It’s been almost three years since I first arrived in Beijing and I still don’t truly understand how the shopping here works.

Take their discounts for instance. The first time I went shopping in an outlet mall, I was so absolutely thrilled to see the sign that read 打9折 (dǎ 9 zhé), thinking it meant 90% off. Yes, I know you’re probably laughing at me right now, but where I come from, and from what I’ve experienced in other parts of the world, you put the sale price out there as 10% off, not that 90% of the price remains…

So that’s Tip 1: The smaller the number listed on the sale sign, the better!

In effect, 3折 means 70% off as compared to 5折 which is 50% off.

Even thinking about it now still confuses me. But you know what they say, practice makes perfect, so take this 11.11 sales season to practice the math!

Tip 2: Packages/Membership cards can be worth it, if you negotiate

I am a huge proponent of packages, or 套餐 (tàocān) as they call it here (literal translation: combo or set meal). Sometimes, they’ll offer a membership or VIP card where you place a lump sum, which will entitle your future purchases to be at a discounted rate They call this 充卡 (chōng kǎ) or 会员卡 (huìyuán kǎ).

I know many expats, such as fellow editor Mina Yan, steer clear of these as it seems too much of a complication and commitment, but a little understanding and research here will save you a tidy sum!

Take manicures, for instance. Most of us get one done every month or even bi-weekly. The average price of a gel manicure at Alice Beauty is RMB 120, but if you top up a card with RMB 3,000 each manicure is at 85折. Quick pop quiz: How much discount is that? Answer: It’s 15% off, so each manicure is only RMB 102! RMB 18 off each month will add up to over RMB 200 in a year, and that’s just manicures. Double that for pedicures and facials and you’ll be saving up to RMB 1,000!

Two follow-up tips regarding packages/membership cards:

2a. Never buy a package before you’ve tried a place at least three times – the first and second time might be a fluke, but third time’s the charm. If a place hasn’t let you down after three visits, you’ll likely be returning there more often, so an investment to stretch your dollar is worth considering.

2b. Only buy a package/card at reputable chains that have been around for a while and, ideally, come recommended by trusted friends. At the very least, look up the place on Dianping to make sure they are listed, licensed and with good reviews.

My favorite example of membership cards that are worth your money are for restaurants you frequent. In my family’s case, we purchased a membership card for RMB 1,000 at Pizza Marzano and get RMB 50 off with every RMB 200 spent at the restaurant – that’s 25% off! Just remember to tell them you’re a member before you foot the bill!

Tip 3: Wait a while. The deal will still be there.

Once you start listening to their sales pitch, it’s likely to sound more and more like a good deal. But any good salesperson will tell you to never to accept the first offer. And that still rings true here. No matter how much they try to convince you that you should make the purchase that very day, saying that they can’t guarantee the same price next time, it’s highly improbable that that is the case. Every time I’ve stood my ground and asked to go home to check the budget with my husband, the price has been the same, or even better, when I returned.

I don’t waste my time even considering a package for something I don’t use/need, no matter how much of a deal it is, because 90% off something you don’t use is still 10% you could use on something you actually want. So firmly say you’re not interested, or if you are, then ask to sleep it over and come back to them. Even better, work out how much you’re willing to pay and then go to them with an offer. More likely than not, they’ll take it.

I made it clear to my hair stylist that I wasn’t going to spend more than RMB 500 on my hair every month, so he let me get a card for RMB 3000 that he promised will last at least six months, and gives me 50% off all hair-related services! It would have lasted almost eight months had I not chosen to dye my hair again…

What are you tips for smarter shopping here in the capital? Share them with us in the comments below!

KEEP READING: Is NUO’s Brunch Worth the Price?

Images: Pexels

Ask any Singaporean, or even any visitor to the island city, and they’ll tell you that Singapore is a veritable food paradise. From the hawker centers on the street to the Michelin-starred restaurants at the tops of our iconic sky-scrapers, you can find anything from the most tender foie gras to the spiciest curry. There’s such a range of offerings from so many different cultures that you are really spoiled for choice, whether you have five or 500 dollars in your wallet. The shared ethnic and historical background between Singapore and China also means that there is a thriving population of Singaporeans living and working right here in Beijing. So it comes as no surprise that plenty of top-notch Singaporean restaurants have expanded to China’s capital city!

