Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

droopsnout

Right now,

1 GBP = 1.02345 EUR
1 EUR = 0.977083 GBP

seven-day-weekend

Oh great, so it has gone up!

(Unless I misunderstood my husband and he meant the Euro was 96p).

droopsnout

That's why I tend to put the values in both ways - though, of course, if you add up the two figures, they always come to 2 (or near enough), as we approach parity. (Doesn't work in "normal" times.Hope this isn't to become normal!)

Oh, and, rather rudely, I forgot to wish you, too, and all other readers, a Very Happy and Peaceful New Year. I just hope the poor folks in and around Gaza also enjoy peace.

seven-day-weekend

Yes, I have prayed for everyone, of whatever nationality/religion/ethnic group, in that part of the world. If all we have to complain about is the exchange rate, then we are blessed indeed.

seven-day-weekend

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Oh great, so it has gone up!

(Unless I misunderstood my husband and he meant the Euro was 96p).

Just asked him - I didn't misunderstand - it did go that low.....

gfplux

I thought the posting by droopsnout of grocery prices in France very interesting. I took a copy of the list to our local supermarket in Luxembourg (Cactus http://www.cactus.lu/cactus/indexportail.html ) and tried to compare prices. Not too successful but remember I am a man.

Schweppes Indian Tonic 1,58€ £1.53 £1,35 LUX - 1.25 litre plastic bottle €1.25
Fresh pasteurised milk, 1 litre 1,00€ £0.97 £0.77 LUX no fresh but half cream long life €0.59
Alta Rica coffee 100g 4,75€ £4.61 £3.98 LUX I do not know what this is Ground? Instant?
Leg of lamb (per kilo) 6,49€ £6.30 £7.99 Lux €7.75
Tassimo Petit Dejeuner T-discs 3,35€ £3.25 £3.28 LUX what are these?
100 Own-brand tea-bags 3,37€ £3.27 £2.00 LUX Lipton €4.74
500g Own-brand corn flakes 1,35€ £1.31 £0.80 LUX Kellogs €2,77
1kg own-brand sugar 0,89€ £0.86 £0.84 LUX €0,92
1 doz free range eggs, medium 2,49€ £2.42 £2.58 LUX €3,39
500ml Own-brand wash-up lqud 1,17€ £1.13 £0.78 LUX 1litre €0,56
1kg Own-brand Plain Flour 0,73€ £0.71 £0.43 LUX €0,55
1kg Own-brand SR Flour 0,77€ £0.75 £0.50 LUX could not find, its a bloke thing
1½ litre Own-brand Orange Juice 0,89€ £0.86 £1.34 LUX 1 litre €0,65
70cl Own-brand gin 6,99€ £6.78 £7.68 LUX Gilbeys €7,75, Gordons €8,90
250g Own-brand butter 0,89€ £0.86 £0.94 LUX €1,65
500g Premium brand spread 2,20€ £2.13 £1.42 LUX not sure what spread is?
250g Own-brand salted peanuts 0,55€ £0.53 £0.52 LUX €0,55
This Supermarket does not have a huge range of own brand. However we do have an Auchan (French company)that has a wide range.

I also checked a few other prices.
12 oyster number 3 12 for €6,25
1 litre fondue oil €4,75
Fresh Tagliatelle 250g €1,49
Johnnie Walker BLACK LABEL my favourite! 0,70 litre €20,95

It seams that it would be fun? to create a list of general food stuffs and have a comparison every now and again. The list probably exists somewhere on the web.
Any one up for it??
Happy New Year

droopsnout

Yes, I agree. There are all sorts of problems with equivalence of brand, pack sizes, etc., and I know that prices can vary wildly for the same store within days, an example being that yesterday, the price for a kilo of lamb in the same chain I had quoted was over 12 euros per kilo.

To respond to some of your points ..

Long Life UHT milk is cheaper than fresh milk here.
Alta Rica coffee is an instant coffee brand from Nestle.
Tassimo T-discs are coffee pods for the Tassimo brand of coffee machine.
SR flour isn't widely found on the continent, it seems, where it is more normal to add baking powder to Plain Flour. (May explain why you couldn't find it).
"Spread" seems to be a word which is supplanting "margarine".

I'd be happy to supply prices for items bought in France. However, is there such a thing as a typical shopping list? I would suggest perhaps creating our own. But there is the problem of where to house it, as MSE, without a table facility, isn't the obvious place to do it, although a table could be saved by one of us as a graphic and posted in the thread as such.

The comparison of prices is extremely interesting, and useful to EU residents all over, but especially those close to international borders, I suspect. I really must go to Luxembourg for my washing-up liquid!!

Now ... Oysters and Scotch ... Have you any particular plans for tonight?? lol

seven-day-weekend

I haven't done a list, but remember from my time in the UK last year that Asda is cheaper than Mercadona.

Plans for tonight? Down into the main Plaza de la Iglesia, with grapes and Cava, eat one grape at each 'gong' of Town Hall clock, at twelfth stroke, drink Cava and wish everyone Bueno Año Nuevo!

Then for us Brits, into Amador's bar (conveniently placed next to the church and Town Hall) until 1 a.m and do it all again but sing Auld Lang Syne instead of the grapes and Cava.

(That's if we don't fall asleep before midnight!).

droopsnout

No plans here for tonight. Had friends for dinner last night, and now jiggered.

Savvy_Sue

Good news is that I got .9857 euros to the £ in M&S this morning, DS1 is going skiing (on skis!) in the French Alps on Friday morning and had not yet organised his cash, and thinks it sounds like 'too much hassle' to get a Nationwide current account so he can get money out easily as he needs it.

He does have a Nationwide Visa card now, so that's something. But only because we applied for them and added DS1 and DS2 as secondary cardholders!