BajaNomad - Living The Frugal Life

Living The Frugal Life

DavidE - 7-22-2012 at 10:33 AM

When Money Is An Object

Except for rent, services, and productos regionales (local goods) things can cost a lot more in Baja California and México in general than they do north of the border. So, if a life consists of rent, services, and locally produced items, things can be quite a bit less expensive.

But paying six dollars for a six-pack of Mexican beer, and up to thirty cents US per kWh of power is NOT cheap. Everyone touts "inexpensive" Mexican medicines when in fact generic medications from vendors like Costco, and Wal-Mart in the states are often a tiny fraction of the price of the most deeply discounted medicamentos from the cheapest farmacia.

Rent, taxes, and the cost of basic housing, is less, so is gasoline. My question is, most successful ex pats live frugally down here. But this for the most part is a way different lifestyle than you would find north of the border with retired people.

Your hints, tips and secrets for living on a tight budget south of the border?

Mexitron - 7-22-2012 at 10:58 AM

Make your own beer!

tiotomasbcs - 7-22-2012 at 12:30 PM

Don't splurge at the Santa Fe! Taquerias only twice a week. No mas un Octavito (beer). Cheap Tequila! Help!

Somebody wake me up from this nightmare. :spingrin:

Tio

sancho - 7-22-2012 at 12:32 PM

I believe living in the US, in a rural setting away from
most coasts, one could live CLOSE to the cost of living
in Mex. Fish, fruits, vegs seem to be maybe 30%+ lower
in Mex. But other than that, it is kinda a tossup.
David E, I've noticed you move around Baja a bit,
are you in an RV or do you rent places where you stay
for a while?

Cypress - 7-22-2012 at 12:35 PM

Make your own Tequila! :biggrin:

Cisco - 7-22-2012 at 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress
Make your own Tequila! :biggrin:

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/for/3154440479.html

Cypress - 7-22-2012 at 12:51 PM

Cisco, Have priced those stills. Not a bad deal. Gonna do it to it! Why not? Can make way more booze than any one person can drink. Supply the whole neighborhood! Let 'er rip!!! :lol:

Cisco - 7-22-2012 at 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress
Cisco, Have priced those stills. Not a bad deal. Gonna do it to it! Why not? Can make way more booze than any one person can drink. Supply the whole neighborhood! Let 'er rip!!! :lol:

What a block party I am envisioning.

EVERYBODY ripped.

oh but make sure nobody lights up one of those, whadda ya call em, oh yeah, JOINTS! those be illegal and the Man'll get ya, cost ya big $$$.

[Edited on 7-22-2012 by Cisco]

Bajaboy - 7-22-2012 at 01:00 PM

For me, it's hard to compare. Yes, electricity might be more expensive in Baja but my family uses much less electricity there. Purified water is much less expensive in BA as is municipality water than in San Diego. As for food, I find the staples a bit more expensive in BA but we tend to eat less. A night out for pizza in San Diego might cost our family about $45 which is far more expensive than heading to Conchitas for tacos and ice cream (maybe $18-20). Not only is the cost of gasoline less in BA but I drive a LOT less than I do here in San Diego. Overall, we spend much less money in BA than we do here in San Diego but again it's hard to do a head to head comparison and not look at the big picture.

DavidE - 7-22-2012 at 02:23 PM

sancho, my home is in michoacán - being built tabrique por tabrique. But even then, gobernación is putting the squeeze on with new regulations. The car permit must be renewed every six months, and California Highway Patrolmen will write a citation in a heartbeat and quip "The judge'll figure this out" no matter if you have a mexican driver license and a mexican car. So, looks like I am headed to Guatemala after all. The new PRI government won't do a damned thing to make things any easier as it was PRI technocrats who toughened car permits and resident's permits starting with Miguel de La Madrid. I feel it has only started. I can rent a nice hotel room, a nice room for six dollars a day and eat very well on five more. So once the casita is finished, it will be used to store my stuff and then return a couple times a year for hugs and kisses from my granddaughters. Long vacations, probably in the deep of summer (December - March) in southern Mexico and C.A. May - October is "verano" and Nov - May is "Invierno". But for now I am taking advantage of the best this area can offer. BTW running one tiny 5,000 BTU window air conditioner in the hot months of most of coastal Mexico ends up costing TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS a month, just for the AC, nothing else. The electric bill will go into DAC rates, and it is very probable to end up paying three hundred dollars +, a month for power that would cost sixty dollars in California. I've done it, I've crunched the numbers, I know about the different zones, the four tiered electrical tarifas and what DAC means. Some of the "Money Is No Object" Cabo San Lucas big places have socked their owners with SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR per month (Fourteen thousand dollars per bimestral) CFE bills before they learned to sweat like everyone else. No I didn't mean pesos. I mean dollars. US. Million dollar home and they huddle in a windowless cubicle all day with a window AC going, but most flee to Aspen, or Switzerland in the summer.

Lee - 7-22-2012 at 02:32 PM

Wow you might need to see a financial advisor. The definition of frugal really is subjective.

An ex pat living frugally means nothing without knowing where their income comes from. If you don't have money from NOB, MX would be a difficult place to live -- even frugally.

No secret that having more retirement income might mean working longer.

Cost of meds is meaningless if a person doesn't need meds and doesn't get sick.

Budget in at least $6.00 a week for beer or stop drinking.

No utility bill if you have solar.

If you don't need a block home, RV living doesn't get any cheaper. No taxes, minimal or free rent -- be a caretaker somewhere and live in someone's home p/t.

Buy bulk and start fishing if you don't already.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/opinion/sunday/our-ridicul...

comitan - 7-22-2012 at 02:59 PM

DavidE
I have an LG 5000 I use in the bedroom Part of the night I also have a KillAWatt that measures the watts used for this unit It does not use more than 435 watts at the highest setting. There are many statements you make about the cost of living in Mexico that I disagree with and will not argue each and every point with you, because you are not happy here and are putting down living here and going somewhere else so be it. For your info We have a huge place here in La Paz our last CFE bill was 985P for 2 months.

prorader - 7-22-2012 at 03:04 PM

Boy do I have a deal for you, it is a small dairy town, with the best queso in Mexico. I lived there for 3 years. The town is San Jose de Gracia Michoacán. My last house was on the side of a mountain, 3 bdrm, 2 1/2 baths 50 foot ceramic tile deck. from the garage was 27 steps to the front door. No air or heat, $1,300 pesos a month. The deal is you will be the only Gringo

acadist - 7-22-2012 at 03:18 PM

I do not live in Baja, but I can say that from an outsiders' perspective it looks much less expensive. If I can take my wife and the boys for dinner for less than $50 it is surprising......and that is no alcohol, I may spend the same in Baja but that is for a much higher quality meal with drinks. My wife gets frustrated that I only want to vacation in Baja, but it is hard to argue with the fact that I can make 2 Baja trips for the cost of one almost anywhere else even with paying for fishing (ever charter a boat in San Diego???). I realize that everything is perspective, and to me the grass looks greener in Baja(so to speak).

