, my boss still has an impression that I run off to the coffee shop quite frequently even today for it was casually mentioned in a voice call.

Not that I am overly upset or anything.  I just do not know how to classify my reaction but let's just say that it's not a good feeling when people have an impression that's not even half true.

I guess what I am truly bothered about is how others can stir stories and tell them as if they were facts of my work life.

It can be natural to feel upset or feel the need to fend for yourself.

But I chose to feel 'okay' about it.

Feel Okay? What do you mean! someone just said stuff about you which isn't true.  Shouldn't you go confront them or something?

When I mean 'okay'.  I chose not to feel bitter and keep the faith.
It reminded me of what Joel Osteen has talked about in his podcast #518, explaining Psalm 27
"Challenges may come your way, but you are not worried about it.  You know it can't touch you.  No weapon formed against you can prosper"


"People may be talking, trying to make you look bad but you don't give any thought about it.  You know your future is too great to be distracted.  You know they don't control your destiny but God does.  So you just keep on, being your best, walking in integrity"


Some verses for dealing with work:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" 
Colossians 3:23

"We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it"
1 Corinthians 4:12


Hope this helps you break free from feeling discouraged with your everyday work life.

*Update: Friday, November 11
I'm in shock and in awe.  My boss gave me an unexpected bonus!  Thank you God, you are so true to your word.

I'm so touched

Global Pinoy Bazaar at Rockwell Tent

Rain or shine, events must go on!  (as long as there's no sign of hurricanes)
One rainy Saturday, we visited Rockwell Tent to check out the Global Pinoy Bazaar where they feature export quality products proudly made in the Philippines.

Thanks to my very awesome friend Joy Wong for the tickets

The tent was quite packed with stalls featuring goods like clothing, bags, accessories, souvenirs, interior decorations, cosmetics, and food!
I'm not really an impulse shopper but I do love the experience of seeing something new, creative and life changing stuff.
Here are some scenes from the bazaar:

Clothes, bags, and accessories lane

The only lantern stall in the bazaar

Philippine handicrats - like the ones you see in SM's Kultura stores

Busy chefs in the food section

Some products for sale:

artsy serving cutlery

handmade soaps