- Thread starter attny2b
- Start date
supermarket prices
Well, don't tell anyone, but I do something like that already.
There's the smooth wine for before you're drunk and the rot-gut for after that point when you and your guests won't notice anymore. How bad can it be? It says "Bottled in Puerto Plata" and costs like 45 pesos a bottle ...
There's the smooth wine for before you're drunk and the rot-gut for after that point when you and your guests won't notice anymore. How bad can it be? It says "Bottled in Puerto Plata" and costs like 45 pesos a bottle ...
Thank you all. This is one of my first times using this site and as it appears, it's been very helpful and somewhat amusing Yes, I'm going to the DR on a limited budget. Just finished law school but in definite need of a vacation after the bar exam this month!
Yes, I'm going to the DR on a limited budget. Just finished law school but in definite need of a vacation after the bar exam this month!Great ideas AZB.
Just coming home from meeting a friend who made fun of my money-saving schemes I was thinking of starting a thread in my website about tricks to save money.
If you eat local products and are willing to cook some of your food you could live with as little as US$30/week. If like me you are frugal that will even leave you room to the odd night out. And you can always eat lots of fruit here, they are yummy, cheap and healthy.
Just coming home from meeting a friend who made fun of my money-saving schemes I was thinking of starting a thread in my website about tricks to save money.
If you eat local products and are willing to cook some of your food you could live with as little as US$30/week. If like me you are frugal that will even leave you room to the odd night out. And you can always eat lots of fruit here, they are yummy, cheap and healthy.
Pib, this is a serious question prompted by all the worry expressed by Domincans that I know who must feed several people on salaries that have remained the same even though prices for many things have doubled.
What does it cost per week for a husband, wife and child to eat well, not only getting enough to fill the stomach but also getting the proper mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat? What I am hearing makes me think that many today are filling their stomachs, but doing it with white rice (no nutrition value) and other carbohydrates.
What does it cost per week for a husband, wife and child to eat well, not only getting enough to fill the stomach but also getting the proper mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat? What I am hearing makes me think that many today are filling their stomachs, but doing it with white rice (no nutrition value) and other carbohydrates.
IMHO
you are worrying about the wrong things. You've completed law school, paid for the bar, probably have a job in your pocket. You paid for the ticket to fly here. So, approximately $120,000.00 dollars later and you're worried about overspending by1/1000th of a % on yourself.
You are a champion! Treat yourself like one! You will have the next 5 years to pay back the extra 100-200 dollars it's going to cost you for two weeks.
And if it really makes that much of a difference I'll lend it to you on the condition that you "vacation"
you are worrying about the wrong things. You've completed law school, paid for the bar, probably have a job in your pocket. You paid for the ticket to fly here. So, approximately $120,000.00 dollars later and you're worried about overspending by1/1000th of a % on yourself.
You are a champion! Treat yourself like one! You will have the next 5 years to pay back the extra 100-200 dollars it's going to cost you for two weeks.
And if it really makes that much of a difference I'll lend it to you on the condition that you "vacation"
I agree with Ken and Pib, this is a serious question and the peso falling has made our family look seriously at what we buy and what we eat. I know that it is actually a drop in the bucket of expenses, but we saw some amazing things. If we go to the supermarket and buy just local, our bill at the end of the day is an average of 1-2000 pesos less for a week, than our usual shopping bill. We spend about 5-6000 pesos a week, but then we have a large household and many visitors.
So, it was time for new kitchen rules - Imports are out, local is in. (excepting for English Tea and aged cheese). More dominican style eating, and it is quite fun to adapt our collection of South African and American and English and Swedish recipes to a dominican kitchen. Pib will be amazed if she sees what we do with a yucca
So, it was time for new kitchen rules - Imports are out, local is in. (excepting for English Tea and aged cheese). More dominican style eating, and it is quite fun to adapt our collection of South African and American and English and Swedish recipes to a dominican kitchen. Pib will be amazed if she sees what we do with a yucca
I have always stayed at a place with Breakfast included. I always bought some Dominican Cheese, Peperoni or some such slicing stick, some sort of crackers or chips, beer, eggs to hard boil to have for lunch and always go out for a decent meal which by US standards is a bargain in the DR. Eating at Rockys in Sosua steak dinner or garlic chicken was about 110-120 Pesos. Lots of places to go in this price catagory.
