Shopping in Northern Ireland

consultech · 31-12-2008 12:25PM

bigkev49 wrote: »

12 Miller £8

£15 for 30 in Sainsburys

/

bigkev49 wrote: »

24 Condoms £10.50...Giggidy.

Arf. For the first part of our shop me and the girlfriend were walking around Sainsburys with a huge trolley of drink and two boxes of condoms on top of it all - gettin some funny looks from various folk.

greenman09 · 31-12-2008 12:32PM

Got a 42in tv in argos. £485 same tv argos in dublin 799e scandalous prices. Saved good300e gettin this in the north. Also exchaging jeans in river island for the same but in smaller size. Assistant said she would have de ask for more money as price was in sterlin. Why. Its the same jeans. Somethin bout exch rate etc. 20e more . Wud have drove to north to change if this was case

consultech · 31-12-2008 12:54PM

greenman09 wrote: »

Got a 42in tv in argos. £485 same tv argos in dublin 799e scandalous prices. Saved good300e gettin this in the north. Also exchaging jeans in river island for the same but in smaller size. Assistant said she would have de ask for more money as price was in sterlin. Why. Its the same jeans. Somethin bout exch rate etc. 20e more . Wud have drove to north to change if this was case

Um. That sounds very ad-hoc. Pocketisation methinks.

jister · 31-12-2008 11:22PM

DublinWriter wrote: »

Definitely not. We were coming out of Newry yesterday at 5pm and the traffic was still mental coming into the city.

To clarify, the middle of EK was quitening around 6pm, as in you could get parking spaces in the ASDA carpark. By the time I was heading out the road around 7pm there was no trafficjam inbound. So I guess if you hit EK around 7pm on nights that only the grocery stores (ASDA etc.) are open you might be ok.

This is madness, I think everybody should all do this this because in a few years we can be looking back with storys of battle.

bigdogbarking · 01-01-2009 05:40AM

Real message!!!

i just bought a dysom dc25 plus a new tumble dryer for less than380 pound in newry argos,
The price just for the dyson alone in dublin was 418euro on the website......
Go figure and then reconsider who you are gonna vot for in the next general election.

Wonder if the queen will forgive us and take back the 26 counties????(rheotorical question!!!!)

johnnyrotten · 01-01-2009 11:39AM

bigdogbarking wrote: »

Real message!!!

i just bought a dysom dc25 plus a new tumble dryer for less than380 pound in newry argos,
The price just for the dyson alone in dublin was 418euro on the website......
Go figure and then reconsider who you are gonna vot for in the next general election.

Wonder if the queen will forgive us and take back the 26 counties????(rheotorical question!!!!)

How did you manage to get tumble dryer if its home delivery only, assuming of course you are in republic?
Thanks

mickoneill30 · 01-01-2009 11:47AM

bigdogbarking wrote: »

Real message!!!

i just bought a dysom dc25 plus a new tumble dryer for less than380 pound in newry argos,
The price just for the dyson alone in dublin was 418euro on the website......
Go figure and then reconsider who you are gonna vot for in the next general election.

The government run Argos????

I've found bigger differences than that. I bought this in Boots UK for £90 before Christmas.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4415804/Trail/searchtext%3ESONICARE.htm (£97.79)

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4415804/Trail/searchtext%3ESONICARE.htm (€219.79)

Admittedly I did spend €50 in Argos before Christmas so I got a €5 voucher back. So that would bring the price down to €214.79. That was nice of them. :rolleyes:

CuppaCocoa · 01-01-2009 01:36PM

Went to Sprucefield yesterday. Left the northside at 9:45, arrived at the Newry roundabout at 10:45. Was going to visit a friend in Newry first and had decided to take the other route into Newry but when I saw there was no traffic on the Dublin Road decided to take a chance. Flew through to the lights at the Quays where I waited for no more than 1 minute and on through the town to my friends house. Easy!

After a cup of tea and a chat headed off to Sprucefield. Was going to go to the Outlet first but missed the turn off so decided to go on the way back. Got to Sprucefield and got parking no problem. Headed into Argos and got a slow cooker reduced to £12.99 and a James Martin mini chopper for £15.49 half price.

Into Sainsburys for a mooch. Had my mother with me who filled her trolly in no time. Got a Grundig micro hi-fi reduced from £79.99 to £49.99, 2 boxes of Coors beer (20 pack) for £15 and a litre of Tullamore Dew for £14.99. They had a special on Philips energy saving bulbs - 5 for 50p! 2 x 30 pack boxes of own brand tampons (sorry guys!) for £2. They had a HP all in one printer for £29.99. Mother got plenty of meat and fish bargains. It was a very pleasant shop. The store is very large and there weren't too many people there. No southerners! The staff were very pleasant and polite.

