How far will $1500 a month go in the interior

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

I don't really disagree with your wider point, although I think the level of personal debt in European countries and the US/Canada suggests people in those countries are pretty decent at squandering larger sums of money too.

A FAIR POINT!

But what I had in mind during my post was that the typical American isn't on a guilt trip to share their money with their family like they are in Argentina. In EE UU, the attitude is more like, you have your money why do you need mine? Or, go get a job and do some work!

With respect to the debt levels ... People have much more rope in EE UU ... So yes! Of COURSE! They get in a lot deeper. But again, I had something else in mind during my post ... I was thinking that when a person in EE UU has a large sum of money in their hands ... they aren't like a child in a candy store buying little things in great quantities ... they go for the big ticket item. One or two big things.

Mind you, all of what I am saying is a generalization and it does not fit all. But - On the whole this is a financial, cultural difference that Fiscal needs to understand and work with. I have a lot of years working with this culture (Working may not be the correct word here ... interacting might be better?) and I have found what I am sharing to be true and highly accurate. Some of the stuff I have seen boggles the mind! And I am in no way going to share it here, because my examples would be so unique that they could easily be recognized by people I know if they were to stumble onto this website.

 

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

Tigre is right on target.

Forget about the nuclear family - Argentines think in terms of clans, with the whole extended family working as a unit. This includes distant relations such as second cousins, and even third cousins-in-law.

I have quite a lot of experience on this topic.

FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE observing copious quantities of MY money enabling disagreeable actions and behavior. Yet through it all, I have kept my mouth shout, my thoughts to myself and continued to be kind and generous because ...

A) >>> I can ... and B) >>> The cultures are so different and the people who are from Argentina have it a lot harder than I do. I really can't fault them. (I have a lot of love for a group of people from there ... There is no way I want to address this one on a personal level. I am just ahead of it ... I give nothing I can't let go freely and forget about.)

So ... Fiscal, take a page from me perhaps? Don't give, unless you can give freely. DON'T GIVE with strings attached. If you want to give, just give and understand once the money leaves your hands and becomes someone else's to do with, they have a different point of view and will do what they think is right and proper.

 

[Fiscal]

Well you are absolutely right. Neither she nor anyone in their family discusses retirement, savings for retirement, etc...?

 

[on the brink]

Well you are absolutely right. Neither she nor anyone in their family discusses retirement, savings for retirement, etc...?

No need for retirement planning here. That's what children are for - to take care of their elderly parents.

 

[Alpinista]

No need for retirement planning here. That's what children are for - to take care of their elderly parents.

Yes, that's one part of the story. The other part is probably also: if you are in a daily struggle for survival, why would you think about what is going to happen in 20 years?

 

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

Well you are absolutely right. Neither she nor anyone in their family discusses retirement, savings for retirement, etc...?

Fiscal,

I have good insight to what you are working with. (First hand experience, but not with your difficult situation ... TG! / Thank God!)

If you need anything, or want to dive into a specific idea within the topic, just PM me. I will respond and provide you with the best possible reply that I am capable of.