DavidE - 7-22-2012 at 03:43 PM

Part of the night is not 24/7. Eight hours is 1/3rd of a day. Try running your A/C 24/7 and see what DAC does to your bill. This has nothing to do with "happiness". This has to do with cruel, cold, hard, numbers. I've lived in several ancient vast sisal haciendas in Yucatan, where the power bill equaled six dollars a month. Why? Because power was not used, because there were few lamp outlets, even for an 11,000 square foot structure.

You are entitled to disagree comitan. But I deal in numbers. Like fifty four dollars every six-months to Banjercito to keep a car permit active. Want to see an EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLAR power bill from 2008 for 1,148 kWh? That's under 600 kWh per month. I deal in numbers.

makana.gabriel - 7-22-2012 at 04:12 PM

David- regarding your car and the CHP. Even showing that you are a MX resident, you are still being ticketed? I had been contemplating putting MX plates on my car as I'm sick of hidden cameras etc and thought that if I had my MX drivers license, I would have no problems.

comitan - 7-22-2012 at 04:37 PM

I have been driving Mexican plated cars with Mexican driving license for years without any problems, and yeas clear across the USA.

comitan - 7-22-2012 at 04:44 PM

DavidE,

My 985P 2 month CFE bill aside from the 5,oooAC, I have 2 refers, 1 freezer, and a pool. and I don't have to go to Aspen. on edit you can see my CFE anytime.

[Edited on 7-22-2012 by comitan]

bajacalifornian - 7-22-2012 at 05:15 PM

I like your topic because it hits so . . . on accepting and joining the Mexican culture.

Friends have said, ¨No, I have no problem with dust.¨ They lives in a house with a dirt floor.

Only the white guys have so much junk they need to build storage sheds to store the stuff.

Electrical billing is tiered. If you have an old refrigerator and a light bulb, you dwell in the first tier. All the other stuff takes you to a second or third tier, each billing costing more. Live as you used to, you will pay more.

Learning and adapting as Mexican I believe is an important key to successful life after the bizarre.

Except for my sons educations, Mexico is highly doable.

ncampion - 7-22-2012 at 07:01 PM

I live 80% of the time in Baja (Loreto) and maintain a house in So. Calif. (San Juan Capistrano). I find it cheaper to live in Baja for one simple reason, not because everything is cheaper here - it's not, but because there are far fewer things to spend your money on. When we go up the the states, all we do is spend money - mostly on things that we don't need. We're glad when we cross the border again, although we do like seeing our US family and friends, can't give that up.

Bajaboy - 7-22-2012 at 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ncampion
I live 80% of the time in Baja (Loreto) and maintain a house in So. Calif. (San Juan Capistrano). I find it cheaper to live in Baja for one simple reason, not because everything is cheaper here - it's not, but because there are far fewer things to spend your money on. When we go up the the states, all we do is spend money - mostly on things that we don't need. We're glad when we cross the border again, although we do like seeing our US family and friends, can't give that up.

nailed it on the head :!:

acadist - 7-22-2012 at 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by comitan
DavidE,

My 985P 2 month CFE bill aside from the 5,oooAC, I have 2 refers, 1 freezer, and a pool. and I don't have to go to Aspen. on edit you can see my CFE anytime.

[Edited on 7-22-2012 by comitan]

I've seen both places.......without a doubt I'd take Wiley's

dtutko1 - 7-23-2012 at 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee
Wow you might need to see a financial advisor. The definition of frugal really is subjective.

An ex pat living frugally means nothing without knowing where their income comes from. If you don't have money from NOB, MX would be a difficult place to live -- even frugally.

No secret that having more retirement income might mean working longer.

Cost of meds is meaningless if a person doesn't need meds and doesn't get sick.

Budget in at least $6.00 a week for beer or stop drinking.

No utility bill if you have solar.

If you don't need a block home, RV living doesn't get any cheaper. No taxes, minimal or free rent -- be a caretaker somewhere and live in someone's home p/t.

Buy bulk and start fishing if you don't already.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/opinion/sunday/our-ridicul...

Right on Lee! to your list, plant a small garden, do feliz ahora w/neighbors. just bring an appetizer or a guitar. The essentials for me are shelter, food, and socializing. Plus the Pacific ocean of course.

BajaBlanca - 7-23-2012 at 08:40 AM

this is inded a very interexsting thread and I think it really all comes down to individuality.

the biggest ticket item south, for us, is definitely electricity. But ny niece works at a home in the Hamptons where the elec bill, monthly is $28,000.00. so, this IS really subjective. we have been shocked to see really high bills - esp. after the first year of really cheap unknowingly being subsidized bills and then SLAP when the first REAL bill kicked in LOL

Now that we have lived here 6 years, I can say that our quality of life is much better - we really live a stress-free life. Being able to see the ocean out your front window is priceless. sleeping to the sound of the waves crashing. priceless. watching osprey nest and raise their babies. priceless.

every time we go north of the border, we cringe at the amount of cash we will spend ... I am not sure even where it goes ???? but it sure goes fast.

So, in summary, there really is less to spend on here in La Bocana ... more time spent cooking from scratch, eating with friends, gardening and watching less TV , less microwave use and of course, on the Pacific side one needs no air conditioning or heating! fewer malls. the pharmacy actually only sells pharmaceuticals. the supermarket only sells groceries. your TV works fine and you don't even think about a newer better bigger fancier ....

