Did you try to make "utang'" in a Sari-sari Store?
@totallyundecided (3190)
Philippines
August 16, 2010 12:09pm CST
LOL. Sorry for the word. I am having trouble on how to put it. But credit is the right term right because they usually have slogans that says, "Credit is nice but Cash is best". LOL
This happened to me 4 days ago. When I was in the verge of having nothing to eat in my apartment. Salary was distributed today and I got no money left anymore except for fare. And it was a Thursday that time. And time that time was sooooo slow. Really teasing me at the moment.
When I checked the container where I usually store the uncooked rice, I got nothing left. No instant noodles or even left over foods in the fridge. I panicked coz I have nothing to eat. In our area, I have three Sari- sari Store suki. And it was really not my thing to ask credit but with a prayer and a stomach grumbling, I went to one Sari-sari store across my apartment - it's where I usually buy things most of the time. Since I can't ask her directly, I decided to write a note saying if it's okay that I make "utang" for 100php worth of goods and will promise to pay it when salary arrives on Monday. Usually greetings are said but I was a little pale at that time because my heart is racing so fast. When I look at her reaction, I have a feeling that she won't say yes. But she did. I felt like I've won something. She said she understood my situation because she knows I am living alone and crisis arise everyday. And she trust me that I will really pay because she felt that I am a good person. And she even told me that I was the first one she'd allow to have that "loan" in her store coz she hardly trust anyone. I was so touched and was able to breathe.
Sorry to make this long. But I was hoping you guys could also share your stories if you have one. And if by chance you have a Sari-sari store or a mini grocery - would you also allow someone to have credits in your store? :D
Happy tuesday, friends! :D
2 people like this
21 responses
@saphrina (31552)
• South Africa
16 Aug 10
Hi sweetie.
What is going on that all of you get such crappy salaries, that you cannot make it through a month?
I do not mean to pry, but i mean really, you all have to eat and make sure you can get to work?
I would definately give someone food, not credit.
I won't expect it back.
TATA.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
Hi, saphrina. LOL I just started that's why I got low salary plus it gets deducted for taxes - it gets lower. LOL
I am afraid to ask extra money from my mom because I am trying to make it on my own. No, you didn't pry at all. I appreciate your concern. Thanks for being such a good friend. :D
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
17 Aug 10
blame it on the very poor economic state of our country :(
@elims15 (69)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
I also tried to make "utang/credit" to a sari sari store but its very hard for me to say that to the store.. I have no choice. i dont even have a single cents in my pocket and my salary 2 days after. so i decided for my self to tell the store owner about the reason and promise to pay the credit when my salary comes.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
I am glad you know how exactly I felt at that time. Against my will really but tummy is hungry. LOL.
@vlq2n22 (27)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
Yeah, I have had my share of having "utang" also..when I worked for the government (my first job after college)my salary was too small I had to borrow lunch from a elderly lady who supplied lunch in plastic bags at "eat now pay later" mode. she prepared about 30 pax a day. She just listed down what was taken, payable on payday. She was too kind that nobody ran away with unpaid debts. With this experience, I will surely allow credits in my store to trustworthy/sincere people.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
True. There are services like what Manang offers. The eat now pay later. It surely can save a lot of money because you don't have to worry about what to eat during lunch times since she's there to provide you for food. I wish something like that could be offered too in my workplace but we only have convenience store to run to during break time. LOL.
I hope there would be more Manangs like that and people who obediently pay their debts on time. :D
@diogz22 (516)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
Nice move there using pen and paper to express your shyness. Sometimes there are things that if you ask it directly face to face there is a specific impact whereas if you write down on a piece of paper the impact is different. It is like saying "I love you" some people appreciate it if they can read it over and over so pen and paper would be nice. But if you will use pen and paper for your "utang" the person who lends the money or something will have proof that you have debt to him/her. Take note he/she can read it over and over.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
LOL. No worries, my friend. She handed the note back to me. :D
@babz02 (250)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
I often make "utang" at the sari-sari store in our village, the owner actually is a family friend, and whenever I din't have money yet, I always make "utang". =) It is okay to have credits so long as you pay it right away and not let it build up. They are doing business to make money, not to lose some. =)
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
True. As long as the store owner knows you pay it right away, I think they will not have second thoughts of allowing you to get something from their store and pay it later. :D
1 person likes this
@eclipsedmarron (1)
•
17 Aug 10
Hi! Good day! I'm having a very difficult situation right now and I understand your situation. Well, my father used to ask me to make utang in the store near our house. Sometimes I hate it but what can I do we have no food to eat.U
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
True. Not having food is much, much worst than not having money. :D
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
17 Aug 10
Lot of people I know, have such credit facilities with their neighbourhood grocers. Since the grocers are from the same area, people usually know him and his family intimately and vice versa…so there is no question of the grocer getting cheated. What people usually do is keep a small note book with the grocer…then throughout the month, they go to purchase small items from the grocer and make a note of it in their own handwriting in the notebook…at the end of the month or the beginning of next month when people get their salary, they pay the grocer in full. I think it’s a good system if you can control and plan your purchase…you can try and talk to your grocer lady about something similar.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
Every store, I think, has notebooks on their own to keep track of what has been bought or borrowed to.
