Shopping in Southern Ireland

ch750536

veryangryman wrote: »

Thankfully im not a retailer, so no cash is directed this office's way, but yes I do get your point.

Lads the fact is that were all paying tax through the roof here for little or nothing. Examples include the Motor Tax that despite being a ripoff still requires us to pay tolls, Stamp Duty, CC duty etc

As I said, I did a quite in depth study of my top 10 costs, for my average family.
Cars (tax, insurance, fuel for same cars similar areas in UK)
Result = € 79.24 cheaper in UK per year. (Nothing!)
Tolls = More tolls in the UK than ireland.
Stamp Duty = Didnt count, one off cost.
CC duty, I dont have a CC.

veryangryman wrote: »

The whole thing would drive me to drink, but wait...what about Alcohol duty
What do we get back? Bugger all.

Much better social welfare, much lower taxes, by a long way.

veryangryman wrote: »

If im going to spend money that wont be reinvested in anything of benefit to me then why not just spend less up north.

Depends on your job I suppose, but for most what comes around goes around.

veryangryman wrote: »

Its a competitive world and the country has got to start catching up to that notion. As far as the average Joe Public is concerned, he has got to start tightening up. If it means feeding the British Exchequer or the German (in the case of using LIDL/ALDI) then so be it.

Perhaps, but recognise that it is a different model. In ireland you are taxed more heavily on what you spend, less heavily on what you earn, its the other way round in the UK. Recognise it as such.

veryangryman wrote: »

Patriotism should not stand in the way of common sense.

Heres the sucker punch. I'm English born and bred, no Irish relatives. Moved over here 4 years ago and I show far more pride and patriotism in the country I chose to be the home to my children than most around me. I do what I can to make it a better place and never do anything to make it worse.

ch750536

delly wrote: »

well it was more so to know if it was a purpose built premises, or somebody looking after kids in there home. The cost of running one versus the other could explain the price your getting.

Is a premises used for that purpose only, on average about 20 kids there, 5 carers.

It is really good.

ch750536

RiverWilde wrote: »

I have to agree with the sentiments expressed here. Where I live the roads are well not exactly fantastic, there are bugger all facilities for children that do not require payment etc etc the list is quite extensive.
If I can feed my family for a whole lot less or buy a public servant a nice steak for his dinner I know what I'll do with my few quid.

This shower of eejits in office have had ten years of boom times to fix the problems in our society, from homelessness, to hospital overcrowding etc etc and they've done bugger all to solve these issues. If anything they've made them worse.

Riv

I agree with you. I spend very little on food.

Every other day I go to town for milk, bread etc. I buy veggies for the next couple of days (fruit).

I get meat once a week from Tralee, far better and cheaper than a supermarket.

I can feed my family of 4 for a week on good home cooked for for €60 a week.
No prepackaged expensive crap filled nonsense, though bizarrely it is tonight for dinner as I am decorating...

Takes a bit more effort.

newmills

People who go shopping in the north on a regular basis should be the first to give up their jobs.

Support your local economy, especially when times are bad and your local economy will support you.


Sorry what about the people who have already lost their jobs and need to shop in the north to make ends meet?
The government down here aren't exactly helping consumers to save money on their groceries -Vat increase.
It's all well in theory to support your local economy, but when the large multiples are taking the pi55 with inflated prices it doesn't exactly instill you with confidence to "support them".

barneyeile

"People who go shopping in the north on a regular basis should be the first to give up their jobs."

"Support your local economy, especially when times are bad and your local economy will support you." At last someone speaks sense! People who shop up North are playing a dangerous game with our economy.

ch750536

newmills wrote: »

Sorry what about the people who have already lost their jobs and need to shop in the north to make ends meet?
The government down here aren't exactly helping consumers to save money on their groceries -Vat increase.
It's all well in theory to support your local economy, but when the large multiples are taking the pi55 with inflated prices it doesn't exactly instill you with confidence to "support them".

Losing your job is awful, however, you have more of a chance of getting another one if people sourced locally.
Also consider not using the supermarkets, they are more expensive and worse quality than the local suppliers.

My grocer often gives me free bananas. They are over-ripe and good for a couple of days but then I hate the supermarket food that never goes bad, thats just a bit zombie...

Get to know your local suppliers again, talk to them, tell them you don't have much, just lost your job etc, you will be amazed how much you can get for a little.

