# Where do I find...



## beverleyp (May 26, 2009)

Isn't it difficult to find the most basic things in the shops at times?!  At the moment we need readymade short curtains (no I couldn't find short ones in the Chinese shops), ordinary bins (not with separate compartments for recycling) for outside and for the kitchen, baskets for the freezer, and a shelf (new or secondhand) for the oven 44cm x 35 cms, nail cream. We live in Alhaurin El Grande on the Costa del Sol. Any reasonably priced suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

beverleyp said:


> Isn't it difficult to find the most basic things in the shops at times?!  At the moment we need readymade short curtains (no I couldn't find short ones in the Chinese shops), ordinary bins (not with separate compartments for recycling) for outside and for the kitchen, baskets for the freezer, and a shelf (new or secondhand) for the oven 44cm x 35 cms, nail cream. We live in Alhaurin El Grande on the Costa del Sol. Any reasonably priced suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


do you have Eroski down that way?

I don't know if they do short curtains, but I'm sure they do bins

Mercadona has nail cream

I have to admit I could do with some baskets for my freezer - I was going to look in a ferreteria tomorrow - you might find an oven shelf in one too


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hmmm, guess it depends what you mean by basics.
I have never bought baskets for a freezer in 50 years of living!! But, if I did, I think I'd go to a local electrical appliance shop and they'd have to order them. Same for oven shelf. (Wouldn't you have to do that in the UK?)
Short curtains - I couldn't find any 2 years ago so I had to buy long ones and re hem them. That, or make them from scratch.
Bins I have absolutely no problem in finding in ferreteria type places, Chinese shops, places like Casa, CASA home Ikea, Corte Inglés type shops... Nail cream in supermarkets, droguería, farmacias, perfumeria, hairdressers sometimes


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Ikea by the airport?? Theres also a really big chinese Bazaar on the Alhaurin de la Torre - Churianna road (close to Lidls) that may have what you're looking for???

Jo xxx


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

They don't seem to do short curtains over here and be aware the ones in the shops are often only 1 curtain in a packet!!!!!.So make sure you check. You could always buy long ones and use hemming tape which you just iron on. (Ikea ones come in pairs). As regards over shelf and freezer baskets would suggest you go to one of the little Electric shops in the village with make and model and they will order in for you or suggest where to go to get them.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I'd definitely try IKEA near Malaga airport and while you are in the area there is Leroy Merlin (who do ready made curtains)and Wortens (electrical supplier who might have spares or be able to order them for freezer baskets).


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## beverleyp (May 26, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for your info.


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## cheekymonkey (Jun 12, 2010)

beverleyp said:


> Thanks to everyone for your info.


Amazon.co.uk
If you order over £25 of goods with Free Super Saver Delivery they will be delivered to you free. In my experience they are pretty quick too.
Hope this helps


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

cheekymonkey said:


> Amazon.co.uk
> If you order over £25 of goods with Free Super Saver Delivery they will be delivered to you free. In my experience they are pretty quick too.
> Hope this helps


but there's no need when you can source what you need locally, is there?

I have bought books via Amazon - but only books which weren't available here - or were but at ridiculously inflated prices - the free delivery IS good though


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> but there's no need when you can source what you need locally, is there?
> 
> I have bought books via Amazon - but only books which weren't available here - or were but at ridiculously inflated prices - the free delivery IS good though


I buy loads from Amazon.... and it's great at Christmas - the kids set up a wish list online, and the UK relatives are able to order and get delivered all gift wrapped! And the delivery is free over £25. Books are the obvious thing (and we are all massively into reading), but we've had loads of other bits and pieces and much cheaper than here in Spain. Delivery usually takes a week.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

reouble with Amazon is it's only free over £25 for goods that come from Amazon itself - they have a lot of other shop stuff on there too and its a pain when you realise it's not from Amazon as so many shops won't even ship to Spain at all

The recycling bins - I just bought one with compartments last week from Aki - there is one at Carrefour Los Patios or one in Fuengirola so shouldn't be a problem


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## Guest (Dec 3, 2011)

Remember, Amazon.es has launched!


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## beverleyp (May 26, 2009)

halydia said:


> Remember, Amazon.es has launched!


As regards Amazon.es, yes great accept it's in Spanish, naturally enough and I don't think it can be translated(?). Also I did check it out for books and you're back to square 1 again, they're all muchas caras. I can't be sure about the price of anything else on Amazon.es(?) but I have a sneaky feeling that they may also be muchas caras.

Am glad I started this link. I think I will buy all my major purchases via Amazon.uk from now on.