To help support and promote Singaporean restaurants during this festive Chinese New Year season, the Singapore Restaurant Festival is giving out a total of 1,000 cash vouchers to be deducted from your bill when you dine in at participating restaurants. It’s so easy! All you have to do is scan the QR code in the poster, choose the restaurant you’d like to dine at, and get a RMB 40 voucher off your bill! This is roughly equivalent to 10 percent off a standard two-person dining bill. Do note the terms and conditions that you may only use one voucher per bill, and a voucher cannot be used with other promotions. The festival ends on Feb 28, so redeem your vouchers now!

As a hot-blooded Singaporean and true foodie, my recommendations would be the most famous seafood chain restaurant, Jumbo Seafood, particularly the location at Universal CityWalk which is spacious and well-lit with impeccable service. They are most well known for their Singapore chilli crab dish, though I personally find their cereal prawns and salmon skins unmatched.

Another recommendation would be Brotzeit, which offers delectable German food and beer. Their cheese spätzle, sausage platter, and Angus beef sliders are each a must-try on my list. For a taste of real Singapore, the Vanda Room offers plenty of authentic Singaporean dishes which are unique to the island nation, such as handmade curry puffs and Singaporean curry laksa.

What are you waiting for? Grab your free voucher and go indulge!

KEEP READING: Summing up Beijing’s Best Dim Sum Restaurants and What to Order

Images: Dianping, pexels

The summer break is in full swing, however before you know it the new school year will be upon us and the rush to stock up on school supplies will be the call of the day. For many families, pressing the reset button for another year of ensuring that the kids have what they need to start their new academic term at school can be full of angst.

When schools open up their gates once more, there are a lot of expenses to expect. I am nowhere near that stage with my little one but have friends who, no matter how well they try and prepare for the new school year, still sometimes get overwhelmed with the impending rush to fill school bags with fresh stationery supplies. However with a little creativity and savviness, not to mention common sense, we parents will be able to save on these costs.

Ways to save on school supplies

Make an inventory and reuse non-consumable school supplies

Salvage whatever you can from your kid’s school bags, study table drawers and shelves to find what is still usable. You will be impressed and surprised by how much you can save on unused notebooks, pencils, pens, and other ad hoc stationery. Encourage your children to re-use non-consumable items like staplers, ruler, sharpeners, calculators, and pencil cases, to name but a few.

Buy from the wholesalers

This you can easily do via online platforms such as Taobao. You can find just about anything on the Taobao website, where wholesalers offer a number of bulk items for purchase, from cereal to canned goods, and what we parents need for the kids and their next term at school. If you really want to score low on school supply prices, go directly to wholesalers for those extra items for the following year. You may have to purchase in bulk but you can set aside surplus items for the following year, or better yet, make your bulk purchase with other parents, save on cash and split supplies between the kids. You will be able to save a ton!

Do not follow the crowd 

If I try and revisit some basic economics, the law of supply and demand comes to mind. Usually when there is a high demand for school items because it’s the beginning of the academic year, prices tend to hike. Given this, you can be purposeful and creative in the timing of buying school gear as well as school supplies. Try and purchase school shoes, socks, and other clothing items off-season. Avoid making these kinds of purchases during the school opening because you may hit the crowds and the prices will hit your pockets.  Check out clearance and inventory sales during term time in preparation for the following year.

Go for quality

It’s simple but effective. You may find a steal when it comes to some items, but usually you get what you pay for and when making a purchase that seemingly saves you on cash, if the quality is not up to par, you will be making another purchase too soon after your initial buy and spending double if not triple on school supplies and clothing you have to repeatedly replace. Pay that little bit extra for a quality purchase that will save you money in the long run.

