Ahh...the things you can do with RM100 :)

It is through my observations that I noticed prices of goods in Malaysia are increasing, while paypackets either remain idle or are gradually shrinking. The average minimum wage is per hour is RM4.50-RM5.00 an hour, but the internationally renowned (and FILTHY RICH) Golden Arches and fellow competitors only offer a measly RM3.50 an hour. You might as well call that exploitation of human labor. Come ON, Australia offers AUD15 an hour for the exact same position. Shame on you, Arches!

That said, what can you buy with RM100 nowadays? You could go to a fine dining restaurant like Chinoz on the Park and order one main course and a drink, or you could go to TGIF and order an appetizer, one main course, dessert, and a drink, or you could opt for approximately 30 meals at your friendly neighbourhood mamak stall. A movie ticket at GSC costs RM12 for twin seats regardless of movies, RM9-RM10 for new movies, and RM7 for students and on Wednesdays. As for clothing, average minimum price for a top is around RM30-RM40, jeans would start from RM60, shoes and bags around RM40. (As I mentioned, these figured are just estimates) Or someone could sponsor my prom tickets, which cost RM80.

Back to the question of "What can you buy with RM100?" Most people would answer, "Not much." So I decided to put RM100 to the test. Instead of heading straight to Midvalley Megamall or KLCC or 1Utama, I decided to go to the place where the financially restricted fashionistas shop - Sungai Wang Plaza. It is also heaven for those inspired by Japanese/Korean/Taiwanese/Hongkie street fashion. They go there to see and be seen. Oh, and some of the best hair salons around town are there too.

Shopping in Sungai Wang always gives me a headache. Why? First of all there's just TOO MUCH variety (alot of which is trash in my opinion), and sifting through the abundance of options is no mean feat, especially when one is on the lookout for the best price available, and almost all the shops sell similar items (some even the same). Secondly, it's the music. One shop is playing Usher Raymond, the other Jay Chou, and then there's Utada Hikaru and suddenly and *gasp* suddenly tacky "feng-tau" techno starts assaulting my poor eardrums. These are the two main reasons I seldom visit that place, apart from laziness to take public transport, and the horrendous crowds on weekends.

However, this day was different as I was on a mission. I wanted to buy accessories to spice up my blah-looking wardrobe, at a cheap price. Christmas is just around the corner and so is prom, both of which are going to burn major holes into my already half empty Louis Vuitton. I went mentally prepared, and armed with nothing but RM100.

The secret weapons to a bountiful harvest in Sungai Wang are a notepad and a pen/pencil (or a very good memory), a whole day ahead of you, and a good pair of walking shoes. The place isn't that big, but its like a maze of shops that all look the same on every floor. So you start from the highest (or lowest) floor and start browsing around for whatever catches your fancy. It's better to have prepared a shopping list beforehand otherwise you'll end up not knowing what to buy. Write down the item, the price, and the shop name and location before moving on, gradually covering the whole of Sungai Wang. After that revise the list that you've made and if you have enough cash, get all of it. If not, cancel off those that are of lower priority. This is also very convenient for the purpose of price comparison.

Right, so now that the cat is out of the bag, let me present to you my bounty for the day:

Black & White pearl necklace - RM12.90 each

Stone bracelet - RM9.90

Wooden bangles - around RM16 each, Vincci

Pink lacey polka-dot babydoll top - RM19.90

Pink peep-toe heels - RM29.90

Hairbands - RM2.90 each, Chameleon

As you can see, I managed to get quite alot of accessories, as I had intended to. So I consider it mission accomplished, and a job well done!