Food - Euro - Sterling - Prices - Pubs

[hannah24]

Hi everyone,

I'm starting to get some things organised here for the move to Ireland.

I'd love some local information about the cost of food over there, -- is Euro or Sterling mostly used, Sterling in the North? Euro elsewhere?

There's quite a few questions below whichever your able to help with, even if only one or two individually, I'll really appreciate and make a note of it all.

I've British passport/citizenship organised to go.

Great to hear Aldi is there - very popular over here.

What is Tesco's? and what is the 'Irish Punt' money wise..lol gosh I've loads to learn

We have 'cheap' shops over here, that sell a variety of everything, there's different names in different Australia states for them, but commonly known as the $2.00 (Aus) shop. There are a range of very cheap to over two dollars, though most things are much cheaper than a supermarket, imports mostly from China (lol..what isn't), Thailand, Indonesia etc. Another common name for it is the 'Reject Shop' ...does Ireland have a similar kind?

Some average prices of things here (comparisons?)

Mince $7.00 Aus kg

Chicken $3.50 kg

Bread $2.00 (when its late at night/rearly morning) and marked down, it can be purchased for as low as .50 cents to $1.00

Milk Average $3.50 2 Litre

Petrol $1.55 Litre

Fruit varies, organges $3.50 kg, Bananas $2.50 kg, Tomatoes $4.00 kg, ...local markets on Sundays are much cheaper

Eggs (local fresh ones) $4.00 dozen


What would be the average per hour/weekly age for pub work/reception/office?

Are movies expensive to go to?

Average cost of a meal in pubs/restaurants?

Is petrol expensive?

Toiletries would it be better to stock up from this end, are they expensive there? I use Organic Almond oil for moisturiser, amazingly better for skin, exfoliant fine organic salt/water, use organic soaps/shampoos.

Is stout/guiness in pints only? expensive? (beer ;D Very important to know about...lol)

Im just finding out now about transferring from Aus to Ireland bank account from immigration, which are the better banks over there? Bank of Ireland?

Average 1/2 bedroom Flat/studio/townhouse etc price? (rental or buying)

Is train travel all over Ireland available?

Average price of new/second hand car...(anyone selling their car?)

Travelling very light, average case with casual clothes/few going out ones...as long as I'm dressed!

Planning to travel around Ireland for the first month....writing my book, visiting/meeting up with people and visiting every PUB! along the lovely way...LOL. ;D

Will decide then where I'd like to settle and hopefully be able find a casual job in a pub bar/cook (long time dream) when I do or office work, gosh I'll be happy to serve fish and chips if it comes to that!

Have a few boxes here being sent over later (books mostly, thanks to you all, I've never known so many great books existed!)

Anything you might think I'd need greatly appreciate to know...all tips and information I'd mind to take note of here in my journal.

Would especially love you to tell me of your favourite pubs, restaurants, places to visit. Needing also to find a good massuese/reflexologist for some 'post flight' relaxation

Oh Fran, I've just looked at a pub in Nenagh, 'The Caves' and 'The Whisky Still', must taste the beer in there and a meal of course god can't wait to experience some socially confused wobble nights in those parts of beautiful Co Tipperary! ;D

Thanks loads everyone:)



hannah
xox

ps. Read some things about the Blarney Stone. ..I think just a visit will do

[filmbuff]

Hi Hannah

yes sterling in the north, euro in the rep sad to say since the celtic tiger life is very expensive here in Ireland a pot of tea is €1.70, a bottle of wkd is €5 and mags like OK! is €3.50 but high street stores like penneys are fab! You could get a new wardrobe for €20. don't know much bout trains but the bus service is adequate AIB is the better bank in my POV. This summer I'm going to visit the west of Ireland a dream come true! Hope this helps!

all the best
laura

[hannah24]

Thanks Laura..lol..what is wkd? And what does AIB stand for...lol..oh hilarious this will be, god loving learning it all though...how much is a pint of stout LOL!!!

