# How much is your weekly shop?



## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

Hello

Can you give me an idea of a weekly shop (would include a bit of everything, but nice to have fresh local produce instead of everything being frozen and imported like it is here!)

Do you have large Hypermarkets, Carrefour etc on the CDS? 

Thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Mine varies so much. I tend to spend about 60€ a week in mercadona (a major supermarket chain in Spain) - that includes cleaning stuff, toiletries etc. Carrefour I might spend an average of 10€, Iceland and the local market about the same, an average of 10€ a week. So I guess my weekly shop costs around 90€ a week, but we do tend to eat out at least once a week.

Thats for three of us, me and two teenagers and the two dogs. We're not drinkers. Husband comes over for a few days a fortnight and he brings cheese and cold meat over 


.........and yes, on the CDS we have hypermarkets, M&S foodhall, Iceland........... plenty of big supermarkets and many do "english" food
Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We buy all our fresh food at butchers and greengrocers in the village because the quality is much better - don't mind paying more for good quality meat, though fruit and veg here are much cheaper than supermarkets. One supermarket trip every two weeks for for everything else.

Average total spend for two adults and one cat - about €120 a week.


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

Huge choice of supermarkets on the CDS. Spanish staples such as Opensor, Mercadona & Supersol are everywhere. Generally large hypermarkets in the bigger towns such as Alcampo, Carrefour, Euroski, Auchan

We spend about 40€ a week for two of us and eat quite well (but go out a bit too). Friends of ours spend more like 140€ a week so it's kinda up to you what you spend!!


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

jojo said:


> Mine varies so much. I tend to spend about 60€ a week in mercadona (a major supermarket chain in Spain) - that includes cleaning stuff, toiletries etc. Carrefour I might spend an average of 10€, Iceland and the local market about the same, an average of 10€ a week. So I guess my weekly shop costs around 90€ a week, but we do tend to eat out at least once a week.
> 
> Thats for three of us, me and two teenagers and the two dogs. We're not drinkers. Husband comes over for a few days a fortnight and he brings cheese and cold meat over
> 
> ...


Fab! I like the choice. We probably spend around the same here - but eating out at a decent place is getting more and more expensive.

Can I ask, what are the timings of shops in CDS? I've got used to a bit of a 24/7 lifestyle here


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

ShinyAndy said:


> Huge choice of supermarkets on the CDS. Spanish staples such as Opensor, Mercadona & Supersol are everywhere. Generally large hypermarkets in the bigger towns such as Alcampo, Carrefour, Euroski, Auchan
> 
> We spend about 40€ a week for two of us and eat quite well (but go out a bit too). Friends of ours spend more like 140€ a week so it's kinda up to you what you spend!!


Glad there's lots of choice. As you go out a lot, how much would you spend for say a meal with meat/fish/pasta and a couple of glasses of wine?

Thanks again


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mindxb said:


> Fab! I like the choice. We probably spend around the same here - but eating out at a decent place is getting more and more expensive.
> 
> Can I ask, what are the timings of shops in CDS? I've got used to a bit of a 24/7 lifestyle here


Hhhmmm, think "the UK" 20 years ago for timings!!! Very few open on Sundays. Mercadona times are 9.15am - 9.15pm, I think carrefour is 10am - 10pm. I did notice last Sunday that Iceland is now open on Sundays, but that a new thing and could just be for the summer

There are garages that are open 24/7 for emergencies and one or two other shops on the costa for the tourists - but you pay

Jo xxx


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

jojo said:


> Hhhmmm, think "the UK" 20 years ago for timings!!! Very few open on Sundays. Mercadona times are 9.15am - 9.15pm, I think carrefour is 10am - 10pm. I did notice last Sunday that Iceland is now open on Sundays, but that a new thing and could just be for the summer
> 
> There are garages that are open 24/7 for emergencies and one or two other shops on the costa for the tourists - but you pay
> 
> Jo xxx




Yes shops can open on a Sunday in the summer July 1-September 9 but of course it depends on the shop and the location as it might just not be worth opening


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

jojo said:


> Hhhmmm, think "the UK" 20 years ago for timings!!! Very few open on Sundays. Mercadona times are 9.15am - 9.15pm, I think carrefour is 10am - 10pm. I did notice last Sunday that Iceland is now open on Sundays, but that a new thing and could just be for the summer
> 
> There are garages that are open 24/7 for emergencies and one or two other shops on the costa for the tourists - but you pay
> 
> Jo xxx


I was expecting closure on Sundays... but quite impressed there are shops open past 9pm - it was the 1980's last time I went to the CDS!

