TOP FINDS BELOW P200

Hunting out clothing pieces worth two hundred pesos in outlet stores or places that have made a reputation for selling unbelievably cheap items, e.g. Tutuban or Baclaran, is a walk in the park. Trying the same tactic in the urban mall scene is a treasure hunt challenge – one I decided to pursue just because I didn’t really believe it was actually possible. I have been conditioned into thinking that traversing Makati with two hundred bucks can get you a salad at one of the restaurants in Greenbelt, with barely enough left over for tip. The last time I checked, the only clothes available given this budget were either heavily discounted pieces from two seasons past, or tank tops made of fabric so fragile they could pass off as lingerie. But I checked again, keeping my eyes wide open and my fingers tightly crossed, and realized that two hundred pesos can actually acquire you an outfit.

Bearing in mind the die-hard bargain hunter’s motto: "You just have to know where to look," clothes shopping at the mall has recently become more purse-friendly. Retailers are daring to push the limit by offering quality clothing at drop-jaw prices that are almost comparable to the offerings at marketplaces outside of the city limits. These pieces don’t necessarily compromise on quality or style. A lot of them flaunt a penchant for the hip and trendy aesthetic, although there are also some classic pieces that can last you years of wearing.

Probably not wishing to be outdone by the ukay ukay craze, some establishments are deliberately building their reputation on offering pieces within a particular budget. The 99 Peso Store is one of the first to work with this concept. For ten years now, the store has not only been selling merchandise at literally P99 – tops, bottoms, beauty products, shoes, accessories, and beauty products – but has also been selling a notion that one hundred pesos can already give you something of quality.

Recently-established boutique Solo is proffering all their goods at less than five hundred bucks (includes denim pants, jackets, bags for both men and women). Their below-two hundred peso offerings include loud logo tank tops and shirts with retro prints that rank high in the hip scale.

For real bargain buys, I have also learned to check out SM Department. Try losing yourself in their labyrinths of shelves and mannequins and you’ll come up with selections that place importance on the value of good money. It may take twice the amount of time you usually allot for shopping but measuring it up to spending half the money you’d usually pay and it all balances out. Their Teens section, in particular, should be bliss for the trend-observer. SM Department Store has more fashion-forward pieces than I credited it with (I flipped out on their sporty tube tops that cost less than what I would pay for two scoops of gelato).

I am not one to indulge in a bout of impulse buying. I have never been a spontaneous shopper, but finding all these cheap, fantastic buys made me rethink my purchasing principles. The best thing about it is, all these bargain possibilities are available the whole-year round (forget about looking straining your eyes looking out for "Sale" signs). Prior to this self-imposed "two hundred peso" challenge, I couldn’t quite remember only carrying two hundred pesos in my wallet, and coming out of the mall with a shirt I could be seriously proud of. Damn! I even have enough money left over to pay for parking.

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the 99 Peso Store is having a promo called "99 Thanks sa 10 Years ng P99 Store". Visit the boutique for more details.