Guy:Incognito

veryangryman wrote: »

Patriotism should not stand in the way of common sense.
:

Does common sense not tell you that the more shops that close = more dole needed = higher taxes. This all then hsd s knock on effect to every other industry in the country as the people who used to work in shops have a lot less money to spend on other things, which works its way all the way up to the top, toppling businesses as it goes.


Prices for the stuff you have to buy here will also go up.

The Muppet

Does your concern for Irish shop workers not extend to those that work for Tesco ?

Guy:Incognito

The Muppet wrote: »

Does your concern for Irish shop workers not extend to those that work for Tesco ?

My concern is not for the Irish shop workers , its for myself. I'm not stupid or naiive enough to think the huge flow of money out of an already failing economy is not going to effect me or my family.

Scottie99

Baby Powder :- here €13.99, Newry €9.50ish


As someone else said buy 3/6 weeks worth of stuff and its only fresh and bits and bobs here.

It takes me 45 mins each way and I go every 2/3 weeks and save a packet

Scottie99

ch750536 wrote: »

Tolls = More tolls in the UK than ireland.

There is only one private road in the UK and its the bypass of the M6
Yes London does have congestion charge but the only tolls are bridges (none in Scotland,maybe half a dozen in the whole of the UK:rolleyes:

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Scottie99 wrote: »

Baby Powder :- here €13.99, Newry €9.50ish

Just add water...?

ch750536

Scottie99 wrote: »

There is only one private road in the UK and its the bypass of the M6
Yes London does have congestion charge but the only tolls are bridges (none in Scotland,maybe half a dozen in the whole of the UK:rolleyes:

Like I said, more tolls in the UK.

ch750536

The Muppet wrote: »

Does your concern for Irish shop workers not extend to those that work for Tesco ?

Fair comment, but I'm sure if Tesco closed all its stores there would be more employment in the sector, not less.

ch750536

Stekelly wrote: »

My concern is not for the Irish shop workers , its for myself. I'm not stupid or naiive enough to think the huge flow of money out of an already failing economy is not going to effect me or my family.

Fine, you look after you. Close the curtains, might see something you don't like out there.

Get some blinkers too.

As long as you are fine eh.

Alun

Scottie99 wrote: »

There is only one private road in the UK and its the bypass of the M6
Yes London does have congestion charge but the only tolls are bridges (none in Scotland,maybe half a dozen in the whole of the UK:rolleyes:

There are many more than half a dozen ... and there are even some in Scotland

http://uk.geocities.com/highwayheaven2003/toll_roads.htm

tantipie

[/quote]

I can feed my family of 4 for a week on good home cooked for for €60 a week.
No prepackaged expensive crap filled nonsense, though bizarrely it is tonight for dinner as I am decorating...

Takes a bit more effort.[/quote]
how do you manage to only spend €60? i'm looking for some tips here,,:D

veryangryman

About the economy..

Guys, face it. Nobody who is on a tightrope financially is going to ignore the bargains to be had up north. Itd be stupid. Poor old Pat the Butcher will not be pleased and yes, it does harm to our own economy.

But ill tell you something for nothing...It may also lead to the government copping on and belting up on all of the waste that it currently creates. A salary increase here, an expense helicopter ride there - it all adds up.

If you think that the elected officials will be stupid enough to raise taxes again whether we shop north or not, you may be forgetting the fact that they need votes to stay in power.

If the country buckles, ill emigrate to somewhere that might actually put my tax money to good use. You must not forget that above all else, we as a people have choice. We are not tied down to anything.

I anticipate a barrage of pies for this response

ejmaztec

I can feed my family of 4 for a week on good home cooked for for €60 a week.
No prepackaged expensive crap filled nonsense, though bizarrely it is tonight for dinner as I am decorating...

Takes a bit more effort.[/quote]
how do you manage to only spend €60? i'm looking for some tips here,,:D[/quote]

Must be from the "Famine Cookbook".

run_Forrest_run

Get Jamie Oliver's' latest book and try a few from that, it's brilliant and you will realise how far the basic ingredients can stretch.

ch750536

how do you manage to only spend €60? i'm looking for some tips here,,:D

Big bag o spuds for €9 from local veg man.
Pasta, rice etc from supermarket.
Porridge for breakfast, veg man does that too for cheap.
Veggies & fruit will be less than €15 a week (2pcs each a day for fruit, little less veg).

Meat, I buy and freeze as its a trip to tralee but for good beef mince normally <€2 per pound, good lamb burgers normally 6 for €4 (the sort where one is enough).

I always freeze anything left, including spuds, does the kids fine if I am not eating.

