The self-restraint shopper guide

I had a very interesting conversation with a friend recently.

With the MegaSales now on, almost everybody are into shopping and catching big bargains. Shopping is a Malaysian culture. Be it on overseas guided tour or a serious business trip, Malaysian can't help themselves but shop when opportunity arises.

So here's the question, with shopping so high in our pleasure list, how would one cope if he/she does not have the fund to do so?

My friend told in her version of "the self restraint shopper guide".

The first destination once she reaches the shopping mall would be the cosmetic department. Since she left the house with just basic foundation, its only right for her to enhance her already pretty features here for free right? If your worried about hygiene, then bring your own applicator (every smart shopper comes equipped with big totti bags). A good makeover at the cosmetic shop would not be over without trying out the latest eau de toilette that's on offer at the shop.

With her new boost of beauty, our smart self restraint shopper is roaring to go "shopping".


The next stop would be MPH, Borders or any of the huge bookstores in the shopping complex. Everyone knows this is a good place to kill off a good 1 to 2 hours reading your favourite Cleo magazine or a good book on one of them cozy sofa's that the shops have kindly provided for their good customers. You could stay there longer and none of the shop attendance would bother with your reading. Nevertheless, we got plenty more to do in our "shopping" list.

Next stop, The departmental store. There are various activities that you can do here. If your into music then you can browse through the latest CD's of your favourite artist while listening to the free music being played. You could also go try out the latest in footwear since sales attendance are more then pleased to let you try out their goods. After trying out, and posing for a minute or two on the mirror, our smart shopper pretends unsure and tells the attendant she needs to shop around some more to make up her mind.

By now hunger begins to creep in. What better place to go for a free meal then the supermarket?


The art of free supermarket food requires a bit of finesse. First pit stop would be biscuit or snack isle. Appetisers would range from wafers, cookies to even mini chocolate bars. The shopper with her supermarket shopping basket (to prove to those promoters that she is a serious shopper) equipped, kindly accepts the samples given to her. She pauses, takes 2 packet of the biscuits into her basket and grabs a few more pieces of samples before she walks off. On the next corner she puts back the 2 packet of biscuits randomly on the shelf.

Next would be the cooked food section, our shopper is in luck today. The aroma of roast chicken was in the air, apparently a new roast chicken flavour is on offer and the supermarket was generously giving out a few slices of roast chicken for people to try. Not missing this opportunity, she quickly waltz in, took a slice and whizzed out happily.

The main course would not be complete if she did not visit the instant noodle section. Free noodle for the day was, Nong Shin Korean spicy instant noodle. After having her instant noodle filled plastic cup, she complains that such proportion is too little to have a proper taste. This trick worked well as the promoter instantly added a bit more food into her cup.

Feeling almost full (most smart shopper nowadays are small eaters or on a diet so they don't really eat much), the last pit stop would be for some drinks to wash it all down. Choices normally range from milk, cola, coffee or ice tea.

With her lunch done, our shopper now head off to what may be the highlight of the day; on the the boutiques. Of course, each of the dress here cost hundreds of bucks but that does not stop our shopper from taking up the maximum amount of garments allowed to the changing room and trying them out right? Also being a savvy blogger, she took some nice pictures of herself in the changing room with her "new" dress so that she can later blog about her wonderful shopping experience.


By now our shopper is pretty much flat out. With her feet aching, this shopper is in need of some relaxation. A good massage comes into mind and she heads off to the main exhibition area where plenty of massage chairs are located for the fatigue shopper. She sits comfortably on one of those full body massage chairs and enjoys the rubdown while a handsome young man serenades her with his sales pitch. Once she have had enough, she gives her innocent smile and walk off telling the charming salesman that she would call back when she is convinced of buying one.

What a day it has been. Our shopper have had a full taste of the hectic Megasales and yet not spent a dime.

Sometimes, good things may be free after all =))


P.S Thanks S for telling me such informative ways of shopping