Brownpau’s Cost-Cutting Tips:

- In a city where you can’t get a decent takeout rice meal for less than P60, sidewalk vendors are a life-saver. Aling Pacita, across the road from my office, can give you a full meal of pork chop and pinakbet with rice for just P40. (But be sure to have your own plates in the office.)

- Why spend P80 for Starbucks coffee when you can just have a packet of Nescafe Frothe?

- Walking is fun!