Cheap Junkie!

I’m really cheap (ask my friends and family – kuripot ako, nagpapanggap akong sosyal, gusto kong maging social climber/mountaineer pero di ko kaya dahil cheap ako.lol – I get that from my grandfather and from Rizal - I'm thrifty not cheap) and a junkfood person.  

I’m a “cheap junkie!” wehehehe. Chips are like my “kryptonite” and one of those things I can and will never give up (who needs other vices when you've got junkfood addiction). That’s why I never go into diets coz chips are like a No-No in diets. Besides, I  consider potato chips a very healthy snack (potatoes=healthy). 

My love for junkfood started when I was a kid. Chips and crisps were usual “pasalubong” from mom at night – that or those small goya chocolates. Weekends were and still are grocery days and we’ve always been given freedom to choose 1 or 2 bags of junkfood that day. I love my mom for this – the line “Oh pili ka na ng junkfood mo” is one of my favorite childhood lines.  And up to today, Mom would still say that line every time we hit the grocery - the best mom talaga!  So yes, the junkfood section was/is my favorite isle in JSGaisano/Gaisano Mall (Davao) and now SM Davao. 

I’m so addicted to junkfood I remember some of my usual lunch meals in the big urban city always had either chips or chocolates with them. My usual meal -  Sandwich+Chips wSoda and/or Coffee and a chocolate bar (sounds quite pretentiously Western I know, but I love it).

 

If I were to choose my REAL favorites, List would include: 

CHIPS/CRISPS (or of similar form) - Ruffles: cheddar and sour cream, LAYS Sour Cream and Onion, Cheetos Puffs (don’t like crunch), PICNIC, Pringles: Cheese, ORVILLE Butter pour over Microwaveable Popcorn, Combos, and Chippy:Red/original (my highschool favorite ask my classmates) 

CHOCOLATES – Maltesers, Mars, Ferrero Rocher, Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Cadburry Timeout, M&M Crisps and Ricoa Flattops (not curly tops, i want them flat). 

SOFTDRINKS – Coke Light, Sarsi Light (not that I’m trying to be health conscious just that I swear it tastes better. Love love love sarsi) and Real Leaf (so good, so real!). And yes they are all Coca-Cola products –Loyal! :p 

The problem with my favorite snacks is they are not exactly 'social development worker' salary friendly. They are quite pricey so I’ve always tried to find some cheaper alternative to satisfy my tastebuds. Living by myself, in Bukidnon, with very limited choices, has made this search quite difficult but very important (to be able to save –financially and emotionally - sanity.)

 

I am glad to have found some of these CHEAP THRILLS!

 

Why spend 120pesos for RUFFLES when there’s JackNJill POTATO CHIPS Cheddar and Sour Cream? The Best! I can have 3bags at 75+Php only. The problem is, in Malaybalay, it’s only available in Mercury Drug Convenience Store and is often out of stock. So I often hoard a bag or 2 when I come back from CdO or Davao. Sometimes, it surprises me that I think I love it more now than ruffles.

Did you know that MARS has apparently 1000+calories per bar!? I just learned that 2wks ago on a bus from Dvo-Bkdn. Gaisano Malaybalay doesn’t sell Mars– they only sell Snickers (I like snickers too) which has 450+calories. But Cloud9 created a piece of heaven in this ChocoFudge product! Not only is it cheap at 8.50-10Php each, it only has 140calories - I can have 2pcs of it for dessert. LoL. Again though, Gaisano Mby rarely has stock of this.

Just this lunchtime, in Gaisano Mby, I went to purchase some sugar for my Batangas Coffee from mom. I had this AMAZING Discovery. Thank you OISHI for creating a snack that combines my love for LAYS and PICNIC in one.  Oishi Strip Fries – where have you been all my life?! And it only costs 25 pesos. Wohoo. 

There is however no alternative to my choice of softdrinks/ flavored drink - but I’m glad that they are priced well. I can have all the Real Leaf I want coz it’s just 22Php/liter. And to be quite honest – for a junkie like me, I LOVE WATER the MOST! I drink lots of water which I believe "trumps" all the junk I put in my body. 

But the water has to be SAFE and CLEAN (only WILKINS or VIVA if purchased outside, distilled  or filtered at home) or the pets in my tummy will act up and create a crash diet  (which friends envy but I tell you is No  Fun!) that can make me lose 5lbs in 2days.