In the Philippines, there are many bargains; you just need to know how and where. The first rule of advice is sending your Filipina wife or girlfriend to go alone. If they see a foreigner, the price might actually go up.

The worst places to ask is in the department stores or the chain mall shops. You might be able to get a small discount, but most store managers to not have the freedom to give any decent discounts.

In Davao and in most of the cities there are street side stalls and others that rent spaces on sidewalls or even parking areas in the larger parking lots. There are also locations in some of the cheaper or older malls where one store area is divided with small individual stalls. Also there are areas called Ukay Ukay. These are outdoor shops along the streets. Some are covered, some with just a tarp. There are used clothes and also you can find new items, sometimes with the labels still on them. In these shops, stalls or sidewalk stands you can find clothes, cell phones, Chinese pottery and most everything. These are the places to bargain.

If you have never bargained before, let me give you a little hint; start low. If an item is priced 100 pesos, offer 20. They will say no, and drop to maybe 80 pesos. Keep bargaining until they will not go lower and then tell them no and start to walk away. You can then get it lower. When I first came to Davao, I needed to go to a wedding. I needed a pair of black dress shoes. I had shoes in my shipment of things and since I knew I would rarely need dress shoes living here, I was not going to spend a lot of money for a decent pair of shoes. One day we were downtown and near one of the big Ukay Ukay areas, we decided to look. Form me; especially here in the Philippines, it is hard to find my size. I wear a size 12 E width, and I had enough trouble finding them in stock in America. Well, the second stall we looked in, they had a pair of Florsheim black wingtips size 12 E and the soles were still smooth and no scratches. They were never worn. I asked the girl the price and was told 100 pesos; that is about $2.00 USD. Those shoes would be over $100 in the States. I looked at the girl and said 20 pesos. She smiled as she shook her head and replied 80 pesos. I then offered 40 pesos and she said 70. As I shook my head and stared to walk away, she said, ok, 40 pesos. That is about $0.80 USD.

There are many stalls and even people walking around selling fruit, cheap little kids toys and even pirated DVD’s in cases looking like originals. I do not remember what they sell for, but if your persistent, or if you offer to buy more than one, you can get them for about ¾ of their price, maybe less.

In the parking lot at one of the malls there is a few stalls selling Chinese porcelain vases, big ginger jars and framed art with raised jade looking carvings. Elena wanted to buy the tall vases about 4 feet tall. While I was talking to friends in the mall, Elena went over to check the prices. She was told 7000 pesos ($145 USD) for one she liked. She offered 3000 ($62 USD) and eventually was told, if the boss lady walked away, they would sell it for the price. Elena mentioned she needed to ask her husband and left. I told her we should get 2 and place one on each side of our entertainment center. We went back later in the afternoon and I parked away from the area. Elena offered 5000 pesos for 2 of them. They first told her 7000, then 6000 and then the lowest they would go was 5800. Elena said no and started to walk away and they finally agreed and she bought the two for 5000 pesos ($103 USD)

Do not be nasty, just persistent and friendly. For higher price objects like the vases, just say your low price is all the money you have. Even workers you hire, you can bargain the price. Especially if you’re a foreigner discussing the deal, they have already raised the price with the “Foreigner tax.” Be strong but friendly and they will lower their price. Never take the first discount they give you. Once you have worked with them before, you can haggle a little, but do not go to crazy.