Wishing you and the family well! Don’t leave your school supply shop to the last minute, plan ahead and help your kids start their new term at school the way they mean to go on.

Photos: Pixabay

 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”

Every Beijinger during an e-shopping holiday

The Chinese seem to love their e-shopping holidays, where even the modest of shoppers get the urge to splurge on days such as Chinese Valentine’s and Singles’ Day. Soon the next shopping holiday with be upon us, giving us all yet another opportunity to fill our boots full with all kinds of purchases and revel in electronic retail therapy.

When will the next foray of shopping euphoria begin you ask? June 18, otherwise known as 618, is the founding day of the online shopping platform JD. JD celebrates this day by hosting massive sales across all of the categories on their website, with products ranging from socks to screens being marked down considerably while discount vouchers are handed out like candy. Of course, JD doesn’t get all the fun. Other companies also cash in (quite literally) with flashy sales that turn an average day into a shopping festival for all.

618 is undoubtedly the best time to stock up on things you’ll need for the upcoming year – at least, until Singles’ Day rolls around once again. What are you waiting for? Join the fun as a family and experience e-shopping the Beijing way.

One of many WeChat stickers that is used to express the urge to buy everything. The Chinese character 买 (mǎi) means “buy” in English.

How to Prepare

We here in Beijing are extremely serious about our shopping holidays. We have to start planning months in advance and keep up to date with every deal that pops up. By the time the month of June starts, we will have created an hourly schedule for every day with a solid plan of when to catch the best deal. At midnight on June 18, buy the electronics. Then, five and a half hours later, you can begin buying the daily necessities. Save the cartoon socks for the last hour of the day. Always keep 4G on as a backup in case the Wi-Fi suddenly fails from excessive traffic.

If approaching 618 like a battlefield sounds a little too intense for you, don’t worry! Nobody has to follow such a strict routine. However, it’s best to plan most of your purchases before the actual day starts to avoid losing out on the best deals and forgetting anything on your shopping list. Some deals last the whole month, some last from June 1-18, and some for just a day, so make sure you know when everything is going on sale.

If you have extra time before the frenzy starts, compare the discounted prices to the original prices before 618. Some shady companies will mark up prices right before 618, so what looks like 70 percent off might only be 10 percent cheaper. The greatest advantage of planning early is that it allows you to avoid impulse purchases. Sure, we are all going to run into sweet deals too good to pass up on the day, but plan now and save yourself the regret later. What do you need? Are you interested in buying this because it’s cheap, or because you were interested in buying it anyway? Go into 618 with a plan, and I promise you’ll come out alive and with change!

What to Buy

Everything under the sun has a discount price during 618, and the possibilities are endless. If, like me, you can’t even decide what to eat for breakfast, you may also struggle when facing JD’s homepage. Luckily for you, as an experienced online shopper, I have suggestions for the best things to buy during e-shopping holidays.

Need a new phone? Computer? Refrigerator? Foot massager? 618 has them all. Technology and household appliances are usually pretty pricey, but when the discounts start rolling in, don’t miss the chance to grab an item and take it home! (Well, the courier will take care of the delivery, but same sentiment.) Many companies that specialize in electronic appliances have their own sales during 618, so not only can you search JD for tech deals, but you can go directly to websites such as Suning for an even wider selection to choose from.

Suning advertises saving thousands of RMB on iPhones during 618. Is it too much to hope that they’ll be RMB 618?

Aside from the big appliances, 618’s biggest use is to stock up on items that have no expiration date. This includes cleaning supplies, diapers, bedding, and of course, toilet paper. Purchasing these daily necessities at a low price now will save you money later on in the year when you already have everything you need. You can stock up on products and slowly work through them until the next shopping holiday, where even bigger sales will be waiting for you.

Snacks and groceries are cheaper during 618, but be wary about buying too many of them! You don’t want to overestimate your stomach capacity and cause lots of food to go to waste. Set realistic expectations and think about whether or not you genuinely like what you’re buying, not just the price tag.

Any upcoming birthdays? Do some early gift-shopping! Just don’t go shouting about how heavily discounted your surprise gift was.