Wiley - I think you would actually like meeting DavidE. He really does like Mexico or I don't think he would be living here. Different points of view on things perhaps, but you are both smart. very smart.

very good point made earlier about getting money from NOB and living an easier life - it is very hard otherwise. us teachers could use a raise hahahaha

:lol:

BLANCA ??

captkw - 7-23-2012 at 08:42 AM

HOLA, IS THIS A TYPO?? 2800.00

RnR - 7-23-2012 at 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
we have been shocked to see really high bills - esp. after the first year of really cheap unknowingly being subsidized bills and then SLAP when the first REAL bill kicked in LOL

:lol:

What actually causes the DAC rate to kick in?

Every month in the third/fourth tier? Over a kW limit? Any warning signs that the rate change is coming?

And how do you get out of the DAC rate and back to subsidized??

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 09:08 AM

I got stopped TWICE within a month's time. The first in Corona, on I-15, had to drive 800 miles to plead not guilty, then return to find a rescheduled court date. Replacement judge threw out the ticket. Second time. Rohnert Park. THREE CHP vehicles. I had xerox copies of the court documents. I was on the side of US 101 for 46 minutes (I timed it) while they ran wants and warrants, and went over my insurance papers with a fine-tooth comb. 1998 Nissan Sentra sedan. Michoacan plates. Current license plates and tags. Current driver license, Lazaro Card##as, Michoacan. Insurance policy written in Nogales, Sonora, for 130% of California's minimum requirement. Car had clear windows, but aluminum wheels (don't they all). Gunmetal gray, shiny paint, not a dent.

THE TITLE OF THIS THREAD IS ABOUT FRUGALITY. Drag out your CFE bill and compare kWh of your NOB border to SOB tarifas. Not the first 150 kWh. How YOU live north of the border.

Anyone can shop in a Nob Hill market, or Raley's Market, or Lucky, or Safeway, and compare those prices to what they'll find in an open market SOB. That's what's known as "intentionally skewing the pooch". Do your shopping at Winco, or Grocery Outlet. Buy only sale items. A reverse SKEW would be to do exactly that and compare those prices to what you'd find in a SOB Wal-Mart, La Comercial, or Soriana.

Gasoline is 2/3rds the price, roughly. But how much percentage is THAT in my total monthly budget?

Let's hear it from all NOMADS who are 65+ and take NO MEDICINE. You remember 65, don't you, that's the age for retirement, not 43 or 55. Especially those whom spend two weeks down here and then quip "medicine cost is irrelevant!"

And here is a direct link to the official CFE website. They have something to do with figuring out how much your bill is going to be...

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js...

A question: Many people whom become disabled suffer extreme financial hardship. It isn't a question of working longer SINCE NO ONE not even Burger King or Wal-Mart would consider hiring them NOB. The title of this thread once again is LIVING FRUGALLY. People who have retirement incomes of 40K or more sort of don't qualify ya think? It's one thing to live on scant income and then be able to reach down for a here and there large chunk of cash, when forced to and quite another to reach and find nothing there.

Try this formula: 54% of your NET monthly income on rent. 14% on the cheapest life support medications you can find. Four dollars a day for food, purified water. Two dollars a day for electrical power, which leaves sixty three dollars for fixing flat tires, buying clothes, oh yes, that bit of three dollar a gallon gasoline, and other such luxuries.

I doubt whether many NOMADS actually could live in a village where zero English was spoken. No and I mean none expats in a hundred miles radius and that's being generous. That's my home and I do not begrudge it.

But for those who say "GOD GAWD MEXICO IS CHEAP!" let's have a party and I'll invite my neighbors. Mexicans.

SFandH - 7-23-2012 at 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajaboy

Quote:

nailed it on the head :!:

Precisely!!

bajaguy - 7-23-2012 at 09:43 AM

The secret to living comfortably (and everybody has their own comfort level) after retirement in Baja, Mexico, Canada, the USA, or anywhere else is proper financial planning BEFORE you retire.

Make the right choices/decisions early in life, research all of the options of where you want to be and live within your means.

comitan - 7-23-2012 at 09:59 AM

bajaguy

I totally agree with your post. And for DavidE I do live frugally my income does not require me to Pay income tax.

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 10:23 AM

The above comments are absolutely right-on-target. When it was 115F in La Paz. we used to hole-up indoors until around 8:00PM and then walk down to the malecon to enjoy the cool, refreshing 95F corumuel.

Carl Franz once told me a story about running into a group of surfers who straggled into a restaurant in Zipolite. Their skin was peeling, they were covered from head-to-toe in bug bites, and their clothes were ragged and torn.

They told Carl, "Yeah, and the cops are really mean here!"

Franz couldn't help but ask: "If you're being eaten alive by bugs, burned to a crisp by the summer sun, and being constantly hassled by the cops, why the hell do you stay?"

They chorused...

"The!" "Surfing!" "Is!" "Awesome!".

Bajaguy. Wise advice. I mean it, not a joke. But for an unfortunate few, savings get wiped out as does health (often related). When -60F weather hits, is no time to advise somebody to go buy a chainsaw.

I am doing my best to dispel the notion that "Baja California Is Cheap".

It is not.

"Evening c-cktails for two down at the gringo hangout" can easily amount to ten or twelve dollars a day.

But I have fun here. In my garden. I must travel to Guerrero Negro to purchase medicines every month, and I make a game out of it. Squeeze every peso until the Aztec farts. Breakfast at Malarrimo or Dinner at some other gringo hangout is out of the question. Last month I had the worst restaurant meal of my entire existence on the planet earth. It did not suffer dangerous. Ever had crispy, no make that rock-hard chilies rellenos? Raw? no tomato sauce? Forty five pesos. But they do have a modern Chinese place in town, that you can get a modest combination plate for eighty pesos. About twice that of a favorite Chinese restaurant NOB in dollars. So the hunt continues. I didn't complain about the chilies, but I didn't leave a tip either.

Lee - 7-23-2012 at 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Last month I had the worst restaurant meal of my entire existence on the planet earth. It did not suffer dangerous. Ever had crispy, no make that rock-hard chilies rellenos? Raw? no tomato sauce? Forty five pesos. ...... I didn't complain about the chilies, but I didn't leave a tip either.

Man I'm seeing a fly in the ointment.

There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with eating ''rock-hard chilie rellenos.'' And ''didn't complain about the chilies.''??

AND then paying 45 pesos for the honor?

What the h*ll is the matter with this picture?

MX is laid back but not THAT laid back.

David -- you an ex-pat? I don't get it. What did I read wrong?

You been out in the sun too long. Talk to Shari. She's GOT to have a solution.

P.S. I'm 65 and don't take meds. Nada. This is too easy.

