Friday, November 29, 2019

My Black Friday In-Store Shopping Trip - South Coast Plaza, DSW, Kohl's and Target

    Yesterday, it heavily rained in Southern California. I was woken by the sound of heavy rain very early morning yesterday. 😨 In my dream, I was talking to myself I should check the ceiling if it's wet! 💧 Indeed, last winter, my husband and I still had a problem with a ceiling leak in our living room after HOA had repaired the roof and ceiling previous year. While it was heavily raining, the water was dropping from the ceiling in our living room for two years in a row. Seriously, it was like a nightmare....  Then, they checked the roof very carefully and completely fixed it in February this year. They said it's very difficult to find the source of a water leak, but it seems they successfully fix the problem this time! We finally don't have any problem with the ceiling leak during rainy days! 😃

    Anyway, it rained a lot yesterday, but we went to South Coast Plaza because Macy's Black Friday Sale started at 5 p.m. last night and I had a free coffee coupon, which was only available at Starbucks located in Macy's. I got the coupon by picking up my Macy's order in store previous week. I had ordered this set of perfume samples to discover new my favorite ones.
Macy's Favorite Scents Discovery Kit for Her 10 Samples of Perfumes

Macy's Favorite Scents Discovery Kit for Her 10 Samples of Perfumes
 
        Anyway, we went to South Coast Plaza to get a free coffee and see Macy's Black Friday sale. Then, we went to DSW, Kohl's and Target.





South Coast Plaza
South Coast Plaza Parking Lot
          We arrived at the parking lot at 5:30 p.m. I was surprised that there was so many empty parking spaces!  I had expected that it would be very crowded... It's the day of Black Friday Sale!
South Coast Plaza Parking Lot

South Coast Plaza Parking Lot

 
Macy's
      It wasn't very crowded at Macy's as well, but after an hour or so, more people come and enjoyed shopping there. Many handbags and shoes were 40 to 50% off there. 

Starbucks
      We got a free coffee at Starbucks located on a second floor at South Coast Plaza Macy's. There was no waiting time as well. 




DSW
     I usually love easy online shopping, but when it comes to purchasing shoes, I prefer in-store shopping to online shopping. DSW wasn't crowded at all that day, and there were still many shoes I could choose from at clearance section! 
Me Too Flat Shoes
     I found that these navy blue Me Too flat shoes at clearance section. They are very comfortable! They were originally $79 but was on sale for $19.59 with 30% off clearance and 30% Black Friday discount. I used a 20% off coupon, and these turned out to be $15.67. Because I purchased a DSW gift card with 20% off in advance, these shoes ended up being $12.53 plus tax. It was a super great deal!



Kohl's
     As I mentioned in my previous entry, I already ordered electric toothbrushes with Kohl's Black Friday sale online, but we decided to see Black Friday sale at Kohl's again because I received a $5 Kohl's in-store coupon by mail. There were many customers in the store, but it wasn't very crowded. We even didn't have to wait in a line!
Toastmaster Electric Knife
      This year, we have baked bread at home a few times a week. We found it very difficult to cut a loaf into slices. We were using a bread knife, but it's still difficult. He found this Toastmaster Electric Knife at Kohl's. It was originally $24.99 but was on sale for $18.99. Because I used a $5 off coupon and 15% off coupon, I paid $11.89 plus tax. I will submit a $14 mail-in rebate. It will end up being better than free! This morning, I tried to cut homemade bread with this electric knife for my first time. It actually worked! It was very easy to cut the bread into slices perfectly. 




Target
     There were many people shopping at Target but it wasn't very crowded as well. Actually, it was less crowded than weekends.
       I just wanted to purchase new foundation there because Revlon cosmetics are 25% off with Target Circle Offer through November 30. Target Circle is an App which offers many Target e-coupons. I've been using Target Circle App for years and love the App, which saves my money sometimes. If you are a frequent Target shopper, I think you will love the App.  
Revlon Colorstay
      This Revlon Colorstay foundation was originally $9.99 but was $7.49 with a 25% Target Circle offer. It's pretty great deal, and its color (180 Sand Beige) was perfect to my skin tone. :)



     We don't usually go shopping on Thanksgiving day and Black Friday because I don't like excessive crowds and cannot stand waiting in a super long line. However, this year, it wasn't crowded at all and there was no waiting line and no waiting time to check out. It's because of the rainy day. I wish it would be also less crowds next year...




