Shopping in UK o Spain

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IreneD
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby IreneD » Mon May 13, 2013 12:53 pm

All I know for sure is that - to get by in England, we live with relatives. Here we can live on the state pension although I must admit I like the exchange rate to be 1.20 or so. OH and I are past retirement age but to live independently, both of us needed to take part-time jobs to avoid going on benefits in England.

But, to be fair, the thread is titled Shopping in U.K. or Spain and I do think, as has been said, that some things here are cheaper and some things are cheaper in the U.K. As Peter says, Spain is a huge country and there are bound to be regional differences so 'Shopping in Spain or U.K.' is very difficult to discuss accurately with regard to prices of items.

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Mowser » Mon May 13, 2013 1:02 pm

Irene ... likewise the UK. There are regional differences there as well. Take housing for example. There's a world of difference between prices in Kensington and Bradford. Eg ...
The average price of property in
the capital is £374,568 in
comparison with the average
for England and Wales of
£161,793.
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby markwilding » Mon May 13, 2013 1:05 pm

peteroldracer wrote:My point was that Bilbao is a very different place to, say, Antequera or Málaga, and prices, attitudes, employments and plenty of other things seem from Mark's posts over the years to be very different, understandably.
It isn't so different.
peteroldracer wrote:If a poster lived in, say, southern France (an equal distance mas o menos), I am sure I would not be alone in thinking "what does he know about it?
Now that is completely different. I actually live an hour from the French border and even though The Basque country covers both sides of the border I know very little of what goes on there. Apparently, there's quite a large British community only three and a half hours away but I don't live in that country.It might as well be the other side of the world.

Dover is closer to France than London but do people there worry about what's going in Calais?
Last edited by markwilding on Mon May 13, 2013 1:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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IreneD
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby IreneD » Mon May 13, 2013 1:05 pm

Very true - impossible to generalise isn't it?

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Mowser » Mon May 13, 2013 1:19 pm

I've just had a look at some of the prices quoted in the original link. Some of the prices are way above what I'm paying here. Eg ...

60c for milk? I pay 52c
53c for onions? I pay 42c
€5.81 for mince? I pay €4.95
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby gerryh » Mon May 13, 2013 1:45 pm

What is the point of comparing the price of shopping in the UK to the price in Spain or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
Isn't it more relevant to compare the prices in the shops local to where you live?
I'm not going to fly back to the UK to buy a loaf of bread because it's cheaper in Asda than in Eroski. :think:
Food prices have gone up in the 9 years we have lived here but our monthly outgoings on food and household items is still more or less the same as when we moved here.
We simply don't buy beef, lamb, or luxury items etc so often. We live within the same budget. :wave:
On balance I still believe, for us, it is cheaper to live in Spain than the UK.
The one thing that has made a biggest impact on our live style is the lowering of the exchange rate since we have lived here.
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Lavanda » Mon May 13, 2013 1:48 pm

"The one thing that has made a biggest impact on our live style is the lowering of the exchange rate since we have lived here."

First sensible post on here. :clap:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Chunky Monky » Mon May 13, 2013 1:51 pm

:thumbup:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Devils Advocate » Mon May 13, 2013 1:54 pm

We simply don't buy beef, lamb, or luxury items etc so often. We live within the same budget
What an honest and refreshing post.....respect :thumbup:
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby oliveview01 » Mon May 13, 2013 2:07 pm

My sister lives in the Orkney Islands, she said most of the crab and lobster catch is exported to France or Spain- gone are the days when you could go to the fishmonger in Orkney and buy the big crabs for about 1.00 pound :thumbdown:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby BENIDORM » Mon May 13, 2013 2:08 pm

Although it's interesting to see some prices comparisons in both countries, it isn't of much help , it really is quite different for everyone.
Surely it really does depend on where your funding is generated, and with the volatile exchange rate it is almost impossible to budget for more than a few months if your original funding is in sterling.
I'm fortunate, I suppose, because I receive pensions from both countries.