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 11:58 AM

Didn't say I ate, the chilies rellenos. Did say I didn't complain. Also didn't say how I described her chilies rellenos to her...

"This receta is new to me. First time eating raw chiles poblanos. The manchego cheese inside was definetly a change from the boring old queso panela". No tomato sauce lets me see the raw poblanos clearly. Her face and neck got red as a beet.

I was laughing so hard, I figured the 45 pesos was worth it. Can't let stuff like that get under your skin down here Lee. Next thing I know I'd be complaining about the water disappearing for several days, or the power going off for "awhile" or driving to the gas station to see barrels blocking the pumps.

Shari does have "the" solution. She laughs as hard as I do. Remember being out in the sun too long -also- provides for a nice tan. Make lemon meringue, screw lemonade.

Treasure you medicine-free life amigo. Two years ago an identical-age friend from years past unloaded on me for doing all kinds of things wrong in my early life to cause me to have to take medicine. He was a nice person. Last week the son of another childhood friend emailed me and told me his father suffered a heart attack. Never took maintenance meds in his life. Told me he could control his high blood pressure with herbs and vitamins -- not with the "evil" medications I am forced to swallow. He may make it out of the hospital, or may need a transplant.

You do the best you can with what you got. Period.

tiotomasbcs - 7-23-2012 at 01:00 PM

DE. It sounds to me your original idea regarding Frugality has been lost here. Some here are a littled perplexed by your ideas, perhaps. Writing the Governor re the poor condition of the Vizcaino-BA road caught my attention. Baja was once cheap but is still a good value. If you have a casa or Palapa that you built 10yrs ago you don't have to pay 54% for rent. BUT, if you have lived many years in Michoacan, the Yucatan, or Guatemala why aren't you down there? In the southern mountains it's cool during the hot coastal summers! I hope to vacation there in the future. The cost of living on the Mainland is affordable as you know! Meanwhile, I stay in Pescadero until it gets too hot and then head to the Northwest or camp out in/around Asuncion, ha, ha. I'm happy to pay more for a month of high CFE bills and sleep in air conditioned comfort. Wish you well. Tio

mes1952 - 7-23-2012 at 01:22 PM

I've lived in both Tijuana and Rosarito for the past 2 years and find almost everything much less expensive than the overpriced San Diego area.
Medicines here, especially for pets, are much much cheaper than the U.S. and you don't need a $100+ office visit everytime you need a medicine. Vets are much cheaper as well.
Food in general, esp. fruits and vegetables, are much better (less chemicals and transport) and definitely cheaper than San Diego area.
So perhaps you are trying to live an American lifestyle here or you are in an overpriced area full of Americans. My money goes much farther here than anywhere I've lived in the U.S. (8+ states).

Eli - 7-23-2012 at 01:28 PM

As my income is Mx. generated, I am always looking for tips on how to live well and not spend a whole heck of a lot to do it; as such I find the subject of frugality infinitely interesting. The best I can come up with on my own is watch how my friends who have much less than I do make it work. I think "being rich" or "being poor" is a state of mind.
Anyway, I can't believe how lucky I have been, my fridge is so full of yummies, my health is decent, I have plenty of art supplies, fantastic views, a working computer, hot shower, way to many clothes, decent shoes. At home I have a super bicycle and a wonderful collection of art. I keep trying to think of what I don't have that I need, and in the moment nothin comes to mind. Of course there is always stuff I would buy if I had extra money, those new Sony computer t.v.'s look like they might be fun, an electric juicer, well, maybe in a couple of years..........

BajaGringo - 7-23-2012 at 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eli
As my income is Mx. generated, I am always looking for tips on how to live well and not spend a whole heck of a lot to do it; as such I find the subject of frugality infinitely interesting. The best I can come up with on my own is watch how my friends who have much less than I do make it work. I think "being rich" or "being poor" is a state of mind.
Anyway, I can't believe how lucky I have been, my fridge is so full of yummies, my health is decent, I have plenty of art supplies, fantastic views, a working computer, hot shower, way to many clothes, decent shoes. At home I have a super bicycle and a wonderful collection of art. I keep trying to think of what I don't have that I need, and in the moment nothin comes to mind. Of course there is always stuff I would buy if I had extra money, those new Sony computer t.v.'s look like they might be fun, an electric juicer, well, maybe in a couple of years..........

Kudos girl! You are definitely a very blessed woman...

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 01:54 PM

You've got to stay abreast of my posts I guess. Housing is HARD to find in much of Mexico due to the hundreds of thousands that have returned due to not finding any work in the USA. Housing vacant in my village is non-existent. None. Zero and has been that way for years. My tiny casita is being built brick by brick. Check by check.

Secondly, Aduana pulled a rabbit out of their hat in 2011, and demanded to to see "proof" of exit for 2008. Even though I returned in 2008 with a car got the permit, exited in 2008, again both ways in 2009, and 2010. The wanted proof for 2008. I had a thermal SHCP receipt, like they give in grocery stores. Blank. Faded to white. But all my other receipts were legible and current. They said no. So now I have waited 10 months after submitting proof to Mexico City and wait and wait. I am in no hurry.

I am no longer 24. My medical gear would fill a rucksack. Flying to Guat City is out of the question. Not in my physical condition. I must drive with a packed car. Then return to Michoacan a couple of times empty and leave packed. When I go visit with Jesús, Brenda and the niñas I don't need much for a month's stay. It is only 850 miles from there to the Guatemalan border. San Pedro la Laguna is about the size of Guerrero Negro. At a altitude of 5,300 feet.

I laid in bed a week or so ago late at night trying to guesstimate the aggregate total amount of time I have lived in one or both of Los Bajas Californias. This means year-round, not migratory duck style. Seven years and change. Comes to around twelve years or so counting winter forays. Around twenty eight years or so aggregate full time living in Mexico in the last 48 years. My work up north was seasonal and I even conducted solar power battery tests as an engineer in Cabo San Lucas in 1995, lasting five months. Summer test, ending soon after hurricane Henriette.

I stayed outside of Pescadero all last spring and summer and into fall. No A/C I did this with a broken arm (2-months) with stainless steel pins holding it together with and having to use a walker. I didn't bug-out. When I figured I HAD TO leave because a fourteen thousand dollar out of pocket operation in Mexico City or Guadalajara was out of the question, I did. I rented a room from a raving drunkard who would make a great cell mate for a certain red-haired Batman fanatic. I'm talking NUTS! When a friend locked him out, the guy used a chain saw and came in through the wall. To get fixed I had to do what I had to do.

