Saving Money in the DR

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cjp2010

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Not sure this was the right place for this. I saw the sticky on cost of living, but this is more about ways to save money and not what anything actually costs.

Just a few tips for some folks that might be looking to save some money or wondering why they're not saving as much as they thought they would when they moved here. If you are just living it up and not looking to save money this wont' be for you.

1. If you rent, re-negotiate it. And never pay an up-charge after just one year (or whatever your term is). First, don't let your landlord tell you when it is time to renew the lease that he wants more moeny. There is too much competition for renters. You might pay him the same if you like the place but don't pay more. After a few years in one place, maybe, but not year after year. Also, try negotiating it lower yourself. Rents drop around here often. Last time we were set to renew ours we were paying $725. The landlord said he wanted to put $800 on the new lease. I told him we have a big problem because I don't want to pay $725 again, much less $800. I told him we could get a similar place for $550 now since rents have come down. He said OK, he'll keep it at $725. I said OK, we'll be moving. He came back the next day and offered it at $600 and we accepted.

2. Don't shop where the tourists shop. For example don't buy all your groceries at Playero. You may get some stuff there that you can't find everywhere else but how many locals do you see shopping there when they aren't with an Expat/tourist. There is a reason for that. You may not find everything you are looking for but if you head over to Associacion in Charamicos or to any of the fruit stores over there you will find stuff cheaper. Playero is only going to be cheaper if they have a special "oferta".

3. Walk away when you are negotiating a price. If you walk away they will be forced to sell you at the price you want or they will lose your business. If they don't meet your price maybe you are a bit off on how you value the item. No worries, if you want it go to someone else selling the same thing and use the same technique but be willing to pay a little more. By the way this technique also helps them to meet your price much faster the next time once they start to know who you are and know you will leave and not buy.

4. Cut back on tips. It is not normal to tip your barber here. It is normal to tip at bars and restaurants but not 25, 20, 18 or even 15 percent. 10 percent is normal. Of course if you really like someone's service do what you want. I'm just pointing out that the tip expectations here are much different than they probably are where you are from. Also some restaurants here do include the tip. Most don't but a few more start doing it every now and then. So before you tip make sure it isn't included.

5. Read your bills. Every bill. They can be wrong. Here it happens more due to less education and less technology. Sometimes it may be intentional but it is usually just a mistake. Check it carefully. And don't get irate and start yelling like a maniac right away. Give them a chance to fix it. A couple of weeks ago a really laid into a restaurant owner that tried to rip me off but that was after I explained the problem with the bill first and gave him a chance to fix it. He just played stupid so I let him have it. I only do that after I know you are trying to play me.

6. Get Vonage or Magic Jack or something like that or even Skype if you want to call out of the country a lot. If you need to receive calls you can have Vonage forward to your Dominican cell phone and nobody will know. That is important for me for work reasons. If you want to make local calls a Dominican cell phone will be cheaper. A foreign cell phone will pay roaming charges.

7. Use the public taxi or the guagua if you can take the crowd. A public taxi to Puerto Plata is $45 pesos. You would spend more on gas for your car. And if you don't like sitting four to the back seat of a small sedan you can pay for two seats and have more room. If you travel with a friend you can split the cost of the extra empty seat. The cab driver is happy as long as he has four fares for the back seat, he doesn't care if he has four bodies.

8. Get health insurance if you don't have it. Dominican health insurance is cheap and covers a lot. OK doctors here are cheap too compared to what we are used to but the nickels and dimes can add up. You don't even have to have residency to be covered. Mine is about $14,000 pesos for the whole year. If I got to the doctor I only pay $300 pesos not $1,000. If I need blood work, x-rays, whatever it is almost always free or at most I may pay $200 pesos. Actually I hardly never go to the doctor so I'm losing money on this deal for now but I figure I need it in case something big happens. Also if you don't have it and end up getting cancer or heart disease or something some day you won't be able to get coverage for it then. IMG also offers nice international insurance plans that work here. It is a bit more costly. That is what I had when I first moved to the country and was paying $1,200 dollars per year for it. When you need the insurance you'll be sorry if you don't have it.

9. If you are out drinking get the big beer. Get a glass if you need to. If you worry about it getting warm ask the bartender to put it on ice, it won't be a problem. If you are just going to buy two small ones anyway why not buy one big one. It's about 2 ounces difference. The cost for two small ones may be $160 pesos but one big one is just $90 or $100. It's not much but if you are drinking enough it adds up. I don't pay any attention to this one myself. You have to drink a lot for this to make a real difference but if you are one of those who puts back 6 - 12 a night six times a week then this might add up to a nice steak dinner.

10. Hit the classifieds. Some of the prices that some people want are ridiculous but you will see many good things there and may even be able to trade some stuff.

