A Triestino Guide to Saving Money

Hope you enjoy these money-saving strategies inspired by the frugalest of the frugal and you will make any Triestine proud!

1. Never pay for parking

Triestini hate paying for parking. Take a look at the lot downtown by Piazza Unità. The license plates? All foreign. Maybe there are a few cars from other regions in Italy that don't know any better.

Triestini would rather hike down from San Giusto and back up again to avoid paying that 80 cents/hour or whatever it costs now to park downtown. My husband says it's not about money, it's about PRINCIPLE.

Which is why the Triestini look for ambiguity and take advantage of spaces where it is not clear whose jurisdiction it is to give you a ticket. Case in point, in that same parking lot, if you park in the blue lines (blue means you pay, white means you don't) you pay for your parking and if your time runs out you get a ticket. If you park OUTSIDE the lines, however, some other "authority" has to come out and give you a ticket. But is it the Port Authority? Is it the local Police? No one really knows, so while they are trying to figure that one out, you can go meet your friends, have a nice walk, and come back to your car without spending a thing. The Parking people can't do a thing about it. They work for a private company that manages the parking spaces that are DRAWN with blue lines.

I wouldn't recommend this trick to you if you are not from Trieste, however. Your illegal parking instincts just aren't sharp enough yet. The Triestini have moved on to better parking options by now, anyway. But I am not allowed to reveal where until they start ticketing there, too.

That is the Triestine Parking Pact and you must be initiated.

2. Buy your clothes at Boutique Mirella

Affectionately known to the Triestini as "Da Mirella" as if you were going to the home of the famous owner, Boutique Mirella is the official outfitter for 3/4 of Trieste (people for sure, and probably the other stores, too) and a large part of ex-Yugoslavia. You, too, can witness the best cultural spectacle this side of the Station! It is Trieste's version of Filene's basement, without the brand names. This shopping experience is not for the faint-hearted. Go with your mother-in-law. She knows how the system works.

Can't find it, you say? Look for the white manequins outside all dressed in the same color not far from more manequins without heads who are wearing a complementary color.

This week they are wearing YELLOW.

3. Order a "Capo in B"

A "CAPO" is called a MACCHIATO in any other town outside of Trieste. The CAPO IN B is a small "Capuccino" served in a small glass, or BICHIERE which the Triestini claim is BIGGER than a normal espresso cup.

This means you get more for your money.

4. Stand up at the bar and have your coffee.

Bars in Trieste charge you the same amount for a cup of coffee no matter where you go if you are standing up. If you sit down it will cost you 2-3 times as much. Some bars have a deal where you can pay for 9 coffees and get 10 or discounts if you get coffee and a brioche (which is not a brioche in the French sense, but more like an industrially-produced croissant stuffed with apricot jelly, custard, or nutella).

Oddly, Triestini don't like the idea of replacing their coffee out with a coffee at home. They will also have coffee at home, of course, but coffee at a bar is a sort of ritual, and is considered the "good" coffee of the day.

5. Live without a dryer.

To us Americans it seems uncivilized, but Triestini say dryers are bad for your clothes. Right! I used to say, until I got used to not having one. Your clothes last longer, you spend less on electricity, and... what's not to like about waiting two days for your clothes to dry in winter? Actually, if you put on your de-humidifier in the bathroom overnight and it's cold enough to have the heat on, they dry overnight.

Don't shoot the messenger. This is what the Triestini do!

5. Have your apperitivo where there is free food.

Everyone now is having their happy hours in ViaTorrino, which is that street that goes up to Piazza Hortis. Do they have free food? I am not sure, but if they do, rest assured that if they do, the bar is full of Triestini having a drink and loading up so they can skip dinner.

6. Get your gas, cigarettes, and Sunday lunch in Slovenia.

Some things never change. Even Lorenzo Pilat addressed this in his Triestine Anthem "Finanziere" about Triestini coming back over the border from Slovenia smuggling meat and grappa when it was still Yugoslavia. It's not as cheap as it used to be, but there are still savings to be had by doing your grocery shopping and fill-ups in Slovenia, and, while you are there, loading up on mixed grill in a quantity-is-better-than-quality restaurant somewhere close by.

7. Buy wine in bulk, or "sfuso".

We get ours in Slovenia most of the time, but you can also go to places in town here and buy really nice wine by the liter. Bring your own 1.5 liter water bottles and transfer to glass bottles when you get home. Not recommended for bringing to someone's house if you are invited for dinner unless you got a really good verduzzo or you are really good friends. Note: drink it fast. It doesn't last as long as the bottled kind.

8. Go to the "Mercato del Ingrosso" on Saturday mornings

Where else can you get a CASE OF RADISHES for 2 euros?! (Next question, what the hell do you do with a CASE OF RADISHES??) This is the best of Triestine food shopping. There is hustle and bustle, people yelling, and forklifts. You can also bargain with the sellers who want to get rid of their stock on Saturday. The catch is that you have to buy things by the case, so go with a friend and split what you buy. Otherwise you will have carrots coming out of your ears after three days.

The Mercato here is open from 10am to 11am. Before that they are only open to merchants who buy the same food and mark it up to sell to the public in normal quantities.

BTW, if you want to buy in normal quantities but want that mercato feel, go to the Mercato Coperto in Largo Barriera. There you can also buy from local farmers. You can get things like eggs from real chickens there, too. I recommend it.

9. Make friends with a person with an "Orto"

I love people with vegetable gardens. Especially during tomato season. Beware of excess zucchini! I don't know what it is about that stuff, but everyone seems to plant too much zucchini and no one really likes it as far as I can tell.

11. Buy your car used.

This is how you tell the spenders from the savers! The savers have used cars they bought in cash. The spenders have new cars they buy with financing.

12. Maximize on the affordable luxuries.

Triestini buy a can of really expensive coffee ONCE and then use the can over and over again but filled with their favorite off brand of coffee. They swear that their secret brand is JUST AS GOOD and that NO ONE EVER NOTICES.

The fancy coffee can looks GREAT when you have guests!

That is what it is all about, of course, saving money but making it look like you spent LOTS! One time I got a really good deal on a summer dress. I was so excited I only paid 15 euros for it. I was announcing it to the world. My mother-in-law took me aside and advised me: "Karoline, you must NEVER reveal how much you paid for that dress, just wear it and look great."

The joy is in the secret.