A Homemaker’s Diary

I was running some errand last week when I have to stop by at the mall in front of my place to take out money from the ATM machine. On the way to the machine I have to walk pass the departmental store which is having sales until 2nd September.

Of course being a woman who loves to shop, I just can’t resist the temptation to check what on sale and how much I could save if I were to buy any of the shoes, handbag and blouses..huhu! So after checking out the price tag, I thought well, maybe next time..after all I still have a month till the last day of the sale..haha!

If you like branded items with urban style, check out Kickstime.com. They are targeting young African America and Latino males who are interested in fashion. But after checking out most of the items, I notice that they have women items too, like handbags, jeans and Nike shoes.

Check out this pink Nike Air Jordan XI Retro, perhaps if I get this pair I would be more motivated to go out for a jog and a workout at the gym..haha!

While browsing I am also hooked on this Louis Vuitton bag. What women can resist another great looking bag, right? Even though she already have like a lot in her collection…haha! I guess there goes my monthly resolution to not to shop. I will try again next month to save for bigger item, heh!

They are also giving out free worldwide shipping so why wait, check out the range of clothing they have on offer!

*This post is written for holidayhypermarket.co.uk*

This August there will be a one week holiday season for those school children in Malaysia. So to all those parents who are planning to take their family for overseas trip, check out this deal of cheap flights to Egypt at holidayhypermarket.co.uk.

For someone like me who plays PC game like Luxor and Cleopatra, a trip to Egypt would be like a dream come true. I will get to see the ruin of Luxor, or cruise along the romantic Nile River just like the queen once did. I will get to visit the pyramids and see what is still remain of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Oh, I must ride on the camel and have my picture taken as well.

If you are departing from UK, the all inclusive 7-night trip leaving from GATWICK starts from as low as £327 per person. And you will be staying at the 3-star Amar Sinai Hotel. Sound like a great deal, huh!

I hope those Mummy Returns royal ghosts will not be around at the pyramid to haunt me..haha!

I am thinking of buying another printer for photo printing. You see, now I am hooked with scrapbooking hobby and I thought maybe having a photo printer will make my life easier.

Well, at least if I get myself a photo printer I don’t need to transfer everything to a thumbdrive, drive my car to the nearest digital photo developer and get them printed. I am more like a homebound person that hates going away from the comfort of my chair and PC..haha!

So I have been thinking deeply and realize that the major factor in deciding whether to buy another printer or not would be about the price of the ink needed.

These days printers are not that expensive but those inks could bleed your money to the last drop. So while browsing the Internet, I came across a company that sells inkjet cartridge for brands like Canon, HP, Epson etc.

So I do some guessing game and check the inkjet cartridge price for HP PhotoSmart 1115 and 1315 – No 78 TriColor (C6578). It is $17.90 and if you are in continental US, you get free shipping for all orders.

And the best part is if the cartridge or toner that you buy from them are not working, you can get replacement or money back as part of their guarantee. Well, should I buy another printer? I’m thinking, still thinking!

When I first had my international transaction with a client overseas for her wedding stuffs, the first question she asked when we discussed about the deposit payment is whether my shop accepts credit card. Well, I wish I do and secondly I really wish I have a retail outlet with the credit card machines and all…huhu!

You know, those terminals are actually so cool. Some are really equipped with state-of-the-art technology that enable complex processing demand. Most will deliver quick transaction times for multiple merchant applications and identifications. So you don’t have to let your customers wait for so long for the completed transactions.

And there is also another way for those with online store. The eCommerce solutions most of the payment solutions providers offer will process and manage credit card transactions as your customers buy the products from your online store and enter their billing details. No worries about fraud and other business risk when it comes to Internet transactions.

My friend who has a spa and beauty salon was telling me early this year how her business really perks up after she applied for merchant account and advertised that the spa accepts credit cards. I guess it is really a matter of convenient and a key factor to satisfy your clients once you let every potential clients that come into your shop to know that credit cards are accepted here.

They feel happy to indulge more and even spend more when they know you accept credit cards especially in the case whereby initially they are not planning to spend their hard earned cash at your store or retail outlet. You see, those shining plastic money makes you think that you have more than what you really earn so you wouldn’t think twice about swiping it for retail therapy…haha!

If you are running an ecommerce business like I do, having a merchant account that accept major credit cards is possible. The problem now for me is the high charges most of the solutions providers impose on every transaction done and plus for most of the overseas business deals, I have to bear a lot of charges when it comes to forex conversion to my local currency.

But I think as my business grows and the profit margin is getting bigger, there will be a point that I could absorb all the hidden costs and offer credit card as major payment method for products purchased in my online store. For now, my business website is just like a catalog for people to see what I am capable of crafting.

This might sound crazy since it comes from me..hehe! But I feel since I am still not that old, I should consider going backpacking somewhere. So after reading a blog entry about an ex-schoolmate who is studying in Sydney, I thought I should give it a try.

Not sure what hubby will think about this idea of traveling but I have done my survey on places to stay while in Sydney. If you are looking for accommodation in Sydney, this Manly Guest House might be the answer to your tight budget. It is only around AUD40 per night. And it comes with free wireless Internet access. See, I could still update my blog while backpacking in Sydney..haha!

Then for an upgraded stay in Darling harbour, I will choose this Ibis Hotel Darling Harbour among the cheap hotels in Sydney. Hopefully while I am there, I could catch the Sydney Boatshow while enjoying their eating and vibrant tourist hang outs cafes.

So, are you up for the backpacking tour with me? Don’t worry about looking for hotels in Sydney, it has been taking care of, just say yes and we can start packing now..wink!