On their homepage, JD promotes 618 by hinting at the chance to win a voucher worth 618RMB. Does anybody else suddenly want a washing machine?

As 618 approaches, make sure to exercise your finger muscles and prepare for a stressful but rewarding shopping experience. At 23:59 on June 17 , we’ll all be sitting with our computers or phones, more than ready to mǎi, mǎi, mǎi.

Photos: www.jd.com, www.suning.com

Our favourite incubator where foodie ideas are hatched and grown will soon be taking up a new residence in Sanlitun. Say goodbye to Hatchery’s retro 80’s interior at their Guomao-based Arcade restaurant, and hello to their new collaborative project in trendy Sanlitun. Look forward to more food ideas worth growing, a continuation of awesome tasty offerings, and a chance to unwind.

Hatchery is a platform that has been dedicated to supporting and growing China’s next generation of food entrepreneurs and concepts. They support, showcase, and hatch creative food ideas, and have partnered with a number of entrepreneurs in the Beijing expat community. They are best known for their hatched concept, Common Burger, where you can munch down on gastronomic burgers, such as the Roast Dinner, and inspired sides like the Mac ‘n’ Cheese bites.

At Canteen, you can opt for more healthy options with veg- and meat-laden pasta and salad bowls. Inspired by surfing trips to Bali with beachside smoothies and poke bowls, the second of Hatchery’s hatched projects has succeeded in bringing a slice of paradise to Beijing in the grey and winter months with healthy but hearty options, and brightening up even the brightest of summer days with colorful bowls of yumminess.

Before swinging by their new joint, it’s time to say goodbye in style with an epic closing party. There will be food and drinks specials, including the droolingly moreish Fries with Chicken Salt (RMB 15), Dan Dan Nachos (RMB 35), Chicken Shawarma (RMB 45), Larou Yacai, Fried Rice (RMB 25), Mayan Bowl (RMB 50), Vanilla and Sesame Butterscotch Milkshakes (RMB 35), and Chocolate and Pecan Milkshakes (RMB 35).

Expect copious amounts of food and beverages, and entrance is free! Bring along friends, perch up at the bar and celebrate the old while bringing in the new. Keep an eye out for more information regarding their new location set to open on May 1, but for now you may be keen to make your reservation. If so, don’t delay and secure your spot by sending an email to: m.leine@hotmail.comor WeChat: Maddy_Madeleine.

Arcade by Hatchery, 5L Hotel Lobby 1 Jianguomen Outer Street, Chaoyang District. 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街1号5L饭店大堂右侧 (6500 2884).

While we love living in Beijing as much as the next person, there’s no denying that sometimes it does a soul good to take a quick getaway from the capital to a paradisical Southeast Asian beach, a foodie jaunt for fresh sushi in Japan, or a romantic weekend on Jeju Island. Yet sometimes, especially when national holidays are looming on the horizon, prices for such trips seem totally out of reach. Good news for keen travelers, because there’s one small but great trick for anyone wanting to get away without breaking the bank even during peak holiday times: flying out of Tianjin instead.

Flying out of Tianjin Binhai International Airport

Overlooked by many newcomers to Beijing, and even old-timers, Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN, 津滨海国际机场) has the benefit of servicing numerous of the country’s low budget airlines: Tianjin Airlines, Spring Airlines, Scoot, and Thai Lion Air, among others. However, that’s not to belittle Tianjin’s own international airport – established in 2014 and located 13km from the city center – given that it connects 52 international and domestic locations.

A quick search of the potential routes out of Tianjin opens up round-trip direct tickets for as little as RMB 1,100 to Jeju Island in Korea, RMB 1,700 to Osaka in Japan, and RMB 1,800 to Phuket in Thailand. The same flights from Beijing International Capital Airport produce prices that are on average 30 to 40 percent more expensive.

To get the best deals, we recommend searching each of the airline’s proprietary websites (most of them have an English version). That way, you can find the best combinations as well as browse discounted tickets. Alternatively, you can check flight aggregator sights like Momondo, Skyscanner, and Trip etc. (always remembering to do so in incognito mode) but be aware that some budget companies may not be listed.