So I would have breakfast in the hotel, lunch on my balcony when I couldnt take the sun any longer which was usually by lunch time or a little later and dinner out.
One mans pleasure is not usually everyone elses but what the heck this didn't add up to the cost of taking a woman out for one meal at a decent restaurant in the states for a week in the DR.
If you drink the alchohol bill will always equal or exceed your food bill. A mixed drink while ordering, nice bottle of wine and an after dinner drink. Man I am looking forward to dinner now
Scott
So I would have breakfast in the hotel, lunch on my balcony when I couldnt take the sun any longer which was usually by lunch time or a little later and dinner out.
One mans pleasure is not usually everyone elses but what the heck this didn't add up to the cost of taking a woman out for one meal at a decent restaurant in the states for a week in the DR.
If you drink the alchohol bill will always equal or exceed your food bill. A mixed drink while ordering, nice bottle of wine and an after dinner drink. Man I am looking forward to dinner now
Scott
ken..
i tried responding yesterday but when i previewed the post i lost it. I'm not yet facile in cyber world. Regardless of the culture you are living in, basic food costs certainly can be reduced to a manageable budget. 1st thing. Get rid of sugar, all refined flours, any thing that has a name of more than 8 letters. 2nd. you/they must change the mind set. One must control the food sources for both quality of nutritional value and containing costs.
Most of what you're asking can easily be accessed via computer. the key is to buy in bulk; do most of your own cooking; freeze and store accordingly; remember, in a food budget, spending 50 pesos a day for, what ever, vs. saving that same 50 pesos in a bank will return to the family unit over 500,000. pesos in 15 years.(@ 25%) when shopping shop with mix and match in mind. Beans, rice, yucca, plantainos, etc. are all good foods but they are incomplete as protein.they lack the basic amino acids to complete them. Amazing how all those ignorant, backward 3rd world peoples have worked this out by themselfs by mixing the correct foods to complete them and gain the most. No Mcdonalds! or fast food. Hate to say it but no breads.
Is there anything cheaper than chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits purchased at an INESPRE as PIB suggested, sauces made by hand instead of by can, powdered milk is of the highest quality protein and costs a max of 10 cents per gram. Have them give up fried, deep fried, battered, buttered, coated, foods.
I suspect this is not what you were looking for as an answer and I apoligize if I give offense. None intended. It ain't easy. But as you go on it gets better. You're stronger, healthier, eating a whole lot better than your amigos and will have more money in your budget. John
i tried responding yesterday but when i previewed the post i lost it. I'm not yet facile in cyber world. Regardless of the culture you are living in, basic food costs certainly can be reduced to a manageable budget. 1st thing. Get rid of sugar, all refined flours, any thing that has a name of more than 8 letters. 2nd. you/they must change the mind set. One must control the food sources for both quality of nutritional value and containing costs.
Most of what you're asking can easily be accessed via computer. the key is to buy in bulk; do most of your own cooking; freeze and store accordingly; remember, in a food budget, spending 50 pesos a day for, what ever, vs. saving that same 50 pesos in a bank will return to the family unit over 500,000. pesos in 15 years.(@ 25%) when shopping shop with mix and match in mind. Beans, rice, yucca, plantainos, etc. are all good foods but they are incomplete as protein.they lack the basic amino acids to complete them. Amazing how all those ignorant, backward 3rd world peoples have worked this out by themselfs by mixing the correct foods to complete them and gain the most. No Mcdonalds! or fast food. Hate to say it but no breads.