Also make soup with things that are normally thrown away, like veggies or chicken carcass. I find the free range chickens from local butchers much better value at €9 than any supermarket ones, they are huge & very tasty, less fat too.

Local fishing chap will drop a fish in from time to time, don't be shy of it (wish I had time to catch some myself).

Find the cooked meats are best from Lidl as they keep for the week, so get a few packs of the good quality ham, chicken & beef on a weekend (about €10 worth).

Only 2 places do organic milk, Irish milk from tesco or NI milk from Lidl\Aldi. To be honest, the NI milk has a much better taste, is a third cheaper too.

Don't overbuy, don't throw away - obvious tips but ones you care less about when things are good.

Maybe 60 is stretching, €70 for definite.

You may also notice that often I go for the good stuff rather than the value stuff. I tested some products from Tescos a few months back, one of the listed ingredients for their burgers was 'Beef Fat', which meant they had added fat to the burger! at €3.29 for 10 there was less than half the cooked meat that there was on the 6 for €4 from my local butcher once cooked.

ch750536

veryangryman wrote: »

I anticipate a barrage of pies for this response

Read back a little in the thread (maybe somewhere else actually). The UK gets most tax from income, least from retail. Ireland works the other way round.

My tax is tiny compared to what I would pay in the UK.

Morlar

ch750536 wrote: »

Ripoff Ireland eh, don't get me started.

Nursery Fees
UK = £141 Ire = €45 (Source

Child Allowance
UK =£81 Ire = €166 (Source

Council Tax
UK = £1300 Ire = €340 (bins) Source

Paye tax & NIC
UK = £11,659.40 Ire = €4,894 Source 1 Source 2

Minimum Wage
UK = £5.52 Ire = €8.65 Source 1 Source 2

Unemployment Benefit
UK = £60.50 Ire = €197.80 Source 1 Source 2

Won't be long before the wages of ireland and the excellent tax system start to bring people over the border in larger numbers for work.

People who go shopping in the north on a regular basis should be the first to give up their jobs.

Support your local economy, especially when times are bad and your local economy will support you.

End of derail.

We do have a more generous benefits system alright. That might explain some of the numbers 'coming here to work'.

Guy:Incognito

ch750536 wrote: »

Fine, you look after you. Close the curtains, might see something you don't like out there.

Get some blinkers too.

As long as you are fine eh.

So all the countries money going abroad is actually good for us eh? How does that work?

ch750536

Stekelly wrote: »

So all the countries money going abroad is actually good for us eh? How does that work?

No, it is really really bad. Did I give an impression of anything else?

veryangryman

Stekelly wrote: »

So all the countries money going abroad is actually good for us eh? How does that work?

Swings and roundabouts mate. We are in the EU, and shopping around, even outside your own country's borders is to be encouraged. If things improve this side at any stage then people from north will come here for cheaper stuff. You only have to look at the example of fuel

Dont let borders and nationalism rule your mind. We are all humans who want to do the best we can for ourselves. Survival of the fittest etc.

Now...a proposal. Does anyone see the merits of an SSIA scheme#2 to stabilise the finances.

talkingclock

ch750536 wrote: »

Fine, you look after you. Close the curtains, might see something you don't like out there.
Get some blinkers too.

As long as you are fine eh.

by feeding your family with so little money and spending nearly nothing i'm sure you have a lot of money at the end of the week. i am sure that all of this money goes then straight to the poor, the homeless and the churchgate collection buckets, the altruist you are.

Jaysoose

ch750536 wrote: »

Like I said, more tolls in the UK.

The uk is a hell of alot bigger than ireland so there is more roads...;) to use this as a tool for comparison is certainly massagin the figures to suit your argument.

eth0_

pgroarke wrote: »

I'm afraid I don't see the logic in spending my Saturday and 40euros on petrol travelling to Northern Ireland to save a few euros on my shopping bill.

:eek: What car are you driving - a hummer?! You're in 5th gear most of the way on the M1, it never cost me more than 1/4 tank of petrol to go to Newry and back...around 10-12 euro!

Morlar

eth0_ wrote: »

:eek: What car are you driving - a hummer?! You're in 5th gear most of the way on the M1, it never cost me more than 1/4 tank of petrol to go to Newry and back...around 10-12 euro!

Are you serious ? From Dublin - if so Northside I am thinking ? What size engine if you dont mind me asking ? The reason I ask is that if I go to say Belfast/armagh its the guts of a full tank (1.8 engine) return. & yes I know Belfast is further than Newry but not that further if you know what I mean.