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wow what a price
Anonymous wrote:The Algarve is certainly much more expensive than three years ago......and the price of a Villa there is twice that of a similar one in Spain (or more)....Fuel is 25% more than Spain and the local Intermache is a rip off.....I'm going to Turkey this year...
Although I totally agree about Intermarche being expensive, I just wanted to point out, that everywhere it is more expensive than three years ago, its called inflation.
Now I wonder if Intermarche will feel the sting of the competition and start working on customer satisfaction.
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TBBR
we have not found, intermarche, continente or alisuper expensive unless w want to buy importedpre packed branded products .
Ie the backed bean test, when a tin of heinz beans costs more than a bottle of wine.
The same could be said of any country.
Villas cost more in Portugal because they do not build complexes of 100,s full of corrrie watching expats complaining about the price of baked beans and the daily mail.
long may this be the case.
Unfortunately ther are still too many little englanders who believe that that have a right to pay prices which exploit the local economies yet complain about the lack of infrastructure, lack of facilities and a local poulation who actually want to earn a living , improve their own conditions
and would like constant access to clean running water, electricity, mains drainage, tv even overseas holidays.
The rest of the world does not exist as a playground for those with more money than sense.
Ie the backed bean test, when a tin of heinz beans costs more than a bottle of wine.
The same could be said of any country.
Villas cost more in Portugal because they do not build complexes of 100,s full of corrrie watching expats complaining about the price of baked beans and the daily mail.
long may this be the case.
Unfortunately ther are still too many little englanders who believe that that have a right to pay prices which exploit the local economies yet complain about the lack of infrastructure, lack of facilities and a local poulation who actually want to earn a living , improve their own conditions
and would like constant access to clean running water, electricity, mains drainage, tv even overseas holidays.
The rest of the world does not exist as a playground for those with more money than sense.
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Guest
Seems to me that the whole issue is effectively the same as is affecting Spain and other "traditional" British package holiday destinations - the nature of tourism is changing and those seeking the cheap end of the market are being lured elsewhere by new low cost destinations in Eastern Europe (incl Turkey !). - the "package" holiday to the Algarve and a lot of places in Spain is now almost dead as a product (probably no bad thing in the long term for the Algarve) while the overall tourism volume remains high - still many thousands of Portuguese (and "French") visitors while the UK visitor volume is maintained through the "low cost" carriers and private accommodation (just like Spain).
I am in full agreement about prices etc - there was a thread about this a while back referring to the apparent belief that expats could have spiraling property values in an otherwise low cost area - the economics dont stack up that way and until people view property as a "home" rather than a means to get escalating value for nothing this paradoxical view could continue.
The Algarve is not a cheap destination but should be seen for what it is - a place offering a lot more than "calamari and two veg and watneys red barrel" (old Python quote).
I am in full agreement about prices etc - there was a thread about this a while back referring to the apparent belief that expats could have spiraling property values in an otherwise low cost area - the economics dont stack up that way and until people view property as a "home" rather than a means to get escalating value for nothing this paradoxical view could continue.
The Algarve is not a cheap destination but should be seen for what it is - a place offering a lot more than "calamari and two veg and watneys red barrel" (old Python quote).
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Sharen Crane
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I would just like to point out that Turkey is not the "cheap" destination you might think. I have been going now for the last 12 years and this year was by far the most expensive I have known it.
Turks are blaming the price increases on tax hikes. The tax hikes have come about because they are trying to stabilise their economy so that they will eventually be able to join the EU.
Turks are blaming the price increases on tax hikes. The tax hikes have come about because they are trying to stabilise their economy so that they will eventually be able to join the EU.
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Michael Crane
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Sharen Crane
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Sharen Crane
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Guest 9
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Guest
now I know what 'Corrie' is........I honestly didnt know its corronation street.......Oh well.......now I know.......To answer a little.....
If you think Intermache is not expensive.......you have too much money and no sense......Go to Ghia..its about 10 to 15 % cheaper on most items...
