does anyone have any ideas for shopping on a budget here. I am looking for similar outlets to primark or Matalan.

Primark are supposed to be opening at the new shopping centtre in Murcia

The cheapest places for clothes are the local weekly markets that are well away from any tourist area.

BW

Also the Spanish clothes are designed for tiny people. The sizes are often smaller than the equavalent of UK. So if you're not tiny, I would stock up.

Well I'm tiny and I find that Spanish clothes are designed for those much taller than me (I'm 5ft 1"), but maybe a bit thinner in the girth.

I'm 5ft 8 so they are too small, lol.

You will see many clothes on markets marked as XXL, but beware, they aren't as big as you would expect, even those with the markings in continental sizes are often small for the marked size. Fr the larger figure, then C&A are often the only one where you can find them, certainly round here. Carrefour do stock a limited amount of clothes for larger sizes, but the stock soon disappears.

Perhaps they aren't neccessarily smaller, just that the Spanish buy clothes that fit ?? In England people tend to buy things baggier.....shopping in Italy taught me that buying clothes that fit is the way to go......

Look, if you can´t even get a pair of shorts that say UK size 12 above the thigh here, that isn´t what I would call baggy!

Hipercor, attached to El Corte Ingles, both in Jerez and Cadiz, have clothes similar to Carrefour, but better selection, plus a section for big gals.

First Outlet or First Warehouse (sorry, can't quite remember) in Chiclana, on the road between the blue bridge and Macdonalds, right hand side after the police station roundabout, do fab colours, fabrics and styles in varied sizes, mid-range prices.

I said I was tall not large, I don't want to wear a marquis

Mercedes I think you mean a marquee ??? Now wearing a Marquis is something else and probably much sought after !!!

Mercedes, you think you got problems - I am 5' 10" and cannot find clothes to fit me at all in Spain, disregarding the fact that I don't like the majority of the styles (too fussy), colours (too bright) and fabrics (lots of nasty man made polyester type especially in the cheaper shops).

Oh well it's been a good excuse to lay in a stock of enough new clothes to last me the next 2 years at least, I reckon, in anticipation of our move. I won't need a lot of my English clothes anyway as my work wardrobe at least will be redundant.

TKMaxx is the shop I will miss most, I love hunting for bargains in there - in the last 2 weeks I've bought 2 jackets marked down from £299 each to £29.99. I wish they would open up in Spain, I think they would do great business.

oops, I'm getting my languages muddled up, . You're right wearing a Marquis may be quite heavy.

Well I'm about the same height when I've got heels on....l I've found a french shop run by a Russian Girl and I also like some of the German Shop/Scandanavian shops. I tend to give the Spanish stuff a miss as like you I don't really like it. I also commute to UK every month or even twice in some cases recently, so I can grab what I need then. Also I sometimes shop online and get it sent to my work address in UK. You may need some of your winter clothing as it gets cold in winter and many places are not central heated like they are in UK. I have wardrobes in UK and one in Spain, in that way I don't have to take anything with me apart from my laptop and handbag. I only pack when I'm going overseas...