Shopping in Northern Ireland

lalique · 21-11-2008 02:22PM

I got 2 tins of Roses for £7 in Asda Enniskillen last Friday

JohnCleary · 21-11-2008 04:26PM

Just back from Asda in Enniskillen

Arrived (friday) at 1pm, traffic was fine coming from the Sligo side, no problem at all except along the river, about 5 min delay (to be expected)

The carpark was busy, managed to get a spot right beside the door though! (Well, just down from disabled parking)

There's an ATM right outside the main entrance. The exchange rate I got from the ATM was £0.824 with BOI

In ASDA they were offering £0.84 for the euro. Could have saved a little bit by paying in euro at the till but nothing to cry over

I only bought booze (:D) and my one complaint is that they were out of Smirnoff 700ml and 1l because they were keenly priced. I would have though management would have anticipated the high demand and had lots of stock but however, nothing could be done so I bought a 1l bottle of Absolute (£3 more expensive than 1l Smirnoff)

Hope this helps

devil-80 · 21-11-2008 04:35PM

Im going to Enniskillen in Sunday maybe it will be quiet ;-)

Moanin · 21-11-2008 04:38PM

devil-80 wrote: »

Im going to Enniskillen in Sunday maybe it will be quiet ;-)

I wouldn't even dream of going there at the weekend especially on the run up to christmas and the Euro being so strong at the moment

DonJose · 21-11-2008 07:28PM

JohnCleary wrote: »

I only bought booze (:D) and my one complaint is that they were out of Smirnoff 700ml and 1l because they were keenly priced. I would have though management would have anticipated the high demand and had lots of stock but however, nothing could be done so I bought a 1l bottle of Absolute (£3 more expensive than 1l Smirnoff)

I was there earlier this month and they were selling 2 70cl bottles of Absolut for £18.

wyndham · 22-11-2008 12:27PM

Maybe a bit off-topic, but does anyone know a decent priced place for new tyres (supply and fit)?

Coming from Dublin so Newry or Belfast would suit. Maybe somewhere near retail centre that you could do a bit of grocery/clothes shopping while you are waiting?

milly4ever · 22-11-2008 12:35PM

wyndham wrote: »

Maybe a bit off-topic, but does anyone know a decent priced place for new tyres (supply and fit)?

Coming from Dublin so Newry or Belfast would suit. Maybe somewhere near retail centre that you could do a bit of grocery/clothes shopping while you are waiting?

There's a Quik Fit in Newry and one in Belfast (LIsburn Road and Ormeau rd). The Ormeau rd one is beside a dunnes if that helps!

Aldee84 · 22-11-2008 12:37PM

was up in Sainsburys Sprucefield and they are giving 85.9pence per euro which is brilliant I have to say. A few stores in The Outlet were giving £ for € aswell.

Aldee84 · 22-11-2008 12:45PM

wyndham wrote: »

Maybe a bit off-topic, but does anyone know a decent priced place for new tyres (supply and fit)?

Coming from Dublin so Newry or Belfast would suit. Maybe somewhere near retail centre that you could do a bit of grocery/clothes shopping while you are waiting?

Hi was up in 24hour Asda @ Westwood shopping centre very late last night and I noticed a tyre place in the car pk. Think it was called Hi Q if I'm not mistaking if you want to try call them. It's just off M1 before you come into Belfast @ Junction 2 signposted outer ring and a55. Go down slip road take a left a roundabout and it's just up on your right. You will see the big Mc Donalds sign, good luck.

KhanTheMan · 22-11-2008 01:39PM

Isnt it great that everyone is following Mary Hearney's advice that she gave us when rip-off ireland prices were brought to her attention.

She said to shop around and not pay the high prices.

Well now we do that - across the border

Its saving me a fortune on Baby Food and Nappies.

I posted my sterling receipts to Tesco Ireland and asked them what they were going to do about it, or should i keep shoping up the North. They wrote back telling us to use a token they sent us, with our next trip to Tesco, which would give us a clubcard bonus of 25,000 points with our next shop

Not much, but its a start.

Thanks Mary. Great advice.

My daughter reckons they are going to toll the roads at the border now

gazzer · 22-11-2008 02:37PM

Aldee84 wrote: »

was up in Sainsburys Sprucefield and they are giving 85.9pence per euro which is brilliant I have to say. A few stores in The Outlet were giving £ for € aswell.