Local population who want to earn a living..!!!! ..you make me laugh.....I was just at a local Engineering firm today ..full of Ukranians.I asked why..the boss told me he just cannot find Local Portuguese that want these jobs and the Government have recently put paid to 'Apprentice' support completely.....building sites are full of Russians......and no before you talk of exploitation......thay are paid €7 an hour on most sites.This is good money...I'm English and I get about the same if I'm lucky (Mechanic).....I'm not a winging Pom.......I dont read the Tabloids or watch 'Corrie'.....I love it here but it's getting very hard on local wages..so I do overtime and work more..My Portuguese mates will not work past 5pm......We do......so please stop bleating about all this and the English ......Without the English the Algarve would be finished economically..that is fact............Now I've forgot what the original question was........anyway ..hope I've stirred up a bit of comment.........Are you French ????
If you think Intermache is not expensive.......you have too much money and no sense......Go to Ghia..its about 10 to 15 % cheaper on most items...
Local population who want to earn a living..!!!! ..you make me laugh.....I was just at a local Engineering firm today ..full of Ukranians.I asked why..the boss told me he just cannot find Local Portuguese that want these jobs and the Government have recently put paid to 'Apprentice' support completely.....building sites are full of Russians......and no before you talk of exploitation......thay are paid €7 an hour on most sites.This is good money...I'm English and I get about the same if I'm lucky (Mechanic).....I'm not a winging Pom.......I dont read the Tabloids or watch 'Corrie'.....I love it here but it's getting very hard on local wages..so I do overtime and work more..My Portuguese mates will not work past 5pm......We do......so please stop bleating about all this and the English ......Without the English the Algarve would be finished economically..that is fact............Now I've forgot what the original question was........anyway ..hope I've stirred up a bit of comment.........Are you French ????
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Guest
I employ a few Portuguese here.....(About 10 ) ....I spend most of my time doing beaurocratic paperwork instead of making money......my staff basically chat more than they work and I have been forced to employ other nationalities to work for me......nothing to do with pay etc...only the fact that Portuguese are a typical southern European Latin nation of lovely people.....but they dont know what work is.
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tbbr
All things are relative and not surprisingly we have deviated from the original comment that drew my response.
IE that the algarve is expensive.
If the wage on a building site is = to £5.00 hr ( 40hrs £200/week ) then that is above the average UK wage from which tax national insurance etc would be deducted.
Is that the same on Portuguese building sites ???.
Who do you think work on uk sites, its not the english !!!
With the cost of living at least 20% higher in the UK work it out for yourselves.
But of course it is not that simple.
The algarve was an agricultural/fishing area with little or no industrial base.
Constrution and the service industries of necessity were staffed by outsiders including if my memory is right many who were ejected from Portugals former african colonies.
There probably is no tradition of the northern european work ethic, that took us centuries and two world wars to develop.
Portutgal never has been highly industrialised nation so why expect the same approach you would find in the UK, holland belgium , germany etc.
Perhaps the difference is that "many work to live " rather than too many of us who " live to work ".
IE that the algarve is expensive.
If the wage on a building site is = to £5.00 hr ( 40hrs £200/week ) then that is above the average UK wage from which tax national insurance etc would be deducted.
Is that the same on Portuguese building sites ???.
Who do you think work on uk sites, its not the english !!!
With the cost of living at least 20% higher in the UK work it out for yourselves.
But of course it is not that simple.
The algarve was an agricultural/fishing area with little or no industrial base.
Constrution and the service industries of necessity were staffed by outsiders including if my memory is right many who were ejected from Portugals former african colonies.
There probably is no tradition of the northern european work ethic, that took us centuries and two world wars to develop.
Portutgal never has been highly industrialised nation so why expect the same approach you would find in the UK, holland belgium , germany etc.
Perhaps the difference is that "many work to live " rather than too many of us who " live to work ".
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Guest
Yes we have deviated......but it's been interesting.....many points of view..I guess people like myself that came to the Algarve and was prepared to put in many hundreds of thousands to build a little business not with the intention of making a fortune but hoping that I could maybe get a return a little better than Bank rate.......and live in this lovely environment......gave up after years of corruption, beaurocracy etc etc..............I just gave up.......invested in other countries (Very succesfully) .....and keep my Villa there for lovely trips each summer..good food and climate.......so that is what the Algarve is...a lovely holiday venue that will always be near the poorest in Europe...the new EU members are already overtaking Portugal..........etc etc........but that is the way it is and will be..............enjoy it...and forget investment etc etc...the Portuguese I am very sorry to say cannot escape their culture...Thats the way it is...................Re Tape.......Talk forever and do nothing........I still love them though.........