Remember the days when we could survive on less than $2 a day?

The days when we couldn't care less about brands, disliked going shopping and had no mobile devices except Tamagotchi?

Those were the good old primary school days.

It was the time when we did most of our shopping at our bookshop, splurging our savings - which was probably around $5 - particularly on five of the following items.

1. Mother's Day gifts

When we were young, many of us were not allowed to go out without our mothers at close proximity. So the only place to buy them their Mother's Day gift without them snooping around? Yes, of all places, the bookshop.

And that was exactly what our entrepreneurial bookshop uncles and aunties capitalised on, selling cards, roses, heart-shaped trinkets and other stuff with quotes about motherhood. We were all big spenders on Mother's Day.

2. Teachers' Day gifts

Mothers weren't the only people we celebrated.

Cards, markers, photo frames and red pens were the items that the bookshop uncles and aunties would stock up when Teacher's Day was approaching so that students could get gifts for their favourite teacher.

Unless you're a teacher's pet and already asked your parents to buy and wrap them up for you.

I recently found out that one of my primary school teacher has never bought a single red pen for 10 years as she receives at least seven a year.

Sadly, Father's Day is quite a non-event for primary school students. #sadbuttrue

3. Toys

Of course, we couldn't get anything flashy like Beyblades, Crush Gear or action figures. However, that didn't stop us from having fun with the traditional toys like five stones, chaptek, marbles and pick-up sticks that we could buy for less than $2.

4. 'Pattern more than badminton' type of stationeries

Despite your parents spending a fortune on brand name stationeries so that you can write comfortably, nothing could beat the novelty of owning a mechanical eraser (although it always breaks), star-shaped highlighter (where the ink always runs out) or a pen with cartoon prints (that gives you a horrible grip).

Regardless of how badly designed they are, as long as they are cute and attention grabbing, we'll buy it.

I remember saving up for a month to buy a Pikachu pencil, only to have it break after two days. #noregrets

5. Flag erasers

Most of our allowance was probably spent on flag erasers.

And it was blasphemy to use the erasers as erasers; instead it was use to defeat and conquer our friends.

To play, you simply had to affix staples below, spin the erasers and try to knock your friend's eraser off the table. Nothing provided us with more hours of fun or entertainment.

And the most exciting thing? It was a winner-takes-all game.

That is why sadly, I often have to go to bookshop to stock up my arsenal.

Fun fact: Even as primary school students, we had World Cup fever. Germany, Brazil, England and Netherlands were the most popular erasers.

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Those were simpler times and we had simpler needs and could sustain on imagination alone. That is why, items that cost less than $2 can satisfy us and leave us with such beautiful memories that last us till today.

What would you do with a flag eraser today?

Top photo from here.

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