C
Chip00
Guest
Rice, beans, fruit and vegetables are cheap here if you know where to get them.
Food is expensive in the DR - nah
Rice, beans, fruit and vegetables are cheap here if you know where to get them.
Well, if you add up non-food items, yes they cost some and have to be calculated separately. From that point fo view I understand you.
I have also not calculated in my posti powdered infant milk and Huggies neither. That's additional cost, but it's not a tipical householf item that is calculated as a food cost.
Different tofu, a plethora of different miso, different types of nori and varieties of seawead to snack on, nut butters, nuts, seeds and the ultimate that I got used to here in the 'developed' world, veggie 'dogs. They've really improved these although we don't eat them much - too many chemicals. Made a magic spicy lentil dahl this evening, with brown basmati rice, home-made chutney and salad made of young nettle greens with locally collected mushrooms and miso dressing - and outside of the vegan world, cream cheese fruit balls rolled in toasted sesame seeds. We had all this with organic locally made red wine. Bellies are full and people are happy.
I found very few of these types of ingredients in the DR. Not quite mang? with fried eggs and red onions.
We have one person with a wheat allergy in the family and had to import some ingredients like spelt flour.
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I don't eat red meat but Bushbaby does. Our monthly food and household items total is around 12,000 pesos a month (that's 2 adults and 2 dogs, sorry, one dog after today (bye bye Salsa 
) plus food for another dog, not ours). Total used to be 10,000 pesos a month so yes it had gone up over past few months. That includes buying fish of which I eat a lot when BB's on the red meat but not much chicken. We have lots of salads, fruit etc and I make our cakes - my tooth isn't sweet enough for local ones. Rarely buy bananas because we grow our own plus grow own tomatoes. We don't use imported items - a habit we got into in the days when we were first here and living off local salaries.
) plus food for another dog, not ours). Total used to be 10,000 pesos a month so yes it had gone up over past few months. That includes buying fish of which I eat a lot when BB's on the red meat but not much chicken. We have lots of salads, fruit etc and I make our cakes - my tooth isn't sweet enough for local ones. Rarely buy bananas because we grow our own plus grow own tomatoes. We don't use imported items - a habit we got into in the days when we were first here and living off local salaries.Hey OP, you seem to be a bit on the heavy side. According to DR1's news the basic mealticket costs 7293 RD (I assume monthly, it doesn't say). That gives you 243 RD per day. You seemed to have splurged by spending 195 RD all on one meal. Now how do you plan to provide the other 2 meals for only 48 pesos?
Perhaps a little less Yucca next time.
Perhaps a little less Yucca next time.
CC, man, that is just... a lot of people.
The kid is still breastfed, so no milk. But since breast milk is basically a treat to her nowadays I supplement her diet with insane amounts of yogurt and cheese.
When husband is not here we eat a vegetarian + fish diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Vegetables make up about 50% of our daily intake. We eat very little rice and nowadays mix it a lot with bulgur (good source of fiber). We eat a lot of pulses and beans. We use half a liter of olive oil in two months, the kid likes butter on her morning toast though.
Nadia goes to daycare 3 days a week but she still brings the same snacks she eats at home.
The most expensive things we buy when husband is abroad are diapers, wipes , cleaning stuff and toiletries. We still spend what I consider an insane amount of money every week and it has been consistently going up for years.
Besides the obvious spike in prices the only thing that has changed for us is that we have a kid, one that eats quite a lot (and uses the energy to grow hair). I didn't know kids so young could be so expensive. I don't know how people below our means can afford more than one child.
The kid is still breastfed, so no milk. But since breast milk is basically a treat to her nowadays I supplement her diet with insane amounts of yogurt and cheese.
When husband is not here we eat a vegetarian + fish diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Vegetables make up about 50% of our daily intake. We eat very little rice and nowadays mix it a lot with bulgur (good source of fiber). We eat a lot of pulses and beans. We use half a liter of olive oil in two months, the kid likes butter on her morning toast though.