    These are my entries you might like.
Black Friday Hauls - Kohl's and Kate Spade New York

Online Shopping Tip - How Much Have I Received with Using Rakuten (Ebates), TopCashback and Ibotta?

My Experience with Ebates.com


14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Loft Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Starbucks Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.






Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Black Friday Hauls - Kohl's and Kate Spade New York

    Black Friday is November 29 this year, but I already finished some of my Black Friday shopping before Black Friday. I purchased a handbag from Kate Spade and electric toothbrushes from Kohl's with the greatest deals. I am also planning on purchasing Home Depot gift cards at Right Aid tomorrow. Rite Aid will be offering a $10 wellness reward when you purchase $50 Home Depot gift card (It's like 20% off.) from November 28 through November 30. Anyway, today, I'm going to share with you how I scored the best deal.



Kohl's Black Friday Sale
     I ordered my item on Monday this week, and I received it on Tuesday! I was surprised at how fast they delivered my item!
    I thought that Kohl's tends to run similar deals every year. I purchased a suitcase and boots previous years and they are having similar sales this year too.

Online Black Friday Sale  -  11/25 through 11/29
In-Store Black Friday Sale - 11/28 (5p.m.) through11/29 (1 p.m.)

These Are My Kohl's Shopping Tips! ;))
・Buy gift cards with great deal in advance. I usually purchase ones at drugstores.
・Use coupon code. (You can also find coupon codes on Rakuten (Ebates).)
・Always purchase through shopping portal sites such as Rakuten (Ebates) and Topcashback.
・If you think you won't use your Kohl's Cash, just sell it on eBay.


Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrushes
$129.99⇒$24.03 (Plus I received a $15 Kohl's Cash.)
Philips Sonicare 2 Series Plaque Control Dual Handle Electric Toothbrush
      This set of two Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes was originally $129.99 but was on Kohl's Black Friday Deal for $59.49 with a 15% off promo code. Because I purchased Kohl's gift cards with 20% off in advance, it cost $47.59. In addition, I will receive $3.56 cash back from Rakuten (Ebates), and I submitted a $20 mail-in rebate. It will end up being $24.03 for two electric toothbrushes! I also received a $15 Kohl's Cash. It's like $9.03 after everything.






Kate Spade New York
      Through December 2, Kate Spade New York (https://surprise.katespade.com/) is offering 75% off selected handbags, accessories, clothing and more. They are also offering deal of the day every day.


 Kate Spade New York Handbag
$359⇒$129⇒$75
Kate Spade New York Grove Street Lana
      I found that this Kate Spade New York Grove Street Lana was included their deal of the day. It was originally $359 but was $79! Now, Chase Freedom credit card is offering 5% cash back with PayPal, so this handbag will end up being $75 after the cash back! It's like 80% off! You can check out my previous entry, My Best Cash Back Credit Cards with No Annual Fee.






Online Shopping Tip!
     When I purchase something online, I always compare online shopping portals such as Rakuten (Ebates), TopCashback and Ibotta, and I use whichever higher cashback offers. Using online shopping portals have been getting more and more popular, and I think many of my readers have already used those to get extra cashback. If you haven't used any shopping portals, you might want to try it for this holiday shopping.

     If you are interested in Rakuten (Ebates) and Topcashback, these are my referred links.

   ■My Rakuten (Ebates) referral link (They are currently offering $10 cash bonus to anyone who becomes a new member.)
https://www.rakuten.com/r/RINGO38?eeid=28187

   ■My Topcashback referral link
http://www.topcashback.com/ref/ringo3






    These are my entries you might like.
Online Shopping Tip - How Much Have I Received with Using Rakuten (Ebates), TopCashback and Ibotta?

My Experience with Ebates.com


14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Loft Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Starbucks Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.





Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Bathroom Renovation - New Toilet, Paint, Towel Bar, Medicine Cabinet and Window Treatment



     As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I finally finished our master bathroom renovation.


