Expert Info
on 26 May 2017
Hi All,
I have been living in Shanghai close to 10 years now and with the arrival of our second kid, and his entry in Kindergarten , the budget do tend to get a bit tight. which brings me to my question. I'm open to all sorts of info you guys can spare.
Where do you guys go shop for pantries groceries.
(not vegies, fish and meat but the rest)
It does give me an itch to spend 40 kuai for a pack of good cornflakes, 25 for biscuits .... 400 for powdered milk is really abusive
Prices for imported food are on average 3 times higher than back home
i do understand chain stores like Carrefour are charged with transportation costs, import duty ....
I understand too that there is a cost to living like home when you are in fact 10'000km away from home.
anyway. let me know if you guys have any good tip.
I live in Gubei but work in Minhang so i do travel, location is not an issue.
sorry for the long read and thanks for reading
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Hi daid,
Like you said, home comforts can be expensive. If you're looking to reduce costs, I suggest you try suss out the local vendors for your grocery essentials. Buying food in Shanghai shouldn't be a problem if you know what to look out for.
Steer clear of Western supermarkets like Tesco, Walmart and Carrefour. Instead, visit chains like Lianhua, Hualian and Jiadeli as well as the famous wet markets of Shanghai. They will definitely have a good collection of fresh fruits and vegetables to help your young family grow.
You can apply the same logic to eating out. Foreign food establishments are for more likely to enforce a service charge while your local mian guan eaterie may be an ideal choice when spending becomes tight.
Have you tried online shopping? It can help you have a busy schedule to manage, although it might not be as cost effective.
GIve me a shout if you need more help.
Brett
Need to know of any homeschool options in Shanghai. We have a son going into the first grade and school tuition is through the roof? Any thoughts or ideas?