LittleARosa

Hi again!

I was wondering what things do you advise to bring from the UK.

We are not bringing furniture or big kitchen appliances.

What day to day things didn't you take that you wish you had?

( including supermarket goods)

EMR

Seriously , a good long ladder, they must be made of gold in Portugal.
Plus a good stock of books you have always wanted to read.
Just about anything else if desperate we can now get ( in the Algarve ) .

ouriquejan

Oxo cubes

They're very expensive here but I don't like the other beef stock cubes. Proper spices. Those are the only things we miss.

I won't go to the English shops for them, way too expensive. I'd rather do without - or have them brought over.

Oh and Deep Heat, we get that for one of our Portugese neighbours.

For books, I go to the charity shops - or come to me, I have an attic full

Jonny22

If you like Indian, Thai or Chinese cooking you'll need to bring a lot of herbs, spices and sauces. The basics are available in the supermarkets but anything special is either not available or very expensive. Or you can get free delivery with Amazon, paying the same price for 4 delivered as one in the shops. Also pine nuts, don't know why they are so expensive. Bulk packs of all the batteries you'll ever need and paint.

mfesharne

Most of what you can't buy locally, you can buy online from companies such as amazon.co.uk etc & if you do it right, you can get free delivery so I don't think you need to worry too much.

LittleARosa

I'm into Portuguese cooking, always used in the UK what I usually use in PT.

BUT one very important question: Gravy? Gravy Granules and horseradish? English Mustard?

We wont be needing paint as we are renting and don't intend to do any work.

ouriquejan

We get our batteries in Aldi, for the remote, house alarm etc

newintavira

All obtainable here in Iceland, Apolonia or (if you're in East Algarve) Alfresco supermarket near Cabanas. These things are obviously more expensive than in UK, but I don't think sufficiently so to warrant bringing them over in bulk. They're all far easier to get now than 3 years ago, even.

peterfc

Hi Littlearosa

I have to disagree about the books the markets i have seen and i go to a few have a number of sellers with a vast amount of books for sale or even buy a book and return it and get another for 50c or 1€. When you meet the locals you will find that you can exchange books with them beusethey want to read different books.

Also take care what you bring and what you leave behind. I found i had loads of books and videos and dvd's i don't know why i packed them when i left things that i still need. I now download books and films it's so easy to do, i can't even give my videos and dvd's away my books i did give away to someone who sells books for a pet charity.

For all the things you may have left behind or need get a family member to make up parcels for you my son makes up my parcels.

Next parcel that is due to be delivered on Thursday. Pillar drill, tea bags, invisible shelf brackets, router bits and 6 kio of Spices. All this for less than £30.

You can get 30kilo delivered for less than £30 by using a good courier.

Peter " Dreams can come true "

LittleARosa

I was going to drive down but found somebody that gave me a very reasonable quote. £30 per 30 kilos is very good indeed!

I was thinking of bringing my hoover, my nespresso coffee maker a couple of good pans/pots we have ( expensive to replace) My sons bedroom furniture ( chest of drawers and bed) 2 tvs and computers. We are not bringing books as we read on an ipad or online. Not bringing dvds either for the same reasons.

To transport our clothes/pillows duvets ( expensive to replace too) we are using those storage bags that shrink with a hoover sucking the air out of them. I am amazed at the amount of stuff we can fit in one box with those!

I had forgotten that Aldi and Iceland are now operating in Portugal. Glad to know! Despite being Portuguese I can't live without gravy, sunday roasts, english mustard and horseradish

EMR

The general availabity and quality of almost everything we take for granted in the UK has improved by leaps and bounds certainly in the Algarve.
It may be the influence of Overseas SA but in Continente, Auchan, Pinge Doce in fact almost all of the national outlets . spices . sauces etc are available at reasonable prices.
Electrical items have come down in price as has just about every household item,you just have to shop around.
We have found that it is the outlets that cater for the expat with imported UK products that are now the more expensive ones.

LittleARosa

We know Apolonia Supermarket near Albufeira, as we stayed a few times in Pera. The prices were indeed very expensive ( ready made baby milk for example - normal Pt supermarkets didnt sell).


Also the closer you are to the beaches and coast the more expensive shops and supermarkets are.


I only use the normal stuff in the kitchen - I tend to use fresh herbs other than spices. I heard that you can't find rocket maybe I could bring some seeds and have some in my garden?

ant68

Just seeing this thread reminded me of things I need to get when I come over.... Where would you suggest for pillows & duvets? Near Olhao, East Algarve.
Thanks

newintavira

You can get rocket (rucola) everywhere. It's not quite as peppery and crunchy as the UK stuff but it's easily available. Grows well here too.

ouriquejan

Ant, i'll pm, you later, in the middle of making soup.