Shopping

Since being in the United Kingdom I have acquired a few new loves here in Newcastle:

1) Grainger market

2) Wilkinsons

This may sound shallow, but I do not care!  My love for the Grainger Market is understandable by most people.  But I can understand why people might not share in my love for Wilkinsons, and I am quite okay with that!

Before Daniel makes me feel ungrateful for being here (heehee), I am intrigued with the history and culture of our new country, but it doesn't take a lot to get me excited and thus is why I have dedicated an entire blog to shopping.

Now, if you know me well, you know that I hate to shop!  And most importantly that I am probably the most cheapest person on this earth.  Begs the question... soo why am I so excited to blog about shopping? Well the shopping that I am talking about is not the ‘regular girl’ type of shopping.  It is of course about discount shopping!  I think I may have inherited some genes from Nancy.  Or possibly the entire Bouliane  family.  The “oh so memorable” conversation with a Bouliane sister...

Me: “That is an awesome shirt!”

Bouliane sister: “Oh Thanks, TJ Max $10 bucks!”

It does not matter which sister it is... you will know the amount they paid and which store they have purchased it from.

The best evidence of this is the “baby Tommy story” about his grandmas shirt being from Walmart.... mind you the child was probably 2 years old at this time..... anywho I’m waaaaaayyyy off topic!

Back to Wilkindsons...

Wilkinsons, is a cheap discount store that sells virtually everything!  I have been trying to think of a Canadian store that it resembles, but that has been difficult.  Maybe a Giant Tiger???

Anyway!!!!!!!!! This fantastic store puts a smile on my face whenever I walk into it.  Ryan doesn’t understand my infatuation with this discount store, but in a way he does because he understands my cheap way of living.

Okay soooo I was introduced to Wilkinsons by my lovely teaching partner/actual agent (heehee) very good friend Nicci.  I feel as if I may need an entire separate blog for Nicci but for now we just know that she introduced me to Wilkinsons.

Wilkinsons is a 3 story building dedicated to discounted items.  This store carries everything from toiletries to carpeting and furniture for your home all at a ridiculous discounted price.  This is how wonderful it is:

12 pieces of dishes = 4 pounds

1 Hair dryer = 6 pounds

3 candles 2 throws = 3 pounds

1 toaster = 3 pounds

1 iron = 4 pounds

For 20 pounds in Canada you could not get all of this anywhere!  A hairdryer alone is usually $40.00.  This is why I love Wilkinsons.  It also has awesome books and supplies for teaching which makes me :).

Now that I have introduced to you my first love, I will now reminisce with you about my second love, Grainger Market.

Grainger Market is a huge farmers market style set in a huge older building in the middle of City Centre.  It takes me 4 metro stops to arrive at this wonderful place.  This market sells everything.  There are plenty of butchers, vegetable markets, cafes, shoe stores, book stores, florists ect.

Every Saturday, Ryan and I have made it a routine to do our grocery shopping together.  We have made it into a afternoon date by grabbing lunch, or a coffee during our Grocery shopping.

Ryan during one of our Grainger Market lunch dates

The majority of our food comes from the Grainger Market, because the market has ridiculously low prices:

3 pieces of chicken

3 pieces of flank frying steaks

1lb of ground beef

= 5 pounds from our lovely butcher ‘Oliver and Dean Brothers’ (love you guys)

10 potatoes

2 large onions

1 head of lettuce

3 peppers

1 box of Strawberries

5 apples

1 bushel of broccoli

= 5 pounds at the most

We get all this for 10 pounds, and then grab a frothy milk coffee for 80pents.

Remarkable is the word for it!  We do have to go to Tesco (the local grocery store) for things like cereal yogurt and pasta/rice ect.  But that ever only costs us around 15 pounds a little more if we buy beer or a bottle of wine.

But what this means is that for groceries for a week we spend 30 pounds.  That is approximately $48.00 a week.  We used to spend for the 2 of us for one week of groceries in Canada about $85.00- $100.00 easily.

Inside Grainger at a place we eat at sometimes

This has been fun introducing you to my infatuation with discounted market shopping!  Can't wait to catch you up with all the other fun stuff we have been up to here in Newcastle! Blog to you all soon :)