Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Value for the Dollar...or not

Some examples of how our dollar goes just a little further here in China:

  • One month of Phone Service (which includes 2 home phone lines and high speed Internet service) = 50 yuan ($7 US)
  • Propane tank refill = 35 yuan ($5 US)
  • DVDs = 5-10 yuan ($0.60-$1.20 US)
  • 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast (or “chicken chest” as it’s called here) = 7-8 yuan ($1 US)
  • 20 ounce bottle of Coca-Cola Light (Chinese version of Diet Coke) = 3 yuan ($0.40 US)
  • 40 load bag of Tide = 15 yuan ($2 US)
  • 24 passport photos = 30 yuan ($4 US) (for comparison purposes Walgreens gouges you for $8.00 and you get 2 pics in the US)

Some examples of how we spend the money we save above:

  • 1 small box of Minute Rice = 56 yuan ($8 US) (we have no earthly idea how to cook any other rice except for the 5 minute variety)
  • 12 - 4 ounce cans of Diet Coke = 90 yuan ($12 US)
  • 2 pound Roast = 200 yuan ($27 US)
  • 35 ounce can of Folgers coffee = 138 yuan ($18 US)
  • 1 Duncan Hines cake mix = 58 yuan ($8 US)
  • Getting just a little taste of home = Priceless (even if it costs you $10 to get a box of Lucky Charms)

2 comments:

Jill and HD said...

You forgot to add Giant Sweet Tarts to your list! I bought them for you at 50 cents a piece and spent $7.00 sending you 14 of them. But it is a taste of home and when you can't get something it is "priceless". Guess when we come we'll bring a roast! And the thought of spending $1.00 for a tomato paste sized can of coke is enough to make me think twice.
Love you

Anonymous said...

how to cook rice
1 cup rice, 1 cup of water
put them in a casserole dish with a cover
in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes or until the water is all soaked up
Love, Tuck and Becca

About Me

After having lived our entire lives in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas, there's really only one logical place for us to move to next. Yep, that's right ... Shanghai, China. Follow along with us on our journey to the Orient as we learn Mandarin, feast on chicken feet, and experience Asia!