The cost of living on the mainland is affordable IF YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM TOURIST AREAS. I don't mean merely away, I mean at least a two hour drive on a smooth road. Then a person runs into the no-houses available quandary. Blood runs thick and a sister or cousin gets a place for a hundred dollars that will cost a gringo two hundred. Yes there are adobe huts available, with twig bars in window holes, a couple of sewn-together masa sacks for a front door, candle niches in the walls, and ditch water a quarter-mile away. A neat adventure for a 20-year old for a week, until he leaves to seek treatment for eighty or so flea bites in the city.

Living in an RV in the full sun in BCS is fun too. No LPG bills in the summer. Want dinner? Put a chicken and some peeled vegetables inside and go swimming. Three hours later, return, grab them and baked dinner is served. It's not hot I tell you! Just because a person has to wait until midnight to shower without getting scalded is a blessing. It'll cool you off! Excellent summertime shade is vital if one wants to stay in an RV. When it was 113F at Burro Beach one August the water temperature close to shore was 109F. Ever step into 109F water? Yet there are year-round people living there that love it. A few, granted, well make that maybe one.

If I had known Bill Gates 30-years ago I would have quite a palapa. But a certain insurance company fixed my wagon good. One of the primary lessons of life is to separate "Is's" from "Ought To Be's". I saved. A mil three hundred grand worth, and it all vanished. Poof. The money or your life. Pick one.

The art of living frugally is high caliber survivalship to some. A game to others. Between the two which one would you pick as being the more realistic?

nbacc - 7-23-2012 at 02:03 PM

a little of both!

Osprey - 7-23-2012 at 02:31 PM

DavidE, you've given us a lot to chew on. Very interesting to all Nomad expats and those thinking of retiring down here.

Now you've almost come to The Big Reason you live like you do, the reason you are quantifying your life and things in general in your area of Mexico.

Won't you please now share with us what the insurance company did to you that brought you to this place, robbed you of a better life anywhere. A lot of what you enjoy or suffer now comes from your decision making in the past but the loss of all your savings sounds like it was a big game changer for you.

We need to know what's with that because most of us didn't have that giant problem in the mix, only the necessity to do the best with what Mexico and our regular retirement income/savings gives us.

Frank - 7-23-2012 at 02:35 PM

I want the first copy of your autobiography DavidE...It will sit right next to the Hoctors, Smith, and Swaims on my Baja shelf.

Cypress - 7-23-2012 at 02:39 PM

Frugal? One person's frugality is another's opulence. :biggrin:

Just depends?

Eli - 7-23-2012 at 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo

Quote:

Kudos girl! You are definitely a very blessed woman...

Thanks Baja Gringo!
I am still amazed by my good fortune. I came home to Baja 23 years ago this month. I had a little 15 year old datsun station wagon packed tight, my goldie dog and $3K to invest in my new life. It's miraculous how this all worked out. This is just so cool!

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 04:27 PM

Re: The name of the insurance company...

Does it matter? I promised myself a long time ago, right after Peter T. my attorney declared "You can win this. But by the time court costs, appeals, all legal fees are done, you will end up with a pittance. Weigh that against committing yourself to years and years of litigation"...

...that I would not go on a rampage against a (huge) HMO. What good would it do me? What good would it do anyone else? I had "moved" from Nevada to California and did not report it for almost a year. When a huge entity says "no" it does not mean maybe. This occurred 21 years ago. I fell through the cracks of society. I don't rant about federalized health care. I knew what that was all about when I "appeared" on the Michael Jackson Los Angeles FM station with Nancy Pelosi (done over the telephone I don't have a clue where the dear congressperson spoke from). She ranted her spiel about the need for federal healthcare. I was the poster boy for the program. Only I rebelled. I happened to get in a bunch of fast words about people having the option of heading to the border to get name brand drugs at a fraction of the price that they could in the USA (generics are usually cheaper in the USA). Neither Michael Jackson nor the esteemed congressperson appreciated my candid remark that people who desperately need heath care could not wait until it was legislated into force. How long was it since that program, fourteen years?

Yeah, I'm headed for Central America, so when the piper comes calling he's better speak Spanish. I'll return and visit Inshallah. Baja California Sur as well. My first priority are my nietas. People who believe one small part of Mexico is "all there is" are doing nothing but cheating themselves. Same for Guatemala. Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, vacation on the Bay Islands in Honduras. It's all home to me. Pesos, Quetzales, Lempira in my pocket. My housekeeper's suegra (mother-in-law) just announced she was going to return and raid my milpa for those gorgeous leaves. Tamales.

Never look back. Something might be gaining on you.

[Edited on 7-23-2012 by DavidE]

[Edited on 7-23-2012 by DavidE]

Osprey - 7-23-2012 at 06:09 PM

Didn't need the name of the company. Now that we know it was a coverage contract dispute >> being a very bright guy you probably sought relief from the two state insurance commission offices who approved the contract for their licensee. I'm left with having to guess you couldn't find relief there and went to an attorney.

Since he saw you as a victim you have taken on that role. Now a lot of how you approach the business of living with your infirmities takes on a different tone. Maybe he was wrong. You could sue him and maybe you should have sued the HMO. Who all owes you what you deserve?

The best revenge is doing well so if you're happy being able to enjoy your environs and doing a little quibbling now and then, I'd say you are doing the best you can.

Not everybody can be as open and honest as you have been to lay all this out for us. Thanks.

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 07:07 PM

Osprey, a thank you I feel for your remark is appreciated but somehow is not appropriate. I "bared" everything to set an example. It is not an envious target to shoot for. What I attempted to do is show people that despite seeming overwhelming odds, even with the most careful planning, things can go horribly wrong. When things do go wrong and seem insurmountable, it's very easy to give up.

If Mexico were not here, I probably would have ended up somewhere in the very rural southwest, and most likely would not have survived.

Due to a confluence of sun, moon, tides, fortune and circumstance (is that enough?) I felt it time to get serious about sharing. This forum is one of the few civil entities about Mexico that shows real heart. Others are pure personality conflicts, or, "oh gee we all went to the new restaurant yesterday it was very good" or arguments about the fine points of fideicomiso.