I was going to go up to The Outlet next week. Is it worth going to? Do you happen to remember what shops were giving £ for €? It would be mainly mens clothes shops I would be interested in up there. Enniskillen is great for most things and I go up there every few weeks but they havnt got a great selection of mens clothes shops.

Also is there a way of finding out on the web what rate shops up north are giving for euro before heading up there or is it a case of just ringing each store?

Ronan Raver77 · 22-11-2008 03:05PM

gazzer wrote: »

I was going to go up to The Outlet next week. Is it worth going to? Do you happen to remember what shops were giving £ for €? It would be mainly mens clothes shops I would be interested in up there. Enniskillen is great for most things and I go up there every few weeks but they havnt got a great selection of mens clothes shops.

Also is there a way of finding out on the web what rate shops up north are giving for euro before heading up there or is it a case of just ringing each store?

When i was in the Outlet a few weeks ago i purchased two pairs of puma runners for 75eur.They had a purchase one item second item half price.Mens shops they do if memory serves me correct, or
http://www.the-outlet.co.uk/

Your best ringing the store beforehand as i dont think every store puts the exchange rates up on the web sites.

sk8board · 22-11-2008 03:42PM

my wife and I spent Friday in Newry getting the xmas shopping out of the way. Arrived for opening at 9am, and there were already queues, and the Quays car park was easily 1/2 - 3/4 full!

We didn't go to Sainsburys this time round (bar some bin's of celebrations, roses, victoria etc which were 2 for £10). This was a blitz for clothes, some electronics, toys and toilitries/perfume. went to buttercrane, quays, domolly, and came home via M1 shopping center (20% off in mothercare all week for their 1st birthday) and scotch hall in Drogheda.

I think we've about 22 receipts here between both of us, I must go through them today, but the savings are from 15% on a laptop(new model, so wasn't expecting much) to 60% on Boot's items Expensive shampoo (don't ask me the name) is €5.99 here, but was 2 for £4 in boots. And so on.
Debenhams had a 20% 4-day sale, ending today. I got a jacket reduced from £200 to £100. The euro receipt on it said it was for sale in the South for €315. I paid €118.

All in all, we got everything done in 1 day, 5 shopping centers, and back home by 5pm.

Our man in Havana · 22-11-2008 03:48PM

KhanTheMan wrote: »

My daughter reckons they are going to toll the roads at the border now

I can see the govt bringing in a beer importation tax soon.
They won't stand for what is going on.

sk8board · 22-11-2008 03:55PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

I can see the govt bringing in a beer importation tax soon.
They won't stand for what is going on.

agreed, plus we're already taking in €140m per annum in fuel tax on petrol that the provo's are bringing straight across the border.

The Gov can't have it both ways.

More of the usual trade unionist scare mongering from some SIPTU captain of industry on Matt Cooper yesterday. Along the lines of 'if you buy in the north you will cost yourself your job'.

KhanTheMan · 22-11-2008 04:14PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

I can see the govt bringing in a beer importation tax soon.
They won't stand for what is going on.

The Brits tried that one (People driving to France to buy alcho) and Europe threw it out the other day.

bulld · 22-11-2008 04:58PM

I was going to go to the North to buy Christmas shopping, I spoke to someone else who said why would you do that when we are in a recession
I have to say i agree. Yes i know i will pay a bit extra in the south
Anyone remember the days of buy Guaranteed Irish
Support our own Economy

DonJose · 22-11-2008 05:08PM

bulld wrote: »

I was going to go to the North to buy Christmas shopping, I spoke to someone else who said why would you do that when we are in a recession
I have to say i agree. Yes i know i will pay a bit extra in the south
Anyone remember the days of buy Guaranteed Irish
Support our own Economy

The government brought in new tax levies in the last budget which means I will have to pay a couple of thousand extra euro in taxes each year. I never shopped in the north before the new budget, I've been to the north 3 times in the past month. The government can go feck themselves. I plan on doing all my grocery shopping in the north from now on. When shops in the south can match prices in the north then I'll start shopping locally. With average saving of 30-40% on groceries in the north you have to be crazy to shop in the south.

bulld · 22-11-2008 05:26PM

Yes the Government increased taxes because the tax return to them was low
If everyone goes to the north for shopping, We will have more unemployment and higher taxes so the government can balance there books.

