Topic for discounted imported food items: good idea or too much cheap charlie?

[MESmith]

I would like to understand the marketting strategy at makro.

I wonder if they do this to catch out the unsuspecting Thai who isnt carrying a calculator.........but no.....they do the calculatuon for you.

Ok last night a random two items.

1410431108876.jpg1410431133727.jpg

Mens deodorant its actually cheaper to buy the 25ml version even at twice the quantity to make them comparable.

Have you factored in how much you will never get out of the smaller bottle, due to surface tension?

I am a cheap charlie also.

so if you thinks that's a likelihood i will break out the balls and run my fingers around the rim. so there!

I thought deoderant was for under the arms

If you stand the roll on deoderants upside down, when empty, you get at least a couple of weeks protection out of them. A bit pointless pointing this out, as I'm preaching to the converted

[Crazy chef 1]

IMG_1912.JPG Here you go not a tail in sight. regards Worgeordie

Ah, thought that might have been you there the other day, old chap.

I'll extend an nod in your direction next time.

What ho!

What's the source of this salmon?

i assume the water...

[Konini]

I would like to understand the marketting strategy at makro.

I wonder if they do this to catch out the unsuspecting Thai who isnt carrying a calculator.........but no.....they do the calculatuon for you.

Ok last night a random two items.

1410431108876.jpg1410431133727.jpg

Mens deodorant its actually cheaper to buy the 25ml version even at twice the quantity to make them comparable.

Next buying multipacks is actually more expensive. Take this one at 40bt a can but if you want the plastic sealing four together you have to pay 44.25bt a can

1410431396790.jpg1410431456541.jpg

If thats intentional for shops and restaurants buying in bulk then makro are taking them all for a jolly ride.

Anyway its a heads up for yoy makro shoppers....buy individually.

This happens in UK, Australia and NZ - probably other countries too, but they're the only ones I've lived in and seen it. People in a hurry automatically assume that buying in bulk is cheaper than buying single or smaller packs. Almost always it is, but they are sneaky buggers, and often this kind of thing happens. Perhaps they think that they'll wear us down because nobody likes (or can be bothered) to check the price of everything they buy.

As far as being cheap in general goes, I don't like paying more than I ought to and I don't like to waste money, but I realise that sometimes cheap is better. I love a piece of well cooked rib eye fillet as much as the next person, but costing a fraction of the price, some shin (gravy) beef, thrown into the slow cooker with a bit of equally cheap imagination for 10 hours or so is often a much more tasty meal. My osso bucco late last month was quite possibly the best I've ever made. You can't put fillet into the slow cooker, no more than you can put shin beef under a grill - we're talking about apples and oranges; both nice, but totally different things

[robertmueller]

Sorry Worgeordie, but what are 'Tail end cuts'--are they just the tails, which I doubt anyone would want, or are they hard to sell cuts? Are they fillet pieces--again, I don't suppose so, at 33 Baht a hit.

P.S. RobertMueller--where is Chiang Mai Bakery Market, please?

It is on the Chiangmai-Lamphun Road: if you come from Central Airport on Mahidol Road (Road no. 1141) towards the Ping River, you take the bridge over (obviously) the river and you take the exit at Nong Hoi intersection and at the light you turn right to the Chiangmai-Lamphun Road (Road no. 106). You continue for approx. 300m and the building (beige colour; only Thai name on the building) is on your left with around seven parking lots in front. Their telephone number was 053 334 111. There are at least three employees that speak good English, far better than mine.

[haybilly]

Thanks for the directions, sounds like it's near the big cookwares shop, whose name escapes me.

[naboo]

Thanks for the directions, sounds like it's near the big cookwares shop, whose name escapes me.

I think you'll find its called something like "Chiang Mai Bakery Market".

Thai is "Puean Krua" (Chef's Friend").

[quidnunc]

Thanks for the directions, sounds like it's near the big cookwares shop, whose name escapes me.

Pretty sure it's the same place. And the english name is Chiang Mai Bakermart.