[Angie]

k are you ready hannah...


euro in the south of Ireland but it can also be used in co fermanagh & tyrone...they are near the border and Ive used the euro for shopping up there...
tesco would be the major supermarket chain here..its british owned.there is no punt here anymore, just the euro...

we have 'bargain stores' and the E2 store..thats what the latter are called 2euro stores and everything is E2 in them....they are brilliant stores.

milk is e1.65 for 2 litre in big stores, E2.38 in smaller ones.
bread 65c for the cheap loaves in aldi, lidl, tesco & dunnes...
approx E2.10 in smaller shops
petrol is approx E1.26-1.28 for a litre at the moment but it keeps going up.
eggs are E2.58 for 18 of them in aldi, thats where i buy them..best value...
fruit can vary and we dont buy them by weight we buy them ready packed in bags..at greengrocers you can buy them loose..not sure of prices but I know they are expensive there...


cinema is between E8-9 for an adult.
approx E15 for a main course in the evening, cheaper during the day....

you can get toiletries cheaper in the E2 store or the bargain stores..better value there than tescos..in the midlands and the north we have supersavers they used to be called VFM and thats where I buy all our toiletries...



a pint would cost between E4-5 in the pubs.
travel is restricted in ireland , buses require you to change a lot...eg amanda gets the bus from longford to athlone, then she changes in athlone to get the bus to limerick..there are no direct routes, it all requires changing...eg trains if amanda wanted to get to limerick from here she would have to get a train from longford to dublin and then another train from there to limerick...so thats means shes traveling all across the country to go down south..its stupid i know.....you can get access from the smallers towns but they all change in the larger towns & cities.

i use AIB also...they are an ok bank...

pennys are great for cheap fashion and dunnes are a little more expensive but ok...

i know house at the min are about E1000 a month..amanda is buying E500 a month for her one bedroom flat...

hope this helps.......xxxx

[hannah24]

Thanks Angie ye are great!!! Wonderful information I've taken it all in. As I don't know where I'll end up buying a home, I suppose that will all depend on the area I choose to settle down in. Ahem...of course if that advance is ready at hand, surely at least I'll be able to afford a very small piece of land LOL 2 ft by 3 ft that is!

thanks again for all your help
x

[Angie]

no bother at all hannah...wkd is an alcopop....they are quite tasty and AIb stands for Allied Irish Bank.....

[hannah24]

ok Angie thanks, the main thing from here to do is mainly paperwork, which I'm doing now...I can tell you, I'll be glad to be on that plane LOL with a nice champers and leaning back saying to chill out!

[claire]

did you sell the house??

great info there by the way. Petrol is much dearer here about 1.60 a lit

[Oonagh]

you can get beer in glasses too. there like half pint.

[hannah24]

Hi Claire, we are yet to have a buyer confirmed, hopefully it will be in the next week or so, says me with nervous hope!


Thanks Oonagh...oh mind 1/2 pint is about my limit per few hours!! Just love guiness is all - and I know the pubs over there are far different to here...wait till I get out my flute if theirs a craic going on (my great grandad sent me out his when I was very young), I love Karoke also, will bring the earplugs for those around me...LOL!!! ;D

In all seriousness I'm going to learn to play the violin - learning music will be a great help to my song lyric writing..piano is my first love of instrument, so I'll more than likely seek out a good teacher as I only play by ear, they say thats fine - however its time I disciplined myself to play properly.

hannah
x

[Shirley]

Hi Hannah,
Make sure you sign up for this and keep the date free in your diary - the Readers' Day is like an annual meet up for the writeon gals! (We miss the ones who can't make it though - we haven't forgotten you guys!)
irishgirls.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=writing&action=display&thread=1943

This might scare you a bit, but it'll give you an idea of the price of houses in Ireland:
www.myhome.ie
I know the prices are frightful, but if you decide to settle somewhere outside Dublin, the prices are not so scary (relatively). I can really see you in Donegal or Kerry! It'll be interesting to see what places you like when you go on your travels!
This site might be useful too:
www.discoverireland.ie/

[franmt]