Is there anything cheaper than chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits purchased at an INESPRE as PIB suggested, sauces made by hand instead of by can, powdered milk is of the highest quality protein and costs a max of 10 cents per gram. Have them give up fried, deep fried, battered, buttered, coated, foods.
I suspect this is not what you were looking for as an answer and I apoligize if I give offense. None intended. It ain't easy. But as you go on it gets better. You're stronger, healthier, eating a whole lot better than your amigos and will have more money in your budget. John
Yeah, Chris, but how much additional do you spend on Marmite? And I assume the bills go way don't when we don't stop over during the week for a little (pardon the reverse exaggeration) wine and conversation!
Eat mostly veggies...I love eggplant with tomatoes onion and garlic on top of some potatoes. Eggs. Fruits. If your hungry when out go to a colamdo and get a piece of pan and a slice of cheese and ham and have a sandwich.
Its hard for me to buy in bulk...no freezer and then I'd be worried that the power would go out and I'd lose it all.
I maybe spend about 300 nore or less a week and that includes a can of sardines and pan for the dog food.
Now remember..thats on food. If you count my beer bill its probably about the same a week. Depends on how many invites out I get.
But really if you eat verries. Local stuff. Make tuna your meat of choice. Fresh fish is cheep. Stews and soups..beans and rice..eggs...veggies...soy when you want meat texture. You can eat cheep and healthy.
Also if you get the beans and rice with chicken for lunch I usually take half home and thats a whole other meal. This way you can afford to buy more Presidente!!!
Its hard for me to buy in bulk...no freezer and then I'd be worried that the power would go out and I'd lose it all.
I maybe spend about 300 nore or less a week and that includes a can of sardines and pan for the dog food.
Now remember..thats on food. If you count my beer bill its probably about the same a week. Depends on how many invites out I get.
But really if you eat verries. Local stuff. Make tuna your meat of choice. Fresh fish is cheep. Stews and soups..beans and rice..eggs...veggies...soy when you want meat texture. You can eat cheep and healthy.
Also if you get the beans and rice with chicken for lunch I usually take half home and thats a whole other meal. This way you can afford to buy more Presidente!!!
Listen to Julia
Oy! Duhtree. You're right of course, but life's too short! And champagne has more than 8 letters!
Someone once tried to sandbag master French Chef Julia Childs with a question about how she could eat all that fatty French food, and didn't she worry about heart attacks, and cholesterol, and yaddy-yaddy-yaddy. She listened politley and when he had finally wound down she responded that it'd only seem to him like he had lived longer because he'd be having a miserable time while she actually enjoyed what she was eating!
Looks like it worked. She's still going strong!
P.S.
And I bet she'd enjoy Presidentes, too!
Oy! Duhtree. You're right of course, but life's too short! And champagne has more than 8 letters!
Someone once tried to sandbag master French Chef Julia Childs with a question about how she could eat all that fatty French food, and didn't she worry about heart attacks, and cholesterol, and yaddy-yaddy-yaddy. She listened politley and when he had finally wound down she responded that it'd only seem to him like he had lived longer because he'd be having a miserable time while she actually enjoyed what she was eating!
Looks like it worked. She's still going strong!
P.S.
And I bet she'd enjoy Presidentes, too!
thanks Duhtree. Unfortunately, I don't have a job lined up as of now....first things first...the bar exam...then DR! I'm kidding...a little. I will promise you, I am doing nothing but "vacationing" when I get down there this August. Can't wait to relax on the gorgeous beaches! I just wanted to have some idea what it will cost to eat if I choose to cook all of my meals...as in Boston it's cheaper to cook in than eat out...getting the feeling it's almost reverse in DR! Thanks to all of you for your "tips".
attny2b said:
Especially if you order meals favored by Dominicans. See where Dominicans eat and go there rather than the tourist restaurants.
Also, don't think only in terms of "regular" restaurants. Some panaderias (bakeries), for example, also have a cafeteria that caters to Dominicans. You can get a lot of food for around RD$60.