Nadia goes to daycare 3 days a week but she still brings the same snacks she eats at home.
The most expensive things we buy when husband is abroad are diapers, wipes , cleaning stuff and toiletries. We still spend what I consider an insane amount of money every week and it has been consistently going up for years.
Besides the obvious spike in prices the only thing that has changed for us is that we have a kid, one that eats quite a lot (and uses the energy to grow hair). I didn't know kids so young could be so expensive. I don't know how people below our means can afford more than one child.
Here in Maryland, mostly in the summer, there are farmers who bring in their wares/produce from surrounding rural counties. Practically all of it is below supermarket prices.
My family buys very good, fresh produce (especially the vine-ripened tomatoes) and taking into account the gas spent travelling, it still makes dollar sense to visit these places.
When I was a child there were such places, --mercado Modelo comes to mind--where people made their weekly shopping.
I wonder if there are still similar places where you can go to and save substantially?
My family buys very good, fresh produce (especially the vine-ripened tomatoes) and taking into account the gas spent travelling, it still makes dollar sense to visit these places.
When I was a child there were such places, --mercado Modelo comes to mind--where people made their weekly shopping.
I wonder if there are still similar places where you can go to and save substantially?
C
Chip00
Guest
Does the DR1 news/survey assume that the family has 5 adults and 3 children - more than likely not. I'm pretty sure the average family would be two adults and two children, so you could cut the cost by more than half easily.
thanks
My girlfriend's parents use a plot of public land 15 minutes behind where they live in La Union to grow various fruits/vegetables as well as raise some pigs. Her father is a maestro of construction but after a days work or on off days he can cultivate a good amount of crops. The family can eat what they need and sell the rest in front of their house to the neighborhood at slightly less than market prices.
The DR average no. of people per household is usually put at 5.
What I would like to know is what percentage of Dominican households earn below the basic family basket cost of RD$18,538.39 per month - that for me would be the real indicator of poverty. The UNDP's "living on less than US$2 per day" is one thing (40% of the DR population fall into that category) but there are many people earning slightly more than that who are not considered "below the poverty line" even though they can't afford the absolute basics.
What I would like to know is what percentage of Dominican households earn below the basic family basket cost of RD$18,538.39 per month - that for me would be the real indicator of poverty. The UNDP's "living on less than US$2 per day" is one thing (40% of the DR population fall into that category) but there are many people earning slightly more than that who are not considered "below the poverty line" even though they can't afford the absolute basics.
C
Chip00
Guest
I can tell you where I used to live outside of Moca that of all of the families there, around 100, I doubt 10 made this much a month. There montly average would probably be between RD5k and RD12k.
C
Chip00
Guest
Cheap veggies
Update: Just bought the following from our friendly vegetable vendor with his annoying bullhorn:
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 large head of lettuce
- 2 tomatoes
- 6 mangoes
- 1 pineapple
- 3 eggplants
- 15 plaintains
All this for RD100!!!!!! (US 3.12)
Try that at your friendly Publix back home, hahahaha!
Update: Just bought the following from our friendly vegetable vendor with his annoying bullhorn:
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 large head of lettuce
- 2 tomatoes
- 6 mangoes
- 1 pineapple
- 3 eggplants
- 15 plaintains
All this for RD100!!!!!! (US 3.12)
Try that at your friendly Publix back home, hahahaha!
do tell where
Where is the best places to buy these items in the Santiago area on a regular basis? Assume one has a car to get around and enough money to stock up on non perishables. Also, what about meats?
thanks
Where is the best places to buy these items in the Santiago area on a regular basis? Assume one has a car to get around and enough money to stock up on non perishables. Also, what about meats?
thanks
C
Chip00
Guest
I buy my meat and non perishables in El Nacional as they are quite reasonable believe it or not.
I had been buying veggies there until I found my little gold mine.