[zyphodb]

IMG_1912.JPG Here you go not a tail in sight. regards Worgeordie

What's the source of this salmon?

The Pacific i think,and processed in China ,I would suspect,where most of the fish

today is processed.supplied by a company in Samut Prakan.

regards worgeordie

Is that Pacific salmon, snatched from the claws of grizzly bears in Alaska, caught in the radioactive waters off Japan, or farmed salmon off Chile, stuffed full of antibiotics? Not "shooting the messenger" WG, just skeptical about this salmon they sell here in Thailand.

At least the colour looks natural

Might be salmon trout?

Certainly, in Europe anyway Seatrout is much more expensive than Salmon & is by far the taster fish, so highly unlikely to be seen here I would have thought... Going into Mackros today so will keep my eyes open for wowgeordie's tail end cuts, but as I shop in Chaiyaphum highly unlikely that they'll have them...

[northernjohn]

Sorry Worgeordie, but what are 'Tail end cuts'--are they just the tails, which I doubt anyone would want, or are they hard to sell cuts? Are they fillet pieces--again, I don't suppose so, at 33 Baht a hit.

P.S. RobertMueller--where is Chiang Mai Bakery Market, please?

Robert , the salmon tails in Makro are just that, salmon tails. Pensioners and poor people boil them up and make a stew out of them and freeze the leftovers for another day, and plenty of people buy them as a treat for the cat. They also sell packs of five or six good sized salmon steaks for about 500 baht, which is a fair bit cheaper than most stores and may well fall into your category of imported food bargains.

No the Salmon tail cuts are NOT tails,Joe, obviously has not seen them

they are big pieces of salmon from the tail end,all meat ,no waste.

regards Worgeordie

Why the huge difference in price if they are the same? Do the tail cuts come from farmed fish and the filets of the rest come from wild salmon?

I also liked chiangmaijoe definition of a cheap Charlie. One I agree 100% with.

Anyone have a proper definition of a Cheap Charlie? In my mind it isn't someone who simply appreciates a bargain, but rather someone who is obsessive about the price of everything, who denies themselves of life's simple pleasures for the sake of a baht or two, who is irritated by people paying more than what they consider to be the right price and considers them to be mugs, is prepared to make themselves and their friends lose face over trivial amounts, is never generous to those less fortunate and thinks everyone is out to rip them off. For some strange reason the very concept of different places charging different prices is something they can't ever accept or understand.

I do make the exception for the people who have to watch every baht to survive.

[northernjohn]

I would like to understand the marketting strategy at makro.

I wonder if they do this to catch out the unsuspecting Thai who isnt carrying a calculator.........but no.....they do the calculatuon for you.

Ok last night a random two items.

1410431108876.jpg1410431133727.jpg

Mens deodorant its actually cheaper to buy the 25ml version even at twice the quantity to make them comparable.

Next buying multipacks is actually more expensive. Take this one at 40bt a can but if you want the plastic sealing four together you have to pay 44.25bt a can

1410431396790.jpg1410431456541.jpg

If thats intentional for shops and restaurants buying in bulk then makro are taking them all for a jolly ride.

Anyway its a heads up for yoy makro shoppers....buy individually.

This happens in UK, Australia and NZ - probably other countries too, but they're the only ones I've lived in and seen it. People in a hurry automatically assume that buying in bulk is cheaper than buying single or smaller packs. Almost always it is, but they are sneaky buggers, and often this kind of thing happens. Perhaps they think that they'll wear us down because nobody likes (or can be bothered) to check the price of everything they buy.

