www.CostaRicaTicas.com

removed

Yeah,

Don't reuse condoms

Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

Sounds like me here in the states...post divorce.

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My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"

And remember to make the middle hole on the toilet paper, wipe, and use the extra middle-hole-paper to clean under your fingernails.

Mrpublic,

I found this to be a very interesting post, as well as your other post concerning fun things to see and do in Costa Rica. You have piqued my curiousity, and prabably that of other readers as well. Perhaps some background on yourself would be in order, if you don't mind......age, do you speak Spanish, how long you've lived in Costa Rica, what was your reasons for living as cheap as possible, etc., etc.?

Zebra

Mr. Public - I truly admire your post... I'm glad to see someone here has done this!

This is why I just don't see how these people live on the meager wages they earn...

It seems impossible to live, while feeding 2 or 3 little ones for under 500 a month... And, as you say, that's barely making it...

"You have piqued my curiosity, and probably that of other readers as well. Perhaps some background on yourself would be in order..."

Glad you liked it, I'm sure that there are other Gringos who have done even better now that I think about it.

As for me, I'm 26, Californian (surfer type), entrepreneur. I had an overseas childhood, which I credit for the Spanish and other languages. I had friends and even (at one time) an aunt who lived down here, which is why I decided to make the jump back. Just tired of the US and living in a superficial suburban part of the country.

Plus, the obvious, Costa Rica Ticas.

I lived cheaply because I saw it as liberating and as a personal challenge. Now I would say I live moderately.

You guys are write that many Ticos (and Lord knows Nicas) live on much less than I did, but their secret is family/community. They live 10-15 people in a little compound; the land was inherited from back in the time when land was cheap in the Central Valley and when the govt gave practically interest-free mortgages to gain support. They will never be able to buy a house of their own, and are afraid to rent by themselves.

Family life has other benefits; older people provide day care, household chores are shared, cooking boils down to just one giant pot of rice, one of beans, maybe a soup, and everyone getting little bits and pieces of other stuff to fill in their diet. Most of the time they don't even refrigerate this stuff, because it's all eaten up before it could go bad.

Strangely, many poor people still insist on a few luxuries, most notably fancy cell phones, and big screen TVs. Women (and quite a few men) also like to spend a fair amount on clothes when they can.

In rural areas people also grow their own food or barter with local farmers.

There is quite a lot of "sexo por conveniencia" in poor communities. Differs from prostitution in that women are having sex with men they know, maybe even becoming girlfriends, but in return they are getting small amounts of money to help them make ends meet.

The economic world of the poor here is fascinating, both sad and inspiring.

As for me, I make pretty okay money right now, but would be considered poor if I had that salary in the states. There's a small chance some of my projects might take off here, if not I will probably go back eventually.

Still looking forward to any other CR living tips you guys can offer.

Mrpublic has just done a very good and very accurate job of describing how many, many of the Ticos (including the majority of the working chicas) live here on very little income. They do live in family (or friends) groups, they do share what they have, they do have no or little problem having sex with close friends or even family members in exchange for 'benifits'. As for leaving food out and it not being a problem because it is eaten soo fast; I have been in more than a few homes that do not even have a refridgerator. Many do not even have a oven and range--if lucky they have a dbl. burner cook top and a toaster oven.And one of the strangest things is the frequent lack of a table. They just set whereever possible to eat; the floor, the sofa, the stairs, really strange. Big color TV and cell phone but no items that Americans would consider essentual.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

You're kidding right?

Have you ever been to a poor person's house in the US?

Essential in the US is:

Large color TV, Cable/satellite tv feed, and the brand newest cell phone from verizon/sprint/etc...

Next comes the NICEST car.

Then comes the rest...


There are, of course exceptions to that, but in my experience, poor everywhere don't know how to manage money... Not to say that rich do, but it's an inherent problem with the poor... a perfect example is all the pawn shops, payday loan operations, and check cashing places in all the poor neighborhoods...

THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to poor people, and yes, I'm generalizing here, is their TV.

Sounds like Clark Howard!~~

I can relate to what Bang57 wrote about the lack of a table to eat on. I was invited to a chicas house in Desamperados for an evening meal. There was no table and chairs in her house. When it was time to eat, they swung the couch around to a sort of counter area between the kitchen and living room.

Zebra

Mrpublic,

A couple questions:

What is your visa arrangement?

and

What do you do for work?

and if you would

How much where/are you making?

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Tonka. (Still Alive and kicking.)

Tonka, who are you asking these questions of?

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Sorry Bang, I was asking Mrpublic, but any info would be appreciated.

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Tonka. (Still Alive and kicking.)

This is a great post and I would like to see more investigative posts about expenses and other things as well. I am suprised that no one has mentioned this but this post shows definitavley that a feller with nothing in the world but a social security or other small check such as disability ect could live or at least exist in CR and probably have a little left over for fun. I have heard a hundred times from a lot of the old timers about how they used to be able to live on SS but cant now in CR. And the more time I spend in CR and for example talk to the regulars in places like the New York Bar where I regularly eat my chili dog at lunch I seem to sense that there are more guys than one would think on a very limited income living in CR. Its reassuring to know that if all we work for turns to poo poo at some point we can still live in CR. We dont often think about it but all of us affluent hard working good living guys like me and most of us on this board are but one crisis away be it legal/financial/personal or health related crisis from having nothing. History is ful of riches to rags stories.
To the original poster I say thanks and I look forward to other topics of this sort. Adios, JD