There’s a lot of things I really like about this country. I like our neighborhood, living near the water, and the friends we’ve made so far. We enjoy the view of a pink and orange sunset over the bay from our balcony, and the city’s central park is a lot of fun. The zoo is only around $1 per person, which is really good for a toddler who likes loves is obsessed with animals. The local cuisine is pretty good, and who wouldn’t love getting a glass jar of milk at your doorstep every morning? It’s like living in the 50s.

But there is one thing that is REALLY frustrating. And it’s only getting worse.

It’s expensive here.

And the delightful little problem of the dollar’s value getting weaker by the minute worldwide is not doing much to help the problem.

This afternoon, I’m thinking specifically about groceries. I updated our budget yesterday, and evaluated our funds from this past month. I won’t give you the boring details, but let’s just say we spent $270 more than what was our monthly grocery budget in the States. And this was with counting every little penny (well, the penny’s equivalent here), purposely making frugal meals, sticking to my monthly menu plan, and only buying basic ingredients. Ouch.

It’s particularly painful because I consider myself a frugal person. I truly do enjoy finding ways to save money, and for this season of my life as a stay-at-home mom, I feel like it’s how I can contribute to the family finances – stretching our dollar as far as it will go.

A pound of semi-decent cheese (read: not cheddar) is about $7, three ounces of sour cream is about $3.20, a 15-ounce can of tomato paste is about $2.50, a pound of ground beef is a little under $6, and a gallon-equivalent of milk is a little over $6. And unfortunately, there’s no such thing as coupons here.

So I don’t have much of a point here, other than to ramble about what’s been on my mind the past few days. I really miss coupons, Goodwill, loss leaders, and craigslist. Call me cheap, but I think those things truly are unsung blessings of American culture, especially for a family who enjoys both saving money and eating real food. This culture actually values spending more for things. Garage sales would never work here, because no one values used things – it has to be brand spanking new for it to be worthwhile for your family. It makes you a good provider. You brag to your friends that you spent $82 on your sub-par blender.

We have many, many blessings, so I really hope it doesn’t sound like I’m whining. I also realize that we come from an American city that has a rather low cost of living compared to the rest of the country. It’s just something I miss – the saving, the scouting of great deals, the satisfaction that comes from scoring a stellar coupon.

Oddly enough, the weekly neighborhood market – as in, not the grocery store – is amazingly cheap. It’s basically an enormous farmer’s market, so not only is the food fresher and healthier, you can actually find some great deals here. This is where I get my little money-saving high, and where I’m doing my best to gather most of our food. Two pounds of tomatoes is about $.80, four pounds of potatoes is about $1.60, and half a pound of onions is about $.75. In season, fresh, juicy grapes are also about $.75 a pound. Raisins are $2 for a whole pound.

So the lesson here? In this country, buying locally, seasonally, and healthily is actually the cheapest way to go. It’s still going to cost an arm and a leg for dairy, meat, and canned goods, but if you can stretch veggies and fruits as far as possible, it just might be possible to not need a bank loan to eat food.

posted: 07 September 26
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