Sharing stories, especially those that have substance is one of my goals. So is reaching 1,500 posts and a fifth star which I feel is going to become my last star. I don't have enough coal left in the boiler to go higher.

I enjoy reading stories. The one about the horse races, exploits of a new trip to La Paz, and especially sifting finely through heavy gravel the nuggets about the progress of a valued Nomad who has the grit to say "I can do it!". I can no longer partake of many physical activities, so write ups of jeep trips into the wilds of the peninsula are candy for me. So are tales of "hooookup!" and the recipes that might follow.

When I finally depart for the hither and yonder, you can bet I'll still read the Nomad forum. I won't be able to participate much. A lot of my memories about Baja California are obsolete. Like they never existed, if someone were to try to relive them today.

People who do not realize just how fortunate they are make me slightly dazed. They complain bitterly about being taxed. How short their vacation is. How "cheap" things are in México. Rather than rise up in defense of the truly offended, dirt poor Mexicans; I decided to go head-to-head with the warped sense of value and money. I am always suspicious of "crusaders" and by representing myself I avoided it. I try to also avoid criticizing by name, but rather by giving example.

The treasure of Mexico is not a beach, or a rock strewn arroyo to be negotiated with locking differential, winch and cerveza, it's her people. Wealthy Mexicans like wealthy Americans have seemingly lost much of their heart. Their soul. It's the same all over the world and Mexico is no different. You won't find "Mexico" locked up in some high walled estate or penthouse overlooking Chapultepéc park, you won't find it in the middle class, they are too busy chasing after phantom dreams with mirages for goals.

A poor farmer, or fisherman with children decked out in clothing so clean and white it hurts the eye, will invite you into his humble abode, sometimes cinder block and other times tar paper and stone and show you what México means. I never forget that the reverse is true. When you fathom what I am trying to say, you will have found a treasure beyond value.

Osprey - 7-23-2012 at 07:22 PM

You are preaching not to the choir but to yourself. Best you live your Mexico and we live ours. There are those on this forum who (fathomed) more than you could ever say about what and who Baja California is, was and will be.

Good luck to you old timer.

DavidE - 7-23-2012 at 08:15 PM

It was directed gently at people who do not fathom Osprey. That was the point. You do (obviously) so perhaps you believed my answer to be a slight. That is so unfortunate.

toneart - 7-23-2012 at 10:16 PM

This is a very interesting topic, DavidE. One where many can compare notes on how to live frugally. That the location is Mexico or anywhere else, I like to read and converse with those who are doing it.

How one does it is certainly different than how another does it. I would never invalidate another's experience or method.

The very word "frugal" is a virtue for some of us. It is an intelligent, non-arrogant, non-wasteful lifestyle; at least that is the desired result. Then, to others, "frugal" represents a concept that is disrespected and even scoffed at by many. To them, it represents poor, lazy and unsuccessful. It is a clear lifestyle choice and usually falls on one side or the other in the political divide.

DavidE. I have been to most of the places you have mentioned. Throughout my life I have been a wanderer, a Dharma Bum, a free spirit, a trekker, a traveler...as opposed to a "tourist". Getting off the beaten track and immersing myself in an alien culture has given me a real appreciation of how others live, and what priorities are important for survival and happiness.

To support this lifestyle I have created visual art...hot glass and oils, played jazz and classical music, taught English as a Second Language, bartended and invested in Real Estate. I got lucky with my timing and, although not rich, I have enough to continue my nomadic, frugal lifestyle.

You have done something that I think is admirable; living your life in a remote area apart from other gringos and not dependent on speaking English. My Spanish is good, but I have not lived in a remote village. At this point, it is probably not in the cards. I have thought about it, but my cancer requires that I now remain in The United States where I am undergoing treatment. It is going well and I am strong and healthy in every other way. I'll get back on the road again soon.

Another factor that will probably prevent me from living in a remote village at this age, is that I have achieved a good balance between being a hermit and then walking into a gringo bar and BS with the best of them. I like that social interaction and then retreat into the solace afforded by my sanctuary.

I don't really have any tips on "how to...". but it would be fun to sit down with you to compare stories. Warning...I've got a million of 'em! :tumble:

Osprey - 7-24-2012 at 06:51 AM

David, I am difficult to slight. Perhaps imposible. I was gonna say I'm comfortable in my own skin but my skin is 76 years old and a sorry, dried up sack of shame. I would feel much more comfortable in, say, 23 year old skin but that would look a little goofy actually.

DavidE - 7-24-2012 at 08:20 AM

Osprey old people with withered bodies have had their strength migrate. To between their ears. You are no exception. Younger folks find elder conversations boring. But there is always hope that some of the information will filter through. Got news for ya gramps, I do not read your "skin" on this forum but what wisdom you have and want to share. In my long posts which are going to cease shortly, I attempted to show readers not Osprey or any particular person how special the entire country is.

Toneart, I would love to have an opportunity to have a long, long chat with you. When I relate stories of where I have been or what I have done, it isn't braggadocio. Not one upsmanship, boasting, or whatever. It is a clear message to others who may doubt that they have the ability to do something like that. They surely do, and what I write is meant to cheer lead others into adventure. In some cases I have done that and avidly follow their adventures. I have a "pied piper" complex, only with me out of the picture except for cheering someone on. What upsets me however are people who say they "can't" or won't, or worst of all "It can't be done". The biggest fools on earth are those that have deep pockets and no wits. But speaking of wits, I have to take more care in how I write. Above I made a short note to Osprey. But I continued on with a general message and did not delineate where my message ended and where the story started. It could have easily been misconstrued as being directed toward Osprey and for that I feel guilty as hell. I did not intend it that way at all. "Old Timers" have stories and wisdom locked up inside that I would hope to unlock. The story part was intended to be an invitation to share. It still is.

