Overseas Shopping – Southern California

The past couple of weeks had me shopping (and living) in a different city (and country).

And like the true-blue Singaporean shopper I am, shopping will invariably happen – even if travel is done on a shoestring. I have a soft-spot for all my overseas buys – both impulse buys for one-of-a-kind stuff, as well as for stuff bought for a song.

All in all, shopping was done in moderation – even though the US dollar was exchanging for a comfortable exchange rate, I  veered on the side of caution.

Here’s my observations about shopping overseas in SoCal:

(1) There’s no such thing as a one-stop place to get all the good buys

Distances are far, so I find myself paying the price for convenience.

Supermarket chains have their “specializations” – some offer better discounts for meats, others offer better discounts for fresh fruit. Being Singaporeans with varied tastes, I found myself supermarket-hopping in order to get the range of produce i would like at the price i am willing to pay… not exactly smart in terms of usage of my precious time, but it did save me a bundle.

I find the supermarket chain Ralphs conveniently located, its fresh produce decent, but Albertson’s meat selection is better and more reasonably priced. But when it comes to grocery shopping, i have 2 words : Trader Joes. Cheaper than Whole Foods, and great staff.

Baby diapers was another painful lesson for me. In Singapore, baby diapers can be conveniently bought at supermarkets at very reasonable prices – something that makes most mamas (like me) happy to buy them while picking up the groceries. Alas, the same cannot be said for my venture into buying diapers in SoCal. I found, the hard way, that diapers purchased at supermarkets are at least $3 (US) dollars more than diapers bought at discount retailers like Target. I have the feeling it would be similar for non-food stuff like detergent.

Hrumph. I guess the general idea is that mamas in SoCal drop in at Target to pick up other cheap stuff for children (like clothes) and for the home (like cleaning stuff and soaps).

(2) Speaking of discount retailers… in SoCal, Target rules

The Walmart Vs Target debate continues…

Walmart guarantees that all there items are the lowest priced – or your money back. I am almost sure there are better run Walmarts elsewhere in the US, but in the SoCal region, Target rules.

The Walmart i ventured into in SoCal was poorly organized, a tad on the dirty side, long queues at the check-out, unmotivated staff, and located in a neighborhood i wouldn’t venture after dark. In contrast, the 2 Target outlets i ventured into were clean, had security patroling the carparks, friendly staff, well-organized, and most importantly, had stuff I would buy.

(3) The same retail chain can price the same item at different prices in different neighbourhoods

This happened to me a couple of times.

The prices for items at Target in Manhattan Beach is $1-2 more than others (i went to another in Torrence). My observation was confirmed by a SoCal resident, who puts it down to paying for “ambience” – similar to paying more for a hamburger in a nice / comfortable setting.

The other time it happened was when I was shopping at Bath & Body Works (no surprise). As I was at the Del Amo Shopping Mall (there are 2 B&BW outlets in Del Amo), i noticed that the 2 outlets had different items on offer. The pocket-sized anti-bac gels went for $5 for 5 at one, and were sold at $1.50 each at the other.

And just so you know, the Del Amo Shopping Mall is HUGE – just walking from one end to another took me at least 40 minutes – and i did not stop to browse at the stores along the way (well, okay, maybe 1-2 stores caught my brief attention).

*Sigh* The good news is that I was given a $10 off coupon voucher for my next purchase (min $30 spending).

My lesson to take away – if i want to enjoy all the discounts at one go, I should consider shopping online for Bath & Body Works products.

(4) Be patient and thorough about browsing through bargain racks

Practically all stores I went into had a bargain rack or corner – not sure if this is always the case in SoCal but it sure is good news to a shopper like me. The challenge, as always, is finding something I would pay for – most times, the bargain rack would be casually organized (ie in a mess), and it can be difficult spotting the good stuff from the junk. This applies to both consumables (food) and non-food items (toys, clothes, bags, accessories, etc).

Hardwork, however, can pay off, and i did walk away with many under $10 items in a number of stores.

Another point to note is that not all items are correctly placed – this happened to me – i was about to pay for some items i found hanging in the half-off section but it turned out to be items at nett priced that were wrongly placed. Staff can be unapologetic about it, but obviously as a shopper I had the right to say no to the items.

