From my time in the area, here’s a list of stores around Selly Oak and what I
usually buy at each place.
BRISTOL ROAD
ALDI
I get most of my daily goods here. Bread, milk, eggs, vegetables, meat
and pasta. Although there isn't an extremely wide variety of items, the cheap
prices make up for it.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Daily necessities: Bread, milk, eggs
- Pasta - really cheap packs of spaghetti
- Laundry detergent
TESCO EXPRESS
If I randomly need a single lemon and don't need a whole pack such as
sold in ALDI, I'll get it from here. There's a decent selection of
groceries and the queue is usually shorter than ALDI although they're
quite pricey.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Potato crisps
- Single items
- Instant coffee (usually on sale)
- SIM cards or gift cards
SAINSBURY'S LOCAL
Similar to Tesco Express, I head here if I want to get some bonus points on
my Nectar app or if I just need a carton of milk. Milk prices don't vary too
much across the stores.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Single items
- Milk
- Tea
SEOUL PLAZA
The local Asian store! There are a few others like Oriental Express but I
usually get my Asian groceries here. You can get Korean, Japanese and
Chinese goods here. They stock everything you need: soy sauce, oyster
sauce, noodles, dumplings and even ingredients for you to have your own
hotpot in your accommodation. Besides the groceries, they also sell
takeaway Korean food like bulgogi, japchae and my favourite: KOREAN
CHICKEN WINGS. They're really yummy and I treat myself once in a
while.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Frozen dumplings (especially the Bibigo Pork and Vegetable dumplings!)
- Samyang Spicy Noodles
- Korean Fried Chicken Wings
- Rice
- Kimchi
BATTERY RETAIL PARK
THE FOOD WAREHOUSE by ICELAND
Another grocery store which mainly stocks frozen items. Frozen food is
really convenient as it lasts really long and you can just throw them in
the oven without any preparation. Their groceries might also be cheaper
than Tesco and Sainsbury's, so compare your prices.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Frozen food - chips, battered fish fillets
- Actimel Yogurt Drink
- Washing Liquid
- Gregg's Frozen Pastries
POUNDLAND
Almost everything here is £1! It's the Daiso of the UK. Even though
things are £1, some things like shampoo and body wash are potentially
cheaper elsewhere. Some of their goods have questionable quality as well,
although I wasn't surprised when my £1 can opener just didn't manage to
open any cans. You get what you pay for.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Cheap utensils, plates, bowls and mugs
- Toiletries
- Toilet brush
- Snacks
SPORTSDIRECT
You can get sports goods here and there's usually a lot of items on
sale.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Sports shoes
- Sportswear
CURRY'S PC WORLD
This is a tech store where you can buy phones or other home
appliances.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Electrical devices
- Kettle
SELLY OAK SHOPPING PARK
SAINSBURY'S
Unlike the smaller store located nearer to university, this big Sainsbury's is huge and stocks a large range of products. It's fun to explore the aisles for something new to try. They also have fresh food counters where I usually get salmon if I feel like it as it's either cheaper or about the same price as the fish sold at ALDI. They pack it in a cooking bag with some herb butter and you can just place the whole bag in the oven, super convenient. Quick tip: Ice cream is extremely cheap in the UK compared to in Malaysia and is commonly on sale! For example, a 500ml tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream retails at £4 although I often find it on sale at Sainsbury's for £3. The same tub is about RM30 in Malaysia. Enjoy it in the UK!
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Ice cream
- Tea and coffee
- Fresh salmon
- Fresh baked goods
- Chilled items
ARGOS
A well-known furniture and furnishing store in the UK, Argos stocks everything from pillows to smartphones. You can order online and head to the store to collect (if it's in stock, maybe even within 30 minutes!) or just head to the store itself and browse through the digital catalogues provided before making your order on the same device and collecting on the spot.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Anything you need quickly
GREGG'S
Sausage rolls and beef bakes. So good. Buttery flakey pastry. I'm getting hungry. All affordable too! Quick tip: You can get frozen versions of the pastries at Iceland to bake yourself at home.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Pastries - Sausage Roll and Steak Bake
- Doughnuts
SUPERDRUG
Sort of like Guardian and Watson's, this is a typical drugstore where you can get medicine, toiletries and makeup. They always have sales and as a student, once you sign up for their membership card you get a 10% discount every time you sign up in store! You can just show your membership number on their app if you don't want to carry around too many cards.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Toiletries
- Medicine
- Makeup and skincare
JD SPORTS
Shoes are cheap in the UK. Much cheaper. You also get a lot of student discounts. Take a look at sports stores and you'll find that the shoes are all cheaper than Malaysia's retail prices.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Sports shoes
- Sportswear
WILKO
A smaller chain of stores. They stock household items, toiletries and hardware items. You can find cheap small appliances like kettles and cheap utensils and cookingware here. They also have a nice range of cheap stationery.
RECOMMENDED BUYS:
- Stationery
- Cookingware
- Medicine
- House decoration
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I hope this has been an interesting read. Remember that these recommendations are purely personal and you should definitely explore to find what the stores have to offer! You may stumble across a hidden gem. If you're not sure about grocery shopping or want some tips and tricks to save money, check out Part 1 of my student guide to Birmingham!
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