Has inflation made you more frugal?

There are 40 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 3,115 times. The latest Post (February 5, 2024 at 5:56 PM) was by Rice.

    I've definitely tightened my belt in the last twelve months or so and recently, even more so. But there are some things that I won't substitute, so I'll give some examples.

    Nescafe Gold - it's expensive, but sometimes on offer and on certain days - offer plus discount up to 15%. I can now make a 100g jar last just over two weeks.

    Milk - I prefer La Serenisima 2%, whereas Adri will go for the cheapest of any brand.

    Juice - Cepita Mulifruta with a dash of 7UP for days when I'm on the wagon (weekdays)

    Doritos - almost a luxury now, so I think twice before buying.

    Havana Rum - my weekly treat. I really have to shop around for this and grab bargains when I see them.

    Golden Virginia tobacco green packet - often it simply disappears, like so many other products, but Tabaqueria Inglesa in Microcentro still has it. Smoking is now becoming very expensive at $5300 per 30g.

    When out shopping last Friday for bbq food for four, I managed to find a small pack of mollejas for $2000 which was a result. I then bought a pack of three morcillas for four of us and then raided the freezer for the rest, including frozen bread rolls and a pack of eight chorizos that I had bought before Christmas for inflation reasons. In fact, I picked up one or two items in Carrefour and after a few minutes, put them back. I see a lot of people doing that nowadays,

    The thing about asados is that we always cook too much, so this time there was hardly any wastage. Same for the picada - I just put some crackers and cheese slices on the table and everyone was happy. Bear in mind that this was a men only bbq and I may not have got away with such frugality if women had been involved.

    As for fuel, I keep the bike tank full all the time (Shell is the most expensive in my experience).

    We switch lights and fans off and only use the aircon when total nudity isn't an option, so to speak.

    As for comparing prices, Adri is more astute than me and chooses all the right days/supermarkets/cards for the discounts. We both have Coto community card, Carrefour loyalty (plus over 60 discount), Disco/Jumbo card etc etc.

    A young Argentine entrepreneur has come up with an app for comparing prices, called Ratoneando and you can read about it here, open in Chrome and right click for English translation.

    I'll let you all know how effective the app is.

    Tu ratón interior se merece el precio mas bajo.
    Compará precios entre los supermercados de Argentina y ahorrá.
    ratoneando.ar

    Gratis y a un clic: cómo funciona "Ratoneando”, una app para ahorrar en los supermercados | TN

    In short, I now think twice before buying anything, which is totally out of character for me, but perhaps will teach me not to be so impulsive.

    We are certainly cutting back - I am still struggling to put value on most things.

    So cutting back is fine - I use the excuse of a diet !

    By the way, Jumbo also has an over 60s discount. They don't seem to publish it anywhere. In my Jumbo it's on a Wednesday. But you have to ask. Its 15% and includes meat which Coto doesn't do.

    Carrefour is 10% Monday to Thursday.

    Having always been tight-fisted hunting for bargains comes natural to me. ^^

    Our weekly supermarket shopping habits have certainly changed over the last few years. Instead of going to the one supermarket for the big weekly shop we now visit two or even three if we know there are certain 'offers' to be had. The missus sometimes gets fed up with doing this and just chucks whatever she needs in the trolley and doesn't worry about the price.

    We do take advantage of the cashback bank card/DNI thingy. Thankfully the missus looks after that side of things as I haven't a clue how it works.

    My expertise in bargain hunting mainly revoloves around KitKats, fags and booze. I go to Irma's for my fags as she's always the cheapest. Her Kiosco is a few doors up from the late MIL's house so my wife has known her for over 40 years. I was in the other day and couldn't believe she was still selling my brand for 580 pesos for 20 while most other shops have been selling them for 700 pesos for weeks. No wonder she has a steady stream of customers from early morning until late at night.

    As for beer, I'm pretty flexible which brand and type I drink so will hunt a bargain out if there's one going. I'm still of the spirits but will take one if offered.

    I should be more frugal, but the truth is that I have always dealt with stress by overeating. This has been a lifelong issue and it was a miracle I was able to lose weight in 2022-mid 2023. I was highly motivated, but my motivation has done down the drain after 2 months in Italy last summer. I held it together for the first part of the trip, but I lost my control when I realized I was 2 weeks away from my return flight and I had missed on so many food/dishes that simply not available here.

    I went into the wrong mindset that "now that I have shed the weight I won't fall for it again", and I wasn't able to lose the 2kg I had gained in Italy. My diet over there was completely different, and my skin told me that eating fancy cheese and hams is not good for my body.