11. Ask your Dominican friends. If you don't have any, just ask workers at the restaurant you frequent or whatever. It's good to ask the other expats, especially those that have lived here for a long time but asking a Dominican is a good way to find where something is cheaper and how much you should honestly expect to pay. Again, it should be someone you know fairly well and never follow them to "I have the guy for you". In other words don't let them think they can somehow profit from the question. My Dominican friends always find me deals I don't think are possible.
 

Castellamonte

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0. First and foremost do not show your pale, white gringo face to someone when you are trying to negotiate something. I always send in one of my Dominican friends (the real ones, not those who want a tip to help you out) to get the best possible rate. Works for me!
 

cjp2010

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Castellamonte - Right you are. Very good one, sorry I left it out. Don't just ask your Dominican friends where and what to pay but ask them to get it for you.

Derfish - Years ago none of the locals knew what a tip was. But after all the tourists and expats came down and tipped them they figured it out. And many of the business owners here know what it is.

How unexpected is it? My wife's sister works at a tourist bar and says about 1/3 to 1/2 of the people tip her 10%. She has come to expect a certain amount of money in tips every week.

My wife who is Dominican does tip some times. She did this even when we first met and she used her money for everything, which she didn't have much of. Again, not frequently but sometimes she would.

That said, would a Dominican tip for most things, anything? No, most probably would not. But that doesn't mean nobody ever should. We can't say how badly or wrongly Dominicans do things all the time and then when it suits us do exactly the same thing.

So yes tipping does happen here, it just isn't something you feel like you have to do like in some other places. Heck, in the U.S. you would feel bad if you didn't leave a tip for average service. Here I wouldn't tip for average service, but for really good service I would. And if you are a tipper and feel that way you shouldn't change. But you should know what is a good tip so you don't over do it.

We always talk about how horrible service is and how slow everything is. Remember that the people serving you make less than 1/2 of what you would consider minimum wage anywhere else. So why shouldn't they work 1/2 as good and half as fast? Then if they actually do a good job even by our standards shouldn't we reward them?

And yes some (I mean very few) restaurants do include it now. They aren't stupid. They know they can make extra money doing it. They now it is done in other places. People talk. There are foreign restaurant owners here. Read the bottom of the menus and the bills more carefully.

But this post isn't about whether or not we should tip and where we should tip. We could have a whole other debate on that. This is more about saving money and pointing out that if you are a tipper that the customary tips here are lower.
 

bob saunders

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We always talk about how horrible service is and how slow everything is. Remember that the people serving you make less than 1/2 of what you would consider minimum wage anywhere else. So why shouldn't they work 1/2 as good and half as fast? Then if they actually do a good job even by our standards shouldn't we reward them?
[/QUOTE

Say what? How much you make should have nothing to do with your work ethic and attitude. I was watching construction workers pouring a roof today. All of them , Dominicans and Haitians worked like hell from 7 am until 2 pm, non-stop. They don't get paid well.
 

cjp2010

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Maybe I could have phrased that differently. I wasn't actually trying to say they really should work 1/2 as good. My point was that we shouldn't tear people down for doing a bad service but not reward them for doing a good service. A job has a standard expectation of what is acceptable performance. Some people do just that. Some people do far less and some people do far more. If we rip on the ones who do far less then lets somehow reward the ones who do far better even if it is nothing more than a compliment. In my work I get rewarded by contract extensions and 5% increases without negotiation every year since I do (or at least my customers think I do) good work. If I did standard work I may get the extensions but I wouldn't get the increases all the time. If I did horrible work I wouldn't get my contracts renewed.
 

Salsafan

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A question about the dominican privat health insurance: Do they insist on health check and does the price depend of the results/age and/or are they excluding the found deseases ?
 

Criss Colon

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Wanna save a TON of PESOS???????
EASY!
Never have a long term relationship, and NEVER Marry, a Dominicano/a !!!!!!!!
I limit my "Relationships" to about 1 to 2 hours!
18 years with my "Dominicana" has taught me that!
I can't "afford" her, let alone any more!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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9. If you are out drinking get the big beer. Get a glass if you need to. If you worry about it getting warm ask the bartender to put it on ice, it won't be a problem. If you are just going to buy two small ones anyway why not buy one big one. It's about 2 ounces difference. The cost for two small ones may be $160 pesos but one big one is just $90 or $100. It's not much but if you are drinking enough it adds up. I don't pay any attention to this one myself. You have to drink a lot for this to make a real difference but if you are one of those who puts back 6 - 12 a night six times a week then this might add up to a nice steak dinner.


On the one hand you are cautionning people about tipping too much, then you turn around and suggest asking a busy bartender to keep your bloody big bottle of beer "on ice".........Come on, get real.