Over to M&S where mother got some clothes and I got another of the £10 meal deals. They had a 3 pack of cheese that I didn't see in the southern deal and olives and ham as well. Into Boots to buy Spatone (liquid iron) which costs nearly €12 down here for £6.99! Went to the counter with 2 of them and the sales lady said "hang on, I think they're 3 for 2, I'll check for you". They were, even though they weren't advertised. Bonus

Left Sprucefield and got to the Outlet at 4:45. Into a shoe shop where we both bought shoes. It was £ for € and we paid in euro. I asked what time they closed at and was told 5 because of New Years Eve :eek: All shops closed when we came out of the shoe shop so was very disappointed.

Headed home then. No delay anywhere on the road. We had a lovely day out and mother was delighted with her shopping. We're going back to the Outlet again next week to finish off our shopping

the corpo · 01-01-2009 01:44PM

bought £201 worth of stuff in ikea yesterday, all reduced bargains. paid with laser card, and checked the online banking last night, went through as €204. magic

jister · 01-01-2009 02:09PM

€297.58 = £291.07 on my credit card after shopping in ASDA on Tuesday, so .978 rate using CC. The rate the shop quoted was something like .94.

chubbyjoe · 01-01-2009 02:29PM

Hi, Heading up to Enniskillen tomorrow shopping. Looking to buy a Satnav. Comparing the prices between the south and the north I reckon I should make a good saving.

Can anyone recommend a satnav in which I would make a great saving. I'm thinking of getting the Garmin Nuvi 255w at about GBP170.

Any hekp would be appreciated....

Thanks

Our man in Havana · 01-01-2009 02:36PM

the corpo wrote: »

bought £201 worth of stuff in ikea yesterday, all reduced bargains. paid with laser card, and checked the online banking last night, went through as €204. magic

jister wrote: »

€297.58 = £291.07 on my credit card after shopping in ASDA on Tuesday, so .978 rate using CC. The rate the shop quoted was something like .94.

Always pay by card or sterling cash. Don't be a euro muppet.

Tipsy Mac · 01-01-2009 02:49PM

chubbyjoe wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a satnav in which I would make a great saving. I'm thinking of getting the Garmin Nuvi 255w at about GBP170.

Any hekp would be appreciated....

Thanks

I'd say for bricks and mortar shops you wont find it much cheaper than that anywhere, however if you order it online you can get it for €138.51 plus delivery, here...
http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE1497955&productID=S5281083

If you have a bluetooth phone I would go the extra couple of quid and get the 265w model which has bluetooth.

bigdogbarking · 01-01-2009 02:56PM

johnnyrotten wrote: »

How did you manage to get tumble dryer if its home delivery only, assuming of course you are in republic?
Thanks

they deliver to the south for an extra £20

I assume they just ship from the dublin warehouses for ROI deliveries.

Rowley Birkin QC · 01-01-2009 03:28PM

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

If you have a bluetooth phone I would go the extra couple of quid and get the 265w model which has bluetooth.

It's also the widescreen model which makes a big difference.

My gf got me one from elara lately and they were definitely the cheapest around.

whatsupdoc? · 01-01-2009 03:51PM

Always pay by card or sterling cash. Don't be a euro muppet.

Would depend on what the different exchange rates are on the different forms of payment.

johnnyrotten · 01-01-2009 04:20PM

bigdogbarking wrote: »

they deliver to the south for an extra £20

I assume they just ship from the dublin warehouses for ROI deliveries.

Are you sure of this?
Not possible online! Looking for a UK postcode:mad:
Don't want to drive up there to be told they can't deliver
Is there a phone number for them?

jister · 01-01-2009 04:35PM

whatsupdoc? wrote: »

Would depend on what the different exchange rates are on the different forms of payment.

The closest you will get to the spot rate IE actual rate is by using CC or ATM, I think CC is closest. I got .978 when I think the max. spot on the day was .984, so the spread was only about 0.5cent.

Shops changing at .94 when the spot is 98.4p are charging 4p spread. Everybody charges a spread and the tightest spreads are on CC or ATM, over the counter banks charge a wider spread than ATM and Bureau de Change and shops seem to charge wider spreads again.

