Cheap groceries in Kuala Lumpur

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By bigpumpkin | August 24, 2008

Or so I thought!!!

I arrived at Tesco Mutiara Damansara today at noon, ALONE (the Hubs had taken Tee for a movie) with a mission to fill up my kitchen with value for money food for the week. We don’t usually shop there but in attempt to cut cost, I braved the trip all by myself. For once, I could have my OWN music in the car. For once, I could relax, drive and dream to myself without a high pitched voice shooting questions like a machine gun. For once, I didn’t have to rush…….

It was nice. It was REALLY nice. I can’t begin to express how NICE it was.

Till I arrived at a sea of parked cars, stressed out drivers and hurried people with full trolleys. It took me twenty minutes to get a parking spot. Note to self, if I ever return, never to go at noon.

Since I wasn’t familiar with the layout of Tesco, things took longer than necessary. The place was crowded with families; some rude and obnoxious, some clumsy, some in a hurry and many who had all the time in the world to stand around chatting with their trolleys blocking the way. Every corner I turned, every aisle I worked, I was faced with an obstacle course of the highest standard.

I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing ‘me-time’ escapade. *roll eyeballs*

Despite bringing a grocery list to ensure I didn’t sell our souls to the bank, my bill came up to a whopping RM580, which is more than I’d ever spent in a grocery store. Ever. To be fair, I bought double of the big bulky items like toilet rolls, paper towels and tissue boxes; because they were cheaper than usual. For example, I usually buy my toilet roll for RM16 but at Tesco, it was RM11. But still, it was groceries for the 3 of us, and I’d hardly bought any meat, chicken or fish! The vegetables were not fresh, the fish was worse but variety and choice were good. I couldn’t find a single onion that wasn’t rotten. Perhaps Sunday isn’t a good day to shop at Tesco.

Also, I noticed that eggs cost RM3+ and above when I always bought my eggs for RM2+ at other places. Again, I think it’s really check and balance. If we wanted to save, we’d have to go to three different places to do our groceries and with the time and gas spent, I’d rather just live on bread and sardines from one store. Like the store down my street.

I finally got home at 3pm exhausted. It was raining cats and dogs and there was an accident on the opposite side of the Penchala Link, phew! Because I hadn’t had anything to eat nor drink since I’d woken up. But when I came in, I was greeted with hugs and a coffee.

So there is still hope for a nice day…..

Here’s what I bought:

Chicken thighs, drumsticks, carcass, steaks, milk, eggs, sardines, pickled vegetables, cooking oil, lots of cheese, wet wipes, tissues, toilet roll, paper towels, asam jawa, chocolate, curry powder, chilli powder, red beans, fish curry spices, brocolli, long beans, french beans, oranges, papaya, pineapple, apples, kiwis, pencils, books, workbooks, lots of pasta, a drawer set for Tee’s hair accessories which is getting out of hand, canned tuna, cucumber, and more vegetables. Something like that……

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