Things I Purchased and Food I Have Tried. Was it Worthwhile or Not? Part1

Written By:Felecia Causey

 2023 Toyota Corolla

My daughter worked extremely hard her first year of college, so her father wanted to gift her a brand new car. We decided to get her a 2023 Toyota Corolla. This automobile was everything we wanted for her. A fuel-efficient small compact car. I appreciate the feature that sounds like an unpleasant beeping noise if your seatbelt is not secured. So, if it is something you are concerned about as a parent, this car will ease your concerns. It is extremely loud. These are the neat little characteristics I appreciated about this car: I liked how it won't allow you to change lanes unless the signal is turned on. If you place any type of weight in the backseat, it will remind you to check it before leaving. If you forget to let your windows up, the dashboard will alert you. I love how she can use the steering wheel to control the radio and other functions.

Two things I don't like about the car are that, despite all of its technology, it lacks GPS navigation and blind spot warning. 

 

Aside from a few minor flaws, I believe it was a terrific purchase. I would highly suggest it and would buy another one. 

Sam's Club Member's Mark Chicken Tortilla Soup

Photo from Sam's Club website

Cold weather is just around the corner in Alabama. Although I enjoy Chick-fil-A chicken tortilla soup, the portion size and pricing do not sit well with me. I found a wonderful deal at Sam's Club. I was scared it wouldn't match my expectations, but it did. The amount you receive for $10.00, plus the ability to consume more than one serving, was an unbeatable deal. I pour some into a bowl, warm it in the microwave, and grab some saltine crackers; what a terrific movie night snack. Please test it and let me know what you think.

SLIM CHICKEN

I tried Slim Chicken, a recent new restaurant nearby. My husband and I went out to lunch, so we decided to try them. He chose a chicken tender plate, while I chose a chicken sandwich meal. I didn't fuss when the young lady got my order wrong. I will mention that the cups our beverages came in were cheap, since my entire drink was dumped into the cup holder due to a small hole in it. The sandwich patty stood up to its "slim" label. The meat on the bun was thin as a fingernail. I received more bread than chicken. 

I most likely will not try them again. They weren't bad, but my experience there wasn't great.

 

BOOSTER BATH ELEVATED DOG TUB $174.99

Amazon photo

Our pets do not enjoy taking baths. You'd think they'd be used to it by now, given that we've been following almost the same schedule since they were puppies. When bending our backs to place them in the box became too painful due to its low on the ground, we decided to purchase this tub with four legs that we saw on Tiktok. Let me tell you, my dogs "fights" (not really, just a phrase, since some people can't read between lines) over who goes first. I thought the price was reasonable. We bought it from Amazon.

I'd say that for the price, there should have been some steps. Just picture having to lift animals weighing nearly 100 pounds. You can purchase steps separately, and we will most likely buy them later. I'd definitely buy it again. Imagine how much money and time we'll save by not taking them to the vet or groomer. There is some assembly to be done. 

Hellsehen Mobile TV Stand Cart with Wheels $89.99 

Photo from Amazon

My daughter wanted a new TV stand for her newly furnished room. We visited several local stores, but the prices were ridiculous for what they provided. We went to our top place online while seeking something that would give us the greatest bang for our buck. We need something that won't take up much room. I appreciate that it has wheels so she can easily move it around as required.

I believe it was a nice product for the price. I might buy a couple more for the other two bedrooms in the house. I let my husband construct everything because I don't like dealing with all of the screws and so on. 

PRIVACY SCREEN FENCE 5'X50' COMMERCIAL SHADE COVER W/BRASS GROMMETS HEAVY DUTY $50.99

If you live in an HOA, you understand how limited your privacy is. If your neighbor's dog believes they can bully your dog, and the neighbor appears to have no control over it or is simply inconsiderate, this works perfectly. I believe this is an excellent product to keep the peace. 

 

If you want to sit in your yard but have noisy neighbors who want to see what you're doing, "block them." I'll be purchasing another one for the other side of the fence.

 

I will mention that they could have included screws to attach them to the fence because the zip ties they gave did not work for us.

XTERRA FITNESS RECUM BENT BIKE, $284.41

The fight to get to the gym is no joke. Then, feeling bad for not attempting to do better, I decided to purchase this bike. Also, with the flu and COVID returning, my desire is even lower, given how insensitive people can be. You'd think after a pandemic they'd learn to be more cautious and courteous. The chair is quite comfortable. I don't have to worry about having one cheek on the seat and one off. 

 

I will say that I dislike that the Bluetooth is not wireless and does not connect to my iPhone. You'll also need to connect a plug for the bike screen to come on. What frustrates me the most about the bike is that if you leave it for an extended period of time, you lose all of your workout progress. 

 

Other than the few minor things. It was great for the price, and I don't regret buying it. I would suggest wearing shoes or socks while working out, so you don't hurt the bottom of your feet. 

CRUMBL COOKIE, $8-20

There is controversy over these cookies. Are they overhyped and overpriced? Yes, and yes. They're not bad, but it's not my cup of tea. I felt like they were too sweet and just a little bit dry. My daughter appears to truly enjoy them. My son and my husband agree with me; they are not something I have to have, but I enjoyed trying the different flavors. I've tried them twice and sampled several of their flavors, but I didn't have any that wowed me. I'm not saying they're not worth trying; it's a toss-up for me. I will say presentation is great. 

THE FIERY FOWL. $4-$17

We'd been wanting to try this food truck for a while, but our schedule never matched up. We finally gave them a try last month. I will say that the prices are a tad high. I also wasn't a fan of how the food didn't come with a drink. However, I really enjoyed them.

I appreciate that we were able to order online and pick up. I felt like we got a lot for our money. My kids and I were able to sample a little bit of everything and still had some left over. We ordered two meals and a cake. The meals were hot and fresh. 

We ordered the jumbo tenders with macaroni. The skin did come off the chicken, but they were still really good. My son isn't a macaroni eater, but he said they were amazing. My daughter also fell in love with them. When it comes to any noodles or pasta, she is a hard critic, and it goes beyond her expectations. Unfortunately, I don't like macaroni. My kids both gave two thumbs up. 

I also bought a copycat Chick fil A pimento cheese sandwich. I enjoy spicy food. I loved it. The sandwich was of good size. I can't wait to get another sandwich. I enjoyed how much topping was on it. 

 

We also had some lemon cream cheese pound cake. It was good. I bet it would have been even better if it was warm.

 They are certainly worth trying. Yes, I am definitely going to try them again. 

Hardee’s Tender Box $12-$14

The price blew me away. I normally only get breakfast from Hardee’s, but my daughter wanted to try something new. The meal came with five tenders, drink, fries, toast, and coleslaw.  I don’t like coleslaw. I wanted to substitute but the workers said that it couldn’t be done. I think it was because they didn’t know how. I didn’t make a big fuss about it. The food was fresh, and the fries were crispy. I loved the toast. I tried to taste the coleslaw so it wouldn’t go to waste, but I couldn't do it. It was so nasty. The meal was great, and I would definitely order again.

What-a Burger Cobb Salad with Fried Chicken $11

I am a lover of good salad. I enjoy American Deli chef salad. When I don't feel like getting out and want to hit up a drive-through, I would normally go to Chick fila. I recently tried What-a Burger cobb salad with chicken. I actually liked the salad, but I will say they are stingy with their salad dressing. Everything was fresh, and they gave a good bit of meat. Try it out.