Tipid Tip: How you can get special (hint: cheaper) prices at Watsons
"Ma'am, may SM Advantage Card po ba kayo?" It didn't use to bother me to answer "no" to this question until a Watsons store opened up just five minutes away from my condo. I keep finding myself in there for all sorts of reasons: stocking up on tissues, buying medicine, doing "research" for Project Vanity. It's just super convenient to shop for my personal care needs in one store and there are always great deals available. There was just that one thing I didn't even realize I was missing.
The Watsons team
While doing my most recent Watsons haul, I finally signed up for an SM Advantage Card (SMAC). They had just launched the Members Get More program and I was curious to see what benefits a slim piece of plastic would get me. I had to pay close attention to the displays because I noticed that they didn't just have prices displayed on them!
Isana shampoos are regularly priced at P199 but it's only P179 for members!
The Green Member Tags indicated two different prices: the regular one with the standard SRP, and a lower one that's specially for SMAC members! Considering that these were drugstore picks, many of the items are already quite affordable but I'm glad to be able to save a few extra pesos. It's not an amount to sneeze at - there were discounts as much as P64 on some products. A smart spender won't say no to that!
Buy sunscreen and win a trip to wear it on!
One of my simple joys in life is getting a raffle stub along with my purchases. I've never won anything but I like having the opportunity to do so. Thing is, filling out all those stubs and putting them into a tambiolo can be a hassle, and the little bits of paper can inconveniently bulk up my wallet. With SMAC though, I'm automatically enrolled into the current e-Raffle as soon as I pay for my purchases! The ongoing Make Your Summer promo affords me the chance to win a trip to Bali, Guam, or Sydney. Even if I don't get anything (or anywhere), it's nice to be rewarded just for doing some beauty shopping.
If you like being the first to know about sales and promos for early birds perks (ie, before stocks run out!), being a SMAC member can afford you that. And not only will you be the first to know, you can get exclusive access and additional discounts to important events like 3-Day Sales, which all beauty girls look forward to with their wishlists in hand. The extra 10% off offered to SMAC holders can spell the difference between getting the palette you really wanted instead of something you simply chose because it fit into your budget.
Of course, the main come-on to getting a SMAC is earning rewards points. Aside from Watsons, there are a number of other retailers that issue points for purchases to your SMAC, so you can really think of it as a card you can shop with most everywhere!
My Watsons haul is a little boring because I'm on a makeup buying ban (I have too many backups!) and I decided to pick up some essentials instead. And yes, I really do like buying their in-house branded items because they're cheap and perform just as well as the more popular ones!
These aren't the Watsons facial wipes that won Best Value for Money at our Makeup Wipe Battle but I mostly prefer unscented products for my face and liked the inclusion of aloe vera extract. It's a huge pack of 50 wipes for just P69. I regularly hoard the Velvety Tissues (P99 for 3 boxes) because these are what I use to dry my face after washing. Reusing towels to wipe your face are a no-no since you end up reintroducing dirt to your skin, and these cottony fibers feel much gentler on my face.
I'm a germophobe and a compulsive handwasher, so I like that the Cream Hand Soaps (P149 buy 1-take 1) don't dry out my skin. The Shea Butter and Peach is my favorite but they have several other scents to choose from. You can also buy these pump bottles first then just refill with the aluminum pouch versions to reuse instead of throwing out!
If you share my fear of being seen with food stuck in between your teeth, pop a couple of these Dental Floss Picks (P99 for a pack of 3) into your purse. It's an easy solution to keeping your teeth clean in between brushing. I also save the plastic boxes and reuse them as containers for small items like hair clips and ties.
My fave find is this Sunplay SPF75 PA+++ Watery Cool Body Mist Sunscreen (P599). It's slightly mentholated, which makes reapplying sunscreen on a hot day actually feel pleasant, plus the formula is water-resistant and includes hyaluronic acid to help keep skin moisturized. The truth is, I actually bought this because it has penguins on the packaging and just lucked out on how well it actually performs.
So that's what I got for my first SMAC experience! I'm looking forward to more new finds at my neighborhood Watsons and getting more savings with my SMAC membership. Do you often shop at Watsons? Would you consider applying for a SMAC as well?