Keep them coming and thanks to everyone once again for all the useful info.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

beverleyp said:


> As regards Amazon.es, yes great accept it's in Spanish, naturally enough and I don't think it can be translated(?). Also I did check it out for books and you're back to square 1 again, they're all muchas caras. I can't be sure about the price of anything else on Amazon.es(?) but I have a sneaky feeling that they may also be muchas caras.
> 
> Am glad I started this link. I think I will buy all my major purchases via Amazon.uk from now on.
> 
> Keep them coming and thanks to everyone once again for all the useful info.


you can translate a lot of it using the google translate tool - just copy the web address into the translate box & a 'translated' link appears in the next one - if you click that link a lot of it does come up in (sort of) English

I just looked at the price of a particular watch - you're right - almost twice the price on Amazon.es - _muy caro__!_

mind you - you'd have to buy 5 to take advantage of free shipping from the UK - so I guess you'd have to weigh up the pros & cons for each prurchase


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## beverleyp (May 26, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> you can translate a lot of it using the google translate tool - just copy the web address into the translate box & a 'translated' link appears in the next one - if you click that link a lot of it does come up in (sort of) English
> 
> I just looked at the price of a particular watch - you're right - almost twice the price on Amazon.es - _muy caro__!_
> 
> mind you - you'd have to buy 5 to take advantage of free shipping from the UK - so I guess you'd have to weigh up the pros & cons for each prurchase


Oh no. Of course it's muy caro!


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

for sites in spanish use the google chrome web browser it automatically translates the page if you want, not perfect but works quite well. Saves copying n pasting into a translate site.


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## leedsutdgem (Jun 3, 2010)

halydia said:


> Remember, Amazon.es has launched!


Ive just bought a kindle from amazon.es 103€ delivered! Bargain.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I just bought some stereo headphones on Amazon.es and they were actually cheaper than the same model on Amazon.co.uk. I ordered them on Sunday and they arrived on Thursday, free postage, and delivered by MRW who are excellent and will come back next day if you're out when they call. 

They also came with a Spanish plug on the mains charger unit, which meant I didn't have to change the plug.

There aren't many customer reviews on Amazon.es yet, so I read them on the UK site then ordered it in Spain ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I just bought some stereo headphones on Amazon.es and they were actually cheaper than the same model on Amazon.co.uk. I ordered them on Sunday and they arrived on Thursday, free postage, and delivered by MRW who are excellent and will come back next day if you're out when they call.
> 
> They also came with a Spanish plug on the mains charger unit, which meant I didn't have to change the plug.
> 
> There aren't many customer reviews on Amazon.es yet, so I read them on the UK site then ordered it in Spain ...


good idea


I think it might pay to compare prices for a while - I've just checked the price of what dd1 wants for Christmas & will save 20 euros by using the UK site


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

leedsutdgem said:


> Ive just bought a kindle from amazon.es 103€ delivered! Bargain.


They are £89 in the UK now though, so that's about right.

Can you buy books from the UK Kindle store?


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> They are £89 in the UK now though, so that's about right.
> 
> Can you buy books from the UK Kindle store?


Don't think so Alcalaina... you will be registered with the Spanish site. Strictly speaking, non- uk residents shouldn't have a UK registered kindle, but hey ho! My parents went by the rules and bought through the US site last year, but we just got one in the UK delivered to a relative who brought it over for us


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

beverleyp said:


> As regards Amazon.es, yes great accept it's in Spanish, naturally enough and I don't think it can be translated(?). Also I did check it out for books and you're back to square 1 again, they're all muchas caras. I can't be sure about the price of anything else on Amazon.es(?) but I have a sneaky feeling that they may also be muchas caras.
> 
> Am glad I started this link. I think I will buy all my major purchases via Amazon.uk from now on.
> 
> Keep them coming and thanks to everyone once again for all the useful info.


The books are all muy caros??
I just bought a book in English on Amazon.es because it was cheaper than I could get it for in the shops here.
Amazon UK is often recommended on here for electrical goods, but I've never used it myself


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## leedsutdgem (Jun 3, 2010)

lynn said:


> Don't think so Alcalaina... you will be registered with the Spanish site. Strictly speaking, non- uk residents shouldn't have a UK registered kindle, but hey ho! My parents went by the rules and bought through the US site last year, but we just got one in the UK delivered to a relative who brought it over for us


That was the first thing i checked as i will be using it too and all the uk books are available when you choose "libros en idioma extranjera"


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

lynn said:


> Don't think so Alcalaina... you will be registered with the Spanish site. Strictly speaking, non- uk residents shouldn't have a UK registered kindle, but hey ho! My parents went by the rules and bought through the US site last year, but we just got one in the UK delivered to a relative who brought it over for us


That's why I got a BeBook, which uses the generic ePub format and you can get books from anywhere. Haven't paid for one yet through, still working my way through the free classics! A truly brilliant invention.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> That's why I got a BeBook, which uses the generic ePub format and you can get books from anywhere. Haven't paid for one yet through, still working my way through the free classics! A truly brilliant invention.


Yes, we 'did' the classics first..... and then when we'd exhaused those, we stopped using the kindle pretty much, because many were virtually the same price as the paperback equivalent, and we all really prefer paper in our hands! 

My parents however, get a daily newspaper on theirs, and have therefore really used theirs a lot. It's saved them a fortune, and they only have to buy one copy of the paper a week for the crossword!


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