Play Blood Sports in Oulu?

I was at the Kaijonharju Spar at 6:45 am. Ilari and Ildikó were there but Unnop and Pailin were there even before us.

The car park was filling up at a steady rate before the Opening Hour - 7:00 am.

Kaijonharju Car Park at 6:45 am!

When the doors opened, there was a mad rush into the shop. People were pushed and pulled. Pailin got smashed against the door by a more aggressive woman!

Ilari was in a hurdling mood but then resorted to an obstacle avoidance mode as he rushed to grab all the Gilette Blades he could lay his hands on. Close call!

Ildi was more cool, and walked through to get what she wanted. Unnop and Pailin headed for the aluminium trays they need to serve their customers who want Thai take-away. They got all they could lay their hands on.

I was more interested in observing the animal behaviour of Finns on the hunt.

Ilari and Ildi picked up well over Euro 300 worth of stuff (about Euro 150 after discount), Unnop and Pailin bought about Euro 250 (Euro 125 after discount) while I had a more humble bill of Euro 100 (Euro 50 after discount).

A good day for all of us.

But in this sort of Best Buying you should not be persuaded to buy things you really do not want as, if you do, you lose the savings that you would really make.

Watch for news of the next SPAR closure. But may I suggest you get some protective gear as the Finns are getting quite vicious!

Remember the Best Buy of today is an Opel Kadett - 1987 Euro 700, MOT'd till August 2006. Call me.

Hectic Saturday

(Cross-posted on the Oulu CHAFF Blog and my Jacob's Blog.)

What a hectic day. The Saturday puzzle will appear tomorrow!

Here are some pictures that Joanna sent me today of Samuel and Daniel. The last one made me cry as Daniwel went down with gastroenteritis and it really shows in his face!

Daniel with flowers


Samuel, Daniel and Merran


Daniel is poorly

I left home at 6:30 am. I went to check out the discount at the SPAR Kaijonharju for my Best Buy Blog readers. When I arrived at 6:45 am, right across town, who should I see standing for the doors of the shop - Ilari and Ildikó.

They were a bit diasappointed as the discount was still only 30%, which is generally not good enough to merit a visit. Watch the Best Buy Blog so that you do not go on a wild goose chase. I do all the hard work for you!

The 50% discount at this shop will start at 7:00 am on Monday morning and by 8:00 am, the shop will be cleaned out. There will not be much to buy as most of the general goods are over already.

I went on to do my regular shopping, starting at Cassa in Rajakylä. I was there just before 8:00 am on saturday it opens at that time. (On weekdays Cassa opens at 7:00 am.)

Standing a few ten metres from me, as I waited for Cassa to open, there was a group of 4 men and they were drinking beer at that early hour.


Beer at 8:00 am!

Was I surprised?

Not really, as this is quite common behaviour among certain sections of the local population in Finland.

On my way back from Cassa I passeed this Bus Stand at Toppila.


Vandalism - Smashed Bus Stand

This is a degree of vandalism which is quite unusual for Oulu, Finland! Grafiti, yes; Smashing bus stands, No.

Today was such a beautiful day, I decided it was time to change from winter to summer tyres. I spent most of the morning cleaning the insides of the cars, vacuuming them and washing the carpets, etc,

Later in the evening I went to Reijo's Garage with the Kannan's SAAB. My back is too weak for me to attempt changing tyres.

Reijo changed the tyres and I had the car washed.


Reijo changes tyres on the SAAB


SAAB being washed

The best part of Reijo's work is that he even washes the tyres that he takes off, with high pressure water, making it easy to handle them at home without getting your hands or clothes dirty.

I then took the SAAB home and took the Ford Escort to change the tyres.

One look at my summer tyres meant that I had to change all of them. Reijo came to rescue and sold me 4 new radial tyres, for just Euro 215 for the set.


Reijo fits my new tyres in the hub

Reijo fitted the new tyres in the hub and balanced all of them, changed the tyres, and then washed the Ford. Reijo's good friend, Jussi, washed the tyres of the Ford.



And all that work of changing tyres on two cars, fitting and balancing the new tyres in the hubs, washing the two cars and washing the tyres - all for just Euro 40 with a smiling face!

