NU12 'what pisses you off at the mall

What pisses you off at the mall?  What do you suggest?

"Malling" as we know it in the Philippines means sauntering inside a facility which encloses a variety of shops enticing people to enter and buy their goods or avail their services.  It has been a common way of life for the average Filipino.  Our family holds our bonding moments on Sundays and most of the time we visit different malls to try different restaurants and spend the day eating out and looking for things which might satisfy our cravings.  The one thing that pisses me off are the attitudes of some of the salesladies who are overzealous in selling their wares.   This event normally happens in the tiangges where stores are situated side by side and opposite each other leaving only an aisle small enough to make passers by take a side step so as not to bump an oncoming person.    I most hate it when they call me "maam, bili na po kayo, ano hanap nyo?"  Although this might not be bothersome to others, I simply want to ignore them more even if I see something of interest in their store.  I want to enjoy my window shopping without the nagging of these persons whom I know is just making a living. 

My only suggestion for this type of behavior is for them to wait until the customer asks them regarding their wares then and only then will they respond to entice the customer to purchase their goods.  Salesladies are there to make a "sale" however, they should understand that as potential buyers, we have different personalities which some of us are very hard to please. Giving the buyer space to decide their needs and at the same time, being available for them when the need arises is one that would help us decide otherwise.

JAN 19, 2013

NEW SPENDING HABITS/ROUTINE

During my undergraduate years, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to a life of dependence when it comes to money matters. I was even luckier enough to be given a credit card extension from my brother. Shopping and luxury was part of my life. I became out of control. I was a shopaholic. Payday would mean having time to go to the mall and squander although, maturity opened new ideas and perspective in life. As my previous motto was spend till you drop…. The new motto became why spend? I was more mindful with what I buy but still I see myself having a shopping spree.

When I started to have my family, my perception became more different. I was more conscious with the value of money. Buying was not for me alone but for the family. I mostly use my credit card to keep track of expenses and check on my statements every month to monitor my expenditure. For my income, I make it a point to place 25-30% of my savings in the bank or better still, have a separate account where I usually place my savings. I refrain from going to the mall not unless the need would arise. But then, the shopper in me would rise up once in a while like indulging myself in food. This I still have to work on… As I was listening in the radio where the topic was how to manage your finances, a new idea popped up. This would mean, placing my money or card in an envelope where logging in all expenses are to placed in the envelope. The speaker said it works. Well, this I still would have to find out. But hopefully, yes…. At least, I still have to discipline myself into doing these things… improving my spending habits.  <no author>