Last Sunday I went to downtown Icheon and after shopping at Daiso I walked through the shopping street and look around what’s on sale. When I reached Watsons I was tempted to go inside but thinking I just spend $30 in Daiso and shopping in Gmarket is cheaper it stops me and I continue walking until I reached Naughty Cat accessory store. I was also tempted to go inside but thinking I don’t need anything from the store I continue walking but seeing a newly opened shop beside Dickies stops me. The shoe store was gone already, the last time I passed it is under renovation and now a new shop is already opened. Within four years in Icheon I already see how shops closed and new shop open, business is not good all the time. I just took a picture of the newly open ARTBOX shop and go, but after a few steps I walked back and went inside the shop, the impulsive me can’t control myself again. I have thought from the shop name I can find Korean art inside like cards, stationaries or other items to display.

There’s  a lot of shoppers and curious shoppers inside, I took a small shopping basket thinking if the items are cheap, I can buy a few but I have already reached the end of the store I can’t find anything good it is basically like Daiso but the items in Artbox are more expensive and most of the items have no prices written on them which is quite a turn off,  I will not pick an item I like and be surprised of the cost when I have to pay, I should say Artbox is more about Olive Young, Naughty Cat, Daiso and Barunson combine, which are all few meters away from Artbox.

Artbox have beauty and makeup section, accessories, school supply items, bags and luggages, candies and even few house supplies like in Daiso.  I have to walked twice on the shelves to see what’s good, when I found scented candles I took two of lavender scented candle. My husband wishes the other night to have a lavender scent in our apartment so he can sleep, there are times he can’t sleep and it makes him grumpy in the morning.

I continue checking the aisles again I maybe missed something, I went to perfume section and try the tester. I tried four different perfumes and I am about to buy the scent I’d like when I found the cheaper perfume below the display cabinet, it has been just too bad there’s no tester for them. Oh well, I just follow my instinct and  pick the purple box and went to the counter, service is not that great, a little slow. I spent about $18 for my haul after paying I left, while walking I saw Missha on holiday sale and it didn’t stop me to check what’s for grab, I spent too much already for one day, it should be enough.

Looking at the photos I took, it seems I missed to visit the second floor section of Artbox, I’ll probably check it next time I went to downtown.

Since we moved in Shinha-ri I seldom go to Icheon downtown, I only visit once a week when there’s no frozen chicken breast anymore for my husband daily meal. Unlike when we still lived in downtown Icheon, I can wander around three or four times a week to shop, go to the gym and pay the bills.

If I felt like walking the long way I get off at the Seolbongsan bus stop and from there I walk to the shopping streets back to the bus terminal where I should get off on the first place.  That’s what I did last Sunday, I walk through the traditional market to shopping streets, every Sunday is market day so the market was full of people, selling and buying local food.

When I am around the market I always went to Daiso to check what’s new and if there’s an item that interests me, when I saw bubble wrapped displayed outside I immediately took one roll, I need it for wrapping my box and probably could use it too to wrap our windows to avoid cold air entering our apartment.  Daiso was quite busy there’s a lot of Christmas shoppers and just ordinary shoppers, every time I visit Daiso my first stop is the school supplies aisle. I picked some oil pastel colors, my godson’s in the Philippines will like them, I will include them in the box I need to send home in a few months time. Aside from oil pastel colors I bought other stuff like color sand, clay, pens, shoe laces, colorful makeup case comb and earphone.

Most of the items I bought I don’t need like color sand, the makeup case, shoe laces, clay and pens. I just bought them because  I found them cute, cheap and colorful, hopefully my family will find a use for them. If you will ask my husband about my shopping loots these are junks and I am just wasting my money.

This is unplanned but I went to downtown today after seeing that I was already paid and my money is ready for pick-up in Western Union. I took the bus #28-1 from Shinha-ri because it stopped right in front of the Icheon bus terminal where IBK (Industrial Bank of Korea) have moved.  I just crossed the street and went inside the bank, their new location is bigger and wider than their old location which is quite smaller.  There are also lot of windows/teller now compare than before. Anyway I get a number and in just seconds my number was already called, I informed the teller what I need “Western Union” she immediately thought I am going to send  but I told her “claim/pick-up” showing her a piece of paper, my passport and ARC.

The teller asked me Google upon seeing the piece of paper? I was given a form to fill-up and in just few minutes I got my money from Mr. G (Google).  This is my second time to received compensation from displaying ads on my blogs. The first time was two year ago, haha! Well it is better than nothing, isn’t it?

Anyway after I claimed my money I walked to the bus stop just across the back of bus terminal  and as a treat to myself I went inside the Asian store to buy some sardines (again),  corn snack, corn bits or whatever you may call it.  When I first received my compensation from Mr. G, I have boughts dumplings from Mandu shop.

The number of lotions and body creams in the market is enormous and it is hard to know which one is good or not. I have been using Nivea lotions for years already since I moved in Korea but recently I have been reading good reviews about Neutrogena and Cetaphil Products, I would like to try any of of the two but I have found out that they are a bit expensive for my budget.

With this, I decided to look online because most items are cheaper in Gmarket then buying them in local stores. Neutrogena body moisturizer was on sale from one seller so I ordered immediately using the coupons I found under member’s benefits. It was a good deal, I can only buy one Neutrogena moisturizer in the local supermarket at this price but online it was for 2 items.