It makes me laugh when I see there's an Iceland. One of our supermarkets here stocks some Iceland products. On the front I can see they're retailing for 99p - but they're selling them here about 6 or 7 pounds!

Is there a big mark-up in Spain? At least Zara and Mango will be retailing at the right price!


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

Please explain this strange phenomenon "weekly shop" that you allude to?

I, for one, get all my nourishment through beer n fab tapas at Miguels bar...


Only kidding...

We spend around €70 (two adults, one nipper), although that varies a lot, as we´re now growing a lot of veg at a cortejo. We´re quite lucky that there are a couple of small shops in the village (butcher, baker and candlestick maker) that have good products at good prices. Typically, we only do the Dia or Mercadona every few weeks or so and then, it´s mainly cleaning stuff, loo roll, volumous quantities of beer n rioja and so forth.

I also go to the markets in the local towns/villages, as you get some awesome produce really cheaply. I´m in a very agricultural part of Andalucia, so can´t vouch for all other areas.

My advice, pootle about and explore. There are plenty of alternatives to buying all your stuff at one of the hypermarkets. TBH, it´s also much more fun and get´s you meeting locals as well as improving language skills etc.


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

Alcalaina said:


> We buy all our fresh food at butchers and greengrocers in the village because the quality is much better - don't mind paying more for good quality meat, though fruit and veg here are much cheaper than supermarkets. One supermarket trip every two weeks for for everything else.
> 
> Average total spend for two adults and one cat - about €120 a week.


I would love the opportunity to buy fresh locally grown produce! How about local restaurants... like the equivalent of a trattoria. We have one young son and can imagine finding a little local where you have fresh food and reasonable prices


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mindxb said:


> I was expecting closure on Sundays... but quite impressed there are shops open past 9pm - it was the 1980's last time I went to the CDS!
> 
> It makes me laugh when I see there's an Iceland. One of our supermarkets here stocks some Iceland products. On the front I can see they're retailing for 99p - but they're selling them here about 6 or 7 pounds!
> 
> Is there a big mark-up in Spain? At least Zara and Mango will be retailing at the right price!



Oh, Icelands a con IMO. The packaging says "£1" and the store charge 1,40€. Name brand coke sells in Mercadona for 1,20€, in Iceland its 2,25€!!!! But my son likes their sausages and pies and I like Lenor, so I go there every now and again!

Jo xxx


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

Yossa said:


> Please explain this strange phenomenon "weekly shop" that you allude to?
> 
> I, for one, get all my nourishment through beer n fab tapas at Miguels bar...
> 
> ...


Haha! We might see you there! In fact I was just asking how much one might expect to pay at a trattoria/taverna type place (not sure of the correct name in Spain.) Would be nice for us (also 2 adults/1 child) to pop to local restaurants for dinner.

I would love to buy fresh, having just had our 2 pounds (sterling) tin of soup and ham (about 5 or 6 quid for a small packet) and cheese (3 quid for cheddar) sandwich - I could have topped it off with fresh, juicy ripe tomatoes instead of the mutant ones flown in from Holland at sky-high prices... are there still killer cucumbers in Europe?!

I just asked my son how he'd like to run down to the local shops for us if we lived in Spain - he just didn't get it. He was probably thinking he'd pass out from heat exhaustion like he would here! We drive everywhere in Dubai due to the geography of the city - his school run is a round-trip of 70km.

I would take pleasure in investigating the local community (wherever we end up.)As you said, good to integrate with the local community and practice my rusty (possibly non-existant) Spanish


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Actually Yossa has a point. The idea of a weekly shop isnt quite the same in Spain - well that what I found. I tend to pop down to mercadona two or three times a week - mainly cos I'm on my own and the way my house is laid out, carrying masses of bags in would be difficult. I go to the markets maybe once a week, carrefour once a month maybe and Iceland - simply when I'm passing.

But "the weekly" shop isnt the same for me as it was back in Blighty

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I do a weekly online shop with mercadona - it's just over 7€ service charge, but for me it's more than worth it

for essentially 5 people aged between 12 & 85 (2 at the lower end, 2 in the middle & 1 at the upper end who often eats more than the other 4....) my bill including service varies between 80€ & 130€

I do get a few bits from Iceland, such as cheddar cheese & pies - some weeks more than others ( a lot more now than before my dad came to live with us)


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

It varies for us from around 50€ to 150€ a week. In UK a year ago our weekly shop was around £200 - £300 for the same items. But we have six cats and a baby so cat food and nappies and other assorted stuff can push us to 200€ some weeks.


