Cheapskate

Okay, okay. I admit it: I'm a UK lover. Yeah, the kind where you scramble clothes around and haggle with the salesgirl so you get the item cheap--even if it's actually already cheap. It's called ukay-ukay. It's our version of a rummage sale. The most famous of these ukay-ukay sites is Baguio. Yes, I've been there, too. Because ukay-ukay in Baguio is an accepted, and in fact, a must-do activity when you go to that summer capital, going ukay-ukay there is not as lowly as doing it in other places. You must brag that you've been to ukay-ukay in Baguio once you've accomplished the fact. The standard reply is, "Really?! Wow!!! Was it cheap? Can I see it?" You have reached a certain connoiseur status when they see your clothes and they like it because by then, you have their envy.

But as I told you, outside of Baguio, ukay-ukay is not as acceptable as say, going to an SM Midnight Sale. So I try to find my version of ukay-ukay, too. It's not actually for everyone. Only for people like me--trying to scrimp money while getting the best deal. So what I do is, if I have an item in mind I want to buy, I go through several stores, try to fit the clothes, keep the price in mind, and compare one item from another. For example, I wanted to buy surfing shorts. You know, if you buy a branded surfing shorts, it can get as high as P200 up. But I bought a surfing shorts in Bohol for P75. So it was too painful to part my money for something that would cost say, P120. No way. So off I go to my scrounging expedition.

Now, the first secret to getting good and cheap items is: you have time. If you need the shorts tomorrow, hello, how do you expect to be able to find and compare prices? Except if you go on leave and spend half-a-day or a day just going through different stores. So plan ahead. Give it a few months or a few weeks.

The second thing is, make sure you don't spend any further while doing it. I mean, if you have to go out of the way and spend the money you can save due to transportation, might as well not do it. In that I am "lucky." I live in Makati and work in Cubao. That means I could pass by Gateway and Araneta--even SM Cubao--if I want to without spending transportation cost.

The third one is, always be on the lookout. You never know where you happen to pass by. You can spend a few minutes just looking through their items even if you don't have to try on any of them.

So in my case, I went through several--and I mean, maybe more than five stores--just to find my a surfing shorts that was cheap and was good enough for me. Finally, one Saturday, I had a little bit time to kill and saw this store that I had passed by one time with myriad items. I came in and lo and behold, their beautiful surfing shorts cost only P50. Cheapskate heaven! After a try-out, I had definitely decided, this is the one. So on the day, I got my heart's desire...without sacrificing my purse.

The same thing happened a few hours ago when I was finally able to have my jpeg file for a 1x1 picture developed: 4 copies at only P15. You check out other photo shops and they will cost you P40 to P60. Why spend that much when you only need one picture?

So there...