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

[Mike J]

Mark - I forgot to mention one thing in my reply to your original post.  Just in case your wife has not told you yet; "You are also NOT allowed to purchase anything from door to door vendors (fish, bread, wicker furniture, etc.).  Just trying to keep you out of any future trouble my friend.  I offer this advice based on experience, you can learn a lot from another person's mistakes.  

[sonjack2847]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

Mark - I forgot to mention one thing in my reply to your original post.  Just in case your wife has not told you yet; "You are also NOT allowed to purchase anything from door to door vendors (fish, bread, wicker furniture, etc.).  Just trying to keep you out of any future trouble my friend.  I offer this advice based on experience, you can learn a lot from another person's mistakes.  

Most  of the time I will get a better price than my wife as she is very timid and will not haggle.

[Mark Berkowitz]

3 hours ago, Mike J said:

Mark - I forgot to mention one thing in my reply to your original post.  Just in case your wife has not told you yet; "You are also NOT allowed to purchase anything from door to door vendors (fish, bread, wicker furniture, etc.).  Just trying to keep you out of any future trouble my friend.  I offer this advice based on experience, you can learn a lot from another person's mistakes.  

Thanks Mike!

I've said NO to so many door-to-door vendors so far but the funniest time was when I said no to a vacuum cleaner saleswoman.

She was very persistent, so I finally told her that I moved to the Philippines to have a simple life and all that I needed now was a broom (and dust pan). The expression on her face was priceless.

Thanks again my friend, since I really do appreciate the advice of more experienced Expats.

 

Edited June 15, 2017 by Mark Berkowitz

[virginprune]

20 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

It runs contrary to what other countries do where its up to the consumer to pay the exact fare in many cases.  Its a security thing.  Bus drivers, taxi drivers etc do not want to be running around with a bunch of money inviting holdups etc.

I worked as a taxi driver for a number of years in the UK, I did, and was expected to, carry a float. The only transport were exact fare is required is the public bus.

[not so old china hand]

37 minutes ago, virginprune said:

I worked as a taxi driver for a number of years in the UK, I did, and was expected to, carry a float. The only transport were exact fare is required is the public bus.

In Hong Kong taxis there is usually a sign saying the driver must be able to give change for a a HK$500 note.  Drivers can refuse to accept a 1,000 dollar note. In Beijing taxi drivers don't like taking 100 yuan notes (that's about 15 bucks US.)

[intrepid]

12 hours ago, Gratefuled said:

I don't like the centavo coins either but I do keep them. I give my wife the peso coins for stepsons daily jeepney and tricycle fare to and from home to school. I like to give the centavo coins back to cashiers. Sometimes I give quite a few just to unload them. They have to take them. Cashiers do mot like to give coins so they round off and instead ask you "sir, do you have 1 peso". I smile and say " yes, but I need them for jeepney". Early in the morning vendors, taxi drivers and jeepney drivers do not have change to give so it is better to be prepared with exact change. 

But, yeah if you try to give the boys begging for money the loose centavos, they would probably throw them at you. That's what my wife says. 

I really do not know why they do not round off prices and eliminate centavos. If there is one laying in the street, I'll bet no one will pick it up. Some times I do and my wife is embarrassed and scolds me. 

Interesting just yesterday while my wife was in the supermarket, I wanted a bottle tea.  Went to the liquor store in the same building and got my peach tea and then to pay.  P20.25 and all I had was two P20 bills.  The duty guard grabbed a loose change box at the end of the counter and dug out a 25 centavo and gave the clerk and she returned one of my twenty peso bill.  Very nice and I felt a little bad, but impressed.  As I walked to my car, reaching in my pocket for my keys, I pulled out a peso coin I had found on the ground earlier in the day.  Anyway I guess they use that box ox coins to balance the till when needed.

[robert k]

I love the 5 centavo coins. I can't buy washers that cheap! If I ever get back into fishing they will make good sinkers. I saw a video of a guy who built a small second house with a 5 centavo coin under each nail, they simply refer to it as the money house.