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

thrax said:


> It varies for us from around 50€ to 150€ a week. In UK a year ago our weekly shop was around £200 - £300 for the same items. But we have six cats and a baby so cat food and nappies and other assorted stuff can push us to 200€ some weeks.


Do you get yer cat food from Fortnum and Masons?


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

Yossa said:


> Do you get yer cat food from Fortnum and Masons?


Where else?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mindxb said:


> Haha! We might see you there! In fact I was just asking how much one might expect to pay at a trattoria/taverna type place (not sure of the correct name in Spain.)


A bar!

Nearly all Spanish bars serve food. You order the quantity you want, _tapas_ being the smallest, e.g. four _albondigas en salsa_ (meatballs in sauce) with a few chips, or a small plate of fried anchovies, will average about €2. You always get bread and/or picos (breadstick thingies) and quite often that's all you need to keep you going. And you can get them at any time of the day.

If you are hungry you order a_ media ración_, average price €6. A _ración _-sized ]plate will feed two or three people and cost €9 or €10.

Obviously prices vary depending on where you are and what you order.

At a restaurant or_ venta _ (roadside cafe for travellers) you can usually get a three-course lunch _menu del dia_ including a drink for anything between €6 and €12, in addition to the a la carte menu.


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

Alcalaina said:


> A bar!
> 
> Nearly all Spanish bars serve food. You order the quantity you want, _tapas_ being the smallest, e.g. four _albondigas en salsa_ (meatballs in sauce) with a few chips, or a small plate of fried anchovies, will average about €2. You always get bread and/or picos (breadstick thingies) and quite often that's all you need to keep you going. And you can get them at any time of the day.
> 
> ...


Sounds great! I love tapas - not sure if what I'm eating here wld compare!


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

mindxb said:


> Sounds great! I love tapas - not sure if what I'm eating here wld compare!


Don´t forget, in Andalucia the vast majority of tapas is free when you order your beer. Not convinced it´s the same on coast, but definitely inland. Strangely, in my area, it´s only given with beer and not wine or spirits. Not sure of the history of that, so would defer to the more established folks here to explain that one... (anyone got an answer pls?)

A lot of the bars pride themselves on their tapas and the better the tapas, the fuller the bar. Some of the swankier bars, say in Granada, produce some utterly awesome looking and tasting food that wouldn´t look at of place at a fancy eaterie in Chelsea or Canary Wharf. These places will typically do "proper meals" as well and the tapas is an inducement to move to a fuller offering, as well as a way of getting punters through the door.

Eating in Spain is, mostly, pretty damn good and I´m always surprised at the things that blow me away - michirones for example in Murcia. The simple broad bean cooked in stock from a Jamon bone, with a few lumps of chorizo thrown in. It was one of the taste sensations of my life!

Eeeh, you can tell I´m a foodie, can´t you...


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Yossa said:


> Do you get yer cat food from Fortnum and Masons?


No they don't like the cheap stuff....


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

Yossa said:


> Don´t forget, in Andalucia the vast majority of tapas is free when you order your beer. Not convinced it´s the same on coast, but definitely inland. Strangely, in my area, it´s only given with beer and not wine or spirits. Not sure of the history of that, so would defer to the more established folks here to explain that one... (anyone got an answer pls?)
> 
> A lot of the bars pride themselves on their tapas and the better the tapas, the fuller the bar. Some of the swankier bars, say in Granada, produce some utterly awesome looking and tasting food that wouldn´t look at of place at a fancy eaterie in Chelsea or Canary Wharf. These places will typically do "proper meals" as well and the tapas is an inducement to move to a fuller offering, as well as a way of getting punters through the door.
> 
> ...


sounds superb! I'm salivating...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Yossa said:


> Don´t forget, in Andalucia the vast majority of tapas is free when you order your beer. Not convinced it´s the same on coast, but definitely inland. Strangely, in my area, it´s only given with beer and not wine or spirits. Not sure of the history of that, so would defer to the more established folks here to explain that one... (anyone got an answer pls?)
> 
> A lot of the bars pride themselves on their tapas and the better the tapas, the fuller the bar. Some of the swankier bars, say in Granada, produce some utterly awesome looking and tasting food that wouldn´t look at of place at a fancy eaterie in Chelsea or Canary Wharf. These places will typically do "proper meals" as well and the tapas is an inducement to move to a fuller offering, as well as a way of getting punters through the door.
> 
> ...


We don't get free tapas here in Cadiz province (just olives or nuts) but the beer is only €1. I have had them in Granada, where the beer was €1.50. So I guess you're paying for it one way or the other. 

