Archives for March 2012

Your Caribbean Vacation: Choose to Cruise

March 23, 2012 by

Cruising is a popular way to visit the Caribbean and, with a little thought, it’s easy to see why. You don’t have to worry about finding a place to stay, searching out decent restaurants for every meal or scratching your head over activities. If you think cruising might be a good choice for your Caribbean getaway, read on.

Is Cruising Right For You?

If you’ve never cruised before, take some time to decide if cruising could be a good fit for your situation and personality. For many families, the all-inclusive nature of cruising can’t be beat. There’s no need to worry about finding activities for the kids or worrying if the restaurant will have chicken nuggets on the menu. Upsides of cruising are the fact that cruises are easy to budget and the focus is usually on pampering and relaxation. For many individuals, this sounds like heaven in itself. For others, who may be more interested in delving into local culture, trying out new dishes and avoiding the crowds, a cruise may not be a good fit for their trip to the Caribbean. Some people might even be afraid to go on a cruise as they think that something bad might happen. Luckily if something does happen, then you can easily get the compensation that you deserve by using a law firm like Naylor Law.

Types of Cruises

There are three basic types of Caribbean cruises, which vary in the ports of call that the ship stops in. Eastern Caribbean cruises generally stop at St. Maarten, San Juan and St. Thomas, as well as the cruise ship’s private island. St. Thomas, a member of the U.S. Virgin Islands, feels less like an island getaway and more like a full-fledged state, equipped with all the annoyances of home. Puerto Rico offers a more colorful port of call, with a bit more culture and tropical rainforests.

Western Caribbean cruises generally are a week long and stop at Key West, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Key West, that quirky, most southern point in the continental U.S., offers charm and cute seafood restaurants. Cozumel, the largest island in Mexico, offers beautiful snorkeling and diving opportunities. Jamaica offers a cultural feel distinct from most other Caribbean islands, with its African heritage and laid-back nature.

Have a bit more time on your hands? Cruisers who have 10-to-12 days to devote to their vacation may be interested in a southern Caribbean cruise. These cruises generally have more ports of call. Stops often include Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Curacao, Grenada, Martinique, St. Bart’s, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

Booking Your Cruise

Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, or Disney – these are just some of the cruise lines to choose from. You should do your research to make sure that you’re booking a cruise with a solid reputation, on a line that specializes in the type of service you’re looking for.

Different cruise lines have different reputations and approaches to service. Carnival, for example, is often considered the “fun” cruise line, while others, like Royal Caribbean and Princess, offer larger ships with more amenities. Some cruises are focused on high-end service and a price tag to match, while others are geared towards families. None of the cruise lines are very cheap, but each offers something unique. Fine dining or casual atmosphere; set schedule or flexibility – there’s a cruise line to fit most types of travelers. Find one that fits the vacation that you’re looking for and you’ll be sure to have an ideal trip.

Sources

Fodor’s

CruiseSavvy


Filed Under: Explorations, Family Fun Tagged With: ,

Keep Your House Safe From Fire

March 22, 2012 by

March, the Fire Prevention Month in our country, is almost over yet we still hear of fire incidents across the Metro. Most of these incidents occur not because of arson but are due to negligence. These fire incidents could have been prevented had those involved known how to properly fire-proof their homes. A friend of mine had recently experienced a house fire, which was very traumatic for her. The house that she had lived in for a number of years had been ruined and there wasn’t much for her to salvage. This then lead to her having to check out sites like williampitt.com to find and find somewhere new to call home. This is why knowing what to do in a fire is important, as you may be able to prevent it from becoming out of hand.

Last March 17, PR Moms were invited to the PR Gaz Discovery Day in Pasig. It was truly a day of discovery as we learned so many things not only about PR Gaz company but also about how to keep our homes safe from fire and what to do when fire erupts inside our homes.

Liquefied petroleum gas is colorless and odorless but ethyl mercaptan is added to it so gas leaks can be detected. So if an odor that’s pretty much like terrible morning breathe wafts through the house, get everyone safely out of the house, and do the following:

  1. Do NOT turn off or turn on any switch. Both actions can cause sparks that may trigger fire.
  2. Remove source of gas leak. Turn off the tank’s bulb to stop gas from seeping out.
  3. Open windows and doors to allow air to circulate inside the house and disperse the gas.
  4. Use a wet cloth to cover the source of the gas leak.
  5. LPG is denser than air so it will stay close to the ground. You can actually slowly “sweep” any gas that may have leaked out of the house.
  6. In case fire occurs, call 117 immediately.

