The Great Singapore Sale isn’t for the faint-hearted; hours of jostling and traipsing through malls can wear even the most resilient down. To soldier on in search of the best buys, arm yourself with these seven things:
1) Laneige Makeup Mist: Long periods spent in an air-conditioned environment can be extremely drying for the skin, so keep your skin fresh and hydrated with Laneige’s Makeup Mist, a facial spray made with glacial water from the Himalayas and five fruit extracts. Available in sweet rose, pure orchid and fresh bergamot, it comes in a compact and portable 80ml bottle. Retails for S$25.00 at all department stores.
2) Water bottle: Hydration on the inside is just as important as on the outside, so keep your palate moist throughout the day. You don’t have to lug a two-litre bottle around; just a 500ml one will do. You can always replenish with tap water should you run out. Available at Toys ‘R’ Us for less than S$2.
3) Comfortable shoes: You might be conned into strutting the high street shops in high-heeled shoes after watching Sex and the City, but unless you have a chauffeur to carry your bags and ferry you from one mall to the next, don’t even consider it. Comfort is of utmost importance when you want to grab the best bargains; swollen feet or a sprained ankle isn’t a good look on any day. But if you can’t live without heels, try these comfy yet chic Crocs shoes, which are easy to slip on and off. Unlike its ghastly designs of the past, Crocs now includes sweet gems like these in their repertoire. The Malinda-leopard retails at S$58.20 and the Cabana retails at S$85.55.
4) iPod/mp3: Much like running a marathon, shopping can be a long and arduous journey, so if you’re alone, it helps to have 
some tunes to keep you going. Rock out to your own personal anthem as you walk briskly from one destination to the next. Some good tunes to have include The Final Countdown by Europe or Paralyzer by Finger Eleven.
5) Neat nails: Having neat nails are a must. You wouldn’t want the hassle of having a broken nail, or worse still, fraying your latest purchase with your craggy nails.
6) Big bag: For those sales where you have to dive into a massive pile of free-for-all clothes, the last thing you want is to miss out on a great deal because you didn’t have enough arms to carry everything into the dressing room. Pick out a few items you think are in your size and squash them into your big bag. You’ll be ready for the dressing rooms with a ton of choices without having to throw yourself into the mayhem again. Available in lime-green, black, white or salmon-pink, this bag retails at Mango for S$35.
7) Gummies: Keep your sugar levels up, so you don’t end up fainting with arms outstretched towards your Gucci shoes. It’s really not a pleasant sight, nor is it good for your body. Bring along a pack of gummies or for a healthier choice, try dried cranberries. Munch on them while waiting in line for the cashier or while queuing for the dressing rooms.
Ladies, we know it’s a jungle out there, but with our survival kit, it’ll be a whole lot easier. Our only concern is that you might hurt your wallet more than your feet, so show some restraint, however difficult it may seem.
Men’s survival kit to shopping with your other halves
We understand the ordeal that you go through as your wife or girlfriend drags you around town for the best deals, but take heart that your partner wants you there, even if it’s just to seek your opinion, to help carry her shopping bags or for companionship. Take this opportunity to get to know her better and feel appreciated that she values your opinion! Here’s how you can make the journey a little less painful:
1) Water bottle: Keep yourself hydrated as you’ll probably be on your feet the whole day.
2) PSP/book: Keep yourself occupied as your partner tries on her outfits; the long waiting times might make you cranky if you have nothing to do.
3) Wallet: Your partner might request for something and you’ll be obliged to get it for her. After all, that’s what you are there for.
4) Suggest items: Cut the shopping time in half; instead of standing around, make yourself useful and pick out some outfits you think she might like. Besides speeding up the shopping process, you earn brownie points for taking initiative and being privy to her tastes.
5) A pair of helping hands: Always be quick to volunteer to carry your partner’s shopping bags. You will be duly rewarded for your chivalry.
6) The right attitude: You’re only going to make the trip more painful if you walk around with a “woe-is-me” expression. It’s only once a year and it’s inevitable, so take this chance to show your partner how big a person you are and she’ll love you even more. Pull a long face and very soon, you’ll both be sulking and the shopping trip will take a turn for the worse.
7) Food: Once she hits the shops, she’s unlikely to stop till she’s gotten everything she wants. A wise man once said that a hungry man is an angry man, so keep some snacks on hand to satiate both your partner’s and your hunger pangs and to stop tempers from flaring.
With these seven tips in mind, you’ll be less inclined to rip your hair out and you might even be rewarded with a good buy. So take a deep breath and dive in!
