Two Carts in a Counter.

In Canada and the U.S., it's ordinary to see couples doing their groceries together; not in Manila.  Here, wives usually go to the supermarket with the kids or the maid in tow, or sometimes with the family driver.  Shoppers also rely on baggers at the check out counter to put their purchases in bags or lately, in cartons.

I, myself, am getting used to the bagger idea; before, I always did my own bagging.  I am also getting used to the Manila practise of leaving food trays and wrappers and plastic cups on the table at fast food chains.

When our household does its grocery shopping, we keep two carts rolling.  That way, I can go freely and select whatever food or item I want. In my case, I always check the sugar, sodium and fat contents of each food product I purchase.

 If you shop at a Canadian Tire, you pay and then you receive money above.

With this habit, I consume a lot of time in each aisle.  Twice, I sensed a security guard eyeing me with suspicion.  But anytime I feel that security is hovering around, the more I'd inspect an item or linger around to annoy the staff.  I'm not used to being watched or pried on at supermarkets or malls in Canada.

Lately, our favorite supermarkets have boiled down to three: S & R and The Metro at the Global City and Shopwise at Libis.

At S & R, we discovered their delicious and big blueberry muffins and their tender roaster-sized chickens. At Metro, we've become delighted with its wide range of products which include imported peanut butters, imported coffee for my Black & Decker coffee maker,  sugar-free cookies, a wide assortment of cold cereal, and the La Pacita crackers ( in see-through plastics), which has low salt and sugar content which we could not find in any other supermarket.

I buy the small plastic version which costs around 26 pesos a piece.

Shopwise also has a good selection of imported products, and its fruits are cheaper.

What I'm missing, though is my favorite peanut butter, Kraft, and the carton of egg whites only.  I'm also looking for more variety of low fat butter and sugar-free yogurt, ( Activa is not available in Manila) and more sugar-free products.

I'm seriously missing the cheese I prefer, the Cracker Barrel brand and other fruits such as plum, peach and persimmon.

My favorite cheese.

Most of all, I miss the sales and marked- down prices. I've been so used to entering the supermarket and getting hold of the store fliers before flying down to the aisles.  Any Canadian worth his salt would always check out slashed grocery items and buy on bulk a lot of times.

Of course, I have withdrawal syndrome for not having been able to visit lately any Canadian Tire, Ikea, Walmart, The Hudson Bay,  Shopper's Drugmart and the Dollar Stores.  I especially miss Canadian Tire for its car care products and its Canadian Tire money.  The Dollar Stores for their dollar-duct tapes, sandwich and freezer bags, roller brush, dollar- AA and AAA batteries and tin foil wrappers.

It's not just saving money, if you want to kill time, you can do it at a Dollar Store.

Refund.

LEFT- Honest Ed's, located in Bathurst and Bloor in Toronto, Canada is a tourist attraction for its bargain and souvernir selection and photograph display of celebrities together with the store's owner Ed Mirvish. Honest Ed's, a pioneer in Canadian wholesale hands out free turkey to the public on Canadian Thanksgiving.

Yesterday, we returned a malfunctioning air cooler to a big supermarket which is part of a giant corporate conglomerate.

At the Customer Service, I showed the receipt and was asked the reason for the return. "It doesn't seem to cool the surrounding," I replied. "It's not supposed to cool but to lower the surrounding temperature," the department salesperson told me.

" I just want to return this unit," I said. "Sure," was the reply I got.

After inspecting the box, the clerk asked for the remote control, which I forgot to put inside the box. He advised me that he cannot accept the return unless the merchandise is a complete box. I suggested that the store deduct a certain amount in lieu of the remote control, and the money returned to me once I turn in the remote.

As it turned out, there was another piece missing : a plastic tube which passes through the screen-like cloth and which makes the cloth-contraption turn and churn the water - the process which lowers the room temperature.

I told the clerk I didn't find any such tube. Bingo! That's why the Unit was useless.

They ended up accepting the return but still with the deposit for the remote control. But later we found out that the store does not have a return, only an exchange policy. It was fine in this case because we really wanted to purchase two electric fans and more.

But imagine if you were returning a product which you discovered was not matching your house, or a misfit or you simply did not like?

In Canada, you can return a purchase, no questions asked as long as you have the receipt and the original merchandise is in its original working condition or look. You can even return it to any branch of the store, locally or if you moved to the U.S., to a U.S. chain, or vice versa, a Canada-chain.

I remember buying a telephone at Sears's U.S. and later, returning it to a Sears's in Canada. Last April, I had pictures developed in Cosco in San Jose, California and some were misprinted. As we were leaving for Seattle the following day, my sister told me to go to Cosco in Seattle to have the prints re-done; apparently Cosco allows this state-to-state return and exchange, too.

Walmart is another chain store which has a very liberal return policy. That's why even with the so-called cheap labour accusations hurled at them, I still shop Walmart.

So, whad'ya want?

Every time I see the yearly back-to-school TV commercial where a family is shopping for school supplies and Dad is ecstatically pushing the cart, while his two kids drag their feet behind him, I can't help but laugh. No fail. Ha ha ha.

Apparently, this classic commercial which first aired 15 years ago was created at McCann Erickson Worldwide advertising agency.

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a light-hearted take on back-to-school shopping that depicts an elated father bounding through a Staples store accompanied and contrasted by his two children, whose expressions are notably grim. The spot airs to the tune of the Andy William`s holiday-themed song of the same name. The contrasting perspective of parents and children returning to school is humorous and conveys an ubiquitous and fundamental truth about back-to-school shopping." To view the commercial, go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFsTPx5UrbA

This commercial started to air again in the U.S. last July and in Canada, last Aug. 4th.

Poor kids. Schools are opening after the Labour Day weekend, on Sept. 8th.

So, while not having any school-aged children, I am left to salivate over school items on sale, such as staples, pens and pencils, computers, notebooks and laptops, even the clothing at Gap and Old Navy's.

But I got ahead, and bought my own back-to-school item a couple of weeks ago, a Blu Ray High Def player.

Maybe now is also a good time to take advantage of the back-to-school sales for the forthcoming Holiday gift-giving. Christmas is just four months' away. Before we know it, Christmas carols would be floating in the air. And before that there's Halloween, and the Canadian and U.S. Thanksgiving.

So, what present do you want?

Go eavesdrop and find out subtly what your spouse, kids and loved ones would want for the most memorable time of the year. The back-to-school special sales going on could save you the trouble later on.