Dining Dominican Style........
..........is definately the way to go if your on a budget. There is a little Dominican restaurant as you're headed east out of Cabarete on the right side of the road. It looks like an old tin garage with a covered patio. Beans and rice, plantains, chicken or pork, and a little salad for less than US$2. My wife and I have eaten there a few times (it's right across the street from our house). Basic but good and no serious side effects. I think it might be open only for lunch. After lunch you can stop at a little open air Dominican bar across the street for the cheapest Presidente in town and a fantastic view of the ocean. If you stop at the bar, say hi to Maribelle from Tom And Mary from Minneapolis. Enjoy your stay.
..........is definately the way to go if your on a budget. There is a little Dominican restaurant as you're headed east out of Cabarete on the right side of the road. It looks like an old tin garage with a covered patio. Beans and rice, plantains, chicken or pork, and a little salad for less than US$2. My wife and I have eaten there a few times (it's right across the street from our house). Basic but good and no serious side effects. I think it might be open only for lunch. After lunch you can stop at a little open air Dominican bar across the street for the cheapest Presidente in town and a fantastic view of the ocean. If you stop at the bar, say hi to Maribelle from Tom And Mary from Minneapolis. Enjoy your stay.
XanaduRanch said:
Xanadu cries again. Yes actually I would think that a direct comparison a prices from my store in the US to the store in Sosua makes me an expert on comparing prices from those stores. That is the opinion I offered. They are not up for debate as they were factual. You can argue that you may need other types of items than we buy, but yes 80% was a good comparison.
Caveat Emptor
Then you're buying your groceries, where? Disney World? No No No! I got it Universal Studios! Yeah that's the ticket!
From your posts, arguments, and insults with practically everyone on the board from Robert to Chris, to Tony to Escott, to Pib and on and on and on I realize this may be about as effective as talking to a block of wood, but: People might *almost* begin to take your idiotic posts serioulsy again if you just ONCE backed any of your OPINIONS up with a little background. "80%" of ... what? Without telling anyone here where you buy your groceries normally that comparison is meaningless. If you buy groceries in London, possibly. If you live in Port-au-Prince, definitely not. Can you grasp that concept?
Once again folks, take anything this guy says for what it's worth. Just do a search of his posts by clicking on his handle and read the other ridiculous comments he's made, and how many people on the board have actually agreed with even one post. It's funny reading!
Let's see if you can make an intelligent reply and answer the question without whining "Xanadu's being mean to me!" I bet you can't.
By the way, the only tears I've had in my eyes are from laughing at your posts.
Then you're buying your groceries, where? Disney World? No No No! I got it Universal Studios! Yeah that's the ticket!
From your posts, arguments, and insults with practically everyone on the board from Robert to Chris, to Tony to Escott, to Pib and on and on and on I realize this may be about as effective as talking to a block of wood, but: People might *almost* begin to take your idiotic posts serioulsy again if you just ONCE backed any of your OPINIONS up with a little background. "80%" of ... what? Without telling anyone here where you buy your groceries normally that comparison is meaningless. If you buy groceries in London, possibly. If you live in Port-au-Prince, definitely not. Can you grasp that concept?
Once again folks, take anything this guy says for what it's worth. Just do a search of his posts by clicking on his handle and read the other ridiculous comments he's made, and how many people on the board have actually agreed with even one post. It's funny reading!
Let's see if you can make an intelligent reply and answer the question without whining "Xanadu's being mean to me!" I bet you can't.
By the way, the only tears I've had in my eyes are from laughing at your posts.
Give him the benefit of the doubt, XR. It's possible he is eating "Dominican" even though living in the DR. I'm sure that rice, beans, platanos, green bananas, yuca, chivo, etc., are less expensive here than there. That is the only explanation I can think of for why his one shopping trip caused him to think that prices here are 80% of those in the US.