(5) Outlet Shopping Does Not Always Mean Cheap Shopping

LA is well-known for its outlet shopping, and true to its reputation, there are a number of outlet malls, and the better ones would be at least an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. Many American brands are offered, from CK to Gap, Carters, Sketchers, Levis, Kenneth Cole, Gymboree, etc.

My personal experience of shopping at Citadel was that outlet shopping does not always mean cheap shopping. To be fair, there were a number of shoppers, and a number of them were SoCal residents, so there are discounts aplenty. The mall is also well-organized, clean, with great restroom facilities, some restaurants, and free parking.

Being the picky shopping I’ve become (ahem), i found myself observing (more than once), that, even at 70% off for a pair of Nine West heels, i could get 2 non-branded pairs for that same price elsewhere. Together with the fact that there are many retail shops closer to town that have been slashing their prices, I would say outlet shopping is okay, but i would not bank on outlet shopping alone to satisfy my bargain hunting ways.

Borderlinx Does It Again For Me

Just made use of my “anniversary” discount from Borderlinx to ship some stuff to me in Singapore.

Not only was the discount nice, but also the speed.

I made my purchases on a Sunday night, and by the next Saturday afternoon, the parcel arrived.

Signed, sealed, delivered.

That’s not half-bad, considering I did not opt for any expedited shipping (i still refuse to pay more for expedited shipping).

So with a little bit of diligence on my part – i made the necessary arrangements for the items to be shipped back as soon as they were received – I received them in 5 business days, which is very decent to me.

Of course, it helps that this is the lull period (non-holiday, non-festive / non gift-giving).

Me eyes are also watching the falling US dollar… time to get Christmas shopping, and get them shipped to me before Thanksgiving.

5 stars for Borderlinx from me.

Yes, yes, yes to more shipping discounts!

Put Your Name On This One

Here’s another good gift idea – mainly for adults as a practical gift for children, teens, and someone else’s children.

Here’s the typical scenario : your children return from playing at some indoor playground with shoes that belong to someone else.

Or return from school, upset that someone else has taken their shoes home …

And me, being the penny-pinching parent I am, will resort to making little “marks” to “customize” shoes, or will encourage my little one to “memorize” little scratches or dirt scruffs as forms of positive identification.

Sure, it works, but there’s also another way.

Personalized Shoe labels.

Check this out – Stuck On You.

Personalized name labels for all sorts of things – for clothes, socks, shoes, on books, water bottles, lunch boxes, exercise attire, and even for stationery.  There are also luggage tags and gift tags. What’s also worth considering is their range of tags and labels for allergies.

What i like best are the shoe & clothing labels.

What made me a customer of Stuck On You is simply this – I liked their philosophy – practical humor.

In their welcome page of their catalogue (or catalog), this is what they wrote about Shoe Labels:

“And the Shoe Labels (pg 5) are the perfect way to make sure your child returns home with the same shoes they left with – don’t laugh, it happens all the time.”

Oh yeah. I’ve been there.

Anything Personalized, as a general rule, does not come cheap, but it makes a practical, and thoughtful gift.

Plus, Stuck On You’s business is all about creating something pretty while being practical – all the labels are microwave & dishwasher safe, and the shoe labels comes with protective labels as well, for that additional wear and tear you would expect the shoe labels to come under (pun intended).

And there are many pretty designs available – but pretty things come at a price.

The idea for personalized name labels get 5 stars, but the prices at Stuck On You does not come cheap (minus 1 star).

On occasion, however, I’ve noticed different promotions on Singapore’s Stuck On You website.

For example, there is a current promotion for sock name labels (just under $15 for a pack of 20), among others. So there are some nice deals to be had, once in a while.

And if they are smart, they would try and entice repeat customers to return again via special invites and return discounts.

Being Sick = Poor Shopping Choices

It’s been a sickly September month in my household.

Runny noses & chesty coughs were comforted by whiffs of nourishing soup and loads of sleep-ins.

August’s heat has also taken its toil on our daughter’s battle with eczema (or atopic dermatitis).

Which means, a number of (expensive) trips to the doctor(s), followed by stuffing rounds of nourishing herbs into meal, soups & drinks, and return to organic, all-natural (and *sigh* non-discounted) creams & washes for our daughter.

And seeing all the blue notes disappear from my stash…

Dang it, I can’t afford to fall sick. My family cannot afford to fall sick.

It’s not just the doctor fees.

It’s also the consequent poor shopping choices i make.

Like for instance, just getting what i need in the shortest time possible. No energy to browse & compare – just buy.