Frugality. If the frugality is present because of selfishness, it cannot be morally defined as frugality. Not in my book. It is selfishness. Even when I had money, I abhorred people who would victimize others; it's the one thing that will still set me off like a bomb. I do not do well listening to wealthy people who congregate and swap tales of how they managed to screw the less fortunate. When I operated (I created it) Flores de Las Peñas hotel in Michoacan an obnoxious Mexican engineer, loved to get drunk, brag about how wealthy he was ("No I am not a millionaire, I am a multi-millionaire"), on the patio of the hotel of which three of the rooms were rented to his workers. Antonio the injinero from Guadalajara. Finally, he arrived one Friday night, got drunk again and started boasting loudly about how he could do anything he wanted because of his money. He castigated me as a gringo. He belittled his men. He sneered. He finally demanded the key to "his" room. I replied "what room? you are much too wealthy, important and handsome to stay in a humble abode such as this". The stupid SOB ended up sleeping in his car. I told his men to shower that night. Then I cut the water off. When Antonio went to shower, he got a rude shock. Boy was I ever worked up. I degraded him in front of his men. I told him he called himself an engineer of water so tell me in a column of water 100 meters in height how much pressure in kilopascals would appear at a faucet on the bottom? Phoney two-bit exploiter. Enough story, except to say his men stayed at the hotel for another two months. And no I did not raise the tariff.

CortezBlue - 7-24-2012 at 08:31 AM

I think I agree with everything that I have viewed on this post. For me, living in Fenix, AZ, I am use to high electric bills in the summer months. We don't live in San Felipe full time, but we do go down in the summer, as it can be a bit cooler, but a bit more humid, in July and Aug. However, we ended up buying in Mexico after owning a condo in Oceanside, CA, on the beach, for many years. No A/C to worry about, very low electric bills, however, between the HOA dues and CA Property Taxes, it cost me nearly $1000 per month, before the mortgage. The condo was less than 1000 sq ft.

We have a 2000sq ft. home on the beach, a 2 car garage and a "secured gate" and my total expenses for everything for a year is less than $3000 for HOA, Taxes, Water, Electric, FM2, Fidi, so for me it is a bargain.

As far as beer prices, I agree, it is more expensive in San Felipe than in the USA

I can get a 30 pack of Tecate rojo for $18 when it is on sale in the US, and I pay $177p for a 12 pack in SF. But, tha being said, Tequila is much less in Mexicali than in AZ. Also, I try to support SF by buying local products.

I think the bottom line is, that depending where you come from in the USA makes a difference in comparing the good, bad and otherwise of living in Mexico.

My goal, when I retire in a few years, is to be weather neutral and follow the sun/weather. Stay as far south as I can Jan/Feb, when Fenix can be a bit chilly, I know, wimp. And going to cooler climates in July/Aug timeframe in the summer. I figure by shutting my house up in Fenix in the summer would save me about$400 per month.

Lee - 7-27-2012 at 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Even when I had money, I abhorred people who would victimize others; it's the one thing that will still set me off like a bomb.

I do not do well listening to wealthy people who congregate and swap tales of how they managed to screw the less fortunate.

.... an obnoxious Mexican engineer, loved to get drunk, brag about how wealthy he was ...

.... He castigated me as a gringo. He belittled his men. He sneered. He finally demanded the key to "his" room. I replied "what room? you are much too wealthy, important and handsome to stay in a humble abode such as this".

... The stupid SOB ended up sleeping in his car.

I told his men to shower that night. Then I cut the water off. When Antonio went to shower, he got a rude shock. Boy was I ever worked up. I degraded him in front of his men. I told him he called himself an engineer of water so tell me in a column of water 100 meters in height how much pressure in kilopascals would appear at a faucet on the bottom?

Phoney two-bit exploiter. Enough story, except to say his men stayed at the hotel for another two months. And no I did not raise the tariff.

So, did you feel better punishing this lout? Strike one for the little guy? Frugality at it's finest hour? This rant does little to reflect your true self.

durrelllrobert - 7-27-2012 at 10:50 AM

I really don't think that my (new) wife and I live frugally here in Baja, but we do live entirely on my Social Security check and still manage to take 2 vactions/year to MX resorts and Canada.
Here are my tips for doing this:
1. If you have a high maintenance wife leave her in the states! My ex would only shop at Nieman Marcus and Nordstroms and she did it often. My current wife does her shopping at the segundas and the swap meet.
2. Live in a temperate zone (like Punta Banda) so A/C is not required. Even though my CFE bill is high because I'm on the DAC rate of 3.062 p/kWh and I use about 800kW every 2 months it would be much higher with A/C. In the states I was on a year roud flat rate for $350/month so my CFE bill here only amounts to about $91/month.
3. My 4 br/3bath (including guest house) overlooking Todos Santos bay was purchased 7 years ago, with proceeds from my share from the forced sale of my home in the the states, so my only expense for housing is the $1500/yr ($125/mo)land rent I pay for my very large lot in Lomas Del Mar.
4. My 3000 gal pila costs less than $30 to fill and lasts at least a month. My water bill in the states ran around $300/month (big property).
5. Buy food locally. We go to the states once a month to get things that are either not available in Ensenada or cost a lot less.

[Edited on 7-27-2012 by durrelllrobert]

DavidE - 7-27-2012 at 11:39 AM

durelllrobert,

I enjoyed reading your reply. Thank you. From what I understand there is more than one tier in DAC. A couple of years ago I had to pay almost sixty cents US per kWh including a 16% IVA. A question if I may: Did you take the total cost of your bill and divide it by the total kWh or is the 3.062 pesos per kWh the listed price for DAC on your bill? The reason I ask this is to know whether or not to plan for pricey insulation in my new casita. It will cost 600 dollars and entail special construction costs. Thank you for your help.

Mula - 7-27-2012 at 11:47 AM

Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

willardguy - 7-27-2012 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mula
Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

change is good! :bounce:

Cypress - 7-27-2012 at 12:57 PM

Insulation? You can't have too much. Picture a house as well insulated as an ice cooler. A block of ice will keep it cool. :biggrin:

durrelllrobert - 7-27-2012 at 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
durelllrobert,

I enjoyed reading your reply. Thank you. From what I understand there is more than one tier in DAC. A couple of years ago I had to pay almost sixty cents US per kWh including a 16% IVA. A question if I may: Did you take the total cost of your bill and divide it by the total kWh or is the 3.062 pesos per kWh the listed price for DAC on your bill? The reason I ask this is to know whether or not to plan for pricey insulation in my new casita. It will cost 600 dollars and entail special construction costs. Thank you for your help.

I know that the DAC rate is a lot less in Mexicali but here in Ensenada it is 3.062 x 791.00 kWh = 2,422 + 158.56 for Cargo fijo (2) whatever that is +283.20 IVA+27.42 IAP = 2891.91 on my latest bill.
I have no idea what DAC is in BCS.

