PETALING JAYA: Shoppers across the Klang Valley are making their “final push” for the Chinese New Year, with many taking advantage of special sales and offers to stretch their ringgit.
Mandy Leong, 29, said she waited for the festive sales to buy clothes and gifts.
“I was waiting for CNY sales for the best deals. I was also caught up with work commitments earlier,” said the media professional.
Leong, who will celebrate with her family in Kepong, said the festive mood was a bit subdued this year.
“Maybe there are fewer advertisements, or it could be that if felt more special when I was younger and when my late grandmother was around,” she said, adding that she was looking forward to resting and reuniting with her siblings and friends over the holiday period.
Hotel worker Tok Sin Bei, 26, said her busy schedule often led to last-minute shopping for household items.
“It has been this way for the past two years. When I shop for decorations, hampers and cookies, it is usually one or two days before the celebration.
“This year, I spent about RM500 on home essentials, which is about the same as last year,” said Tok.
She will be returning to Port Dickson to be with her family.
Nicholas Lau, 30, who works in import logistics, said his family left much of their shopping to the final stretch.
“Honestly, we do quite a bit of last-minute shopping. We set a budget each year and make sure we stay within it,” he said.
The family has spent about RM200 on snacks and drinks and expects to fork out RM150 to RM200 more on clothes.
In total, he estimated their Chinese New Year spending to be pegged below RM1,000, roughly the same as in previous years.
Lau said his family, celebrating in Kuala Lumpur, will keep things simple with about 10 relatives gathering for a home-cooked reunion dinner prepared by his father.
Loong Wai Ting, 39, said her family was deliberately cutting back on non-essential spending this year.
“We are avoiding unnecessary purchases like extra cookies, sweet drinks and clothes. We only buy food we actually like and will eat,” she said.
She said her family preferred shopping at hypermarkets for better prices and will have their reunion dinner at home to save costs.
Homemaker Deryn Chin, 49, said she preferred to buy her outfits months in advance.
Her final preparations typically focus on food and gifts, with about RM5,000 spent so far.
