18. Best Shop ‘09

Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

I’m a terrible consumer compared to most people.  I don’t acquire a lot of things. Not nearly enough to stimulate the economy.
Last year I started to learn to live a frugal lifestyle and it has its attractions; simplicity, for one.  Perhaps next year I will look into improving my frugalness.  That frugality contributes to my non-consumerism; as does being sort of poor.

My one big weak point is electronics; computer stuff.  I’m prone to buying computers and peripherals.
Wait… my other big weak point is eating out – I do that too often, and in very nice places, to be considered really frugal.

The one shop that I’m always going to, even if it’s just to browse around, is Media Markt.  Home and electronics products – big big stores.  Stoves, TVs, cameras, telephones, computers, music, videos … you get the idea.  They’re all over mainland Europe but not in one single English-speaking country.

I didn’t take this picture – but it gives you a bit of the idea – so you’ll recognize the logo when next you see it. 
Foto: Carlos Martín

Hardware stores are another great place to pass the time as well – but this year I didn’t encounter any spectacular ones.