Job Discussion Forums

notamiss · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject:

I figure my dog costs less than $1400 (MXN) a year; that's $1000 for food, $150 for vaccinations and $200 for one vet visit (for mange) plus meds. We're not talking lap dogs here; this is a German Shepherd cross.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:20 pm Post subject:

My dogs cost me $200 pesos for 6 weeks worth of food, so that's about 1600 a year. My university has a vet on staff so I never have to pay to see the vet!!!! We spend about 200 pesos a year on soaps and shampoos to keep the mange, flea, lice, etc. under control. I used to buy flea collars, but since there is no way to safely dispose of them I stopped that--I also didn't want my little girls touching the flea collars. Apart from their puppy vaccinations, the annual ones are free. And there is no need for heart worm medication at 1500 feet.
So having two dogs cost me less than 2000 a year. Much less than it would cost to instal an alarm system on my house--or even bars on the window which I don't have. Just one big dog, and one little-ish one.
Certainly much less than my children cost me! Laughing

dixie · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 644 Location: D.F

notamiss · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject:

We don't feed the furgirl high quality food, just whatever's cheapest, as long as it's not Pedigree, as I've been warned away from that brand. Since she's middle-aged, we've just switched from regular adult to "mature dog" (Kirkland brand) from CostCo. It's a 18.1 kg bag & it cost roughly $260. Should last 6-8 weeks. She also gets some table scrap treats when there are any. Shots cost, I think about $150 for the yearly quintuple doggy-disease combination shot, and if I don't get around to getting the free rabies shot when they're offered in the public health campaigns, then it's $100. I didn't count spaying, since it was some years ago, but I think it was about $700.

Anyway, I agree, you can't put a price on love. I used to be cat person but my dog taught me that dog love isn't inferior or superior to cat love, just different and very sublime.

thelmadatter · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:11 pm Post subject: love

MELEE · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject:

700 to spay?????

jeez, my girls were fixed for 50 pesos each, males only cost 20.

I buy their food at ISSTE the 18kilo bag (which lasts them 6 weeks) cost 196 pesos. They also get table scraps. And Lola loves loves LOVES old dried out tortillas--her favorite hobby is stealing them around the neighborhood. I guess it reminds her of her infancy on the street. Rolling Eyes

notamiss · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject:

MELEE · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject:

The university's vet did it in his home--but that's what he charges the general public.

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

There are lots of ways to save money in any society. Lots of the ones mentioned above were excellent, but I have a few others. I make roughly the same as my friends here and yet i am able to save a bit each month, so I must be doing something right!

1. reduce your alcohol intake (yep, hard to do for some people but if you cut back a bit you'll save a bundle. I'm not saying never drink, but do it in moderation).

2. buy no-name brands and shop sales.

3. buy at the market, not Mega. I don't honestly know how the prices compare but the quality is much better.

4. Use a teacher or student card for discounts at museums or on buses. (or find out when museums are free)

5. Pack a lunch sometimes.

etc. etc. You get the idea.

nineisone · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 187

For those of you that have average paying positions and are frugal enough to save, on average how much are you able to save monthly?

500 pesos? 1,000?

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

just earn more. if you can't spend less, earn more. there are plenty of options. i worked 20 hours a week online, for $20/hour, while living in mexico city and saved money. it was cake. there are plenty of online ESL gigs for Americans. i don't know about other countries.

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

It's VERY hard to save in the States also. When the position I held at SMU was done away with, I had to use my savings to keep paying my mortgage until my house sells so I can get to DF.
Now I can't find a job that pays anything near what I made at SMU. I work part time at the college in Plano Texas teaching ESL to adults and we're trying to get by on that until our house sells so we can get out of dodge and get to beautiful Mexico City. It seems like people who work for a living are hurting everywhere.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

When I was married, we were able to save between 2 and 5 k per month, especially when we put our minds to it, saving for a goal, like a trip to Canada or the beach. It's a little harder now that I'm single, but I'm still able to sock away some every month.

Word of advice for those doing the business English class circuit. Christmas and Semana Santa are down times, so it's good to prepare for those periods where no money is coming in.

GueroPaz · Joined: 07 Sep 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Thailand or Mexico

As Guy said about corporate lessons, private lessons with secondaria/prepa schedules can have long gaps of nearly no income. Navidad, semana santa, whenever the long semester breaks occur - the students are off. I lost a week in October, will lose one or two weeks at Christmas. You plan ahead and don't buy big purchases during those months.

FreddyM · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Mexico