Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is the third installment of the Professor Layton video game series for the Nintendo DS. The games are storyline based in which puzzles must be solved to advance the story.
It was on my Christmas list but I didn't receive it and I was happy to see it on sale at Best Buy for 17.99, down from 34.99 - pretty much half price. Can't complain with that.

The game itself is less challenging than the second in the series, but has an easier story to follow and as a result I found it more enjoyable. None of the puzzles relied on being solved to advance the game (that couldn't easily be solved with the help of hint coins). That was the most frustrating part of the second game; I'd get stuck on puzzles for hours until I had to go online and *gasp* find the answer. I didn't have to do that with this game, but it was still challenging enough to make me think a bit.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the game and will probably play it again a year down the road once I forget all the puzzle solutions. I vote treasure for this game and the entire series. Check it out if you have a DS.

The Real Ghostbusters - Volume 1

The chaos of the holidays has finally settled down, so I'll get back to blogging. I made a couple purchases over the holidays, enough for 4 or 5 blogs anyways, so that should keep me busy for a while. The first item I will talk about is...

The Real Ghostbusters - Volume 1 on DVD

Pretty much everyone I know understands that I love Ghostbusters. It's totally a nostalgic thing, but I still love it. While I was in California for Christmas, I found this set on sale for $19.99. I wasn't sure if that was a deal or not or if the cartoons were even any good. As a matter of fact, the series started before I was even born, so by the time I was 5, it was in its last season and I hadn't seen very many episode.

I went home and found it on Amazon for about $35, so clearly this was a bargain. I read some reviews and everyone had only good things to say about it, so I went back and bought it.

It's a cartoon. It's funny, it's cheezy, but it's also entertaining. For the price of a 3D movie and some Skittles, I got 700 minutes of entertainment. To me, that's value and I'm going to vote Treasure.

If you've never read my blog before, please follow this link for a brief description of what it's all about.

http://tinyurl.com/2wjsdo3 

Thanks for reading another edition of Spending Cash on Treasures and Trash!



Out of Money

So, as I mentioned, I am living on a budget and last month I did go slightly over...Oops. Anyways, this month is Christmas and it's pretty much against the law to buy your self anything in December because someone might have already bought it for you! So, the next few weeks will likely be pretty slow and only contain movie reviews and restaurant reviews, but it should pick up in January again. I will post to Facebook when I start making some purchases. Until then, enjoy the holidays and thanks for reading!

S.C.o.T.T.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 – FREE with Scene Points!

If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, I promise to keep spoilers to a minimum and won’t ruin anything – so keep reading!

I read the book over three years ago, when it first came out, so I knew the general direction of the movie, but forgot a lot of the specifics, which I think made the movie interesting. For the record, I didn’t enjoy the book – I felt it moved too slowly and at times the movie did as well. Really though, it’s the only way for the book/movie to go. If all the problems were solved with the flick of a wand, it would be a pretty boring movie.

I laughed more times in this movie than I did in Due Date, which is kind of sad considering Due Date is a comedy. Dobby, the house elf, was hilarious and some inter-character conflict was good for some laughs too.

It’s hard to rate this movie because it’s part one of a two-part finale, so there really wasn’t a clear, satisfying ending. But overall, it had action, laughs, suspense, and some pretty good visual effects. I probably won’t see it in theatres again like some of the diehard fans, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. Treasure this.

Swiss Chalet's Festive Special

The holiday season doesn’t start for me until a) snow falls and b) I have Swiss Chalet’s Festive Special. Both events occurred last night, so, IT’S TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Swiss Chalet Festive Special - $10.99

First off, the price for this meal is very reasonable. You get a quarter chicken, fries (or any other side), cranberry sauce, a bun, and my personal favourite, stuffing. Of course, you can’t forget Lindor chocolates after the meal. Yummy yummy deliciousness!

Last night the restaurant was packed, but it was merely due to mass volumes of customers, not poor service. As a matter of fact, the service was the best I’ve ever received at Swiss Chalet. Our server greeted us immediately, brought us refills without asking, and stopped by our table or two separate occasions to make sure everything was fine. Overall, it was a great experience.