And don't forget that "Tipping is not a city in China". :cheeky:
 

Omar_NYC

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Mar 22, 2013
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Wanna save a TON of PESOS???????
EASY!
Never have a long term relationship, and NEVER Marry, a Dominicano/a !!!!!!!!
I limit my "Relationships" to about 1 to 2 hours!
18 years with my "Dominicana" has taught me that!
I can't "afford" her, let alone any more!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

:(

I really like the one I met in your country recently. But she has two kids. The money I spent with her while I was there added up fast. And it was mostly food.

But I still do like her. A lot.
 

Omar_NYC

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Mar 22, 2013
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Funny the OP mentions tipping.

I went to a bar with the lady I met in DR during my stay there not far from where she lives. Whenever I'd buy Presidentes from the bartender, I'd tip her something between $100 to 300 pesos and she'd give me a look like she wants to give me her number. I guess you're right.. The expectation for gratuities is probably null.
 

cjp2010

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Mar 25, 2013
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salesfan - Prices will depend on age. They do not insist on health checks. At least mine with Humano did not do one. However, any pre-existing condition you may have would be excluded if they ever did determine it was pre-existing. There is also a three month wait in your first year of coverage before you can use it for anything other than an emergency. This is so they have time to determine if you are suffering from pre-existing conditions. It would cover you if you broke your arm, but you couldn't go with something like high blood pressure and expect to get a prescription renewed. Then they would just note that high blood pressure is a pre-existing condition for you.

criss - I am happily married to a Dominican woman and she actually helps me save more money. That said she is my age and I didn't meet her at a pick up bar. I do believe the young girls hanging at the bar waiting for the tourist to stop in can easily start sucking you dry if you let them. Those relationships really should be limited to one to two hours or none.

flyinroom - I would tip the busy bartender who kept my beer on ice. But those who want to tip should understand that a 20% tip is very extensive even though it may be normal in their homeland. I don't know why everybody is so anti-tipping here. I tip for very good service and amazingly those people who I have tipped are very nice and put in even more effort every time I go back. Those who don't tip at all, never must be the ones that are always complaining about poor service everywhere. Tipping is not required anywhere in the world but where some of us come from you almost feel obligated to do it. Still you would have some cases of very poor service where you wouldn't. Here you don't feel obligated to tip at all, but why not if the service is extremely good.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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Funny the OP mentions tipping.

I went to a bar with the lady I met in DR during my stay there not far from where she lives. Whenever I'd buy Presidentes from the bartender, I'd tip her something between $100 to 300 pesos and she'd give me a look like she wants to give me her number. I guess you're right.. The expectation for gratuities is probably null.

That is an obscene tip, $RD50 on a round is "normal", she probably would have taken care of your "tip" for another $RD300!
 

Omar_NYC

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Mar 22, 2013
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That is an obscene tip, $RD50 on a round is "normal", she probably would have taken care of your "tip" for another $RD300!

The way she looked at me every time I tipped her, you're probably right.

But I didn't feel right tipping her only RD$100. That's only US$2 lol
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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The way she looked at me every time I tipped her, you're probably right.

But I didn't feel right tipping her only RD$100. That's only US$2 lol

Do you tip the entire shift pay to a NYC bartender/round?
If you tip $RD300 on every round, she will expect that from every dumb gringo that shows up @ the bar, and your service level is not any better than tipping once.

It's your money, I tip heavy on the first round to ensure great service, but seriously fellow, that is excessive. I guess you were trying to look like a "player" in front of your novia, I hope it worked, what did you tip her?
 
Wanna save a TON of PESOS???????
EASY!
Never have a long term relationship, and NEVER Marry, a Dominicano/a !!!!!!!!
I limit my "Relationships" to about 1 to 2 hours!
18 years with my "Dominicana" has taught me that!
I can't "afford" her, let alone any more!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Been married close to ten years now, and i must say this is the most important post here.

So people: Cut of your dick, become gay- or rent a bed companion of the sex of your choice will save you half a nigerian national budget.
 
Feb 15, 2005
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On the one hand you are cautionning people about tipping too much, then you turn around and suggest asking a busy bartender to keep your bloody big bottle of beer "on ice".........Come on, get real.

And don't forget that "Tipping is not a city in China". :cheeky:

I don't get your reply. The OP has indicated to tip good service, therefore, tipping a bartender for keeping your beer cold would qualify in my book and deserve the extra 10%. What's so complicated?
 
Feb 15, 2005
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:(

I really like the one I met in your country recently. But she has two kids. The money I spent with her while I was there added up fast. And it was mostly food.

But I still do like her. A lot.

hahaha, and it will get better. Just wait until it keeps adding up the more you like her. Until you find yourself paying for an apartment so that according to her "podemos tener privacidad".
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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oh, for crying out loud, leave the tipping alone! it's about saving, not tipping, ok?

and i conclude that saving in DR is not really possible. so i do not go out much, i have no AC, i buy local stuff, blah blah. at the end of the day everything i "saved" goes towards visiting home. it is not possible to save on a middle class salary.
 
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