I mentioned before that I calculate costs based on £1 = 1 euro, and since I've worked on this principle I've found it easy to keep life 'simple', and when the rate is good I just treat it as a bonus.

Be Nice Everyone, Life is to Short to Waste it Getting Angry.! :wave:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Devils Advocate » Mon May 13, 2013 2:12 pm

The "British Food" programme highlighted this on TV last night....just caught the end of it. You can't buy a crab on the coast now because as you say they all end up in spain...........they did say it's the Brit consumers fault for not using them. I reckon if they started selling them at sensible prices they would.

Buying big Scottish prawns cheap in Torre market and Eroski really makes me wince.
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby IreneD » Mon May 13, 2013 2:16 pm

:clap: we think along the same lines, Gerry - well said.

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby janda_grant2 » Mon May 13, 2013 2:32 pm

Broadband - forgot to say for a total of £39.00 per month with BT I get :-

a. Free calls 24/7.
b. 16 Mbs broadband (exchange wont go any faster)
c. Line rental,
d. Unlimited broadband
e. BT Vision - full package


If I went for no TV package, and free calls w/ends and evenings it would cost me &23.00 including line rental.


I do agree that food shopping can be as cheap or as expensive as you want - you can get frozen Farm Foods packages where you get 3 x 10 chops for £10 or buy direct from the farm - about £10 for two - I always buy my veg direct from the farms - cheaper than the supermarket, but I do sometimes pay for mud!
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby kexon » Mon May 13, 2013 2:41 pm

Ouch Olive dont mention the poor quality of chicken in mercadona whatever you do,when i complained about the change in quality of the chicken on this forum,i was totally slated for it!

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby olive » Mon May 13, 2013 3:13 pm

Devils Advocate wrote:The "British Food" programme highlighted this on TV last night....just caught the end of it. You can't buy a crab on the coast now because as you say they all end up in spain...........they did say it's the Brit consumers fault for not using them. I reckon if they started selling them at sensible prices they would.

Buying big Scottish prawns cheap in Torre market and Eroski really makes me wince.
I woudn't wince too much. You are keeping UK fishermen in a job. Save the wincing for Bangladeshi farmed prawns. They have one eye removed for starters. As an aside, it is very interesting seeing where the various prawns do come from (or are supposed to come from). A bit like Parkgate potted prawns and potted Parkgate prawns.

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Devils Advocate » Mon May 13, 2013 3:43 pm

I wouldn't waste a single wince on a Bangladeshi one eyed prawn now you mention it :idea:
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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby katy » Mon May 13, 2013 6:08 pm

Lavanda wrote:"My only regular disagreement with mark is that he lives way outside the area covered by this forum, so is poorly qualified to comment. "

I also live outside the area but did have a house in Coín for many years. What about young Frank and Katy with her 8000+ posts? They don't live in Spain, never mind Andalucia. Will you say they are 'poorly qualified to comment'? :lol: :lol: :lol:
You really can't resist any chance to have a pop at me can you :roll: For about 7 years I was on this forum I lived in Spain. I have relatives and friends there and FWIW they think Spain is expensive now. I was last in Spain in December, fortunately I did not have to step into a supermarket once. Also I don't have any hidden interests to talk the place up, eg. selling and renting houses in Spain :mrgreen:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby katy » Mon May 13, 2013 6:29 pm

Bottom line is if you feel the need to compare bread and milk etc.You can't afford to live in a foreign country with no safety net. More important is utilities, taxes and one thing money can't buy, peace of mind.

As for regions, when we went north to San Sebastian area we found prices were higher but lower in Madrid than Marbella. I have also lived in inland Andalucía and found small shops a rip off, generally the same as in UK....why do you think those large families travel to Alcampo in Marbella from inland pueblos :think:

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Re: Shopping in UK o Spain

Postby Free at Last » Mon May 13, 2013 6:39 pm

Is this the future?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22508439

If so, will Spanish insects be cheaper than UK ones, or vice versa? :lol:


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