Thanks to the efficiency of China’s fast trains, it takes just 30 minutes to get from Beijing South Station to Tianjin Station (probably less than your average Beijing daily commute) for a cost of just RMB 54.5. Add RMB 3 and a quick 20-minute subway ride from Tianjin Station to the Binhai International Airport station, and in about one hour after leaving Beijing, you’re ready to check in for your flight.

On a recent flight from Tianjin to Osaka for RMB 1,754, I had a smooth experience; check-in and passport control were quick and convenient, and my flight with one of the aforementioned low budget airlines punctual. As an extra point, some of these companies allow check-in baggage of up to 15kg in case you’re looking to hit the shops on the other side.

Being a smaller airport, flight selections are indeed more limited than at Beijing International Capital Airport, but with sweet deals to fly to even further destinations like the UK, Australia, or Russia, plus popular domestic spots such as Sanya, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Guilin, it’s worth keeping Tianjin in mind as your next holiday departure point.

Want to take the train instead? Read just about everything you need to know about high-speed train travel in China.

Image: Wikipedia

The 2017 Beijing International School Expo (BISE) is getting sweeter as Utown has collaborated with some of their shops to offer deals specifically to the event’s attendees. If you want to cash in, you must preregister to receive the proper documentation to access the discounts on this day.

Experience Discounts
One of the most exciting discounts on offer is the free rollerblading class experience at Easy Skating (易轮滑) on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19.

They’re also throwing in five extra free classes to be enjoyed after the expo, and if you’re interested in a membership card, you’ll get a special discount just for BISE attendees.

Liyang Art (立洋艺术) will give away a free dance class experience on BISE’s Saturday and Sunday, in addition to receiving a discount on a monthly dance card.

The studio offers hip-hop, jazz dance, belly dancing, Latin dance, folk dance, ballet, and taekwondo.

New York International Children’s Club (纽约国际) offers multiple services, from English to gymnastics classes.

They’re offering two free classes to be redeemed on Saturday and Sunday, and they’ll offer more exclusive deals to those who come in and try the classes.

Star Piano (星空琴行), founded in 2012, will provide a free piano evaluation course and offer a discount for piano courses. They boast to be an innovative chain of piano training institutions focusing on “happy learning;” based on everyone’s piano learning horror stories, this approach is innovative indeed.

The chain has over 1,000 full time piano teachers and locations in 20 cities nationwide, truly a marker of their success as a brand.

Sesame Street English (芝麻街英语) will be offering a free English class, typically worth RMB 200, and will reduce a package of classes by RMB 4,000 if parents decide they want to register on the spot.

The brand uses an interactive multimedia course for children aged 3-12, focusing on social skills, emotional health and their 18 core values

Food Discounts

Offering 15 percent off on their items, Princess Café (普林赛斯) was started in Taiwan by Joplin Seth and boasts western style meals along with coffee, dessert, and tea.

Frooty, a fruit food stand especially concerned with social responsibility, environmental protection, and migrant children, is offering 12 percent off their fresh juice.

Frooty carefully studies the best proportions for fruit for children’s nutrition and monitors all their fruit quality. They also have New Zealand yogurt, rich in priobotics, and fresh milk.

If you love tea and Chinese tea culture, stop by 中茶 (tea), for a 10 percent discount on their leaves.

Merchandise Discounts

CT House is a children’s clothing chain with genuine licensed Hello Kitty products.

Get 20 percent off any merchandise on BISE’s Saturday and Sunday only.

Ginoble (基诺浦) is a brand name shoe well known in Zhejiang.

It’s offering 10 percent off its shoes, but the more you buy, the more concessions you’ll get.

Again, to get all of these great discounts and freebies, you must register ahead of time for this free event (click here).

The 2017 BISE will be held on February 18-19, 2017 from 10am-4pm at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town. Find out more information about the event here.

Read more stories about this year’s BISE here.