As far as being cheap in general goes, I don't like paying more than I ought to and I don't like to waste money, but I realise that sometimes cheap is better. I love a piece of well cooked rib eye fillet as much as the next person, but costing a fraction of the price, some shin (gravy) beef, thrown into the slow cooker with a bit of equally cheap imagination for 10 hours or so is often a much more tasty meal. My osso bucco late last month was quite possibly the best I've ever made. You can't put fillet into the slow cooker, no more than you can put shin beef under a grill - we're talking about apples and oranges; both nice, but totally different things

My mother used to use a pressure cooker. It made a world of difference in cheap steak. Haven't seen any pressure cookers here in Thailand yet. all though I will admit I don't look for them. Love to use a slow cooker but the wife has some sort of Thai thing against them and it is just best to let it go. Besides I really have not seen any decent size ones.

[worgeordie]

Salmon sold out at Makro superhighway, its those cheap Charlie's

they know a bargain when they see it,maybe back in stock in a few weeks

time,?

To Northern John, it comes from the same Salmon,as the middle cuts,

the middle cuts are 450 Bht, maybe it looks better on the plate for the

HiSo and thats why they can ask more,or people think its better because its more expensive.

regards Worgeordie

[robertmueller]

Today at Rimping Promenada: Lemnos sandwich spread Ricotta; promo buy 1, get 1.

[zyphodb]

Well they didn't have salmon tail cuts in Chaiyaphum makros buy they did have salmon slices for 140 Bht/kg looked a lot less appetizing, ouly good for fishcakes I would have thought, but no bone so still a bargin I spose...

[northernjohn]

Salmon sold out at Makro superhighway, its those cheap Charlie's

they know a bargain when they see it,maybe back in stock in a few weeks

time,?

To Northern John, it comes from the same Salmon,as the middle cuts,

the middle cuts are 450 Bht, maybe it looks better on the plate for the

HiSo and thats why they can ask more,or people think its better because its more expensive.

regards Worgeordie

Well there are lots of cheap Charlie's. But you are 100% correct there are people who feel superior and will pay more for the same thing just because they think it makes them better. I am going to have to start checking Makro out more often.

[Thakkar]

A saving is a saving, and our pets gotta eat too.

Central Festival Food Hall: ANF dog food from the US, 3kg bags. Normal price 700 baht, discounted to 350. Expiry Aug 2015. We bought loads today, but there were still some left. Two months ago, we got the same deal at Tops KSK.

T

[Konini]

My mother used to use a pressure cooker. It made a world of difference in cheap steak. Haven't seen any pressure cookers here in Thailand yet. all though I will admit I don't look for them. Love to use a slow cooker but the wife has some sort of Thai thing against them and it is just best to let it go. Besides I really have not seen any decent size ones.

bought a nice, big one a couple of months ago at Central, great for when making dahls and cooking dried beans which I do a lot of.

Can't beat the slow cooker though, I bought one here but it wasn't really any good, it ran too hot even on the lowest setting. Brought one back from England 3 years ago and the temperature is good, although for lamb shanks and osso bucco I put it on the 'Keep Warm' setting and leave it for about 15 hours. The meat falls off the bone. I always said if I had to lose one item and it was a choise between a slow cooker and a microwave, I'd keep the slow cooker. It's the most used of all of my 'toys' and has been since I bought my first on close to 35 years ago - ideal for when you are studying, you just have to get out of bed a few minutes earlier than you usually do..

Although I could go without it if I had to, it would be something I would really, really miss.

[uptheos]

OK here's one I like a lot.

Today, TOPS Kad Suan Kaew, Maltesers 35 baht buy 1 get 1 free.

Can't beat that a bag of Maltesers for 17 Baht, I love em, bought a load but there's stacks left.

For the naysayers, the chocolate and centres are perfect.

For those of you who haven't tried Maltesers, just do it!

[onthedarkside]

All the off topic posts removed. Please try to stay on 'the discounted food' topic.

[robertmueller]

OK here's one I like a lot.

Today, TOPS Kad Suan Kaew, Maltesers 35 baht buy 1 get 1 free.

Can't beat that a bag of Maltesers for 17 Baht, I love em, bought a load but there's stacks left.

For the naysayers, the chocolate and centres are perfect.

For those of you who haven't tried Maltesers, just do it!