It’s good to know what to do when gas leaks or when there’s fire, but it’s better to know what you can do to prevent any such incident, and to reinforce your knowledge on fire safety, it might be worth having a look at this great fire safety supplier to keep yourself up-to-date and informed. Most fires in the metro are caused by leaks from LPGs or from burning candles. This is why we should never leave any lit candle unattended. Fires that stem from LPGs may be averted by

  1. Choosing a reliable LPG provider such as PR Gaz Haus which assures that all PR Gaz tanks are of the highest standards and meet all safety requirements.
  2. Regularly checking your tank and hose for leaks.
  3. Closing the bulb of the tank after cooking. Yes, you have to close it everytime after you cook and not just at night or when the family’s going out.
  4. Never laying an LPG tank on its side. This may case the liquid petrol inside to leak.
  5. Avoiding moving the stove often as doing so may damage the hose and coppertubes.

    Contact certified installers of fire doors to have your existing fire door checked and replaced in case it needs the same.

These are just some of the things we learned during the PR Gaz Discovery Day. If you’d like to learn more about fire prevention and fire safety, PR Gaz can hold an LPG Safety Seminar for your community or school. They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I say now that an ounce of fire prevention is worth a lot more than a pound of ash and rubbish.


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Filed Under: Events, House Matters

Low Capital Business Opportunities with BeauQuest and La Reine Nail and Day Spa

March 21, 2012 by

With prices skyrocketing and interest rates on deposits falling way below the rate of inflation, it’s more practical to invest your money in business than to keep it in a savings account. However, many find starting a business too risky thinking that doing so entails a huge capital. And, true, you will need to spend money on some things, like getting a 409a valuation startup document done, but those will all be necessary expenses to help you get up and running. But it’s not just finances that go into creating a business. The entire process of starting a business can seem really scary, but if you start it the right way by choosing a company formation agent, you’ll find it easier. You’ll then have registered your company with many perks, including the possibility of free banking for a year. As well as looking to register your company, you’ll need to look into cleaning services that can come in after office hours and clean the office down. To find the cheapest quotes, you may want to look for companies associated wth Poppies through their franchising scheme (https://poppies.co.uk/franchising/
for more information on that).

Are you one of those who are skeptical about investing your hard-earned money? Well, you don’t have to risk thousands to start your own business. La Reine Nail and Day Spa and BeauQuest can help you be an entrepreneur with just a modest capital.

LA REINE NAIL AND DAY SPA FRANCHISE

La Reine and Nail Spa provides a Day Spa experience in lavish surroundings at affordable prices. It offers its clients a place to relax and be pampered after a frenzied day. It strives to provide these services to a wider clientele by offering franchises to those who would like to embark on a new business venture. With an investment of Php 250,000, a franchisee will have a fully operational La Reine Nail and Day Spa. The entire franchise package is inclusive of the following:

  • Use of Trade Name and Logo
  • Operation’s Manual
  • Franchise Training and Seminar
  • Staff Training
  • Initial Stocks and Equipment
  • Customized Furniture and Lighting
  • Customized Staff Uniform
  • Marketing Materials such as flyers and tarpaulins
  • Signages

For more information about La Reine’s franchise package, visit them at #17 Annapolis Street, E. Rodriquez Sr, Cubao, Quezon City or call them at (02)966-0086.

BEAUQUEST PARTICIPATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

More than supplying beauty products such as soaps, lotions and creams, BeauQuest also conducts trainings and seminars for those who would like to venture into business.

BeauQuest seeks to contribute to the improvement of the Philippine economy by marketing locally and globally demanded products and services through Participative Entrepreneurship. They have a business and marketing concept solution for would-be entrepreneurs. They provide an affordable do-it-yourself business along with knowledge and skills needed to market products and services.

They also conduct PRODUCTION AND TECHNICAL TRAINING WORKSHOPS ON HOW TO MAKE QUALITY, YET AFFORDABLE PERSONAL AND HOMECARE PRODUCTS using bio-degradable and natural raw materials for soaps, creams, lotions and other beauty essentials.

BeauQuest provides both raw materials and ready-made products for those who wish to start their own business. Kojic Acid Soap, Acne Soap, Slimming Soap and other bar soaps start at Php 18.00 each. So even if you only have Php 500 to start you off, you could still gain as much as Php 300 – even more than that if you could market it well.

For more information about BeauQuest’s products and business opportunities, visit http://beauquest.sulit.com.ph/ , http://beauquest.multiply.com/, or the BeauQuest Facebook page.




Filed Under: Business Savvy Moms, for DAD & MOM, Mom's Corner, Products We Love Tagged With: , , ,

Royale Pampering for The Queens of The Households at La Reine Nail and Day Spa

March 20, 2012 by

Pampering need not be exclusive to those born with a silver spoon. La Reine Nail and Day Spa provides pampering services that are accessible and affordable even to those who are on a tight budget. In need of a pedicure? You only need to shell out 50 pesos for a Royale Pedicure which already comes with a Therapeutic Massage. How’s that for a bargain?!