Wake up and support Irish business

Our man in Havana · 22-11-2008 05:28PM

You are the Taoiseach and I claim my 5 pounds.

snubbleste · 22-11-2008 05:37PM

KhanTheMan wrote: »

..
I posted my sterling receipts to Tesco Ireland and asked them what they were going to do about it, or should i keep shoping up the North. They wrote back telling us to use a token they sent us, with our next trip to Tesco, which would give us a clubcard bonus of 25,000 points with our next shop

Not much, but its a start...

That's equivalent to €250 or up to €1000 in clubcard deals!

Why is it that a product that is produced in the republic is cheaper to buy in the north then here? There is something wrong with that.

bulld · 22-11-2008 06:32PM

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/theyre-10-miles-apart--but-its-boomtown-in-newry-and-gloomtown-in-dundalk-1540648.html

gloom town in Dundalk already .. what happens when that hits Dublin

I am self employed in Ireland (not in retail). I will be doing my shopping in the south to do my little bit.

cliffo27 · 22-11-2008 07:29PM

bulld wrote: »

Yes the Government increased taxes because the tax return to them was low
If everyone goes to the north for shopping, We will have more unemployment and higher taxes so the government can balance there books.

Wake up and support Irish business

I think thats what Irish people have done is "Wake up" its sad really but if anything in a recession people look for more value for money..so thats why its happening..plus the fact that VAT is going up..I think the government need to Wake up....

andyeire · 22-11-2008 07:53PM

bulld wrote: »

I was going to go to the North to buy Christmas shopping, I spoke to someone else who said why would you do that when we are in a recession
I have to say i agree. Yes i know i will pay a bit extra in the south

I have been going to Asda for 6 months now and i am saving over 40% on my grocery shopping .I did Argos for my 'Christmas list' and saved 30% plus.

If it was just paying a bit extra i would do it.Its not its a lot extra.

Sky news were in a Dunnes in Glasgow this morning and they were giving a £10 voucher for every £20 spent on non food items.Now i wasnt in Dunnes today but i would guess they are not doing the same offer here.

Just checked Dunnes UK website the offer includes grocery spend but the vouchers can only be used to purchase non food items until 6th December.There doesnt appear to be an Irish offer.

artful_codger · 22-11-2008 07:55PM

bulld wrote: »

Wake up and support Irish business

No.

KhanTheMan · 22-11-2008 08:12PM

bulld wrote: »

Yes the Government increased taxes because the tax return to them was low
If everyone goes to the north for shopping, We will have more unemployment and higher taxes so the government can balance there books.

Wake up and support Irish business

Get outta that garden
The govt and Irish businesses have been aware for a long time now that there is a rip-off the paddy element to their pricing. None of them stepped up to help out the consumer.

Then they have the cheek to add another .5% to VAT. I wonder how much that stupid stroke will cost him.

Irish Businesses still have a chance do do something about their rip-off prices. Do it and shut up.

Anyone who feels guilty phone revenue and offer them an extra 10% in tax from your wages.

KhanTheMan · 22-11-2008 08:15PM

snubbleste wrote: »

That's equivalent to €250 or up to €1000 in clubcard deals!

Why is it that a product that is produced in the republic is cheaper to buy in the north then here? There is something wrong with that.

Sorry, i was a bit over eager with the zero key.

That was supposed to read 2500 clubcard points

felinefeelins · 22-11-2008 08:19PM

maybe you can afford to do that, but with the cuts in education added to the melee I am going to save a few euros any way I can. I have 2 in secondary school and this budget is gonna put me to the wall. take into account there will not be enough money to maintain sport in the school and the fact my kids are sports fanatics that adds more to the pot. I really cannot believe your comments. They astound me

smashey · 22-11-2008 08:23PM

bulld wrote: »

anyone remember the days of buy Guaranteed Irish

Aye indeed. I can buy the Irish Independent in the North for 75p while it's €1.80 in the Republic. I'm still buying a guaranteed Irish product but for a whole lot less.

It's about time the government realised that hitting us all with extra taxes is only going to make the problem worse.

Wertz · 22-11-2008 08:42PM

bulld wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/theyre-10-miles-apart--but-its-boomtown-in-newry-and-gloomtown-in-dundalk-1540648.html

gloom town in Dundalk already .. what happens when that hits Dublin

I am self employed in Ireland (not in retail). I will be doing my shopping in the south to do my little bit.

I'm self empoloyed too. I live in Dundalk.
You're talking out yer backside.

Shopping in Northern Ireland

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