Last February 21, I was one of the lucky people who got to attend Big Bad Wolf Manila’s VIP Day. I remember discovering this event for the first time last year but unfortunately that time, I was not able to go. So, when a Big Bad Wolf (BBW) poster/ad landed on my news feed early this Feb, I immediately decided that this year I will definitely attend. So here are the things I learned and experienced during my first BBW Manila and hopefully, this would help you on your next book quest.

1. Join contests! Just like what I mentioned earlier, I was soooo lucky to win a VIP pass. Actually, I was at work that time when I saw a contest update from the BBW facebook page. All I had to do was to share their post and tag a few of my friends and of course use their hashtag #ImGoingToBBWManila. They chose their winners according to who shared the post fastest. This is where I got my VIP pass! But don’t worry because they still hold a few more other contests aside from that. Aside from that, during the duration of the book sale, they also have a photo contest that has generous prizes, too, so don’t forget to join that also! This year, their prizes were a 700php voucher, also a 1000php food panda voucher, and *drum roll please* a bookshelf worth of books!

2. Prepare a list of what you like to buy. Of course, it’ll be a better experience if you come there prepared! And it would save you some time if you know what you’re looking for. Although there’s nothing really wrong with being spontaneous.

3. Eat before you go inside. Before I went to Manila, I wasn’t able to have a proper breakfast and even lunch because I went to the dentist before traveling. When I arrived there at the World Trade Center, it was already 3pm. I suggest you eat before going at BBW because you’ll definitely feel exhausted after doing rounds at the sale. They don’t allow water and food inside, btw!

4. Bring your own eco bag, backpack or luggage. The plastic bags they provide can’t really hold your books for too long. You can opt to bring your own eco bag or backpack to lessen the use of plastics! Some even bring suitcases because they buy loads of books.

5. If you find something you like, put it on your cart asap. Some books, especially popular ones, are fast-selling. So if you got your hands on them make sure to hold them tight. Lol. Kidding aside, you should keep them on your cart because you can always decide what you want to buy at the cashier.

6. Wear comfortable clothes. I was so exhausted the time we finished looking around. Some people stay there for 5 hours and more and if you’re one of those people who will search around the whole area, I suggest you wear clothes you’re comfortable with.

7. It’s okay to ask other bookworms or staff. So, when I was in BBW I saw Glass Sword on another person’s cart. I have the first book which is the Red Queen so I’ve searched the YA section for it but couldn’t find it anywhere. I regretted not asking the girl! GaAaAHhh!! We were also looking for The Little Prince but this time, we asked one of the staff but sadly, I think it was out of stock. 🙁

8. Look for gems on abandoned carts. This is one of the most important tips I can give you which I also got from Ate Cleah (hi ate~ lol). You need to search for books on abandoned carts!! Those are books that are specifically chosen by other bookworms so you might get some good titles from there! We actually saw Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children there which is one of the books Ate Cleah’s friend was looking for.

I hope these tips will help you on your next quest for finding your favorite books! Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is still on-going until March 4 and it’s open 24 hrs! On other news, Manila International Book Fair is my next target and it will be happening in September this year. I hope to see you there! To know more about my BBW experience, watch my vlog below.

Did you go to the Big Bad Wolf Manila? What did you buy? If not, what are the tips you have when buying on (book)sales?