The Sale-Itch. Don't scratch it.

Why do pinoys feel the need to spend and shop like crazy during mall sales, and complain about being or feeling poor at the same time?

I just came from SM's crazy 3-day sale. I didn't get anything for myself, though. Not that there wasn't anything good to buy. All Flip-flops had a 40% off sale on selected items/sizes. Although, Havie-holics had to endure at least an hour in line before they can get into the store. The department store had up to 70% off and Buy1 Take1 promos on selected items. Lines averaged on eight shoppers per counter. From the second floor, the people below looked like busy black ants ready to trample on anyone who blocks their way. Raffle boxes were on almost every mall entrance. (For every P500 = 1 raffle ticket) Big prizes such as refrigerators, washing machines, and 50 Next Base speakers/pods await the winners. People were crowding over the "ticket-claiming" booth. If I were to do the math, each family/group spent at least P500 that afternoon. As I filled up our raffle ticket, (yes, 1 lang), I noticed that three other average looking shoppers were filling up around 5-10 tickets each!

Never underestimate the powers of a mall. More so, the powers of a mall and a big sale. I mean, most of the people were buying stuff not because they needed 'em. Most of them were buying just because it was the last day of the sale and didn't want to get left behind. They might have also been caught up with the discount+raffle ticket frenzy that some of them were adding more unnecessary items to their cart just to reach P500 and avail of the P50 off discount (for SM Advantage Card holders only) or get one measly raffle ticket (e.g. Momma).

Don't get me wrong. I'm a shop-a-holic myself. I'm not trying to be KJ, it's just that with news about stockmarkets plummeting, this ironic situation amazes me.

Grabe. Shopping and malling, our national pastime? Partly the reason why shopping malls are sprouting everywhere, perhaps. And they tell us we're a third world country. hehe