I always knew that Starmall EDSA-Shaw is a good place to hunt for bargain items. But it's only…read morerecently that I discovered Japan Selection on the second floor. At first glance, the store looked like just any ordinary thrift shop selling Japan-made goods. Look closer, or better yet get inside, and you will see that they are more than just the usual stocks of cookware, kitchen gadgets, chopsticks, Lucky (or Pocky) biscuit sticks, and whatnots from the land of the rising sun. They sell second-hand appliances on an 'as is, where is' basis. This means they will test the appliance you want to buy in the store. But if it doesn't work later when you bring it home, you can't claim a refund. They also have pre-owned baby strollers and other baby furniture. Heck, they even have used surfboards. What really lured me to the place was the stacks of original Japanese manga comics, many of them are Naruto. I was giddy because my cousin who's learning how to read and write Japanese can now spice up his studies by reading one of his favorite manga/anime series in its original language. Without hesitation, I grabbed three books to buy. Right across the manga section was the used toy shelves. Here, I found countless Ultraman figures, diecast cars, robots, and baby toys. Clumsy me grazed one of the items on a shelf and it fell with a beautiful percussive sound. When I picked it up, I realized that it was a bamboo baby rattle. I bought it for twenty bucks to use as decoration at home. The only downside to Japan Selections is their dusty, topsy-turvy store. If you suffer from asthma, better stay out.

I only learned about this place just this weekend when a former colleague-turned-friend asked to…read morehang out here. I've always liked Maginhawa but it's just really complicated to go to for someone who doesn't own a car so admittedly, I wasn't too thrilled about the idea. I still agreed to go, though since it has been a while since we last saw each other. Since I wasn't familiar with Maginhawa, I decided to take a cab and Waze it. YAY, WAZE! It was situated right in front of the famous Artsy Cafe. WUMS (When Uan Met Sally) Cafe had a conjoined store of all things kitschy! They have bracelets, necklaces, boho-inspired garments, boho bags and a ton more! If Phoebe Buffay swung by this place, she'd probably live here. Too bad though, most of the items are pretty expensive. Think a bracelet for 1,000 bucks or more. On to the cafe part. Okay, first off, I love Mumford and Sons, and I feel like if they ever made a Mumford and Sons-esque cafe, it would be similar to WUMS. It just had that very down-to-earth, hippie vibe that I love! Just walking into their small cafe and seeing the interiors, I knew I was going to love this place. I got to try their French Onion Soup and to be honest, there wasn't anything special about it. I'd still prefer Friday's French Onion Soup any day. Their Margherita Panini, however, was pretty good. I also loved their frozen house blend iced tea. Overall, this place is a delight to have been discovered. If only it weren't too far from me, I'd probably visit this place more than a few times in a month.

I just love this place…read more I live about a block away from this place and I would pass by it ever since it was still being constructed. I watched it evolve from an empty garage to a construction site, and now, a really hip and cool place to eat, to shop and to hang out with a couple friends over good food and wine. I love the artistic vibe and the very artsy inspirations that went into the design and the concept of the store. It combines a lot of intricate Byzantine frescoes and paintings with distressed furniture, lots of bronze and wrought iron, and lots of soft textures from the silks and the clothes that are being sold. They have antiques and flea market finds from all over the world that you can buy and add to your collection of curios at home. This antique shop/vintage store/gift shop/knick knacks paradise/cafe/restaurant (whew lots of slashes there) is a fun and quirky neighborhood joint that will have you coming back for more. I am a big fan of the squash and sweet potato soup, which is just the right consistency and creaminess. Squash soup is simply my favorite, and I love how they do a good job with that here. The service is top-notch and the ambiance is just lovely. I would recommend it for a date with a special someone, or if you want a cute space for a meeting with a client. I will surely come back for more!

If ukay ukay was classy, this is the place to go. The items here were pre picked by the owner thus…read moretheir quality and overly done pricing. I mean you're paying almost the same price as new stuff from a bazaar for used clothing. But if you really know your shiznit and your way around vrands, you'll appreciate this cozy little spot at the entrance of expo. They have an impressive shoe selection with original but second-hand brands like Tom's, Sperry's, Guess, just to name a few. But mahal! Like a pair could be anywhere in between Php500 to Php1k depending mostly on the brand. They also have used books but nothing worth paying Php100 for.