Hi Hannah,
As the girls said, it is pretty expensive over here. As far a wages are concerned most of the pub, shops and restaurants pay the minimum wage of just over €8.30 per hour. All employers have to pay the minimum wage. Depending on experience ect some employers will pay more. the average wage for reception would be around €25,000 per year. The same for general office work. Bar people don't really get tips here so if you were considering working in a pub you would be better off doing waitressing as you would get tips, which add up to quite a sum at the end of the week. Wages would be better in Dublin but the cost of living is crazy there. It's an average of €1000 a month to rent a nice one bedroomed apartment in a nice area. If you are travelling around you would get a decent B&B for around €45 a night. Of course you'll be staying with me when you come to visit here. We have Aldi and Lidl here which are the cheapest supermarkets. The other main ones are Dunnes Stores and Tesco's and they are quite expensive. I think that Angie gave you a run down of the general prices here. Cigarettes are €7.25 for a pack of 20. Far more expensive than Australia I should imagine. A pint of Guinness in the local bars here is about €3.80 but is more expensive in the cities. Beer and cider are between €4.00 & €5.00. Cost of meals in restaurants varies a lot depending on the restaurant but I guess that goes for everywhere. We have Boots Chemist here and Superdrug. They are both British but are generally a little bit more inexpensive for toiletries and they have loyalty cards which can save you a fortune. They are really only in the cities though, so I usually stock up when I visit either Dublin or Limerick. Most importantly, books can cost anything from €6.99 to €16.99 but you can get them cheaper in Tesco's and Dunnes only that they haven't got the full range. If you are considering buying a house you have picked a good time. House prices have dropped in some areas by about 10% and are expected to drop by another 5-10% in the next twelve months. If I can think of anything else I will let you know. You will have to apply for what's called a PRSI number when you get here, if you want to work. That's your social insurance number for income tax ect. Let's see I'm trying to think of what else you might need to know. Oh yeah, a visit to the doctor (hope you won't ever need one) is about €45-€50 per visit.
There is a train service here except from Donegal, but it's kind of like the bus service, you have to change a lot unless you are travelling from Dublin, and it's a lot more expensive than the bus. If you are in Dublin you can get a weekly or daily pass which lets you use the Luas(Tram), Bus or Dart(Little local Trains to the coast). Sure when you get here if you need to know anything, you can just give me a call. I'll pm you my mobile number. (I don't have a house phone) When you get here you can pick up a mobile phone for anything from €29 to €129 depending on the phone. You can either opt for a bill phone or one where you just buy credit for the phone as you need it. There are 3 main phone companies. Vodafone, O2 & Meteor. You would need to check to see which one is the best value at the time.
Hannah there's a good website called daft.ie, most of the estate agents here are registered with this website so you will be able to see the average house prices in every county in Ireland. It might give you an idea of where you might be thinking of living. It will be worth a look anyway.
The pub that you mentioned earlier The Whiskey Still is only about six miles away from me in a little village called Dromineer. It's in a beautiful spot, beside a lake called Lough Derg, which is on the River Shannon. The food is great there too. I'll take you there when you visit.
If you play the flute Hannah, I have a great place to take you in Dublin. It's called The Brazen Head and is Ireland's Oldest Pub. We were at their 800th New Years Celebration last New Year's Eve. I have a friend who plays traditional music there every Sunday afternoon. It's the kind of trad session where everybody is welcome to join in. You would love it. They have a website. Just look up the Brazen Head Dublin, and you will be able to see what it's like. By the way my friend Vinny (who plays the music) loves Red/Auburn hair so watch out!!! LOL. And he's single and very artistic!! God am I matchmaking already!!! LOL. Anyway Hannah I hope that that's a little more information for you to go on for now. Hope it's of some help.

[hannah24]

Hi Fran, god how many pints do I owe you for all that GREAT information!!! God love you Fran your a gem of a girl!

Thanks so much, will print it out and keep it in my journal - in fact I'll be able to just come here to look and see when I've the laptop I'm going to buy - I think Fran I'll take your advice and wait till I'm over there to buy one, even maybe through Duty Free? If I can I'll take advantage of buying one then when I'm over there.

OHHHH nooooo ...I'm not ready for any Vinney's -- long ways off from that malarky so I am....LOL.....but look forward to a good craic ;D just the same!!

I'll be ga ga over Ireland sure I'll be mad in love with the place... just now sitting here watching a tour of 'Cliff's of Moher', oh the scenery, the haunting irish airs in the background crying tears of joy here like a right eejit, my god Ireland is so beautiful, all the inspiration in the world for writing. www.cliffsofmoher.ie

Don't mind me girls, I cry at the drop of the hat ...sook I am - but a happy one!!! Your blessed over there with such beauty! ;D

My hubby says to people 'oh that one, she'll find something good to say about something bad'...lol..the ever optimist he calls me.

[hannah24]

Shirley SIGN ME UP..LOL...I'd love to come to it, I went to that post and explained about not being able to make any definite dates until I've the home here sold...but I'll be there with BELL'S ON!!! restassured of that all been well!

