Does your Filipina Wife let you shop at the Palengke (Market)?

[Mark Berkowitz]

While out on a doctor’s visit with my wife, she told me to go home without her when we finished up at the doctor (instead of continuing to walk with her to the palengke to buy fish). I just wish that she had explained things to me in a more understandable way.

She told me that she was very fast, which made me say: I’m very fast too.

Then she said that the floors are very slippery, which made me say: I’m able to walk without slipping.

So, after my wife failed to send me home, we continued our walk together to the palengke to buy fish.

At the fish stall, I eyed some squid that looked very fresh… and I do enjoy eating Squid Adobe.

My wife (who knows that I like squid) asked me to buy the squid if I liked it. So, I said ‘magkano’ to the vendor and she said 500 pesos for a kilo.

After hearing the price, I looked at my wife’s face and she smiled although I could tell that she was upset. I asked her about the price and she said that it was OK and that we should buy it, so we bought a kilo.

After we walked out of the market, my wife read the ‘riot act’ to me about why I should never step foot into the Palengke. She said that the Squid should never cost more than 200 pesos for a kilo… but because of my foreign face, they charged a foreigner tax. My wife also added that she was unable to ‘Tawad’ (get a discount) because of me.

Feeling frustrated, I asked my wife: “So, why did you tell me to buy the Squid (if it was over-priced)?

She replied with: “I had no choice.”

So, I said: “Really???” To which, she replied: “I’d be too embarrassed to not buy it.” 

To sum things up, I agreed to never step foot into a Palengke again. For now on, I stick to shopping at SM Market and Citimart.

Does anyone else have a similar experience?

[AlwaysRt]

It depends on how much shopping she is wanting to do. A couple little things no problem, more items I need to "hide".

[Mike J]

Oh yeah!  I don't have to go home, but I do have to wait outside and out of sight.  What is so very funny is that we live in the small town of Moalboal.  After being here four years EVERYONE in town and all the surrounding area know that my wife is married to the foreigner from America, "you know the filipina that drives the Nissan X-Trail suv"   

[virginprune]

I go to the market all the time, at least twice a week. Have had an occasional high price quoted the first few times I went, if that is the case move onto the next stall. I have found that the ones that you do buy from like the prestige of having a foreigner customer.

[Dave Hounddriver]

37 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Exactly.  I go the first time to show what kind of fish I like.  The price is 400 a kg.  Future visits I sit outside the market and have a donut in the bakery while gf goes and buys the fish.  She comes back surprised and says it is only 280 a kg now.  I say "toldja".  And she says:  But I don't understand because they know I have a foreigner.  And I say "Yes, but they now understand you are smart enough to make you foreigner wait outside so they will have to treat you like a normal customer."  Ahhhhhh she says.   

[Jack Peterson]

1 minute ago, virginprune said:

 

I go to the market all the time,

 

Since I fell over in the Muck I don't Bother she goes at 5.30 or 6 when she needs things, but yes if they see a White or Black face beware

[Dave Hounddriver]

12 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

yes if they see a White or Black face beware

 . . of minstrels? 

[robert k]

I would negotiate when I went to the market, not so much because the money mattered but they don't respect you if you don't. I have even had some give me an unasked for discount on the second time I purchased from them and I suspect I was paying at least close to what a local would. If I ask how much at the market and they quote a price higher than in the hypermart? I just pass on and buy at hypermart. I don't mind negotiating but I don't want to be there all day. Refusing to buy, or negotiate is a form of negotiation, but a slow one. You might stop by several time over a month and ask how much? They will eventually realize they are losing business any day they don't sell out.

[Queenie O.]

My husband just goes early mornings sometimes. I'm too lazy to go, and our town market doesn't have too much to offer.  I'm grateful that he's willing to go. If you speak Bisaya, they usually give a fair price though, so that hasn't been an issue in the times that I have gone. One time near our house some fishermen brought in some fish early morning to the shore to sell. One fish I kind of got excited about, and the fisherman asked a high price. My husband refused to pay, so we didn't get it.

 

[Gratefuled]

I do my own grocery shopping and she does hers. She goes to Toril to the "wet market" for the veggies and fish. She knows how much she is willing to pay for the veggies and fish. I haven't the foggiest idea. I just pay.