Need to update your wardrobe this year? Want a new swimwear? Or do you just want to shop till you…read moredrop without burying your wallet alive? Then this discreet yet stunning local clothing line could do the trick for you. Apartment 8, with branches in Trinoma, Greenhills and Glorietta, have been around for some time and has been creating quite a stir because of their trendy collections. Endorsed by famous fashion bloggers, Apartment 8 offers clothes for women, mostly for teenagers and young adults. But hey, their clothing line is for everybody, as long as you wear the dress, and not let the dress wear you. From casual to formal, from summer to winter, from vintage to modern - Apartment 8 surely has them all.

A self-confessed ukay ukay addict dared me to check out this place, saying that I would be shocked…read moreat what they have. I wasn't expecting much. to be honest. I know that some of these thrift shops are better than others, but how much better can one be over the rest? Since I had some time to kill, I decided to give it a shot. Guess what? My ukay ukay junkie was absolutely right. I won't comment on the branded ladies clothes, shoes and bags that she raves about. I admit knowing next to nothing about women's wear and accessories. But I do know enough about men's wear to recognize a bargain when I see one. There were Levi's jeans as well as other brands of denim pants and trousers. The price? An unbelievable three for P100. I had to take a second look at that price tag, but there it was. That comes to P33 per pair of pants, doesn't it? The best thing about denims is that the more worn they look, the more comfortable they feel. Jamzel's Ukay Ukay is a small shop, but man do they have a lot of terrif bargains. They have rubber and leather shoes that all look newish and sell for a low P200 a pair. If you have no qualms about buying and wearing pre-owned clothes, head for this store pronto!

I know a friend who shops incessantly at Artwork, and I don't see why she wouldn't. They have a…read morerack full of white muscle tees priced under 200 pesos, notebooks, shirts, and shoes - all with great, edgy designs! They definitely have better clothes now than from when I last visited a few years ago at another mall. If you need to update your wardrobe without going all the way to Greenhills for cheap finds, Artwork's worth a visit!

I love Artwork. I haven't been to one in quite a while and…read moreonly recently returned when my friend and I visited the branch at UPTC. And just, wow. I missed it so much. Artwork is a great artsy place that sells 1. cheap (SUPER YAY), 2. local (support local stores, yes), and 3. unique clothes, hats, beanies, bags, pouches, wallets, shoes, and notebooks. Artwork is all about their prints. The designs here are so funky and hip you will not know which to choose. If you're into art and odd and weird then you will love the stuff at Artwork. I got so giddy entering here and went ahead and bought something (I couldn't resist). The shirts are my favorite because they're super comfortable, and you can pair it with any type of bottom and you won't look plain because the designs are so loud and out there. You are literally wearing/holding/writing on/carrying an artwork and I think that in itself is amazing. The designs are all made by hand either transferred or done directly on the fabric. You can come in here with P1000 and come out with at most 5 shirts (they sell tanks for under P200).

When you've had your taste of ukay, every so often you'll be itching to venture out and ukay new…read moreold stuff, very much like the itching you get after you've tried on several articles of dusty clothes. It's all worth it though, when you find those few things you've worked hard to find among the sea of secondhand somethings you'd had to wade through. This particular building in Anonas houses a good bunch of ukay-ukay stores and has always been one of my go-to places to thrift, after the spots in Cubao had to close and be replaced by the condominium sites. It's really accessible to the Anonas LRT Station and a lot of the stores have air-conditioning, which is great to have when you plan to be covered in grime at the end of the day. Most of them are fashion stores, carrying clothes, bags, and shoes, but a good few would have beddings, toys, and a couple of appliances or books here and there. One of the stores only specialize in toys and collectibles, while its neighbor only housed shoes and bags. It's my personal strategy to go for the least accessible places as they'd probably have cheaper stuff, but most of the stores in the higher floors had a more limited selection, more expensive clothes, and limited air conditioning. One of the stores had tops and dresses that went for almost four hundred bucks, which is hella expensive, but I guess it was because they were pre-chosen designer and branded articles. I guess they were worth a look regardless--no doubt they'd go on sale at some point in time. Still it'd be better to just sift through the bigger stores with more varied, cheaper stuff. Arm yourself with a bottle of water, some wipes, and alcohol, and make your way to Anonas. You're sure to find something here. If not, ask when their next batch of arrivals come in (some might have a text "mailing list" or they'd just give you a mobile number), or ask if they're online. Some of them have legit, updated Facebook pages!