Retail Price in Supermarkets: ₩14, 000 – 17,000 /450ml
Online Retail Price: ₩20, 200 – 450mlx2

Online Sale Price: ₩19, 900 – 450mlx2
Gmarket Coupon: ₩1, 990
Total Price after discount: ₩17, 910 450mlx2

Gmarket Savings – ₩2, 290
My Savings (from buying online): ₩14, 000 – 17,000

Shopping online in Korea is very convenient not just because it is cheaper than shopping local stores but because the items are delivered quickly as long as you ordered them on weekdays, most delivery company are only open on Monday to Friday.  The other day I have ordered pair of shoes and small bottles of shampoo to use as present for my relatives, the sellers provided a tracking details and when I found out that it was sent to unfamiliar delivery company I know something is gonna happen because it was a new one, what I mean it was not the same company who deliver items to us every time we ordered.

It was about 9 o’clock in the morning and I am still sleeping when my phone rang, as I already removed the password protection of my phone it took me time before I can answer it, I am used of sliding the screen whenever I received a phone call but this time it won’t work and it was only after 2 rings that I figured out how to get the phone call. It was the tekbe ajeossi (delivery man) calling, as I can’t understand what he is talking I just told him “Hangul mulayo” (I don’t know Hangul) but he keeps talking so I went out the apartment thinking he is around, in the background I can hear people talking.  Someone talk to me in English maybe the ajeossi find someone who can speak English and I was asked where am I, thinking they can’t find our apartment I told him our town and where to find the apartment like saying landmarks and stores.

After few minutes I received another phone call it was the delivery tekbe ajossi thinking he was lost I went out to check outside again but I can’t see any delivery truck, worried where my order will be delivered I went down and went to the gym owner where we are working out as I saw him outside from where am I peeping upstairs.

I asked help to talk at tekbe ajossi so I dialed the number and hand the phone to him, it turns out the tekbe ajossi is just calling me that he is already near in our town and asking where am I or where he is going to deliver the items I have ordered.  I have figured it out after the gym owner told me that the delivery will be here after 20 minutes and I heard him saying the chicken place where we at.

It is funny huh? I am thinking the other way that he was lost but the truth he was just informing that my items will be delivered soon and if I am at home when he will came to our apartment. Haha!

There are lots of things a smart shopper can do to save money at everything. I love frugal shopping and I consider myself as frugal shopper because I love buying things when they are on sale. The other day in the supermarket while pushing my cart I stumble to a sale bin of Mise en Scene Shampoo and Conditioner.

It was a huge sale from ₩11,800 to ₩3,800 thinking how much I can save buying this items, I bought three pairs of shampoo and conditioner. I have first used these brand when my husband bring home the gift he receives from his employer when it is Chuseok in Korea. It was pleasuring experience because my hair feel smooth and silky.

As expected my husband was not happy seeing my haul, for him it is not saving money but spending money to the things I don’t really need. Oh, well I am planning to include this haul on my balikbayan box.

Retail Price: ₩11,800
Sale Price: ₩3,800
My Savings: ₩48,000

On Saturday while waiting for the pizza I have ordered I decided to go the nearby Nonghyup supermarket to look around, I want to buy items on sale that I can add into the box I am going to sent home. While walking in the aisle I have seen again the pantene shampoo, I almost bought it a day ago by impulse.

Well if I have won the first time, not this time. I bought the shampoo after few thoughts, it is really hard to resist on big sale, it cost $11.21. It will actually cost four shampoo in the price of one. Pretty good deal huh?

Retail Price: ₩8,900/500ml
Sale Price: ₩14,800 – 500ml x 4
My Savings: ₩20,800

I am being forgetful these days, it was been a few weeks already since I shopped alone for our groceries.  Yesterday I decided to go to Lotte Super first before shopping at the Nong Hyup Supermarket as I want to buy a jar of peanuts or sunflower seeds. I am almost at Lotte Super when I remember that I forgot to bring my husband’s wallet instead of going home I just went inside and look for the food I want I still have few wons on my wallet. But of course I have to go home again to get the wallet as my money is not enough for groceries unlike those times I forgot to bring my husband’s wallet I have cash on me.

[Lotte Super in Shinha-ri, Icheon]

When I opened our door, my husband immediately asks me if I forgot something and he started laughing on how did I forget to bring the money.  Lol, Anyway I went to Nong Hyup and shopped for groceries all I bought for myself is milk as I think I have enough food for one more week.

When I gained weight I also received stretch mark awards, at first  I was not worried thinking it was just an allergy. But my husband says that they are stretch marks and searching on google confirmed that they are indeed stretch marks. I was especially bothered when I learned that stretch marks cannot be removed anymore and they are going to be part of me forever.

To reduce the appearance of stretch marks I ordered stretch mark cream online, I am hoping this will help me on my ordeal. We all know that stretch marks are marks that are caused in our skin due to excessive weight loss or weight gain in a short period of time.

I went to downtown today to buy frozen chicken breast, my husband ate boiled chicken breast as part of his work-out meal. I have to go to downtown because they’re not available at the supermarket around us, while waiting for the bus going home I decided to walk inside the World Food (Asian Store) beside the bus stop. I have thought I would just buy Filipino foods for my weekly supplies rather than buying the same food all over again in NongHyup Supermarket.

I have enjoyed looking around and I didn’t notice that I already have a lot of food in my basket but still I went to the vegetable freezer to check if they have Filipino vegetables and I was happy to see that they have string beans, water spinach and bitter melon. It means I don’t need to go to Seoul just to buy these vegetables.

When I pay in the counter the owner handed me free pork noodles which I am thankful with.