Central Food Hall:

Twix, buy 1 get 1 (same promo as Maltesers)

Lotus HangDong Road:

Tesco Tea bags B125 instead of B179

Lindt Double milk chocolate B69 instead of B98

Guylian truffes B69 instead of B88

Evian 1.5L B59 instead of B76 (our visitors don't drink local bottled water!!! what a nightmare for them when we took them to Khun Mor Cuisine. )

[kjhbigv]

Anyone who suggests it is being a "cheap charlie" for getting a bargain, needs their head testing!

I can afford anything I wish to eat BUT give me a bargain any day of the week...."Buy One get One Free"......all day long!

Got some Gillette razor blades the other day in Central, reduced from 439bht to 43bht! Bargain!

If that's being a "cheap charlie", I can live with it!

[CMKiwi]

Anyone who suggests it is being a "cheap charlie" for getting a bargain, needs their head testing!

I can afford anything I wish to eat BUT give me a bargain any day of the week...."Buy One get One Free"......all day long!

Got some Gillette razor blades the other day in Central, reduced from 439bht to 43bht! Bargain!

If that's being a "cheap charlie", I can live with it!

Thats gotta be the deal of the century! I cant understand why replacement blades are so darn expansive in the first place. Probably cause the manufacturers know that their product wears out/gets a dull edge so quick and its a way for them to increase profits accordingly.

2 weeks ago they had a special at the Mae Rim branch of Macro. 2kg of imported quick frozen Chilean red prawns just 299 baht down from 850 baht. Initially I thought they had a short shelf life left but no. When I found my glasses the expiry wasnt till Sep 2015. I did a quick turn around and went back and got 2 more boxes. They werent the already cooked variety, were virtually free flow and boy they taste great.

I always keep my eyes open for these one off deals.....better odds at finding one than winning big in lotto

[Konini]

Thats gotta be the deal of the century! I cant understand why replacement blades are so darn expansive in the first place. Probably cause the manufacturers know that their product wears out/gets a dull edge so quick and its a way for them to increase profits accordingly.

2 weeks ago they had a special at the Mae Rim branch of Macro. 2kg of imported quick frozen Chilean red prawns just 299 baht down from 850 baht. Initially I thought they had a short shelf life left but no. When I found my glasses the expiry wasnt till Sep 2015. I did a quick turn around and went back and got 2 more boxes. They werent the already cooked variety, were virtually free flow and boy they taste great.

I always keep my eyes open for these one off deals.....better odds at finding one than winning big in lotto

For the same reason it cost a lot more to build a car from parts than buying it as a whole. The cost of replacement doors, bumpers, lights, windows, mirrors etc are outrageous, but if you have a prang, you have to buy replacement parts from the panel beater shop. And that's saying nothing about all of the bits and bobs under the bonnet.

I like your spotting the bargain at Makro - my husband complains and whines when I go to Makro or the supermarkets because I walk up and down every isle looking at everything. There are some bargain that you would be a fool not to take up on. I remember a couple of years ago Tesco had half price on all pasta and all the bottled sauces. I don't usually use the bottled stuff, I make my own, but I have a real soft spot for Paul Newman's bolognese sauces, they really are nice, ashamed to say it, but they really are as good as or better than anything I can make myself. And at half price, I stocked up on them as well as the good pasta. All you have to do is check the expiry dates.

I'm not obsessive about saving money, we're fortunate enough to be not on the bones of our backsides, but I honestly do like to go on the bargain hunt. And being retired, it's not as if I don't have the time to do it. I don't like Thai food and I cook every day - I make most things from scratch rather than using processed food, but there are some things - tinned tomatoes is a great example because I use so much of them - that I can't do without. The good quality tomatoes cost a fortune, but I always check the prices at Makro of the catering size cans of imported Italian ones; I open them when I need tomatoes for something and bag the rest into 420g (one normal can size) portions and freeze them until needed. Olive oil is something I use a lot of too, and I have often got imported Spanish (the best you can get, much better than the Italian oil which has recently been subject to a lot of scandal with lower quality oil being passed off in the bottles of expensive oils) at half price from Tops, Tesco or Big C. Ditto bottles of olives, gherkins, pickled onions and quality vinegar. Last week I got a bottle of capers at almost half price. All you have to do is look and looking is free. Now the three big supermarkets have online shopping, you can see what's on special without leaving your computer. The Makro site is not so easy, but I don't mind wandering around it.