Treasure the food, treasure the service, and treasure the experience. Now to start Christmas shopping...

Samsung Galaxy!!

Most of you that know me know that I’m moving to Waterloo in the New Year. For those that really know me, you’d know that my current cell phone plan sucks.

So, this weekend while I was in Waterloo, I decided to get a new cell phone:

The Samsung Galaxy – $79.99 – with Virgin Mobile (P.S. – Virgin Mobile rocks!)

It’s a pretty neat phone at a reasonable price that offers a plan that fits me. So far, I’ve enjoyed playing around with it, despite having some issues with the touch screen at first. Overall, it does what I need it to do, so to me, it’s a treasure.

Now, to figure out all of its capabilities....

McDonald's Coffee

Anyone who is new to reading my blog, please check out my initial post to understand how it works. Follow the link below to get to that post a little quicker.

http://tinyurl.com/2wjsdo3

This week's product was: FREE Coffee from McDonald's

Pretty good deal if you ask me, can't complain when something's free. I think this is a great marketing tactic for McDonald's. The store had a longer line than Tim Horton's this morning and by the time I walked through the parking lot, they'd served 4 customers through drive-thru...that's some pretty quick service.

I can't really trash free coffee, so I'm going with treasure on this one. The only way I'd vote trash is if it tasted bad, but it didn't. I'll go back tomorrow for another.

Vote treasure or trash below. Also, free internet cookies to anyone who posts a link to my blog somewhere on the internet! : )

Georgian College Jacket

This week's purchase - Georgian Jacket - $64.99

My previous Linkin Park spring jacket had been worn so much that the “L” and “K” had disappeared. I sported an “inkin Par” jacket for about two weeks and decided it needed to be replaced.

After Open House at Georgian College was over (I help run the show), I got my good friend (and co-worker) Kim Ball to show me around the Georgian bookstore. I’d never been in the bookstore other than to buy textbooks at the beginning of the semester. I noticed they had a few nice coats and I needed a replacement, so I put 2 and 2 together.  

The price tag seemed pretty reasonable and comparable to other stores I’d visited in the past week. I also had a $25 gift card for the bookstore, so I tried it on and bought it!

My vote is definitely a treasure. I needed a coat and I’ll probably be able to use it before it snows!

Please leave your mark and vote treasure or trash in the comment section below!

Prezi Presentation

Follow the link!

https://prezi.com/secure/d5b49e6cbd31e8892822147693fbd46ad9c47299/

'Tis the Season!

Old Tom’s Old Fashioned Eggnog Rum - $12.99

Not really a big explanation for this one. Some friends and I went to the LCBO and I saw this. I like Eggnog and it is within my price range and thought I’d give it a try. I’ll let you know what I think when I finish the bottle...which might be tomorrow, cause it tastes REALLY good!

Due Date - The Movie

I had some time to kill while waiting for my fiancé to get off work, so I saw this movie Friday - went in with no high expectations. The commercials were funny, so I figured why not?

Cost – 1000 Scene Points (Free!) – Due Date

Honestly, if you've seen the commercials, you've already seen this movie. I read a review for it after seeing it and couldn't agree with it more...

"Due Date is a DVD rental at the end of the day. Even with its flaws and warts, it has individual moments of comedy. When you have actors of this calibre, they are going to find their way once in a while. They just don't find their way enough to justify spending ten dollars on a movie ticket. I'd say seventy-five percent of the film is uneven and about twenty-five percent of the film is funny. In the end, though, you can't help but feel disappointed by the finished project. This could have been so much better.”

That being said, I did laugh out loud at least 5 times, so there are some good moments, but overall it falls short. It’s not even comparable to The Hangover, in my opinion.

I give it a Trash.

Big Mac Attack!!!

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for contests. When Roll Up the Rim comes around, I'll buy Tims (when I usually just make coffee at home). The chances of winning are just slightly better than the lottery, but its a small price for a CHANCE! I'll take it. That being said, today on my drive home, I saw the Monopoly Poster outside McDonalds. I'm hungry, so if I plan on buying anyways, the potential to win something is cool in my mind. I get...

