Recession shopping

Thought it would be helpful to start a thread on good value/low prices we've found in shops, as well as the various special offers that are emerging to draw people in to part with their money.

I've nothing major to announce, except that I saw half a kilo of pasta in SuperValu for 29c which I think is very good. About half the price of tesco pasta IIRC. That plus pasta sauce for a euro or so will effectively give you a few meals for less than €2.

Also, M&S on Grafton St are selling a sandwich, a packet of crisps and a drink for €2.75 (that might not seem like such great value if you are reading this from outside Dublin but in the capital it's fantastic).

Yes the lunch deal in M&S is fantastic value - had that last week. Always cheaper to bring your own though .

I bought a bluetooth headset on mymemory.co.uk for 5 pounds last week which I guess is good value. I haven't received it yet to give a report but will do when I do.

Good thread and hopefuly we'll get some good bargains such as the 29c supervalu pasta. Will I make a link to this thread in a prominent place so it can be always on?

I opened a similar thread here a year ago on 17th March but there was no takers back then. But things have changed ...

https://machinenation.forumakers.com/gardening-and-cookery-f6/food-prices-and-items-in-different-shops-t72.htm?highlight=food+prices+in+different+shops

Delia Smith has re-published a book from the 70s called Frugal Food. It's interesting but I won't be buying it (and not because I'll be swiping it from my sister...)

Kate P wrote:

Delia Smith has re-published a book from the 70s called Frugal Food. It's interesting but I won't be buying it (and not because I'll be swiping it from my sister...)

Will that admission earn you one strike from eircom?

Ah when they didn't get me for the thousands of hours of mix-tapes, they'll never get me now...

Kate P wrote:

Ah when they didn't get me for the thousands of hours of mix-tapes, they'll never get me now...

OMG - that's a second strike!

coc wrote:

Kate P wrote:

Ah when they didn't get me for the thousands of hours of mix-tapes, they'll never get me now...

OMG - that's a second strike!

Squealer.

But I'll happily take my punishment for that - it was worth it, even the painstaking re-spooling when the tape got caught, and even the cut off bits of songs that mean that when I hear them on the radio now, I automatically expect something else to segue into them at inopportune moments.

It is rather annoying that Eircom choose the current climate to act against one of the most effective Euro-saving measures ever. Annoying for us, but considering that they are apparently alone in their endeavour, perhaps a lot more disastrous for them.

When I was at UCD we had at excellent system for ermmm, sourcing such content. There was a programme which existed to link people's iTunes libraries together within the local network. There is quite alot of content to be shared amongst over 10,000 laptops. Transfer speeds were also ridiculously high because it was all on the one network. It was also undetectable to the outside world . Think it has all been blocked now though.

Most building materials are way down in price now. If you were planning to renovate a kitchen or bathroom, you'll get stuff at about 60% of last years price on average.

I'm doing the upstairs bathroom at the minute for about half of what I priced it at this time last year.

I'm going to replace all my 25 year old windows in the summer for 20mm DG and expect big cost reductions also.

Recession investment.

We're probably having our porch done at the end of the Summer - we're hoping for a bargain price. Will warm the hall up for - next - Winter.*groan*

johnfás wrote:

We're probably having our porch done at the end of the Summer - we're hoping for a bargain price. Will warm the hall up for - next - Winter.*groan*

There you go. My hall is freezing because the front door is so full of gaps, a snowman could walk in the gaps.

Replace that porch and you'll be able to leave the central heating off for far longer and still be in comfort.

Are your downstairs floors solid or suspended johnfás ?

johnfás wrote:

When I was at UCD we had at excellent system for ermmm, sourcing such content. There was a programme which existed to link people's iTunes libraries together within the local network. There is quite alot of content to be shared amongst over 10,000 laptops. Transfer speeds were also ridiculously high because it was all on the one network. It was also undetectable to the outside world . Think it has all been blocked now though.

I think some of the lads were trying that at Halls last year, AFAIK they succeeded for a while but again they were shut down before long. I have about 45GB myself.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

johnfás wrote:

We're probably having our porch done at the end of the Summer - we're hoping for a bargain price. Will warm the hall up for - next - Winter.*groan*

There you go. My hall is freezing because the front door is so full of gaps, a snowman could walk in the gaps.

Replace that porch and you'll be able to leave the central heating off for far longer and still be in comfort.

Are your downstairs floors solid or suspended johnfás ?

Sounds very similar. We have a nice big porch too which we're going to grab for our hall, make the hall bigger with a nice new door and make it all much cosier.

How would I know whether they are one or the other? Excuse my ignorance...

Can you knock on your floor johnfás - and get a hollow sound ?

johnfás wrote:

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

johnfás wrote:

We're
probably having our porch done at the end of the Summer - we're hoping
for a bargain price. Will warm the hall up for - next - Winter.*groan*

There you go. My hall is freezing because the front door is so full of gaps, a snowman could walk in the gaps.

Replace that porch and you'll be able to leave the central heating off for far longer and still be in comfort.

Are your downstairs floors solid or suspended johnfás ?

Sounds
very similar. We have a nice big porch too which we're going to grab
for our hall, make the hall bigger with a nice new door and make it all
much cosier.

How would I know whether they are one or the other? Excuse my ignorance...

You refer to the floors presumably.

Jump up and down on it. If it sounds hollow and stuff like furniture
wobbles slightly it's a suspended floor. Ask someone to sit on the
sofa, do a jump and if they can feel it big time then it is a suspended
floor.

Cracked tiles in the kitchen floor or missing grout is also a good clue.

Ahhhh but we went for linoleum in the kitchen many years ago... the floors certainly squeek but that is probably the floorboards. I will do the test you suggest in the morning.

johnfás wrote:

Ahhhh but we went for linoleum in the kitchen many years ago... the floors certainly squeek but that is probably the floorboards. I will do the test you suggest in the morning.

Ha. Floorboards ! That's the answer. Forget the test. It's a suspended floor. Concrete floors don't squeak.

Do all your dishes rattle when you walk around the house?

Auditor #9 wrote:

Do all your dishes rattle when you walk around the house?

You ever regret building your house out of mattresses, Audi?

Cafe Java in and around the City Centre do soup, a sandwich and a softdrink/coffee for €10.

johnfás wrote:

I bought a bluetooth headset on mymemory.co.uk for 5 pounds last week which I guess is good value. I haven't received it yet to give a report but will do when I do.

You could have had mine for free. Sadly I think you've wasted a fiver. You'll use it maybe twice and that will be the end of it.

Auditor #9 wrote:

Do all your dishes rattle when you walk around the house?

No, because I bolt them to the wall.

Another recession tip, don't throw stuff out - fix it.

The amount of good stuff I see dumped in hedges in North Dublin would give you palpitations.

My attitude is that EVERYTHING can be fixed. We should have a fix-it thread...

I was bringing some lightbulbs down to the recycling centre... saw a pile of televisions down there, most of which looked fine. Stuck one into the boot, brought it home, plugged it in and bingo it works fine.