It was really my first time and I never feel at ease knowing that I have a credit in that store. but the owner there is kind and somehow sympathized with me. It felt good. :D
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Aug 10
hi totallyundecided If I owned a mini market I might give a few
credits to pe ople I really know well as I will trust them, but
no credit to strangers. It is not a good business practive to
give out credit indiscriminately but one always know who you
can really trust.So utang sort of means credit? see I do learn something
new each day here. It makes mylotting more fun for me.
@Gorillafootprints925 (3586)
• United States
16 Aug 10
My younger brother used to have a list of utang or "listahan" at a sarisari store near our house when we were kids. I never had one, not anything I remember. Anyway when I was in elementary I loaned a friend some money and he kept on borrowing from me and then I stopped lending him and tried to make "singil" hehe. It was hard to ask the people you loaned to payback what they owe, especially when you are friends because "magkakahiyaan pa kayo". So if I had a store I would not allow credits for anyone especially friends.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
LOL. Very true. One of the very many Filipino traits about having trouble asking when it comes telling that friend who owed you money to pay you.
And i like what you said, not to give credits to just any friend - just to avoid misunderstandings.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
Hello pretty undecided,
I don't have the experience getting credit debt in a merchandize store. but i do remember having a lot of debt in a local school supply shop. My mom before had a habit of wanting me to get loan of school supplies then she will pay it after a month or when the money is sent. finally, the owner got mad and said no more credit debt, my mom paid for it but we were never close to that shop again. it was an old man, as for me, they are still around.
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
hi, handsome LK. LOL
That's a sad story you have. I don't want to be like that like if ever comes a time that I miss the deadline of my said payment and the store owner will got mad at me.
@jamuls (530)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
lol! i always make utang, everyday in fact. my Aunt owns a store like this. i admit that i'm taking advantage of my Aunt, i'm her favorite. lol! i do pay her at once, i make utang if i'm too lazy to go back inside and get the cash which is very often. she even forgets about some of our "dealing" and i had to remind her. see how a good nephew i am? :) and when she's not around, i can always go inside her store through the window and get the things i need. i leave my money and tell her about it. i just love the way she yells at me for doing this so i keep on doing it every change i get. :)
@almairah0730 (62)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
if given a chance to have my own sari-sari store.... I will also let my friends or neighbors borrow goods from my store provided they will religiously pay for it. Sometimes, people tend to have a run out of cash, theta is not impossible. Me, too run out of cash especially days before the salary date. And I also go to a friends sari-sari store to borrow goods, and promises to pay it on time, They need capital also to roll the business. If you fail they might not let you borrow anything from their store. :)
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
It's usually a give and take routine. They hand us the borrowed goods and in return, we try to pay it on time. ;P
@insurectus (334)
• Philippines
16 Aug 10
I think I never made "utang" or maybe I can't doing such thing.
If in case I run out of budget, I sacrifice something like pawn my cellphone.
No texts or calls for several days or weeks is better than no food for a day.
I promise to myself that will never happen again, I just started late last year
earning something other than my salary, started reading ebooks how to become
financially literate and someday I should apply these techniques.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
For as long as your credit is good you can always get credit. You see how the store owner trusted you. Then for as long as you will keep your credit good then even if you don't have money you will not go hungry. Even if the owner of the store uphold the slogan credit is good but they need cash, they can always exempt those who know how to pay. Knowing that you are a customer who knows how to pay then any store owner will be most happy to extend credit to you at anytime.
@tovk12 (234)
• India
17 Aug 10
It happens all the time to me. I sometimes take my sodexho to the cafetaria and then find that I am short of a few rupees. I promise to pay it the next day or the next time I go to the cafetaria. I need to do this because I am too lazy to carry my purse when I go to the cafetaria. But then I make sure that I pay the amount without forgetting and the shopkeepers don't mind if some amount is short.
@marvinmacs (15)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
I wouldn't recommend it; but if you have to, make sure you have good relationship with the Sari-Sari Store, that the owner trusts you, and, more importantly, that you know that she indeed can trust you. P100 may not be a lot to you, but that matters to them. But what matters more to them than that is their relationship with you as a loyal customer.
@dudsdoojaxi1 (166)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
I have lots of debt. But it is a good debt because it is how I do it in business. About sari sari store utang, before when I was a kid we used to utang from our neighbor's sari sari store. It was humiliating because nobody wants to lend us anymore because my parents cannot pay.
