It's the time of year when every shop in Singapore is decked out with 'SALE' in bright red letters. Lasting from June 9 to August 13, GSS is the perfect time for your family to get everything you need (and many things you don't need). Unfortunately, the whole of Singapore has gotten the same idea.
As time-strapped mums would know, fighting the crowds simply takes too much time and energy, especially when you're doing it with kids in tow. Here are a few tips to shopping effectively for busy mums.
1) Shop online
Hitting the shops with the kids can be tough. How to look out for the best bargains while keeping your little ones entertained and out of mischief? Online shopping is a mum's GSS lifesaver.
One of the biggest online shopping malls you can check out is Lazada, a one-stop site for everything from women's fashion to baby products. The site even features a Mummies Bazaar with all your mummy needs.
Lazada's Great Singapore Sale goes into full swing from 6-8 June. Expect flash sales every 2 hours over these three days, with up to 90% discounts! All you have to do is check the site at midnight each day to check what's up for grabs.
A sneak peek of some sales coming up: milk formula giant Dumex is offering 2 free tins with selected purchases, while Johnson & Johnson is having a sale of up to 48% off! You'll also get up to 13% off with a minimum spending of $100 when you visit Lazada on 6 June.
And if you'd rather not stress about selecting the perfect product, mums, you can let yourself be pleasantly surprised by Lazada's Surprise Boxes. Both the Lazada x For Mums and Bubs Surprise Box curated by Beautiful.Me and Lazada x Aveeno and Johnson's Baby Surprise Box are packed with mum-friendly goodies worth $100.
2) Visit child-friendly malls
If brick-and-mortar shopping is still your cup of tea, avoid mummy madness by hitting the kid-friendly malls. Your kids can have fun and you get to enjoy amazing deals at the same time.
A GSS trip to Bedok Mall is one both you and your bubs will enjoy — from 7-13 June, the Basement 2 atrium will be transformed into an Antarctic-themed adventure playground. All you need to do is spend $30 in a single receipt for your kids (aged 5-12) to gain entry.
Between 10-11 June, kids can help mum and dad win $100 CapitaVouchers when they take part in The Antarctic Challenge, involving a heroic mission to save the earth.
Paragon is another great mall for your GSS lineup. From 3-26 June, your little adventurers can occupy themselves with the Totally Tropical Trip at Paragon Junior, the mall's level 5 children's paradise.
Kids can have fun at the playground area with candy floss, balloon sculpting, and cotton candy booths galore. The area is also conveniently lined with children's shops like Toys 'R' Us having tons of sales.
For other kid-friendly malls in Singapore that you can visit, click here.
3) Get e-coupons
Most mummy essentials don't come cheap, and it's always a great feeling to stretch your dollar. Unfortunately, bargain hunting takes too much time — but this year, you have the GSS GoSpree app to help you.
This free app allows you to get your hands on e-coupons from shops across the island. Simply take your pick of the discounts you want, and the app will compile them for use when you hit the physical shops.
GSS GoSpree is also geo-location enabled, so you can receive e-coupons and flash deal alerts if you're making spontaneous trips to the mall. A peek of what's to come: retailers such as Courts and Takashimaya department store are already on the app!
You can download GSS GoSpree on iOS or Android on June 9, when GSS officially begins.
4) Hit the big fairs
As a busy mum, convenience is your buzzword of the day. At bigger mum and baby fairs, all your mummy essentials will be consolidated in one place. Plus you can worry less about the kids' safety with other mums all about!
Kick off GSS with this year's edition of Baby Baby, a mega baby event happening 9-11 June at Suntec Convention Centre. You'll find everything you need for your tots at great prices, including playpens and baby bathtubs. Fairprice Xtra is also offering free home delivery with a minimum spend of $300!
As we head into GSS proper, you'll get the benefit of another baby bash — Baby World Fair, happening at Suntec Convention Centre from 30 June to 2 July. Kids' clothing, nursery furniture, prams, car seats... it's a one-stop spot for all these family essentials.
Other fairs that mums will love include the BHG GSS Sale, happening at Suntec City Level 1 between 5-11 June. The popular departmental store is offering sales of up to 70% off categories like Ladieswear and Home & Living.
And if you're planning for a home makeover, Glamorous Living & Design sale promises amazing discounts for all your interior design and furnishing needs. The fair will be held at Singapore Expo from 24 June to 2 July.
Finally, coming in on the tail end of GSS is the SuperMom Baby Fair, which will take place on 25-27 August at Suntec Convention Centre. With more than 1000 international brands for maternity and kids' essentials, this is the best place to stock up on essentials for your fast-growing little ones.
ALSO READ: 5 ways to make grocery shopping with kids more bearable