As for not having tapas with wine - I suspect it's because you're meant to have wine with your meal, not the other way round. And by the time you've hit the shorts (traditionally after midnight), it's too late to eat. I will check with our barman friend tomorrow night.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Yossa said:


> Don´t forget, in Andalucia the vast majority of tapas is free when you order your beer. Not convinced it´s the same on coast, but definitely inland. Strangely, in my area, it´s only given with beer and not wine or spirits. Not sure of the history of that, so would defer to the more established folks here to explain that one... (anyone got an answer pls?)


maybe it's got something to do with the origin of tapas as just a couple of bites of something on a little plate which would_ tapar_ the glass, like a lid, to stop bugs getting into it

a glass of beer might last longer than a short & therefore be more prone to bugs

wine of course would go with a meal, so no need for nibbles


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

Rural northern Galicia is the best.
Tapa and pincho with your beer. 
Six beers and you've had a full dinner!


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

halydia said:


> Rural northern Galicia is the best.
> Tapa and pincho with your beer.
> Six beers and you've had a full dinner!


You can eat for free if you know the right places and most importantly there right Santos/ If there is a Saint celebrated in a particular village, all you need to do is head to main square (or follow the sound of fireworks if you don't know where the main square is) and you'll have plenty of food and wine being served.


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

Sonrisa said:


> You can eat for free if you know the right places and most importantly there right Santos/ If there is a Saint celebrated in a particular village, all you need to do is head to main square (or follow the sound of fireworks if you don't know where the main square is) and you'll have plenty of food and wine being served.


I just need to go there more 
I love it in the San Ciprian area, it feels (and looks!) like home.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Sonrisa said:


> You can eat for free if you know the right places and most importantly there right Santos/ If there is a Saint celebrated in a particular village, all you need to do is head to main square (or follow the sound of fireworks if you don't know where the main square is) and you'll have plenty of food and wine being served.


Same here - after the St George's day bull-run we get to eat the bull.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

There must be something wrong in our Pueblo. Our fiesta has food, bring your own and join in with everyone else.. The book for the Fiesta is 20 euros with about two pages on the Fiesta the rest ads. The 'donation' for the Fiesta is expected to be around 75 euros per household. It's a four day Fiesta.....cheaper to go to Mercadona and buy food for the week than this! After three years of doing this we now make sure we are away in Almeria over it, it's cheaper.
Mind you Fiesta is a bit of a strong word, we don't still really understand what it is all about. The queens (female) from all the surrounding villages are 'presented' on stage. Music is played by a very suspect band, speeches made, the food eaten and on the Saturday night a good group is hired and they party to the early hours but that is about it.....oh and of course the fireworks.
On the other hand as Morros in Agost we have a great five days, still not that cheap but worth every cent!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

When I finally move into ny house I am going to budget for the first time in many many years. I have nothing to buy except food and cleaning products as I don´t smoke or drink so I will let you know how much I spend on feeding me and my cat


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

As we have 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, two geese and two canaries we seem to spend more on them than us (so I tell my wife LOL) but our weekly bill seems to vary between 50 and 100 if that is any help.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Happyexpat said:


> As we have 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, two geese and two canaries we seem to spend more on them than us (so I tell my wife LOL) but our weekly bill seems to vary between 50 and 100 if that is any help.




thanks for that...


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## truck (Jul 16, 2011)

*australia*

cost us about 130 dollars a week at a small super market


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## thehenderson (Jul 16, 2011)

too much!! Seems to be cheaper in the UK!


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## thehenderson (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh we need ASDA/TESCO supermarket war to lower prices


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2011)

Our weekly shop in Spain is exponentially cheaper than here in the states. 
A tetrabrik of milk tends to run me 0.89 or so.
Rice less than a euro.
Pasta less than a euro.
I pay 1.70 for a box of granola.

I do tend to buy "no-name" brands, and for the two of us it's sufficient.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

halydia said:


> Our weekly shop in Spain is exponentially cheaper than here in the states.
> A tetrabrik of milk tends to run me 0.89 or so.
> Rice less than a euro.
> Pasta less than a euro.
> ...




Got to admit I hate cheap pasta...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> Got to admit I hate cheap pasta...


depends what you do with it

my dad's rental apartment has a pasta machine in the cupboard - I keep meaning to have a go with it


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> Got to admit I hate cheap pasta...


We get the multi-colored spirals. "Veggie" pasta. Tastes real good if you throw a chicken bouillon cube in it!


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## mindxb (Jul 10, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> When I finally move into ny house I am going to budget for the first time in many many years. I have nothing to buy except food and cleaning products as I don´t smoke or drink so I will let you know how much I spend on feeding me and my cat


Great, I'd be interested to know


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