      These are my entries related to our bathroom renovation.

Before & After Painting All Cabinets (August 2016)

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints (February 2017) 

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads (March 2017)

Before and After Master Bathroom (2018)

How We Renovated Our Bathroom on A Budget - Tile Vanity Top, Sink, Faucet and Mirror Frame (2018)

Installing Bathroom Floor Tiles - Our Master Bathroom Renovation (2018)


     As you can see the photo below, this bathroom was very outdated, but now it has brighter look! After installing new white calacatta porcelain tiles in this bathroom, we replaced old toilet, towel bar, medicine cabinet, and widow treatment to new ones, and we painted entire walls and ceiling white!  





■ Toilet : Kohler Elliston 1.28-GPF (4.85-LPF) White Elongated Chair Height 2-piece Toilet
      We purchased a guest bathroom toilet, Kohler Elliston 1.28-GPF White Elongated Chair Height 2-Piece Toilet, at Lowe's in 2017. We really loved it because it has a very impressive flush for its water usage. That's why we decided to purchase Kohler's one again for our master bathroom. :)
Lowe's

Lowe's

Kohler Elliston 1.28-GPF White Elongated Chair Height 2-Piece Toilet


     We removed the old toilet before he installed new tiles. 

     Then, we installed the toilet.


      Most new toilets save water and money. :) Replacing an old toilet to a new one sounds difficult, but it's pretty easy actually. You can learn how to do it through YouTube video.






■ Primer Paint : KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer


       We chose Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Latex Primer for the bathroom paint primer. This one blocked stain very well and resist mildew and moisture.



Paint : Olympic One Tintable Semi-Gloss Latex Enamel Interior Paint and Primer in One (Gypsum OL133 N32)

      We went to Lowe's and purchased this paint, Olympic One Tintable Semi-gloss Latex Enamel Interior Paint and Primer in One. It's semi-gloss finish, which is durable, washable and mildew-resistant. It protects from humidity and moisture.
Olympic One Tintable Semi-gloss Latex Enamel Interior Paint and Primer in One (Gypsum OL133 N32)





■ Towel Bar : Moen BP5824CH Aspen 24-Inch Towel Bar, Chrome

Moen BP5824CH Aspen 24-Inch Towel Bar, Chorme
      We chose this Moen Aspen 24-inch towel bar for hanging bath towels. It was very easy to install.
Moen BP5824CH Aspen 24-Inch Towel Bar, Chorme




■ Towel Ring :  Moen BP5886CH Aspen Towel Ring, Chrome

Moen BP5886CH Aspen Towel Ring, Chorme
          We ordered this Moen Aspen towel ring for hanging a hand towel. This one was also very easy to install.
Moen BP5886CH Aspen Towel Ring, Chorme




■ Medicine Cabinet : KOHLER 15-in x 26-in Rectangle Surface/Recessed Medicine Cabinet with Mirror
      We went to Lowe's to purchase a new medicine cabinet. We looked for a recessed medicine cabinet for our master bathroom.


     He removed the old one and cut a hole in the wall. Then he installed this Kohler medicine cabinet.
KOHLER 15-in x 26-in Rectangle Surface/Recessed Medicine Cabinet with Mirror

KOHLER 15-in x 26-in Rectangle Surface/Recessed Medicine Cabinet with Mirror
      I like this medicine cabinet because it's stylish and functional. It has mirrors inside and outside. :) I put on makeup with using this inside door mirror.   






■Replacing Old Vertical Blind with New Horizontal Blind

    Before installing a new window treatment, he replaced the old window screen to new one.


     This bathroom had the old vertical blind originally. We chose this white horizontal blind because it has slats for adjustable light control.


     It hanged long, so he removed some slats. This is a very small window but it gives a lot of natural light. :)




Final Look!
        Now, we really love this bathroom. :)










      These are my entries related to our bathroom renovation.