Big Mac Meal - $6.49 - McDonalds

It was gross.

Also, apparently Monopoly is over, they just don't feel like taking signs down...so, I'm upset and now my tummy is making weird noises.

Why did I get it? I hadn't eaten since noon and I was starving...my stomach hurt so much that getting home and microwaving something for two minutes was two minutes longer than I was willing to wait. I haven't had a Big Mac in probably 10 years...so why not try it. Big mistake - Mac sauce, special sauce, whatever it's called... is now dubbed nasty sauce by me.

Trash, trash...1000 times trash. And it's too dang expensive. No McDonalds until at least 2011 for me!!

Leave your mark below - Treasure or Trash it.

Mmmm Sushi-licious!

Class was cancelled, so no Taco Tuesday again...we decided to celebrate with...

Sushi - Aji Sai - $18.99

So, it's definately expensive and not really great for a student on a budget, but I love sushi. I only go out for sushi once every two to three months and really, its no different in price than going out for wings and beer with some buddies.

We went to Aji Sai, which has always had great taste, service, and quality. I'm sure most of you will agree if you've been there. Crabsticks, Spicy tuna rolls, and Dynamite handrolls are among my favourite.

Lisa made the night entertaining by dropping her sushi into her soy sauce...and splashing it everywhere on the table. She also needs to work on her chopsticks techniques, but I won't hold it against her.

Overall, sushi is awesome, so I vote Treasure! Leave a comment below in the comment section with your vote - Treasure or Trash!

Ghostbusters Hat and LottoMax Ticket

Since I am on vacation, I’ve been a little lenient on my spending habits. That being said, I will only post two of the items I’ve purchased.

Item 1: Ghostbusters Baseball Cap - $24.99

Anyone who knows me understands that I’m a huge Ghostbusters fan. As soon I saw this hat, I knew I had to have it, even if I never wear it! I think the price was pretty reasonable for a hat. The last hat I bought lasted me about 2 years, so if this one lasts that long, I’ll be satisfied. Of course, I’ll never throw it out anyways. 100% Treasure in my eyes.

Item 2: A LottoMax ticket with Encore - $6.00

This is the first time I’ve ever bought a lotto ticket. A little back story...I was bored waiting for our food to arrive at a restaurant, so my mom gave me a $1 scratch ticket from her purse. I won $2. Then I got another ticket and won $6. Then I got another and won $15! I took the $15 to the casino and won $100 on the penny slots, so on the way out of the casino I thought it was fitting to attempt to win $50 million to end the day.

I’m not a lottery fan. The chances of winning are so slim and $6.00 is a lot to shell out weekly. Of course, my opinion will change if I win the $50 million, but I’d rather invest $25 a month and have a guaranteed $250,000 when I retire. Just my opinion...So let’s hear yours!

Vote Treasure or Trash for one or both items by leaving a comment below.

Happy Halloween Weekend Everyone!

Molson Canadian

This is one is pretty straight forward and needs little explanation.

A Pitcher of Molson Canadian Beer - $13.99

Dad and I split it while on vacation, just so we could watch the Raptor's season opener at the bar (since our hotel room only had basic cable!). Good times.

Treasure for me. Treasure or trash for you? Vote Below.

Treasure or Trash - The Results Are In!

Reading week has officially begun! That being said, I figure it's time to tally up the first few rounds of Treasure or Trash. Thanks to all who participated. If you haven't voted yet, it's not too late to voice your opinion - I'll tally them up again at the end of the semester. Here are the results:

		Treasure	Trash
Linkin Park's A Thousand Suns		8	1
Tim Horton's Sausage Wrap		0	13
Drake's Thank Me Later		1	4
Panormous Pizza		4	0
New Clothes		5	0
Taco Tuesday		2	5
Mazda2		4	7
Jackass 3D		6	3
Double Cheeseburger		2	6
Total Treasures and Trash		32	39

So, it appears that more people disagree with my purchase decisions than agree with them. Good thing it's my money!! I blame the Tim Horton's Sausage Wrap that not even I enjoyed. Thanks again for visiting. Until next time...

...Oh! If you think there's a product out there that I need to try, leave a comment here and I'll consider it. A friend of mine suggested KFC's Double Down - so expect a Treasure or Trash for that in the near future.

BBQ Chicken Wrap!

It’s time for another edition of Treasures and Trash! For any new viewers, please read my original post explaining the concept of this blog by clicking this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2wjsdo3


Lisa and I went back to the TLC on Tuesday, but this time we avoided the tacos. Instead, we both purchased:

BBQ Chicken Wrap with fries - $8.99 – The Last Class @ Georgian College

Before I get to the wrap, I must admit that TLC makes the BEST fries I’ve ever tasted. These are 100% treasure and I recommend them to everyone that goes to Georgian. Now onto the wrap – decent price for a restaurant comparable to Swiss Chalet’ price point. The quality, however, far exceeds that of Swiss Chalet’s in my opinion. The wrap included diced breaded chicken, lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and mild sauce. Tax inc., the bill came to $10, a very reasonable price for a poor student - good value! I’m going with treasure on this one.

Now’s your chance – Treasure or Trash it! (Sorry, no picture this time!)

McDonald's Double Cheeseburger Value Meal

After seeing Jackass 3D, I began to drive home when hunger hit me. I began thinking of the restaurant options in the area and settled on McDonalds. I love their Double Cheeseburgers and haven’t had one in five or six months. So I stop by McDonalds and look at the menu – I was tempted by the Big Mac, but the $8 price tag deterred me. I decided to stick with the Double Cheeseburger Value Meal and the employee says “Your total is $5.64.” I’ll admit, I’m kind of cheap when it comes to eating out, but I expected the price to be much lower. I can get $3.99 meals at both Wendy’s and Tim Horton’s and I just assumed McDonalds would offer the same.

The McDonalds was not busy, so I got fries right out of the fryer and burgers right off the grill (Oh, how the size of the patties have shrunk!!). Both tasted excellent! The one thing I don’t like about McDonalds is that once the fries get cold, they taste awful, so I ate them rather quickly. The Double Cheeseburger tasted just like I expected to taste. Regardless of its smaller size, it served the need.

So, despite the increased cost and reduced size, I enjoyed the meal. I don’t visit McDonalds often, but they’ve managed to keep the taste the same, so I’ll probably go back (not for a month or two though).

So vote below - Treasure or Trash McDonald’s Double Cheeseburgers!

Jackass 3D!!

A few buddies and I decided to check out Jackass 3D opening weekend. The trailers looked entertaining enough and I had enough SCENE points to get in free, so, if it sucked - it was still free!

The theatre was packed, which was awesome because I love hearing other people's reactions and I'm sure they loved hearing mine. There were lots of outburts of laughter, lots of groans, and lots of gagging from the crowd. There was also a lot of genitals, fecal matter, and very angry animals (none of which were harmed during the production of this movie!) so if this stuff offends you or grosses you out, don't go see it - You've been warned. It's immaturity at its best!

Overall, I thought it was a very humourous and entertaining movie worth the free admission - I'd even say it was worth the $12 regular admission. I'm willing to bet that anyone who has seen it will vote Treasure and likely the opposite for Trash, but that's just what type of movie this is.

So vote below - Treasure or Trash!

Mazda 2 Potential

It's been a slow week in general for me, so since I have no new purchases, I will talk about my most recent want - a Mazda 2.

I've been exposed to many of their ads over the last few months at Cineplex before movies, on television and most recently I got a personalized ad in the mail. I read over the brochure and it did peak my interest. I am in my last semester of school and I plan on moving to a new city when I graduate. Having a car would make life that much easier...but do I want a Mazda2?

The price looked very reasonable at $13,999 new, but after looking a little deeper and reading the fine print, by the time I added all the features I wanted (Automatic, A/C, Cruise control), it was just under $24,000. That's like taking on another student loan!! Can I realistically afford this? I guess I will have to sit down over reading week and figure it out.

Until then vote Treasure or Trash on my want - not my purchase.