One of my favorite, favorite food is chicken barbeque. Actually, I love barbecued pork and isaw too, but nothing makes my mouth water the way chicken barbeque does. My husband, being the more able and enthusiastic cook of the two of us, humors me everytime I request a home barbecue.

When he cooks, he prepares his special marinade for the chicken wings (no breast! We find it hard to cook and dries quickly when overcooked), soaks them overnight. The next day, he goes to the market nearby to buy some good old fashioned charcoal. He loves the smokey flavor from this so much he swears he’ll never switch to smokeless grills! 

                          

It has been awhile since I’ve shared with him a homecooked chicken barbeque. I don’t have the heart to go through all the motions just to enjoy it by myself. Yup, hubby’s away for work. Meanwhile I just have to suck it up and settle for barbeques that are almost mindlessly churned out by the fastfoods.

               

Good thing Pizza Hut has BBQ Chicken Tuscani! It’ll be my run-to whenever the craving kicks in. The smokiness of the BBQ Chicken is enchanced by the tanginess of cheese. While the bell peppers and onion add a burst of crunch that balances out the soft pizza bread. Reminds me of my hubby’s own fixation on getting all the ingredients just right so they’ll complement and enchance each other. Much like us two! *cheesy smile with kilig factor*

And winning 20,000 worth of GCs from Araneta Center isn’t bad at all too! That’ll mean I can spend (almost) as much as I want without having to worry about depleting our bank account or incurring my hubby’s wrath, whichever comes first! Win-Win here!

Admittedly, I love to window shop. That’s how I curb my urge to splurge. I give in to my weekend malling habit, ogle at the merchandise, maybe try them on, and then stop at that. Or maybe I’ll buy it’s cheaper version.

I used to regularly buy stuff on weekends from money I’ve saved from a week’s allowance. Yes, thank you very much, I do know how to handle my finances. But since being blessed with two beautiful children, I have to reorder my priorities. Which meant less weekend splurging, and more careful budgeting.

Now, hubby is another story. He grew up in a fairly well-off family when weekends are spent regularly dining-out, or going to a sports club they belong in. He doesn’t love to shop as much as I do, but boy when he does! Let’s just say that most of the time, the thing that catches his eye is beyond our means.

Which brings me back to my Win-Win scenario. I get to window shop my heart out, hubby gets a nice gift from me and since a GC is as good as cash, BUT cannot be stored in a bank, I won’t have any guilt feelings on spending it all! Still, I know I have to spend 20,000 worth of GCs wisely. Buy things that we need now and/yet would last well into the future.

Let’s call this phenomena, sensible yet flavorful splurging! Wow! That idea just burst in head the way Pizza Hut’s BBQ Chicken tuscani’s flavor explodes in your mouth! 

                           

So what will my sensible yet flavorful splurging list include?

Here’s my shopping list (a must to never stray from the budget!)

A sturdy pair of shoes for my very active daughter, from our own homegrown brand, Marikina Shoe Expo.

Some safe, age-appropriate toys for my son and daughter.

A collapsible water bottle for hubby, from sports shops in AliMall.

A nice pair of pants for me to celebrate getting back in shape after a pregnancy, from the shops in SM

Some kitchen essentials, like a spacious chopping board and a sharp, stainless steel knife so hubby will feel like a fancy chef.

Some nice chinaware for family bonding moments over meals. A simple set will do.

A family dinner out would be nice too! I just hope hubby is able to have a vacation before the GCs expire. We love the Seafood Island boodles!

And lastly, books, books, books, from the National Bookstore Main Branch. The last time I’ve splurged on books was when I won 5,000 worth of GCs of NB, in 2008.

Ok, two more, and this is only if I can still squeeze it in. I’ve been dying to have those homemade soda and ice maker. Yep, they pack quite a punch in the price category, but over the years, it’ll prove to be a worthy investment. Imagine all the parties, fiestas and reason-enough-to celebrate moments where you spend thousands on sodas and ice creams to please both the adults and the kids. With this gadgets, you’ll never have to leave home or your guests to more soda or ice cream. :DD It’ll be fun activity too whipping up your own flavored sodas and ice cream.

That’s it. I think my list is full.

From a closet shopping fanatic who has to think twice or thrice – sometimes even more – before buying anything, to a budget-savvy mom who knows how to balance practicality and fun, the prize at stake will definitely add more flavor to my life. I can taste it now!

by Raechelle Castellon