Moving In Sept! Any Advice?

[nlaruccia]

Medicus plan joven is $470/month but in Mendoza. I was on the Staff Medico Plan Joven until this year and it costs around $700/month.

 

[nlaruccia]

Medicus plan joven is $470/month but in Mendoza. I was on the Staff Medico Plan Joven until this year and it costs around $700/month.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Alright alright, since everyone disagrees with me on the grocery bill and I'm getting my information from a local (and her family) who's born and raised in Bs.As, let's agree to disagree and move on. If anyone actually seriously wants to know how its possible, message me privately.

Why would you not post this information publicly? There are a lot of expats here who live very frugally and still can't figure out how to finish the month on $6000ARS. We'd love to know what you know.

 

[Crema Americana]

I thought maybe he was using 2003 numbers - but government numbers could be the issue as well. Sorry to hop on the price bandwagon, but your numbers are off.

2000 pesos a month here will be very tight. That's below minimum wage - and minimum wage is barely livable. Even without rent, you're going to have a hard time living comfortably... unless the plan is to move into a villa and get 'free' utilities and use public healthcare.

If you watch every cent you may be able to survive, but I wouldn't call that living comfortably. No dinners out, no movies, no transport, no cafes, no furniture, no clothes shopping... just food and other necessities. No travel, either. We live out in provincia, nowhere near the fancy areas, and it's still expensive.

Best of luck to you and let us know how you get on. I sincerely hope things work out for you and you are able to make ends meet to your satisfaction... but do give the people of this forum some credit. Many of us have lived here for years and married locals. If there's something we're familiar with, it's prices.

 

[nlaruccia]

Medicus plan joven is $470/month but in Mendoza. I was on the Staff Medico Plan Joven until this year and it costs around $700/month.

 

[syngirl]

I am genuinely curious about the budgeting his girlfriend has given, but the PMing thing is a bit odd. Isn't it easier to just post once on the board, although I guess that would lead to too much dissection. Which is kind of funny, since the OP will soon find out that this is an almost constant topic of conversation in everyday life here anyway. People here truly are always looking for a better way to stretch their money -- and I'm talking about both expats and locals. So if the OP posted the way that they are keeping bills so low of course some would say, that's just not possible, but a lot of the "tricks" they use are probably already being used by people on the board.

Anyway I know that this board can really be sour grapes, we DO tend to have a habit of chasing off new posters who come on here all positive and looking forward to their new life in BA and we do just kind of crap all over it. So yes, take what we say with a grain of salt and remind yourself that while we bitch and whine, a lot of us are still here after all these years so there must be something (positive, or negative!) keeping us in the country.

And share what the GF's family is doing, are they piratas del asfalto??

 

[Ceviche]

The new posters are attacked by a hound of wolves immediately as they talk about prices.

I am glad , I am a "veteran" here! feeling relieved!

 

[internationalguy]

I don't think this time I'd call them attacks. I've seen much, much worse. Like it happened to my friend the red possum. The truth is, it's not a problem that we let this guy know that he needs to revisit the issue and plan accordingly, it's only for his own good. People around here do like to crush spirits, but this hasn't been the case.

 

[bdk1]

Yikes yes someone mentioned the "gong to the movies" thing and all of a sudden I remembered, oh yeah, yikes, the guy has an Argentine girlfriend -- it's rare the Argentine girlfriend that doesn't expect the guy to foot the entire bill for everything all the time. I think a movie entrance is now 60 pesos for regular price (without any coupons etc) -- anyone else remember those days back in 2005/6 when you could do 2 for 1 movie night on weds for 8 pesos -- not 8 pesos each, 8 pesos for 2 entradas, that's insane!

Yup, I used to go to the movies for 3.50 pesos on Wednesdays back in the day (1999). Back then, a taxi ride from Belgrano to Recoleta was 5 pesos too.

Now, I think you can get by on 2,500 pesos per month IF you do the following:

- You don't pay rent or any accommodation-related expenses (utilities, etc.). Not a penny.
- Your grocery list only includes Precios Cuidados products. You don't buy a single item outside this list (you may have to go to 3 or 4 supermarkets each time, as there's usually a shortage for many of them).
- You use the public health system.
- You only use public transport and twice a day tops.
- Don't even dream of: going out to a bar, eating out, going to the movies or any form of entertainment that is not free, taking a cab, buying clothes, and god forbid they steal your phone (you won't be able to get a new one).

So I guess if ALL of the above conditions are satisfied, sure! You can definitely live on 2,500 pesos a month.

The good news is that if you're planning to make a living teaching English, you'll only need to work 10 hours/week to make ends meet on that budget.

 

[Alicia karr]

If you can find 10 private students paying $60 pesos/class(going rate) and who are willing to come to you. Otherwise you'll need to add a half hour travel time EACH Way if you're using public transport and extra $ to your travel budget???teaching at an institute will pay less per hour. Much less.
Unfortunately money is very tight these days due to inflation and people just aren't doing as much because they don't have much or any "disposable" income. You need to know a lot of local people and have a good command of Castellano to have an average of ten weekly private students. Maybe after a year. Please bring a "cushion". I suspect you will be staying with your girlfriends family, in which case you'd be right , your non personal expenses would be largely paid for and you could get by on a lot less than most of us. But that leaves you pretty dependent on the relationship working well for your survival...