Shops need to offer a wide spread because when they go to the bank in the evening to lodge the € the bank will again charge them the over the counter spread to go back to Sterling.

whatsupdoc? · 01-01-2009 05:10PM

There's a commission % charge on top of the exchange rate on most credit cards.
I have a NIB Visa and on a purchase of €63.60 equivilant purchase
it was €1.10 or 1.75%.

dec2000 · 01-01-2009 07:48PM

Am thinking of going up early on Saturday...just to have a look at the sales...maybe pick up a playstation while I am up there...

I see a few posts saying wait till next week to make purchases...any particular reason for this?

sue97 · 01-01-2009 08:26PM

another question.

Prices for furniture in M&S are way cheaper in the North. Anyone know if M&S in the North deliver in the South

paddydriver · 01-01-2009 09:45PM

Has anyone used € in the Sainsbury Newry over the holidays and are they updating rates still? Was in Sprucefield yesterday, on way back from 3 nights in Radisson Roe Park in Limavady, and the lad on check outs said that they have not been updating rates over the holidays - I am thinking that they are just not bothering now because parity is close?

From the time I crossed over the border last Sunday in Newry to the trip home yesterday, I have just had a compulsion to shop! The savings are absolutely massive now and wife has been told no more shopping in South (except day to day items) as I am regularly at our office in Newry and will pick stuff up as I go. Call this unpatriotic but with mortgage,kids, cars to support and run... not forgetting the wife, I am going where the savings are!

Just to add too - I always use the CC as thats where the most consistently good rate is: usually just about .5c behind the XE rates. In one instance before Christmas I made large purchases in Newry and bought 2 bikes in Belfast - the stuff from Newry went through at approx .90 and then 2 days later the bikes went through at approx .92... even though all purchased on same day it actually used the rate when the purchase went through to my bank! Top class! I know this could have worked both ways with a falling rate but on this occasion I thought it worked well.

andyeire · 02-01-2009 12:32AM

sue97 wrote: »

another question.

Prices for furniture in M&S are way cheaper in the North. Anyone know if M&S in the North deliver in the South

They will deliver to france and germany but not South of Ireland according to website ..... I wonder why.

I have tried to order stuff online and got an email confirming this

sue97 · 02-01-2009 12:10PM

Because they can charge us more. Really want to buy a bed but some of the furniture seems to be almost double UK prices.

consultech · 02-01-2009 12:17PM

jister wrote: »

The closest you will get to the spot rate IE actual rate is by using CC or ATM, I think CC is closest. I got .978 when I think the max. spot on the day was .984, so the spread was only about 0.5cent.

Shops changing at .94 when the spot is 98.4p are charging 4p spread. Everybody charges a spread and the tightest spreads are on CC or ATM, over the counter banks charge a wider spread than ATM and Bureau de Change and shops seem to charge wider spreads again.

Shops need to offer a wide spread because when they go to the bank in the evening to lodge the € the bank will again charge them the over the counter spread to go back to Sterling.

Jaypers... That post had more spreading than an over-worked hooker.

wyndham · 02-01-2009 01:49PM

Some nice deals in Makro at the moment-

24 cans Pepsi/7Up - £3.99

Dyson Dc07 Vacuum - £99.99

Persil Giant Box (90 Wash-10kg)- 2 for £16.99

Smirnoff 70cl - £8.99

50% off printers

They are having a 5 day sale starting today, with TVs etc reduced also.

Ex-Vat prices (15%), I think the smirnoff includes the VAT.

veryangryman · 02-01-2009 01:58PM

Are the rumours of prices being raised soon in UK to be believed?

I do like my now monthly bargain trip to ASDA EK despite the traffic

sallymount · 02-01-2009 02:21PM

did anyone notice any good deals on car tyres on their shopping trips

consultech · 02-01-2009 02:48PM

veryangryman wrote: »

Are the rumours of prices being raised soon in UK to be believed?

I do like my now monthly bargain trip to ASDA EK despite the traffic

Unlikely. They are on the edge of recession themselves, and many NI retailers are bound by mainland UK store pricing. Throw in the fact that you can't just make consumer goods completely unaffordable for people in NI on the same wages as before (£1=€1.5), and you've got the juicy combo that the Southern Irish consumer is currently enjoying.

kellygav · 02-01-2009 03:43PM

Heading up to Newry 2moro, wondering weather to change money in the BDC up there or use my laser card.

Looking to buy a pram in Mothercare, i don't know if i should ring the store and see if they have it in stock because most stores dont carry stocks of prams and they order them in anyways.

Thanks in advance

Shopping in Northern Ireland

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