    Once I was back to Argentina, I went through some very stressful months due to several issues piling up (we had to furnish our new STR, I was working like crazy and had classes at night). So I indulged again in food treats and moved my diet to after the academic year was over. Then December came and I loathed dieting, hated going to the gym and was hungry all the time anyway. Stressing over the elections (that sounded like doomsday) and that items will go out of stock or become too expensive dragged me back into the stress cycle and y way to cope with it is going straight to the fridge. I have been eating more than ever and I am disappointed with my weight.

    I have to say that booze and cigarettes are not the best allies nor for dieting nor for saving, but that's what is "helping" me now.

    We have completely abandoned the idea of having a short getaway in Argentina during summer, since we are both planning to visit Europe in winter (European summer). The prices are unjustified compared to what you can do with the same money in Europe. A lot of it is pure psychology -- seeing marmalade jars on the shelves for 5000 pesos doesn't help.

    Quote from serafina

    I have to say that booze and cigarettes are not the best allies nor for dieting nor for saving, but that's what is "helping" me now.

    Do you put weight on easily? I didn't have you down as a big eater. Maybe it's in the family genes?

    Just noticed La Anonima has 1lt bottles of Andes Rubia going for $1223. :thumbup: Got Ines and Oscar coming for a BBQ on Sunday out at the quinta. As Oscar likes beer I'll must go and see if they have any left. :cheers:

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    Edited once, last by UK Man: Merged a post created by UK Man into this post. (January 25, 2024 at 1:54 PM).

    Quote from UK Man

    Just noticed La Anonima has 1lt bottles of Andes Rubia going for $1223. :thumbup: Got Ines and Oscar coming for a BBQ on Sunday out at the quinta. As Oscar likes beer I'll must go and see if they have any left. :cheers:

    5676.jpg

    Just back from La Anonima and got 6 bottles. A bargain. :cheers:

    serafina, I so understand and sympathize with your struggle! It seems there are just certain time periods when multiple factors gang up on you and eating seems like the only thing that feels good, even momentarily.

    Quote from Rice

    serafina, I so understand and sympathize with your struggle! It seems there are just certain time periods when multiple factors gang up on you and eating seems like the only thing that feels good, even momentarily.

    True.....when feeling cheesed off I tend to crave chocolate and coffee followed by a fag. So I try my best to always have those available in the house. I used to like a snifter as well but that was getting out of hand so I stopped it.

    Quote from UK Man

    Do you put weight on easily? I didn't have you down as a big eater. Maybe it's in the family genes?

    I am a stress eater and I have been since I was a child. Plus, I think that since my grandparents lived through the war, there was never a healthy relationship with food passed down in my family. "The more, the merrier" was their attitude.

    Lifestyle changes and processed food, widely available and cheap or reasonably priced, didn't help in shaping a healthier diet along the years, either. Every time I visit my parents, they are getting heavier and could care less, despite suffering the consequences. But they have maybe 10 years ahead of them, I have 40 or 50.

    I think a serious conversation on diet and food is long overdue, which is why I don't feel like criticizing veganism (also in relation to the environmental impact of mass produced animal-derived food).

    Quote from serafina

    I think a serious conversation on diet and food is long overdue, which is why I don't feel like criticizing veganism (also in relation to the environmental impact of mass produced animal-derived food).

    The Argentine diet isn't exactly healthy either which doesn't help. There seems to be a lot of overweight people here from what I see. Most seem quite happy though.

    Are you paying attention to your calories intake or does it come natural to you?

    I eat quickly because I was "taught" this way. My mother had a long commute and was very tired at night, so she wanted to wrap up dinner as fast as possible to rest a couple of hours before it was time go to bed. As such, eating has always been quick business at my house when growing up. She was taking away dishes and food from the table when I was still eating - which I hated (and still hate to this day), so I tried to eat as fast as possible. Unfortunately, this bad habit sticked. :(

    We spotted a new Indian place in Microcentro last week. So today we were running errands in the area and decided to give it a try. I think they are from the same owner of another Indian restaurant (near Tribunales) since the menu is identical (even the font type!).

    Veg lunch special was $6700 with 4 options to choose from, but with a $650 cover charge. Drinks were sold separately, and I ordered a water with gas and a lassi (yogurt drink - $3500) and a parantha (flat brad - $1500).

    All in all we paid about $23.000 including a 10% tip, or 19 USD.

    I was thinking that Indian food is considered a cheap option abroad, but here is not the case. And to say that she dishes we had on the lunch special for $6700 are sold for $11.000 regularly!