Moreover, you get to enjoy these affordable services with the same quality service and relaxing ambience other nail spas offer at exorbitant prices. Moms like me who are concerned about the household budget need not worry about spending too much on pampering. At La Reine, we can feel like queens without having to spend a fortune.

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This is exactly what I and several other mommy bloggers were treated to a couple of weeks ago – a Royale Pampering for the queens of the households. We had the entire spa to ourselves and had a wonderful time chatting about anything and everything while our feet got some much needed pampering. This is such a welcome respite as we all are often busy running the household, running after our kids, and running our own businesses.

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La Reine’s offers hand spas and foot spas ranging from Php 99 to 200. Massages range from Php80 – 299, Waxing from Php 100 – 250, and Eyelash Extensions from Php 300 – 400. You can check out all the services they offer in their Facebook Page. Click on “like” while you’re at it. 😀

La Reine also offers a Franchise Package to those who’d like to invest in their own Nail and Day Spa. With an initial investment of Php 250,000, you’ll have a fully operational business inclusive of customized furniture and lighting, trained staff, initial stocks and so much more. Share the company’s mission of creating a warm and welcoming environment for all by setting up your very own La Reine Nail and Day Spa in your area.

As much as I want to grab this lucrative business opportunity, I already have my hands full now and would have to wait until the little ones are of school-age before I start any business venture.  For now, I’ll just relish being one satisfied customer of La Reine Nail and Day Spa.  I can’t wait for their Marikina branch to open!

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Thank you, Grace (rightmost in picture), for a delightful afternoon of Royale Pampering!

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La Reine Nail and Day Spa is located at #17 Annapolis Street, Cubao, Quezon City with branches opening soon in Marikina City and in Laguna. Call 966-0086 or 0917-5727530 to book a pampering appointment or to ask about their franchise packages.




Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, for DAD & MOM, Mom's Corner, Products We Love Tagged With: ,

Practical Tips On Lowering Household Expenses

March 17, 2012 by

With oil prices rising on a steady uphill trend, fuel, and food items naturally follow the same trend. Unfortunately, workers’ wages are on a plateau and can’t keep up with skyrocketing prices. We, consumers, have no choice but to tighten our belts and to deal with the high cost of living today, and we all need to be careful with your money.

Here are some tips on how you could lower your household expenses so you can allocate a greater part of the household budget to more important needs:

  • Always have a list before going to the grocery. And, stick to the list! Avoid impulse food purchases at all costs. Also, check out bulk sales as it’s more economical to buy items you frequently use in bulk. Additionally, you can always look out for discount codes that you can use for your grocery shopping. Even if you check out something like this Getupside Review, this could be a step in the right direction when it comes to eventually saving money on your shopping. We can all do with saving a little bit here and there, especially when you have other things to pay for in the home.

  • Take advantage of discount coupons found in newspapers and online. Be wary though of being swayed into buying something that you don’t really need just because you can get a discount. Purchase only the items that are necessary to take full advantage of these coupons. Frugal Dad suggests that you find coupon codes before ordering from helly hansen and other stores.
  • Lower your electric bill by using energy-efficient LED lamps and by lessening the use of electronic gadgets. You really don’t need a handheld mixer to prepare mashed potatoes and just about every meal you whip up. Do it the oldfashioned way and use those muscles – it’ll be great exercise too. 😀
  • Conserve water. By doing so, you not only get to save money with lower water bills but you also save the earth from further degradation. Taking shorter showers, using half flushes, using a water-efficient washing machine and checking for leaks are just some of the things you can do to conserve precious water.
  • Shop the sales. Especially for clothes shopping, sale season is the perfect time to update your wardrobe. Companies like NEXT have sales throughout the year, so keep an eye on the NEXT Sale Dates and How to get a VIP Sale Slot to save some big cash on that new best outfit.
  • Concoct your own natural cleansers instead of purchasing expensive ones. Sometimes, all you need is a little baking soda or vinegar to make a stubborn stain disappear. Aside from saving money, you’d be helping Mother Earth a great deal by going “green”.
  • Always, always, always pay your bills on time to avoid late charges. If you use a credit card for your household expenses, make sure you pay the full amount due before the due date. I know of people who have fallen into debt for mismanaging their credit cards. I’ve also known people who decided to use payday loans and it got them in a headspin over what to prioritise so they decided to use payday loan consolidation, I hear it was useful for them.

It’ll be wise to follow some, if not all, of these tips. Do remember though that frugal living isn’t only about scrimping on expenses to save money. Frugal living is about avoiding waste and efficiently using your resources for a better life. We really can’t do anything about the skyrocketing price of commodities, but we can do something to live a better life in spite of the high cost of living.




Filed Under: Handy Tips, House Matters Tagged With: , , , ,
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