Price Watch

After all the holiday trimmings have been put away and safely stored for next year, after eating all your favorite–if calorific and cholestrol-laden –food, after all the gifts have been unwrapped and are now being enjoyed,we better get into the more serious endeavor of minding the peso (and our respective earning capacities), seeing how it will fluctuate and how much it can still buy in the year 2003. A challenge indeed for the wage-earner and a difficult task for the homemaker.

But we need to face facts, and at this point we have resolved to conduct a more vigilant price watch,to share as much as possible with our regular readers. The price of fuel, power and water will most likely go up, as was earlier predicted. Following that, basic commodities will likely follow –foodstuff, clothing, services, etc.

Focusing on food, even before 2002 ended, we noted a hike in the price of rice.There are a few varieties of our favorite Sinandomeng, costing from P900 plus a sack to P1,200, depending on where you get it.We went a little bit luxurious over the holidays and got ourselves 25 kilos of California long grain rice at P800. This was perfect for our holiday Paella, but since we are not cooking that special dish all the time, we will go back to Sinandomeng.

Chicken is one of the most flexibly priced food stuff in the market. Again the cost is dictated by the outlet where it is purchased, and its availabity. There are times when suddenly chicken would disappear. Chicken always costs more in the wet markets. Unbranded in one wholesale outlet was going for P62 a kilo, Magnolia was selling at P74 in a Zapote chain and at P79 in a superstore in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Normally they are very small, and you have to watch out for the bigger ones (weighing at least 1.5 kgs.each) should you decide to cook them with gravy or nilaga and tinola. It would help if you can call the store and reserve the number you need; stores normally accommodate phone reservations.

With regard to meat,because of bulk, the big outlets often offer lower prices. And you are guaranteed the correct weight and better cut.

Seafood–we always go to the more convenient place (near our home), but the holiday season taught us to go a bit farther to save a few pesos. Tilapia is sold at P80 a kilo at the Muntinlupa wet market and other fresh catch is at least P10 cheaper (a kilo)from where we used to get them. We will then travel the extra mile, in order to save.

Given the time and energy, the homemaker should probably make a list of what commodities she needs, and in her shopping forays take note of where they cost less. That can be done by scheduling buying trips with some other errands that you need to do in places near the shopping area,so your gasoline expense will not go up. Note that there is no place where everything is cheaper than the rest. Each has its own "special discounted "or "on sale "products. These are normally advertised, so read the papers and follow the road to where a few pesos can be saved.

Vegetables–it is not always the wet markets that offer the lowest price. Seasons are to be considered. You don ’t look for patane (lima beans) when it is not time to harvest, or bawang na mura (for your sotanghon or cardillong isda) early in the year.Choose local (broccoli,etc.)against imported;the former is normally priced lower and in all probability,much fresher.

Prepared sauces–sometimes it is much more economical to use these. That way you do not have to buy bottles of seasonings and condiments. When the time element is important, these are the practical choices. There are a few brands available in most shopping centers and they are all flavorful.

Surely there are other small ways you can save a few centavos and even pesos. Simply do a regular price watch.

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Lydia D. Castillo’s e-mail address: [email protected]