Weekly shopping advice PLEASE... the cost killing us!

pokerman


Joined: 18/03/2008
Posts: 29


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 14:31

Hi



My partner and i have been living here for almost 4 years and we are staggered by the rise in the cost of our weekly shopping bills, over the last year in particualr!



We have a young a son, a baby, two dogs and cats so we do have a few mouths to feed but we seem to be spending fortunes in the supermarkets and we never purchase imported brands. You seem to walk out of a supermarket here these days with 3 lightly filled bags containing essentials for 1 or 2 days and you are 40 quid worse off.



We live in Lapta and use the supermarkets in and around that area. Can anyone advise of the best shops to go (value for money)? Would we be much better off shopping in the South???



Any advice would be appreciated, thanks



Pokerman

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 554


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:07

We certainly noticed the price rises when we last visited. We cut down on restuarant meals and ate in more. The same re food prices is happening in the UK of course although luckily there is more competition amongst supermarkets i.e. Lidl v Tesco which helps re price cutting. Doesn't seem to be competition in NC.

airy____fairy


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 51


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:34

Lemar and Starling are by far the best value supermarkets around - Astro is cheap too - if you can find anything you want it is all a bit of a muddle in there!!!

i buy bags from lemar of chicken parts - frozen - clearly labelled cat and dog food and boil these up with carrotts, potatoes and pasta ( i have 1 dog and 7 cats to feed), this is a very cheap way to keep them fed,( chicken parts 1.20 ytl per kilo- personally i prefer not to buy the heads though)hope of some help to you

happy shopping!!!!

Laptalocal


Joined: 28/02/2008
Posts: 66


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:38

I also have dogs, cats etc and I think it is cheaper to go south. A bag of dog food (Chappie for example) is about 60 ytl here, but is only 14 euros in Orphanides. It is similar for a lot of other items, plus there is more choice. The increases here seem to be in every area (food, elec and so on). For people on a fixed/limited income (ie a pension) it must be a struggle.

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 2595


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:38

pokerman use the army caninas fro such thigs as washing powder shower gel etc mixers are also cheaper there no kdv on things

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 1262


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:46

littlenige

could you give me directions to army caninas please ?

mickey rourke


Joined: 27/08/2008
Posts: 153


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 16:50

A sign of the times we will have to live with 'or starve'

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 2595


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 17:38

oops cantinas just after the green garden center going towards girne turn left have your turkish driving licence handy.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 1262


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 18:08

So you have to produce a license to buy goods ?

wynyardman



Joined: 15/12/2007
Posts: 2645


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 18:23

pokerman,



Your anxieties come over load and clear.



You are right! There are many issues!!



Provided Talat and Christophias can find a solution,matters will become more regulated and



competition will increase.



It is people like you that deserve our support and understanding. Hold in there. Things WILL



get better! You are certainly in my thoughts!



wyn

keithcaley


Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 272


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 19:16

Nigel,



re message 8, do enlighten us a little more - please?



Keith.

stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 60


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 20:24

pokerman



Many things are cheaper in the south than in the north and I dont mean just mean imported goods but locally produced goods. eg olive oil locally produced in the TRNC was 20ytl compared to €4 in Alphamega for locally produced olive oil in the south for the same size bottle.



Wynyardman



People have been posting what you have just said for years, nothing changes. If anything due to the foreign investment which has floated about the TRNC for the last 6 + years greed is more prominent than ever before by retailers, government taxes etc etc. People, like us, have been hanging in for years.

wynyardman



Joined: 15/12/2007
Posts: 2645


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 20:33

stubs,



I hear what you are saying. Hold in there. Your voice is being heard.



wyn

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 1262


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 20:40

I hate to say it but i think the South beckons me for shopping , i really do not want to shop there but if things are so much cheaper , what are we supose to do . On my last visit i shopped at my local butcher in Tatlisu , i purchased mince beef and lamb chops £20 WONT GO AGAIN .

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 172


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 20:52

If you want a free meal (snack really) in the evenings try the casinos. You cant use the same casino more than 4 or 5 times a year, but they provide free food for the punters in the form of a buffet. Just walk in at the busy times (so you dont stand out) and just help yourself, no questions asked.

One very important point.

Dont take any money with you.