Goal is to be in bed – not scouring through adverts for good picks.

I’ll get better, i know. I need to get better. Fast. Soon.

If not for anything else, I need to get better, so I can start saving up for Christmas shopping. It didn’t help when I spotted Christmas holly being put up in a shopping centre recently.

It’s going to be that crazy time of the year once more…

Saigon Shopping

Just returned from a happy break in Saigon. Or Ho Chi Minh city – although we learned that the locals in the area prefer to the city to be known as Saigon.

Had a wonderful time – suffice to say we will go back. One of our traveling companions summed up our holiday best: inexpensive and not in the least nasty.

Snagged under flights for less than $200 (Singapore Airlines, all in) + low hotel deal from expedia in a comfortable hotel + day trips. Good food, hospitable people, knowledgable tour guides… All in all, just about $500 per person. A steal.

Had loads of fun (and initial confusion) over the currency – that is one country you can literally say “I’m bringing half a million dollars to spend” and spend it willingly – it works out to be less than SGD$100.

Although I was forewarned by well-meaninged others that shopping isn’t the best in the world, i found myself shopping quite a bit – in part due to the low prices, but moreso because I found the designs (of clothes & bags) particularly tasteful and to my liking.

Also brought back a made-to-order gorgeous ao dai. It went for less than USD$40 and i feel like a million dollars in it. How to resist?

The NATAS fair is now on…

Just spotted another hard to resist flight deal to another favourite destination (Perth) going for less than $500…

Stocking up on Cheongsam-inspired fashion

Since discovering Mazzario by Mimi a couple of months back, one of the things on my to-do list was to find other similar shops to stock up on some chic and timeless cheongsam inspired pieces in my wardrobe.

I don’t know why I do not see ladies in Singapore wearing cheongsams more often.

While it is true that a cheongsam can look “aging” – i feel in part this is due to the stigma that cheongsams are usually worn by “mature” ladies (read : the older generation), modern cheongsam makers have branched into designing more versatile variations of the cheongsam, such as cheongsam tops. Thanks in some part to Shanghai Tang for modernizing (and unfortunately commercializing) the cheongsam, the range of cheongsam tops on offer today go from simple to sexy.

So it’s with some joy when i found another little find – The Cheongsam Shoppe in Jurong Point (Level 3, near the Fairprice Xtra).

This little shop carries a number of very reasonably-priced cheongsam inspired tops. There is a mixture of traditional silk/satin tops, as well as modern designs in contemporary fabrics.  One grouse i have with some cheongsam tops is that the length of the tops tend to be too short for me (sitting just above the hip).

At this shop, I spotted a low-cut halter back with a mandarin collar that sits comfortably  on the hips in a cream-based stretchy fabric – versatile and comfortable. Smart & elegant in seconds. Looks equally great with a pair of jeans or smart dress pants.

The best part? Prices start as low as $19. Most tops i browsed through carried price tags of between $19 to around $50, but there were 1 or 2 that were around $70.

No cheongsam shop is complete without cheongsam dresses, but i did not have time to browse through them this time around.

I’ll go back, that i am sure.

I hold the notion that the cheongsam should be made to fit my body, not the other way around (as i wrote in my previous blog). And so does the owner of the Cheongsam Shoppe – it’s a joy to find products & services that are aligned with my interests and values (and price, of course).

One thing though – as pointed out by my shopping companion – the shop technically only has 1 wall (the other 3 are movable grilles), and the shop opens out to the common corridors. There is a fitting room, but be prepared to step out of the little cubby to view yourself in (possible) view of others. I can’t imagine buying a cheongsam without trying it out at least once – so if it really bothers you, there is another branch in Holland Village.

The Cheongsam Shoppe gets my thumbs up – 4 stars**** for versatile pieces & good service,  at very reasonable rates.

Personal Care Shopping Gets Personal?

This one is for all the discount / loyalty cards fans! Or if you are into personal-care shopping… on a regular basis.

In some countries, discount programmes like coupons and cut-outs might be more popular. In Singapore, the members-only or loyalty plastic card (and the pursuit of accumulating points) attract its fair share of followers.

From what I’ve observed, personal care stores in Singapore have traditionally offered in-store discounts, when it comes to discounts & sales. On special occasions (usually public holidays), they sometimes offer extra discounts (usually 10%-20%).