If your able to put my name down, please do so...I'll walk there if I have too...LOL if the flights are booked out; I'll find a way to get there !

Be great to meet you all, the programme's event look amazing to glean things from!!!!!

hannah
x

[hannah24]

Will look up that Brazen Head website also Fran
x

[filmbuff]

Hi there

Shirley I'd love to meet up with all of you could you sign me up for the writers day as well please? Hannah can't wait to finally meet up!

all the best
laura

[hannah24]

Laura it sounds like a hoot all meeting up and listening to great insights from the speakers!

[Angie]

oh my gosh hannah, i hate the cliffs of moher...ive been there so many times but im terrified of them...they are so high up and so many have died from there...i was up there one year with the kids and we were looking out over the view and i was telling my kids the amount of accidents that have happened there and there were tourists behind us and they were listening to me..they were freaked out...only a few weeks before that a young boy have driven his car off the cliffs and he was a son of a neighbour from where I used to live...i go home to clare during the summer months...hope i havent freaked you out over them...

johnny foxs pub is the highest pub in ireland and its in the middle of the dublin & wicklow mountains..thats worth checking out...and also Muckross house in killarney is soooooo worth going too..not only have you the house itself but the grounds, the farms and the views are spectacular...there is so much in Killarney to see..and going back to Clare the banner county, you have bunratty folk park & castle, Knappogue castle,they both do banquets which are brillant craic agus ceol.....lots of golden beaches around around clare too......

[claire]

You know what is also great to visit in Dublin, The Guinness store. Had a great time there.

www.guinness-storehouse.com/

[hannah24]

Thanks Angie

I'll be sure to mind all you said, LOL oh dear I'm sticking to the view from the pathway!!! The video was beautiful to watch, the music had me in la la land!

Claire, oh I must go there ;D hiccup!

[hannah24]

Its early here, I've had a good sleep after a slight late night, really excited about a prospective home buyer coming here this morning - we've heard that a few other couples are tossing up between ours and one couple need a fourth bedroom, or have considered extensions here if they bought ours, another couple have their home on the market, desparate to buy ours but can't settle unless they have their own sold....I think I'll be posting some 'GOOD NEWS' after this lady comes...well lets hope finger's and toes xxxx

ps keep all things crossed for me Clarie xox

[hannah24]

GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE SOLD THE HOUSE THIS MORNING....

I'm doing a jig like a complete lunatic here, crying my eyes out

HAPPY HAPPY TEARS!!! WOO HOO

Hannah's on her way to IRELAND ;D ;D ;D

thanks for the prayers everyone!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

ps Claire thanks for crossing everything, it worked

[Jacqui]

Oh Hannah!!!!!!! thats great news!!!!! Congratulations-----------no holding you back now girl
WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO

XX

[hannah24]

God Jacqui thanks so much, I'm just ooooveerr the MOONN here, going to celebrate with a good strong cappacino LOL!!!

We'll have that champers soon girl....

WOO HOO!!! ach Im in la la land here!

LOL ...green fields, rain, fresh cow patties...LOL and PINTS of real Irish Guiness!!! ;D ;D ;D

Settlement is set for 4 July; four weeks!!! My 50th is on July 24th, will plan to leave around July 22nd ish...what a birthday present, landing in Ireland for it!!!!!

xxx

[susanmay]

That's great news Hannah. I bet you've started packing already!

[claire]

thrilled for you, now I'm all cramped from keeping things crossed!

[hannah24]

Susanmay YES!!!

Claire....LOL...you cracked me up!

x

[Angie]

hannah thats fantastic news....congratulations....i betcha cant wait to get here.....cead mile failte girl, you're on your way!!!!!!!

[Shirley]

Brilliant news, Hannah!
I just checked Sarah's thread on this and the booking details will come as soon as Sarah gets them, but I can certainly book you in when I'm booking my own place, Hannah and Laura. Just drop me your surnames in a PM, because the people organising this will need full names of attendees.
Really delighted for you, Hannah! You're going to have a ball when you come over, travelling around the place and meeting loads of new people!

[hannah24]

Thanks Shirley so much, will send you a PM, oh its really the best news here, I've settled myself though as the time gets closer I'll be certainly needing some weights to keep my feet on the ground LOL...I'll take some good books for the plane girls!! LOL och..I'll be a looney tune with excitement so I will.

xox