Could there be a better BEST BUY?

A tough and long day with me returning for a great dinner of curry and rice followed by a long talk with Samu in Newcastle about the Chelsea - Liverpool FA Cup semifinal game and an even longer talk about the World Cup.

Samu has got a fabulous book with all the details of players, fixtures, officials of the World Cup. I am going to have a great time watching the World Cup with Samu here in Finland. I can refer to the expert grandson to get all the details!

Ilari gets wise!

I had a call from Ilari Sohlo today morning to ask me whether I knew that the SPAR shop at Kaijonharju, near the University, was selling everything at a 30% discount.



I had not put this on the Best Buy Blog as I usually only put up such discount sales when it is 50% off.

If you are like Ilari and want to have a wider spectrum of goods to choose from and are satisfied with 30% off - do go to this Spar today.

Ilari just reported in to me that the shelves are mainly empty but there is some coffee and a few other products still available.

It is most likely that tomorrow everything will be 50% off.

Stay tuned - but there will not be much left.

Today's Best Buy Winner

Besides me, Pailin and Unnop were at the Spar in Kempele this morning.

We were there at 6:50 am.

There was a large crowd of bargain hunters at the doors and when they opened at 7:00 am there was a mad rush in.

Most of the shelves had already been cleaned out when the price was 30% off on Thursday and Saturday.

However, there were plenty of bargains to be had and both Unnop and Pailin and I were extremely satisfied with our purchases.

Satisfied Pailin and Unnop leave Spar, Kempele

I bought Euro 180 worth of stuff and paid Euro 90, but Pailin and Unnop bought Eurp 199 worth of stuff and paid just Euro 98.

As predicted, the shelves were cleaned before we left the shop at 8:00 am!

Keep watching this blog for the next bargain offer.

Tomorrow: 50% OFF everything

Closing Down Sale

Tuesday 18th April 2006 morning at 7 am, the Spar shop on Kirkkotie 9 in Kempele is opening its doors and all the products except alcohol, cigarettes and newspapers will be sold at 50% off.

The shop is likely to be cleaned out by 08:00 am.



So get there with your needs and get what you want.

See you there! :-)

Today's Best Buys

One of my "Forbidden" product features in Best Buys for today, but you have to be quick.



Taffel Potato Crisps, Barbeque and Creme Fraiche and Onion flavoured, 300 gm packets, and there are just 1000 of them on offer today, are just Euro 0.50 per 300 gm packet (Euro 1.67 per kg).

Spanish cucumber is available at Euro 0.99 per kg.



Finally, Ingman Perinteiset Yoghurt 150 gm plastic tubs are Euro 2.90 for 20 tubs (Euro 0.97 per kg).

These are all available at the new K-Supermarket which opened at Välivaino.

Location of K-Supermarket in Välivainio

Looking for a Diesel Car?

I have just located a Diesel Car, a Toyota Corolla 2 D which is registered as a "Paketti" car, with only two seats and the back as a van. It can be converted back to a regular car whenever one wants.

As a result of the present configuration the Tax is JUST Euro 55.

It is 1.97 Litre vehicle and is in excellent condition.







It was registered in August 1999 and it needs to be retested only in August of this year.

The price is superb for this car - Euro 10,000.

If you are running a small business, this is an excellent buy.

If you are serious, I should be able to negotiate a few per cent off.

This offer will not remain for long - so contact me as soon as possible.

Great Garage in Oulu

Do you own a car in Oulu? Have to get some work done on it? Want to buy a good second hand car in Oulu and have it checked by a good mechanic?

Reijo Kukkula used to be the manager of a Teboil Petrol Station. About a year ago he started his own small garage.

Reijo's Garage - TMI R. Kukkula Sienikuja 8, Kynsilehto

As can be seen, the compound is filled with cars now.



Ever since, Kamu and I have been using Reijo's services and we have introduced many tens of our friends to him. Although his English is not fluent, he makes every effort to speak the language and be helpful.



Reijo is a humble and simple man. He works his garage 7 days a week, with tyre changing and washing services on the weekend and all the car repair services from Monday to Friday.