More stories by this author here.
Email: vanessajencks@truerun.com
Twitter: @vanessa_jencks
WeChat: vanessajencks

Voting in the Pizza Cup is well underway and Round 2 sees 32 still alive … so now’s the time to order up.

To aid you in that task, we’re highlighting pizza deals and specials around town for you to begin your indulgence – we’ve found specials at just over half the field of 32.

Note: some of these deals are from Chinese-language group buying sites such as Dianping, Lashou and Meituan and therefore will require fluent Chinese (or a fluent friend) to fully indulge — we’ve marked them accordingly.

In the mean time, take a look at the results of the first round here or cast your ballot in Round 2 and help us select the Sweet Sixteen!

And now onto the promotions:

MID-RANGE

Eatalia is offering 20% off their pizzas for the duration of the Pizza Cup and Dianping.com is offering RMB 240 vouchers for RMB 180 (33 percent off) for use at their Di’anmen location

Luga’s Little Italy: Every Monday pizza is 50 percent off!

PIZZA SPECIALISTS

Pizza+  50% off on all slice and round pizza on Mondays and 20% off coupons are available for purchase on Dianping.com, good for their at their Chaoyang Park location

Eatalia is offering 20% off all its pizzas for the duration of the 2014 Pizza Cup at all three of their locations: 798, Di’anmen and Wudaokou.

Gung Ho! Pizza is offering a weekday lunch special: order any pizza at ther SLT location and get either a free side or two soft drinks, or add RMB 20 and choose one of their new shares: fried fish bites, barbecue ribs or chicken wings.

The Kro’s Nest has its Quiz Night every Thursday at its Sanyuanqiao location … no discounts on pizza but you could win free booze — a great time to try their pizzas as well.

La Pizza is offering 11 percent off vouchers on Meituan that are good for use at their Soho Shangdu and Santlitun buffet shops.

Pizza Express: Score a 20 percent discount on your bill if you snap a selfie at Pizza Express and share it on social media, or partake in their Etna Romana or Pollo Forza Romana pizza as part of their Autumn special set menu that includes one starter, two mains and two desserts for RMB 260.

Tube Station: Try their massive pizzas while you suck down 50 percent off cocktails M-F 5-10pm or at their free beer refils on Tuesday evenings promotion

BAR/CAFE
Bang Bang Pizza: Dianping.com is offering several discount vouchers including a set meal for 3-4 valued at RMB 140 for only RMB 88, which includes a pizza, salad and sides.

1st Floor is offering half price pizzas every day before 6pm and 20 percent off between 6pm to 9pm

Sugar Shack is offering a free pizza upsize weekday afternoons from 2-4pm (delivery only) or you might try one of their pies during one of their fabulous Thursday evening Beer Pong Tournaments

The Local: Perhaps Fridays after 9pm may be the best time to scarf down a pizza when ladies drink for half price

The Irish Volunteer is offering a FREE Pitcher of Tsingtao Draught Beer with every 19-inch pizza order (Monday-Thursday)

UPSCALE

La Dolce Vita is offering an awesome deal for two on Dianping.com featuring two 10-inch pizzas, two salads and two 300ml Budweisers … the deal is worth RMB 307 but the discount brings the price to a mere RMB 97.

LMPlus is offering a voucher for 12 percent off, good for use at all three of their locations, via Dianping.com

Kitchen Igosso Grab a 12% off discount voucher from Dianping.com and try one of their pizzas

 This post first appeared in thebeijinger.com on November 1, 2014.

Image: Eatalia

Some of you lads may have seen the specials on women’s health exams last month, and wondered why the fairer sex always gets all the perks. Not to worry. June 17 is, after all, Father’s Day, and even if you’re not a dad, you get major discounts on health screenings this month.

The package offers are as follows:

Health Check-up + Prostate Ultrasound = RMB 1,280 (40 percent off)
Health Check-up + Body Composition Analysis = RMB 1,180 (25 percent off)
Health Check-up + Bone Density Exam = RMB 1,380 (47 percent off)

To read more, head over to thebeijinger.com.