My sister who still lives in England is always crying poor, but she spends a fortune in the supermarket. She never, ever looks at what is on special, always pays full price, and can't be bothered to go to the market to buy her fruit, veggies, meat and fish, usually a third to half price cheaper than in the supermarkets, and in England there are no unrefrigerated stalls with flies buzzing around, so there really is no excuse. She works part time, 20 hours a week so it's not as if she doesn't have the time, she just can't be bothered. But as I said, she's always crying poor, and she and her husband are doing it hard with no money to spare at the end of the month. Dad was a coal miner and when we were growing up in the 1960's and 70's you never knew when there was going to be a strike or how long it would last. We were brought up to always have 6 weeks worth of essential survival stuff in the pantry and cupboard; toilet paper, soap, shampoo, cleaning fluids - bleach, soap powder etc - and tinned food such as tomatoes, beans, corned beef, tinned ham and salmon just in case. It's a habit I carried on, but my sister doesn't. She waits until she runs out of something then buys it. Sometimes she gets lucky and it's on special, but usually she buys it at full price.. I always have at two spares of everything, when I'm down to one spare it goes on the shopping list as a non-essential, and when it comes up on special over the next few weeks I buy it and I'm back to two spares. It's not rocket science, it's sensible planning to avoid wasting money. It's the way I was brought up, and it helped us to retire at 43. Not rich, but very comfortable. No matter how high flying and lucrative the career in Australia was, you'll never take the working class out of the girl, and you'll never ever take the miner's daughter out of the girl.

I just don't understand why everyone doesn't do what I do, I honestly save a fortune on shopping by planning ahead.

I don't fit chiegmaijoe's excellent definition of being a Cheap Charlie, but wasting money just isn't in my DNA. You just have to be organised enough to do it.

[Thakkar]

@Konini

From a young age, we've taken our kids shopping with us and trained them to spot bargains as well as being wary of various supermarket tricks (sorry, 'marketing tactics'). We hope the lessons stay with them. We've always told them this about shopping for daily necessities:

Plan ahead, watch out for bargains, stock up when things are cheap, especially when expiry dates are not a concern (like with toiletries), certain items are still ok to eat within a reasonable period after expiry. With these rules, you can be earning 20 a month and live like someone earning 30.

Our eldest is in college now and is living on a budget for the first time in her life. She is struggling. It's only been a month and we expect the lessons we've thought will kick in at some point and she'll be fine.

T

[Chiengmaijoe]

I don't fit chiegmaijoe's excellent definition of being a Cheap Charlie, but wasting money just isn't in my DNA. You just have to be organised enough to do it.

Not a Cheap charlie , but you are a bargain hunter for sure, and without intending to be sexist or disrespectful, many mature women with time on their side are the same. As you said, your husband is not like you, because like most blokes, me included, he probably doesn't see shopping as anything other than a chore. When I go to Makro I have a list of exactly what I need and if it ain't on the list I don't even see it. However, contrary to what some people might think, of the items that I do need I will check prices and look for a bargain, which is totally natural. Like yourself, I may even stock up on bargains. That is nothing to do with Cheap Charlieism, which I made a crude attempt at defining earlier.

What amuses me, and offends some people when I speak of my amusement, is just the very notion of grown men not only going to the trouble of, for example, traipsing across town to save a baht or two on a tray eggs but then going to the trouble of going online to tell everyone. It amuses me because, having been brought up in a tough, poor, working class town, then I'm only used to old women chatting over the garden fence about such matters and men only concerning themselves with the price of a packet of smokes and a pint of ale. Sure, some guys here, because of falling exchange rates or being on a fixed pension, need to watch what they spend and may have to search out cheaper cuts, but as a conversation topic, well, you're always in danger of sounding like an old woman. Am I wrong? Maybe, but don't take it so much to heart guys, I can't help it, that's how I see it and it makes me chuckle, no more.

