My Payday Shopping Challenge at Metro Gaisano's Sidewalk Sale

I don't normally go to the mall unless I have something to buy or if I'm meeting friends for lunch or dinner. The last time I was in a mall was when we celebrated my nephew's birthday last month and that was in Manila. I associate going to the mall as a necessary task living in the city. From restaurants to department stores to medical clinics to hair salons, all kinds of things conveniently found in one place.

I have a somewhat crazy schedule for the next couple of weeks and yesterday I found myself doing absolutely nothing on my supposed weekday off.

I decided to go to Ayala Center Cebu and just follow my usual pattern of going to the bookstores, do a little window shopping at my favorite Hobby store (I already bought my quarterly quota of Funko Pops at the Asian Pop Comic Con), have dinner, and maybe drink a cup or two of coffee with a slice of cake for dessert to end my day. 

Heading towards the Hobby store, I got distracted by a Metro Gaisano sign that read, "Sidewalk Sale from Sept. 15-17, up to 50% off storewide plus your purchases get double points when you shop using your Metro Rewards card".

They had me at double points. I mentally started creating a list of "essential" things I needed to buy. And so I set my alarm to 8 AM and decided to go to Metro Gaisano by 10 AM this Morning to get the best deals before the crowds get a whiff of this Sidewalk Sale. It doesn't hurt to be early since it is a Payday weekend plus the Holidays are slowly creeping up on us.

And I would also like to win any of the 12 Apple gadgets that Metro Gaisano is giving away in their raffle contest. I might find myself lucky and either get to have a 32gb iPhone 7 or maybe a 32gb Apple TV. I do hope to get the Apple TV for my iFlix and Netflix binge-watching. 

I found out that all Metro Gaisano Department Stores and Supermarkets will have the Sidewalk Sale. Even Metro Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City is participating. 

I created a list last night but when I got to Metro Ayala, I ended up adding more items to it. 

With the storewide discounts, it was difficult to stick to my budget. It looked like my Payday Shopping challenge would really be more about a test of self-control. 

So, without further ado, here are the things I bought during the Sidewalk Sale.

Plastics, plastics, plastics. You can never go wrong with a strong and sturdy big plastic storage box. Living in the dusty Philippines, this is the practical way of keeping your valuables safe and organized. 

Why do I need these storage boxes? I use them to store my new Funko Pops since I ran out of shelf space; I also keep my most treasured books in these airtight containers. I headed over to the Homeware department and bought a couple of these boxes.

Plastics all around

There were some items that are 30% off; The ones that I bought from Home Gallery were on 50% discount. Their 50-liter storage boxes are priced at 450 pesos each.   

I also bought a Biokips food keeper for my travel snacks. I wanted something compact and convenient that I can put inside my backpack.

Of beddings, pillows, and bed sheets

Next thing on my agenda is a new bath towel. As my Mom always says, "You should never run out of freshly-laundered towels". I always follow that sage advice and have a steady supply of towels on hand. The U.S.A. cotton ones are on a 10% off.

To make it more personalized, you can have your name embroidered on it. The first five letters are priced at 40 pesos.

You won't go wrong with towels

An eye concealer is an insomniac's best friend. Another rule that my Mom has instilled in us is, never leave the house without looking well-groomed. And for me, that means using a good eye concealer since eye bags are my enemy. 

Got 25% off on my L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte concealer. Original price is at 700 pesos but for now, until Sunday, September 17, it will only cost you 525 pesos. I also bought a Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Two-Way Cake which is also on discount.

Lastly, I made a short trip to the Kids section since I wanted to buy my nephew, Haruki, a pair of socks to go with his new leather shoes. When I passed by the Toys department, I was so tempted to buy some toys for them because of the bargain prices. 

Kids Department

Aside from the pair of socks I originally intended to buy, I ended up purchasing my nephews a couple of shirts each because of the impressive choices and deals that the store was offering. At least, I'm done with my Holiday shopping for my nephews. I don't have to worry about it anymore.

It took me two hours to finish all my shopping which took me by surprise; I'm like the "Flash" when it comes to shopping but because I made it a point to go to each level in Metro Ayala and see for myself if there were more things that would entice me. 

While at the Sporting Goods department, the 10% discount on a 10-liter dry bag proved to be the clincher. I just paid 249 pesos for it. All I need to do now is to plan a trip to the beach so that I can use my new waterproof bag. 

Sporting Goods Department

That's it, folks. My Payday Shopping Challenge at Metro Gaisano's Sidewalk Sale didn't burn a hole in my wallet. Plan to head on over to Metro Ayala during the weekend. Take your time to explore all the nooks and cranny; you might find better deals than I did. The Sidewalk Sale is until September 17. 

And don't forget to bring your Metro Rewards card for double points and exclusive offers for members during the Sale duration.

Ladies Department