My apologies in advance for the faux economics that’s about to follow. I just finished watching “The Devil’s Plan” on Netflix and felt like crunching numbers.
During the recent November holidays, we passed through a crowded street that had vendors peddling all sorts of items from flowers and candles to hotdogs and squid balls. I passed by one of my favorite lechon manok brands — Sr. Pedro — and noticed the sign hung outside its store. The price of lechon manok is currently around P270.
From a vendor’s point of view, there are a couple of ways to control prices: Increase it accordingly to maintain a sustainable business while reflecting the current market conditions or, in the case of whole chicken, serve one that weighs lesser and therefore, keeping costs lower.
For the sake of rounding things up, P300 (approximately $5.20) can provide a delicious meal for a small family. Suddenly, you have a baseline for your food purchases when dining out.
Here are five items we enjoy casually, and luxuriously so, at P300 (plus some bonus tips on how to continue to enjoy them at lesser cost):
Coffee time. The branded coffees don’t usually hit the P300-mark on their own. But when we order a large cup from our favorite food delivery service and have some pastry to go with it, now we’re crossing family meal territory.
Saving hack: Some of the coffee shops offer a few pesos off your coffee when you purchase their refillable tumblers and bring them the next time around. You can also mix up your caffeine fix with the ones sold at 7-Eleven or McDonald’s — true brews sold at approximately P60.
Fast food feast. Besides a clean bed, another thing we look forward to after a busy day at work is a good meal. Sometimes, since we don’t always have the luxury of time, we opt for a fast food splurge. Well, that super value meal you’re about to order can already feed a family of four, from a peso-cost perspective.
Saving hack: Fast food is supposedly already budget-friendly. There’s no real hack here but ordering with restraint.
Trendy restaurants. When a restaurant is date-worthy, then that’s when you know you’re about to shell out some big bucks. The baseline cost of P300 is set for appetizers alone, and the entrées probably start at P600. Should you skip these places? Don’t! In fact, learn more about them and why they’re worth trying out at least once. Some meals are more special than others.
Saving hack: It’s not your anniversary every day, is it? If you must dine out and are thinking of how to save, there are some restaurant groups that offer discounts of up to 50 percent off when you pay with a specific credit card. That’s huge right there.
Samgyupsal. We consider P499 a fantastic deal when it comes to unlimited Korean barbecue but technically, just how many of us are able to consume over a kilo’s worth of pork? (one kilogram of quality pork belly is more or less at P350). Korean barbecue is a luxury.
Saving hack: Just look for your favorite restaurant with the best deals and stick with it. It’s not really savings per se, but it’s about conscious spending.
Cocktails. This one’s tough. When you drink outside and spend money, it’s all part of your social life. But when you drink at home to save, you come off borderline alcoholic. But yes, cocktails are meant to be enjoyed with the company of friends. Just know that a single glass is equivalent to a hearty lechon manok.
Saving hack: I just get a whiskey and enjoy it real slow. I’m boring like that so I don’t really have a problem with drinks.
Parting shot: Drink, dine and enjoy life. And sometimes, think about having lechon manok for dinner as well.