Of course, shoppers with a little extra time like me (and a growing sensitivity towards price) will quickly discover which items are available at which stores, and which items are better priced, at which stores.

E.g. Guardian is the place i go to for medications – there is usually a pharmacist available, and they can offer advice on med brands, side-effects and treatments. Hm. maybe i should do a more detailed entry on personal care shops, but i’ll keep to the main topic in this one.

Personally to me, it matters not the form of the discount (be it coupons, mobile text messages or loyalty cards), but the fact that there are discounts.

A $2 discount? Big deal. It’s not even half-off.

Actually, it is a good deal. Do the math.

Most basic personal items like shampoo or toothpaste do not generally cost more than $20 per item, so that’s at least 10% in savings. It’s all about stretching the dollar – save a dollar here and here, and throw in that little something you fancied for yourself.

So now, finally, back to the loyalty programmes.

At Watsons, the Watsons Card can be bought for $5 to accumulate points (1 point for every $5 spent) at any Watsons outlet.  Accumulated points are used as cash equivalent in the subsequent purchase at Watsons (20 points for $1 off). Points are valid for 1 year. Members also get a range of discounts on stuff – mainly cosmetics, but i did spot discounts for KFC vouchers. Compared with the Guardian’s current stamp redemption (below), it is easier to accumulate stamps/points at Watsons. You can also redeem double points on special occasions (e.g. birthdays), and for quite a number of items that could fall under your necessary list.

I like instant gratification. Plus the fact that the points are redeemable for cash makes it sweeter than redeeming for something you don’t really need.

Speaking of redeeming stamps for items…

At Guardians, there is a current stamp redemption scheme for a Villeroy & Boch bathroom set (5 piece).

It’s one of those things – don’t really need a(nother) bathroom set, but this one is lovely! I can see how it would look smashing in my bathroom (although someone did point out that our 2-year old could do an equally smashing job with these breakable beauties).

Still, the accumulation of points looks to be slow for me… at 1 stamp for every $20 spent, to get the set for free will cost at least $900 (45 stamps). There are some items that offer bonus stamps (like 5 items?), but somehow i don’t see myself spending that kind of $ on my usual purchases from this store brand, even if i completely re-stocked the meds shelf… the promotion started in Jun and ends in Oct. Of course, i could just purchase the set…

Just redeemed my Giant supermarket points for 2 knives, and now…

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

Right. Let me first qualify that I’m not exactly what you call a shoe fanatic.

Beautiful shoes, as we all know, are not always the most comfortable, nor the most affordable. But no, i shall refrain from getting all philosophical about women and shoes here. I will, however, readily admit that i have bought, on a number of occasions, shoes that hurt both my pocket, and hurt my feet even more.

Afterall, I do have a budget that needs to be responsibly balanced such that meals and other expenses are covered.

Still, ever once in a while, I do get whimsical.

So I made an excuse to stroll over to the shoe department at Tangs, all in the name of checking out made-in-Singapore brands and what they have to offer, 2 Fridays ago.

Tangs (more specifically, Studio Tangs Shoes) is a Singapore brand with a decent range of shoes, bags & clothes. Studio Tangs Shoes have grown from its signature strappy heels (think slim-fit, diamente-covered slippers) to include a wide range of styles today – peep-toes, wedges, slippers & ballet flats – in a variety of colours – from loud reds, to warm pinks & browns, yellows, shiny patent black – and materials.

The shoes aren’t exactly the type you would want to wear for long periods of time, but they are perfect for evenings out, or for that whimsical occasion or mood, such as the one I was in.

And while their strappy heels cuts and styles tend to favour narrow feet, they now offer a wider range of styles for different uses and feet type. Also, i find the shoes well-made, with rubber soles, and in some cases, a comfy little cushion in the inside of shoes for some padded comfort.

The regular price for the shoes seem to average around $50-$70. If you have a Tangs loyalty card, or a citibank card, you get to earn some rebates for your next purchase at Tangs. On the day I was there,

What I did spot while browsing was a number of Studio Tangs shoes going for under $20 – stock clearance, so most of them are odd sizes, colours and designs. The designs were pretty, but it was really touch-and-go – if the shoe fits, go for it, i say.

In my case, I found one pair of leather coral-coloured mules for under $20

Some other brands carried at the same shoe department, e.g. Naturalizer, had discounts too. I had excellent service from the Naturalizer sales person – he made arrangements to have the pair i liked available in the colour and size i needed reserved for me.

