Are The Price Increases Affecting You?

[ajoknoblauch]

To me it's interesting that all of these posts discuss how to spend less money, but not how to address what seems to be the real problem: that pay increases appear to not be keeping pace with inflation. Do any of you work with your respective unions to collectively demand better pay increases?

The Argentine economy has a structural inflation problem that is not going to be changed any time soon (without the terrible results of past efforts), and patchwork savings tricks can only be a temporary solution. Do expats avail themselves of the advantages Argentine workers have of well-organised collective bargaining?

¿Quién organizará el nuevo Sindicato de Profesionales Permaturistas?

 

[Rich One]

To me it's interesting that all of these posts discuss how to spend less money, but not how to address what seems to be the real problem: that pay increases appear to not be keeping pace with inflation. Do any of you work with your respective unions to collectively demand better pay increases?

The Argentine economy has a structural inflation problem that is not going to be changed any time soon (without the terrible results of past efforts), and patchwork savings tricks can only be a temporary solution. Do expats avail themselves of the advantages Argentine workers have of well-organised collective bargaining?

One can assume that Expats are not part of the Strong trade Unions like Camioneros, or Gastronomicos, perhaps mostly, monotributistas, Pimes or en NEGRO

 

[sleslie23]

As a comparison, here are some of the prices from my most recent grocery tab. This is from Whole Foods, which is probably THE most expensive chain in the US to buy food (it's the only place close to where I live). Other supermarket chains would be much cheaper. Prices in USD:

tuna (116g) 2.67
almonds (340g) 6.99
brown rice (970g) 5.49

cabbage 1.69/pound
ginger 6.99/pound
grapefruit 1.49/pound
apples 1.99/pound
onions .99/pound

avocados 2.69/each

Some things are definitely more expensive here (though not by much), but others not. 3 months ago, a can of crappy tuna was pushing 30 pesos in the local chino. The verdu was even worse.

I definitely don't miss inflation in Argentina and the stress of having to figure out how to cut expenses. I feel bad for all my friends in Argentina and my BAExpat comrades.

 

[sleslie23]

To me it's interesting that all of these posts discuss how to spend less money, but not how to address what seems to be the real problem: that pay increases appear to not be keeping pace with inflation. Do any of you work with your respective unions to collectively demand better pay increases?

The Argentine economy has a structural inflation problem that is not going to be changed any time soon (without the terrible results of past efforts), and patchwork savings tricks can only be a temporary solution. Do expats avail themselves of the advantages Argentine workers have of well-organised collective bargaining?

Not all industries are unionized. Tech workers, for example, are not, which means any increases are at the whim of the employer - usually a US company that doesn't understand the idea of inflationary salary increase.

 

[Rich One]

I'm curious to know if there are a lot of vacant store fronts in the Capital now. There are a few in Bahia Blanca but by no means an alarming number, at least not yet.

Perhaps 30 % vacancies along Av, Santa Fe and Florida St. 2 years ago not one for rent available. In some areas 4 empty stores per block! See article.

http://www.infobae.com/2014/04/27/1560191-volvio-crecer-la-cantidad-locales-vacios-la-ciudad

 

[steveinbsas]

I definitely don't miss inflation in Argentina and the stress of having to figure out how to cut expenses. I feel bad for all my friends in Argentina and my BAExpat comrades.

Thanks for posting the price list of the items from Whole Foods. I recently checked prices on line at Safeway in California and found prices for many items to be less in Argentina, BUT there can also be a HUGE difference in QUALITY as well as SELECTION.

Even though I don't buy prepared salad dressing, pickles, or canned fruit in either country, the difference in variety and quality is staggering. The same goes for cookies (I love Safeway's "Select" varieties which were often offered on sale at two for the price of one).

I no longer miss the variety of canned beans because it is so much more cost effective to buy dried beans: porotos colorados (red kidney beans) for example, and prepare them myself when making chili con carne, but they have become much less easy to find in supermarkets in the past year.

The cheapest canned tuna from Carrefour (which I bought by mistake last year) is really awful. I could not even smell it without gagging and there is nothing here that compares favorably to the "white tuna" that is available in the US.

I haven't seen any canned salmon or canned soup such as Healthy Choice or Campbell's (that are obviously imported) in a long time. I'd rather buy clam chowder than prepare it myself, but I wouldn't pay more than $5 USD per can for it in Argentina.

 

[Ceviche]

Life is very tough, these days cos of the expenses. I struggle to eat ceviche often enough, in my favourite Peruvian restaurants.

 

[EdRooney]

Ceviche, lay off the 'roids. Think of the children for chrissakes.

 

[Napoleon]

Life is very tough, these days cos of the expenses. I struggle to eat ceviche often enough, in my favourite Peruvian restaurants.

I made ceviche in January and it was awesome. Made it again (this time without help) in February and it was still pretty good. My biggest problem was finding cilantro. (That was nearly impossible the first time and actually was impossible the second time.)

But it's so much cheaper to make ceviche than to buy it.

 

[Ceviche]

My biggest problem was finding cilantro. (That was nearly impossible the first time and actually was impossible the second time.

Some expensive Cilantro is usually available in Jumbo . Nice/clean/fresh..