It was possible a few months ago to drive in and get a time to repair your car across the table. However, his garage has become so popular these days that you must book your time and tell him your best diagnosis of the problem faced by the car. His young mechanics will do a good job.

Our good friend, Kannan Balram, from Rauma needed a car for his work. I put the problem to Reijo. Within a couple of days he found a single owner 1991 SAAB 900c (1.98 litre) in superb condition with just 200000 km on the clock. And the price was amazingly low considering the condition of the car and that we got 8 new tyres, 4 new summer tyres and 4 new winter tyres, which itself is worth a few hundred Euros.

Reijo has a friend, Jussi, who specialises in locating good low priced cars if you know what you are buying. Just leave word with Reijo and he takes care of matters.

Reijo's hourly rate for repairing cars is about the lowest you will find in Oulu. Also, if a part can be picked up in the recycled market, and it is a reliable one, he won't waste your money.

He has kept my 1985 Ford Escort "Rabbit" in great condition and at a price less that a fifth of what I was paying earler.

And to get this Rolls Royce service from Reijo - just mention either Kamu or Jacob - that will do the trick! :-)

New K-Supermarket in Välivainio

Ilari Sohlo just checked in to say that the new K-Supermarket that has opened in Välivainio has several great opening day offers including many fruits and vegetables at just an Euro per kg.

Most of these offers will be available on Saturday - so the shop is well worth a visit.

Artist's representation of the new Supermarket


Location of K-Supermarket in Välivainio

I usually visited new shops just as I visit those closing down. However, the enormous crowds when a new shop opens and the long lines at the checkout counter, has of late, disauded me from attending the opening day.

Thanks Ilari for drawing our attention to this launch.

Chicken pieces

Today's BEST BUY is from LIDL.

Chicken legs, thighs and wing, marianated, is just Euro 0.99 per kg. There are 3 pieces in every pack.



If you do not like the type pf marination that has been done, just wash it off and use it the way you like.

We usually have chicken with tandoori masala every Sunday. Annikki washes of this marianation, puts her own tandoori masala and the roasts it in the oven.

These pieces are the best for this and the most economic way to get your tandoori chicken!

Crazy Days: Bananas, iPods...

As I have mentiond in my earlier post, Crazy Days starts at 8:00 am in Stockman today.

There will be several great offers in each department including travel bargains, etc.

The first thing I noted today was the Apple iPod Nano, 2 GB version which is available at Euro 199!

In the US, Apple sells this at US $199 (Euro 162.70), so it is a more expensive than in the US. In the UK it is £139 which is equivalent to Euro 199. The price in the UK excluding VAT is £118.30 (Euro 169.38).



And another great buy is Bananas at just Euro 0.89 per kg.

Bananas - Euro 0.89 per kg

And remember it is still Pig's Days at Kärkkäinen - with some great offers. Look around.

Recycling Centres

Another form of Flea Market are the Recycling Centres which have been organised by the Waste Collection Organisation in Oulu.

There used to be several of them run by the City Authorities. It now appears there is only one in Toppila, just next to Halppa Halli.

Location Map - Toppila Recycling Centre
and VM Secondhand Furniture Centre


Toppila Recycling Centre

The prices here are maybe not as low as at the Pentecostal Flea Market, but there is far more stuff available as environmentally conscious people bring their furniture and gadgets to give away here to be recycled.

Not far away is a fabulous shop, if you are into heavy chunky semi-antique European furniture which is brought to Finland by a good friend, Veikko Makkonen. He is a very soft-spoken individual and really nice.

Compared to new furniture from the large Finnish Group, Asko and Isku and several others, the furniture that Veikko brings, reconditions and sells, are simply great and at unbelieveable prices.

We got a beautiful dining table and also a heavy Vitrini from him. They occupy pride of place in the living room. Just tell Veikko that Annikki and that crazy Indian, Jacob, has sent you. He will give you some great pricing and payment terms.

Here are a few shots from his showroom, OY VM Secondhand Import AB.


Toppila OY VM Secondhand Import AB

Hope you like these BEST BUY suggestions.

My apologies folks....

Today was a Bumper Best Buy day as the Spar Shop at Tuira was closing down.

