Celebrating Our Wedding Anniversary During Quarantine with Barter


Hubby and I don’t really go all out during our wedding anniversaries. For me, it’s enough for us to pray. Sometimes, I cook food. There was one time we ordered a giant pizza from a Bacolod restaurant. But perhaps this year is the most memorable one because we celebrated our wedding anniversary during quarantine for Covid-19.

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This is us — 13 years later. Living simply with our two gorgeous and smart daughters. Learning minimalism and enjoying the barter system.

Related: Heal the INNER CHILD for a HAPPY MARRIAGE

Prudent Wedding Anniversary During Quarantine

Covid-19 has definitely changed our lives. And it has also changed us. Now, we are into bartering our old stuff for grocery items. Except perhaps for food, we try to limit our spending on basic necessities. Aside from the fact that income has been nil since the lockdown that started in mid-March 2020, you also get to think about being prudent about every expense.

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This wedding cake topper is also 13 years old! Pictured here with a slice of Opera Cake by Miren Desserts of Bacolod City. Our wedding cake back then was a three-layer chiffon cake adorned with orchids.

For our 13th wedding anniversary, we didn’t really have anything planned. Hubby doesn’t impose on matters like these either. He just allows me to do whatever I can.

A deceiving cake. From the outside, it looks like a chocolate cake smothered in almonds. But it’s actually a French choco-liqueur cake made by Miren Desserts of Bacolod. Just the perfect wedding anniversary cake. Thank you, Mommy Kez!

But a couple of days before, I felt like eating cake. Since it was a special event, I thought about buying one–after all, it’s our 13th wedding anniversary. But not before asking on Facebook what I can barter for a cake.

Divine Provision

Then a friend, Mommy Kez, messaged me about sending me a cake as a gift. I no longer needed to barter anything as it was a gift. She gave us an Opera Cake by Miren Desserts.

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The boneless lechon belly that I cooked in the electric oven from a 3-kg slab of pork.

Meanwhile, another friend, Mommy Daphne, needed a second-hand electric oven. We do have one that needed cleaning and she was willing to trade it for 3 kilos of pork belly and some lemongrass. Because of that trade, I was able to cook boneless lechon belly for the family! That was the centerpiece of our luncheon wedding anniversary during quarantine!

Then another blessing came. Sir Anton of Mangan Restaurant Bacolod messaged me the night before our anniversary that he was sending over some dishes. They were already receiving orders for take out and delivery so he wanted us to have a try. What great timing!

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Bulalo, pork sisig, and lengua in mushroom sauce were all from Mangan Restaurant Bacolod!

So all in all, celebrating our wedding anniversary during quarantine wasn’t so bad. Thank God for His provisions and through the barter. A lot of our daily expenses have been answered by letting go of our stuff. We know that all of these were from Him to lift our spirits and help us to be more thankful.

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A pre-loved Nespresso machine bartered for P800 worth of groceries.

And lastly, even my anniversary gift for hubby this year came from barter. haha It’s an unopened Armani travel kit for men and a pre-loved Nespresso machine. So nice and he was so happy! You know how hubby loves coffee. He is caffeinated twice daily.

Stories Related to Covid-19

Minimalism

Actually, we do live simply. I am not into branded stuff, but we are rich with books as well as premium items. We also have a lot of costumes for kids that we have collected through the years.

And it’s time to let go. Now, we have an avenue through the Bacolod Barter Community founded by Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue. We have unloaded several boxes already and our closets are a little bit looser now. But our pantry is overflowing with food and other consumable items. We truly have a rich God who provides for our needs during this crisis. So thankful for the bartering community! It’s such a blessing!

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One of my anniversary gifts for hubby — an Armani travel kit for men.

Right now, I have bartered probably 25% of our stuff. When I reach 75%, we can truly say that we are living a minimalist lifestyle. 🙂 Yes, prudence and minimalism are in.

Our Anniversary Stories

Meanwhile, here are the other wedding anniversary stories in this blog.

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