Thumbs up for good service.

Border’s Gamberoni Pasta

Previously, I blogged about the Gamberoni pasta at Borders which I enjoyed at the Borders Bistro at Wheelock place.

Spied an offer on the same named pasta going for a special price of $14.90 (valid from July 24 – Aug 6).

One thing, though. The same name pasta is now at a revised price of $19.40 – in March when i ordered it, it was $16.50.  This, I am certain, as it was one of those days when I checked the receipt before blogging about it to get the spelling of the pasta right.

Still, at the special price (with additional 10% off if you are a Borders Member), I am tempted to order the same pasta again – hope the portions and taste remains as tasty and generous as i rem it to be.

Oh, the book offer for this week is buy 2 full-priced books, get 20% off; buy 3 full-priced books, get 25% off. (Preferred members get additional 10%)

Discounts for Borders Books have been yo-yoing the last couple of months, but still, a discount is a discount.

Giant Supermarket At Tampines

Gone to sniff out the Giant at Tampines – twice this month.

Even with the new KPE tunnel, the distance is still quite far (around 25 minutes), but on a weekday, there is significantly less traffic on the roads, so it turns out to be a fairly pleasant drive.

I like grocery shopping at Giant – but with a major qualification – i shop only on weekdays now.

Shopping at Giant on weekends can be an entirely different experience.

I used to wait for at least 15 minutes for a car park space on weekends at IMM. And I’ve not even gotten into the supermarket itself.

The endless crowds is something I certainly do not miss now.

But with the luxury of being able to grocery shop on a weekday, Giant is my best bet for fresh veggies & fruit, and their home brands (for soaps, tissue paper, etc).

This is especially so when I shop alone, and do the fine balance of pushing a trolley load of groceries and keeping the active toddler out of trouble.

It is easy to move from the car park to the supermarket and back – which is a HUGE consideration for a shopper like me. There’s also a shelter from the car park to the building, and a generous space between car booths to load groceries into your car. Nice touches.

Grocery shopping, or rather, grocery handling in Singapore can be challenging. Not every supermarket has facilities like ramps or travellators to help shoppers cart trolley loads of groceries to their cars, or the nearest taxi stand. I’ve learned (the hard way) to work out a step-less route back to my car or taxi stand before stepping into the supermarket. If I can’t find a satisfactory route, I’ve aborted shopping there.

So it’s a real joy to find supermarkets in Singapore that go out of their way to make it easy for their shoppers, from the check-out to the car.

Oh, parking is free at Giant – same for the other branches at IMM (free parking first 3 hours) and Turf City. Parking at the Vivo branch is not free, though.

For those who do not park, I saw signages offering free shuttle buses – similar to the Turf city branch – probably to the nearest MRT station.

Once inside, the building layout is simple. There’s a pharmacy (Guardian) and 7-11 on the first floor, and the supermarket is on the second floor.

But there is only one long snaking travellator (and one cargo-like elevator) to get to the supermarket on the 2nd floor, so good luck to those shopping on weekends…

I spotted at least 5 staff who are stationed at the travellators, and at the entrance of the door to help shoppers. Probably for crowd-control purposes.

Even though it was a weekday, Giant was fairly crowded. There is a food court offering local food, and the place quickly filled out closer to lunch time, and the crowd did not thin even at 230pm.

On to Giant Supermarket itself.

I like Giant’s wide range of non-fresh food items, such as cooking oils, rice brands, canned food, drinks and snacks. Items that are usually better priced at Giant (than elsewhere in Singapore) are fresh eggs and veggies. There are also good fresh seafood (fish) buys, but selection is usually seasonal. On both occasions I was there, I passed over the fresh fish selection.

There is also a lot of non-food / household items like cleaning stuff, floor mats, modular furniture (mobile shoe racks, for example).

All in all, Tampines Giant / Ikea / Courts is where I would recommend someone who has just moved to Singapore, or someone who is just setting up home, to go to. Or someone looking for inexpensive household items like dustbins or seat cushions that look fairly decent.

The whole area looks as though it is set up for serious household shoppers – Giant, Ikea and Courts are conveniently located near one another – literally within walking distance.

My preference would be to start at Courts, then browse & lunch at Ikea or Giant (depending on whether I feel like eating Swedish or local) before finishing up at Giant’s supermarket, since most perishables would be bought at the latter.