Cheap Charlie's however, don't get me started .........

Edited September 13, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[worgeordie]

"Cheap Charlie's however ,don't get me started" I thought we already did,

Joe, this is an obsession with you,why worry about how other people spend

their money.they do you no harm so whats the problem.cannot get to sleep

worrying about them?

regards Worgeordie

[naboo]

Joe just enjoys looking down on people. Take it as a good thing that you're not on a level with him.

Razor blades. I was always on the Gillette Vectors since my arrival in Thailand. Was always 85-90B at Big C for 4 blades. Now its 120B. I'm on my last blade and not paying that! Anyone got a reasonable alternative sub 100B?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

What amuses me, and offends some people when I speak of my amusement, is just the very notion of grown men not only going to the trouble of, for example, traipsing across town to save a baht or two on a tray eggs but then going to the trouble of going online to tell everyone. It amuses me because, having been brought up in a tough, poor, working class town, then I'm only used to old women chatting over the garden fence about such matters and men only concerning themselves with the price of a packet of smokes and a pint of ale. Sure, some guys here, because of falling exchange rates or being on a fixed pension, need to watch what they spend and may have to search out cheaper cuts, but as a conversation topic, well, you're always in danger of sounding like an old woman. Am I wrong? Maybe, but don't take it so much to heart guys, I can't help it, that's how I see it and it makes me chuckle, no more.

When marriage was the norm, the women did all the shopping.

Now divorce is the norm, men do their own shopping.

Men haven't turned into old women, they have turned into single men.

Is that so hard to understand?

PS

Tesco Duchie Yogurt 4 packs (7 berry, 7 fruit), normally 57bht for a pack of 4

Reduced to 2 packs for 89bht including free microwave container with each pack.

Edited September 14, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Thakkar]

<snip>

Razor blades. I was always on the Gillette Vectors since my arrival in Thailand. Was always 85-90B at Big C for 4 blades. Now its 120B. I'm on my last blade and not paying that! Anyone got a reasonable alternative sub 100B?

Was at Watsons KSK yesterday to get aftershave. Saw Watsons brand 5 blade (five!) razor (includes 2 cartridges) at 225 (or 255--can't remember, sorry), buy one get one and refill cartridges in packs of 4 or 5 at the same price, buy one get one. I don't use these blades so I don't know if they're any good.

T

[Thakkar]

Movies and books are also imported food, for the mind.

We are movie buffs and love going to the cinema. Finally, after years of trying, Mrs T and I have reached the age where we are eligible to apply for a senior card at SF Cinema. It costs 50 baht. Now on weekdays for shows before noon it'll cost us only 60 baht a seat. After noon, 70, weekends, 100.

Major cineplex have the senior discounts too, but you need to be sixty before you can apply. Major also have a promotion with some banks where if you pay with that bank card on Fridays, you get two tickets for the price of one.

All the cinemas also have other discounts for teens, students, AIS customers, Line users, even Chevrolet drivers, etc. Only the completely clueless are routinely paying full price at the cinema. When we are standing in line to buy our discounted tickets, we are often surprised at how many of these clueless people there are. We are grateful to them for subsidizing our entertainment. Thanks, clueless guys!

If there's a book you want, check the Gecko or Dasa Book Cafe websites--you might get it at half price. Otherwise go to the Asia books website, become a member and order from them, it'll likely be 25% cheaper than buying from their own retail shop. Postage from Asia Books is free.

T

[jaideeguy]

Makro used to carry 'Emborg' brand frozen filets of pollok and the best was hoki [from the deep clean waters off New Zeland at a price less than 300thb/kilo. They stopped stocking it this year and wondering if anyone knows of another source of it??