Before & After Painting All Cabinets (August 2016)

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints (February 2017) 

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads (March 2017)

Before and After Master Bathroom (2018)

How We Renovated Our Bathroom on A Budget - Tile Vanity Top, Sink, Faucet and Mirror Frame (2018)

Installing Bathroom Floor Tiles - Our Master Bathroom Renovation (2018)





     These are also my entries you might like.
Before and After Wet Bar Renovation - Install Backsplash Tiles, Replace Outlet, Paint Cabinets and Decor

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints 

Before and After Door Hardware - From Door Knob to Door Lever

Before & After Painting All Cabinets

How to Install New Outlet Cover Plate - Hubbell Taymac Revive Decorator Wall Plate Review

How to Install A Spring Door Stop

Before and After Kitchen Flooring - Easy and Affordable Peel-And-Stick Vinyl Flooring! 

Built-in Trash Cans - Before and After


      My entries related to home renovations can be seen here.

      My entries related to bathroom renovations can be seen here.






Thursday, November 21, 2019

Installing Bathroom Floor Tiles - Our Master Bathroom Renovation

     As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I finished our master bathroom renovation.


      These are my entries related to our bathroom renovation.

Before & After Painting All Cabinets (August 2016)

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints (February 2017) 

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads (March 2017)

Before and After Master Bathroom (2018)

How We Renovated Our Bathroom on A Budget - Tile Vanity Top, Sink, Faucet and Mirror Frame (2018)


     As you can see the photo below, this bathroom had the old pink beige tiles before. It looked very outdated, and I didn't like the tiles very much. Now, the bathroom has clean and modern look. It wasn't easy to replace floor tiles, but I am glad that we finally did it. Today, I'm going to share with you installing the bathroom floor tiles. 




Preparing Underlayment
       After removing the old tiles and toilet, he leveled concrete floor and installed Schluter Systems Ditra Orange Plastic Waterproofing Tile Membrane.






Shopping Bathroom Floor Tiles
         First, we went to our local Lowe's. We looked for porcelain tiles because they are denser, harder and more durable than ceramic. We also looked for matte finish to prevent slipping on wet flooring. 
       I thought these black and white tiles are very stylish, but they are ceramic.


     We were looking for natural stone look tiles.




      We decided to purchase these grey Della Torre tiles for our master bathroom. However, after laying them on the floor, we thought that these were too dark. :( We realized that we love brighter look. Again, taking a lot of heavy and fragile tiles to our home was very hard, but we returned all of them and decided to look for different tiles. (I made the same mistake for our guest bathroom renovation...)





Installing Tiles
        We finally purchased the white calacatta porcelain tiles at Home Depot. I thought these were perfect! They look similar to our guest bathroom flooring but they are slightly different. :) He finally installed these tiles in our bathroom!

       For the grout, he used grey Fusion Pro Single Component Grout.


       I really love this bathroom floor. It has elegant and modern look. I love that it's very easy to clean and maintain. :)




      Next time, I'll write about toilet, paint, lighting medicine cabinet, window treatment and towel bars.


     These are my entries related to our bathroom renovation.

Before & After Painting All Cabinets (August 2016)

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints (February 2017) 

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads (March 2017)

Before and After Master Bathroom (2018)

How We Renovated Our Bathroom on A Budget - Tile Vanity Top, Sink, Faucet and Mirror Frame (2018)

Installing Bathroom Floor Tiles - Our Master Bathroom Renovation (2018)

Bathroom Renovation - New Toilet, Paint, Towel Bar, Medicine Cabinet and Window Treatment (2018)



     These are also my entries you might like.
New Bathroom Sink, Faucet, Toilet, Towel Bar and Paint - Bathroom Renovation

Before and After Wet Bar Renovation - Install Backsplash Tiles, Replace Outlet, Paint Cabinets and Decor

Before and After Home Office - 5 Home Office Updates!

Before and After Master Bathroom - New Shower Handles, Tub Spout And Shower Heads

Shower Tile and Bathtub Paints 

Before and After Door Hardware - From Door Knob to Door Lever

Before & After Painting All Cabinets

How to Install New Outlet Cover Plate - Hubbell Taymac Revive Decorator Wall Plate Review

How to Install A Spring Door Stop

Before and After Kitchen Flooring - Easy and Affordable Peel-And-Stick Vinyl Flooring! 

Built-in Trash Cans - Before and After


      My entries related to home renovations can be seen here.

      My entries related to bathroom renovations can be seen here.