Michael

Tiggy


Joined: 25/07/2007
Posts: 628


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 21:29

What we need is a "Soup Kitchen" for ex-pats!



Spend less on the booze and you will have more for the shopping.

stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 60


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 22:18

Wyneyardman



i appreciate your comments however prices are never going to come down.



There is a government who do not want foreign investment unless its more than $100,000. However they only allow you to buy one donum of land so all that is left is a service industry in a country which at the end of the day produces very little and only has a population of circa 250,000. In a capitalist society the majority of industry is taken up by small business, ie sole traders. The government have driven these people underground who now do cash jobs, no fatura no taxes etc etc. A pretty vicous circle. What is ironic is that the same people used to slag the power cuts, lack of water, poor infrastructure however could not understand that they are also contributing to the causes.



Sorry for the rant buy I do have a bee in my bonnet about it. In the UK these people are called illegal immigrants.

wynyardman



Joined: 15/12/2007
Posts: 2645


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 22:21

Well said Stubbs and Pokerman. Good posting.



Your voice deserves to be heard!



wyn

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 554


Message Posted:
27/08/2008 22:46

I was told that non TC's could no longer shop at the army shops. Is that true?

Hilltop



Joined: 28/04/2008
Posts: 322


Message Posted:
28/08/2008 03:44

Lidl is opening stores in the South. The one at Paralimni is built and is being fitted out now.

The "Cash an Carry" shops are very good for UK sourced items.





Tiggy's comment re booze???

jacktheladett


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 61


Message Posted:
28/08/2008 06:26

You need to weigh-up south shopping carefully. Take into account the 17 euros ins. + petrol, then the price margin of what you want to buy. Not everything is cheaper over there, washing powder and cleaning goods, tea bags, some cereals for instance.



So, it might cost you around £20 to get over there, you need to buying enough stuff to save that, and then some, for it to be worthwhile.



Unless you want a day out of course, to see how much choice you are missing out on!

dalartokat



Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 133


Message Posted:
28/08/2008 07:34

I was told that non TC's could no longer shop at the army shops. Is that true?



Rtddci, Non TC's have never meant to shop in the soldier shops, just that over years slightly turned a blind eye. I used to shop in the one behind "Oscars" years ago mainly for household(soap powder etc) and coffee You need to befriend a "mainland turk" !!!!



Always found Lefkosia cheaper to shop also, market for fruit and veg and couple of large supermarkets

pokerman


Joined: 18/03/2008
Posts: 29


Message Posted:
01/09/2008 10:54

Hi All,



Sorry for the delay in replying, been away from the internet for a few days!



Thank you all very much for all the advice, a big much appreciated.



Pokerman

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 2595


Message Posted:
01/09/2008 11:01

been to the army kantina this morning no problem at all. showed t/c driving licence to get past the guards.



not need at shop only for id passing security.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 1383


Message Posted:
01/09/2008 22:16

it luck with the army shopping. hubby was refused at lefkosa but allowed in at dikmen.

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 14


Message Posted:
03/09/2008 10:25

Likewise we have child and pets. We have decided to shop in the south for as much as we can including dairy products, meat and general groceries. Even with the diesel, insurance etc it is cheaper.



Some may suggest eat like the locals..... maybe possible in Turkey were produce is fresh,cheap, good quality and plentiful but not here.

joandjelly



Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 778


Message Posted:
03/09/2008 11:03

Pogle



I'm surprised that you seem to be saying that produce here is not fresh, good quality or plentiful? I shop at Dolmaci in Alsancak and they grow most of their fruit/veg and it is (IMO) very fresh and good value. Likewise the Wednesday market where you have lots of local growers selling their wares.



Maybe I'm missing something but you can buy a chicken here for about 10ytl and it lasts two of us (with very healthy appetites) for 3 meals. Chicken livers are about 2ytl (will last at least 2 meals) and make a fantastic meal with rice and/or salad. 250g of beef mince (about 3ytl I think) will make a big bolognese especially if you add mushrooms and 500g of pasta is about 1.5ytl. Is this kind of food really too expensive?



Please don't take this the wrong way as I am genuinely interested.



Regards.



Jo

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 73


Message Posted:
03/09/2008 12:35

Try living in Central London !!!!!