I think one of the things I love about one of my best friends is that despite us having grown up in…read moreprivileged circumstances, she's always been judicious about her spending habits. Now that I'm pushing 30 and making my own money, I understand its value and how hard it is to make it! It's true -- the stuff really does run through your fingers! Having said that, Celina was the one who introduced me to the world of ukay-ukays. If you're a foreigner or you can't understand Tagalog, an ukay-ukay is essentially a thrift store or a flea market for clothing items. Once in awhile, bags or shoes are on sale as well but it's mostly clothing-centered. Anyhoo, the first time that she introduced me to this specific ukay-ukay was in our college days -- so somewhere in the realm of 2006-2008. It can be overwhelming to dig through the thousands of tops, bottoms and dresses available here but if you're patient and persistent, I guarantee that you'll find something to your liking that costs less than P500. 100 percent guaranteed. There are at least 10 ukay-ukay stores in the area so knock yourself out. I think one of the things I love about one of my best friends is that despite us having grown up in privileged circumstances, she's always been judicious about her spending habits. Now that I'm pushing 30 and making my own money, I understand its value and how hard it is to make it! It's true -- the stuff really does run through your fingers! Having said that, Celina was the one who introduced me to the world of ukay-ukays. If you're a foreigner or you can't understand Tagalog, an ukay-ukay is essentially a thrift store or a flea market for clothing items. Once in awhile, bags or shoes are on sale as well but it's mostly clothing-centered. Anyhoo, the first time that she introduced me to this specific ukay-ukay was in our college days -- so somewhere in the realm of 2006-2008. It can be overwhelming to dig through the thousands of tops, bottoms and dresses available here but if you're patient and persistent, I guarantee that you'll find something to your liking that costs less than P500. 100 percent guaranteed. There are at least 10 ukay-ukay stores in the area so knock yourself out.

When you're in Cubao and you feel like you need more grit with your apparel shopping, Fashion De…read moreLite can certainly help you in that department. Located at the Araneta Center, beside a church and across a Eurotel (how's that for a combo), easily walkable from Gateway, Aurora, or EDSA, it can be an ukay enthusiast's best friend in convenience and accessibility. If their marketing visual of the stunning Angelina Jolie in a black gown doesn't pull you in, the sight of the sheer size of the place certainly should. There are tons of racks of clothes here and it's going to be hard for one to avoid buying anything, really. Everything is laid out well, with a clear division in men's and women's clothing, and sorted by pants, shorts, long-sleeved tops, T-shirts, etc. Even with the breadth of the store though, the aisles can still be somewhat cramped, and there are only about three changing rooms. Also, this wouldn't be the cheapest ukay, mind you. Yes, P200 for a shirt is cheap, but it won't squeeze happy tears out of you, would it? Still, a bargain is a bargain, I suppose, and you could always try to haggle.

I don't know about you, but there's something magical about living near an ukay. A beloved…read morerestaurant or an outlet store might be really nice, but a chance to thrift at any given moment? Seems like a sweet deal to me. It's probably the crazy talking, but it might also be the high of having visited this new ukay along Aurora just near Robinsons Magnolia, called--and this is a beautiful mouthful--"Bargain for Millionaires Fashion Style." The name's funky fly and fresh, although it does makes little sense as a bargain for millionaires would unlikely be a bargain for most everyone else. But it certainly pulls you in, right? The place is new and pretty amazing, stark white and spacious despite being full of clothing. The AC was at full blast when I came into the store, which already kind of won me over. They also had a good arrangement of clothes, and even seemed to be organized by color almost on each rack. Though I did take a look at the prices in general, and they're a bit of an expense compared to most other ukays. P200 for a top is not cheap by ukay standards, as is P300 for denim, though they had slightly better deals upstairs. Yes, this place has two floors of ukay, both of them air-conditioned, though the second floor slightly less so. I wish them all the success and will probably be coming back numerous times in the future. If you're bored by the stores in Magnolia, come here instead!