All products, except Alcohol, Cigarettes, Newspapers and Kitchen Accessories were at 50% off.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take in the newspaper on Sunday evening from my outside mailbox. The announcement was contained on the last page.

As soon as I got to see it today morning, I rushed to the shop .

But the platter had already been licked almost clean.

All I was able to get were some cat food, candles, which Annikki uses to create the northern lights in our garden (there will be a grand show this evening after 9:30 pm) and a few other odds and ends.

The CASSA Shop in Rajakylä (just past the University en route to Kemi) has been revamped, with them now offering a few more products with the Pirkka label. Today there were a few great buys:

Euroshopper Whipping Cream Euro 2 for 3 packets of 2 dl),
Small sized eggs Euro 0,69 for 10,
Euroshopper Rape Seed Cooking Oil at Euro 0.89 per litre and
Euroshopper French Fries (crinkled variety) at just Euro 0,79 per kg.
Euroshopper Margerine Euro 0.79 for 0.6 kg
Apetit vegetable Fat based Vanilla Flavour Ice Cream Euro 0.79 per 1 litre pack
Ingman Bravo Chocolate-Banana Flavoured Ice Cream Euro 0.99 per 1 litre pack

On the way back I managed to pick up some bargains from Halpa Halli in Toppila

VIP Orange Juice (100%) at Euro 2 for 5 x 1 litre packets
VIP Apple Juice (100%) at Euro 2 for 5 x 1 litre packets
Perinteinen Flavoured Yoghurt Euro 2 for 8 > 150 gm small containers

Today, Sikapäivät (Pig's Days) has started at Kärkkäinen in Limingantulli. Besides getting free food served in the tents outside the shop, look around, as you will find some great clearance offers - that is why it is called Pig's Days.

These Pig's Days will last for the best part of this week.

No foodstuffs are offered for sale in this shop - but hardware, electronic stuff, computer stuff, toys, all sorts of household goods and much much more. Well worth a visit - but take care that you are really picking up the bargains and not just regular priced items.

On Wednesady "Hullutpäivät" (Crazy Days) will start in Stockmann. There will be some great offers, which will only last for the particular day. Look at their ads in the newspaper or get the catalog at the Stockmann store.

They are really Crazy Days.

So you have some great shopping to do this week. Do share with us which BEST BUYS that you got.

A whole different game of Best Buys

Many years ago when we were writing our book "Handbook for Survival in Finland", the Flea Market syndrome was just catching on. Now-a-days there is a regular TV programme which features well-known personalities who sell their stuff in them.

There are three or four different factors about the "Flea Markets" which merit attention.

In a series of short entries in this Best Buy Blog I intend to show the difference between the different types of Flea Markets that operate in Oulu. I also have pictures and location maps, so that you can find them easily.



This picture, which drew a smile on our faces, shows that the custom may have been absorbed into Finnish culture, that even the name has been "Finlandised"!

The first set of Flea Markets are those operated by Charitable Organisations and the Churches. There are 3 main ones in Oulu - the one operated by the Pentecostal Church, by the Finnish Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

You can donate any of stuff you do not want, and these organisations will recycle them as appropriate for Charitable purposes.

In Oulu, the Flea Market which has the very best prices, but not a wide variety of products is the one associated with the Pentecostal Church on Uusikatu.

Pentecostal Church Flea Market location


Annikki emerges with her goodies
from the Pentecostal Church run Flea Market

This is Annikki's favourite as she can even bargain the prices with the ladies who work there. There are all very nice and polite and very helpful. They have mostly clothes, shoes, skies, skates, curtains and other small items, although occasionally one sees some furniture at very attractive prices. Great finds here by Annikki have been many - and mostly at Euro 1 to 2!


Location of Red Cross Kontti Flea Market



The Red Cross has its Flea Market in the centre of town and is known as Kontti.


Location of Salvation Army Tuira Flea Market


Salvation Army Flea Market in Tuira


Location of Salvation Army Heinäpää Flea Market


Salvation Army Flea Market in Heinäpää

Visit all these three Flea Markets if you are serious of finding something that you want. They handle different things and you will be well rewarded by many Best Buys.

The next group of Flea Markets that I want to handle are Recycling Centres, which are like the above three, but not with charity but environmental concerns as the primary objective.