bristol, england prices

a few of you have been asking, "shellaine, what are the prices like in england? we hear it's terribly terribly expensive"

well, some of that is true and some of that is not.

you just have to adjust your thinking of course and embrace the # as the new dollar. and try not to think that $1 american is equal to about #1.65 british pound sterling.

sometimes this is easy to do and sometimes it is not.

at the grocery store, for example, this is easier to do. especially since i shop at sainsbury's (or insanesbury's as joe has affectionately dubbed it) and price compare like i have got all day to shop. which i could, because grocery shopping days are tuesdays and thursdays - days the peanuts are in school but really who wants to spend all day in the grocery store? not i. grocery shopping for 4 bags of groceries takes me about an hour 15 min - this includes going to the sainsbury's there and back on foot.

here's some idea of the dough we are spending on foodstuffs: bread is 99p, about $1.60 a loaf. same with marshmallows. a small milk is 68p (maybe 1/4 gallon), so $1.20-ish. 8 fairtrade bananas are 95p and the red grapes from spain that we are all addicted to are #1.09 for a bunch - $2. a small basket of plums - 99p. a bag of 8 granny smith apples, #2.49 - $4.50. mini carrots 99p. rocket salad #1.17 and a bag of baby spinach, #1.57, just under $3. pizza express (a pizza chain like CPK) pizzas, on sale, natch, 2 for #5 or $7.50. jar of honey 62p = $1.10. a chocolate roll 17p, .30 cents american. a dark chocolate bar, 27p = .45 cents.

i have encountered some interesting price "hikes" - ugg boots at costco, #118 and strangely, $118 in the states. a jacket at guess at cabot circus #169 and again, $169 at home and online (this from bonnie, my online shopping source). seems like some companies leave a either the #, euro or dollar sign off a price ticket and when the item is sold in stores, you just add the appropriate monetary sign before the numbers.

primark still remains my favorite. alot of their items are made in ireland of all places and so many of their items go for #1 or when they ring you at the till (cash register), 96p. love this. most of my halloween costume was made up of #1 items from primark, which i will have to photograph for you to believe.

i haven't done any luxury shopping yet but am curious if the price will be the same number in pounds as it is in dollars. we have yet to take advantage of the tax-free shopping available to those not living here, which entitles us to avoid paying the VAT (value added tax) on an item.