DavidE - 7-27-2012 at 04:36 PM

Mil gracias! Sum total = 3.66 pesos kWh or 28 cents US kWh. I went over 1,300 kWh, with A/C and an oxygen concentrator. More than 750 dollars converted to pesos. I know CFE has different tarifas, 1A. 1B, 1C, etc. Kept below 250 kWh, the bill (125 kWh per month) is quite low. That allows for 4.16 kWh per day or 173 watts continuous 24/7. So if a person up in the states has a utility bill of 125 kWh or less, they'll live cheap on Mexican power. At 500 or above (monthly) OUCH! When a Mexican utility bill goes into DAC (Data Alto Consumo), it stays there. The next month and the month after that electrical usage can decrease to 100 kWh per 2 months and the DAC rate will still apply. Fifty eight dollars for 100 kWh!!!! Like a 7 watt bulb burning 24/7. I escaped this draconian rate by installing a new "mufa" (service drop) with dos filas (60 amp 254V service rather than 30 amp 127 service). The new service started "fresh". Whew!

But DAC starts after an accumulated number of kWh aggregates over a period of time (either 6-months or a year), it isn't just from an individual bi-monthly bill.

Again, thank you.

willardguy - 7-27-2012 at 04:47 PM

keeping in mind this is all about frugality and not someones taste in a particular beverage, here is my offering.
obviously the way to make it thru life on the cheap is not to indulge, but if you happen to be like me, I'd rather skip food. Is that wrong? of course, but thats the way I came wired.
so here's my take.
oso negra vodka 115 pesos
antillano rum 97 pesos
gallo beer 50 pesos a TWELVE PACk
now keep in mind you will be shunned by the cool cat baja affectionados, you know the ones tooling around in their samurai's wearing tank tops and bandana's that wouldnt be caught dead with anything but a long neck pacifico.
so put it in a cup and hope for the best! its all about frugality!

SFandH - 7-27-2012 at 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
gallo beer 50 pesos a TWELVE PACk

Where?

This is important news!

willardguy - 7-27-2012 at 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SFandH

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
gallo beer 50 pesos a TWELVE PACk

Where?

This is important news!

walmart. guatemala's oldest brewery! I like it

SFandH - 7-27-2012 at 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy

Quote:

Originally posted by SFandH

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
gallo beer 50 pesos a TWELVE PACk

Where?

This is important news!

walmart. guatemala's oldest brewery! I like it

I'll look for it at the Rosarito Walmart my next trip south. Thanks.

DavidE - 7-28-2012 at 08:51 AM

I used to find it in Lazaro Card##as, MICH. at the Bodega Aurrera, in Morelia at the Sam's and Wal-Mart. All Wal-Mart offshoots, if that helps.

bajadock - 7-28-2012 at 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mula
Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

What is a "wife"? Need translation help.

Pescador - 7-28-2012 at 09:13 AM

I don't know about the other areas, but I do know about Santa Rosalia area which is where I live. I use A/C and installed a Mini-Split which also provides heat in the winter if it gets very cold. When I had a house in Colorado, in the mountains, I paid approximately $80 a month for a base rate to keep the freezer, refrigerator, and other stuff going, so that kind of became my base rate. Here, I do pretty much the same with two refrigerators, a freezer, TV, computer, etc., and when it gets hot I run the A/C most of the time. CFE bills at Basic level which is .741 pesos per KWh, Intermediate at 1.245 and Excedente at 2.628. With all that, my bill for July was $1,129 Pesos for a two month billing. At 13.50 exchange rate, that figures out to $83.63 for two months.

For me, it was not an issue of escaping high prices of the United States, it was more of a conscious choice of where I wanted to live in retirment. So I did very little contemplation of where I could get the best deal, but centered around where I wanted to live. But, I do admit that I get a big smile when I compare the property taxes of my current property are $182.46 Pesos where I used to pay $1346.57 on my Colorado property. I like buying gasoline at a lower rate than in the United States, but none of those perks had all that much influence on my retirement location. I mostly look at them as little bonuses.

J.P. - 7-28-2012 at 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadock

Quote:

Originally posted by Mula
Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

What is a "wife"? Need translation help.

NOT TO WORRY DOC. if you got buy this long you dont need to know. :lol:

[Edited on 7-28-2012 by J.P.]

durrelllrobert - 7-28-2012 at 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadock

Quote:

Originally posted by Mula
Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

What is a "wife"? Need translation help.

a new gadget that you screw on the bed that does all your cooking and housework :lol:

desertcpl - 7-28-2012 at 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadock

Quote:

Originally posted by Mula
Sounds like getting a new wife is the secret.

What is a "wife"? Need translation help.

a new gadget that you screw on the bed that does all your cooking and housework :lol:

Ha Ha ,, I think you might be in big Poo Poo for that statement,, let me go get the pop corn and a cool drink

Bajaboy - 7-28-2012 at 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy

If you're going to stoop that low might as well live under a bridge.... :?:

willardguy - 7-28-2012 at 06:17 PM

well bajaboy you will happy to know ive changed my ways and now im working on a new blogspot. willardguys under the bridge adventures! yup, mostly about training,racing endurance events, you know the usual. I've seen the light! :coolup:

Bajaboy - 7-28-2012 at 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
well bajaboy you will happy to know ive changed my ways and now im working on a new blogspot. willardguys under the bridge adventures! yup, mostly about training,racing endurance events, you know the usual. I've seen the light! :coolup:

Didn't mean that as an attack...more self reflection....I'd rather sleep under a bridge than drink 50 peso 12 packs.

willardguy - 7-28-2012 at 08:15 PM

nothing personal, im just curious how much should you spend on a 12 pack before coming up from under the bridge? :spingrin:

DavidE - 7-29-2012 at 08:41 AM

When I see the price of Tecate, or Corona, or Pacifico, I think about all those plastic tables and chairs with their logo on them. I'm sure they are free, the corporate officers deduct the expense from their paycheck and from corporate dividends.

vandenberg - 7-29-2012 at 07:46 PM

In Sacramento for some doctor's work. Amazed at some of the bargains. Lots of great stuff ( produce) at the 99 cent stores.
Today at Save Mart:
Chinook salmon for 99 cents a lb. Average 6lbs, cleaned and without heads, previously frozen. Cat having a field day.
Baby back ribs, $2.49 a lb.
Sweet corn, 10 for $2.00
However, cant wait to get back to my Nopolo abode. :biggrin: