One (of many) of the reasons I decided to move to the Philippines....

[stevewool]

I’m just so glad we have savings , lots in tax free savings too, private pensions plus the state pension coming next year , I know it’s enough to last me and to last Emma to once I’m not here .

[MotorSarge]

16 hours ago, Mike J said:

I know prices have increased but didn't realize it was that bad.  What are a few of the items where prices have doubled?

Deisel, gas, eggs & milk just to name a few.

[RBM]

10 hours ago, MotorSarge said:

Deisel, gas, eggs & milk just to name a few.

Yesterday bought 1 medium cabbage (go through 5 a week) 3 small cucumber, P155. Now for sure that is more than times 2 in a year.

[Georgebob]

On 11/4/2023 at 2:19 PM, Freebie said:

Yesterday ...a small bag of 5 potatoes, now P120. One gabi ( taro ) P140. Onions , 4 in a bag P75, ginger P48.

Kimchi in my local korean store has gone from P200 to now P350.. " cabbages more expensive Sir ", another price increase next week Sir, sorry.

All these are at least double one year ago.

ALDI in Australia is cheaper ,I'm actually shocked at those prices !

[stevewool]

1 hour ago, Georgebob said:

ALDI in Australia is cheaper ,I'm actually shocked at those prices !

Aldi everywhere is cheaper ,

Has many members thought about growing there own veg , just in pots or growbags 

[Tommy T.]

8 minutes ago, stevewool said:

as many members thought about growing there own veg , just in pots or growbags 

We do with mixed results.... Some things flourish (green, square and long beans)... while others - for us- flounder (tomatoes, green leafy veggies). It all depends on location, soil quality, water supply and drainage, seed quality, proper care, sometimes insecticides and/or fertilizers...

[jimeve]

1 hour ago, stevewool said:

Has many members thought about growing there own veg

Yes we do, Peppers, spinach, runner beans, papaya, yam, corn, eggplant,sweet potato, coconuts and bananas. Not all at once though. 

Wife looks after 2,500 agriculture lot and shares it with some friends who grow vegetables. Anyone tried to grow onions?

[BrettGC]

Our local markets sell 1kg of chopped veggies for 60php.  You choose the veggies, they chop them in front of you.  Everything is grown locally, so a lot of seasonal only stuff, much like when most of us were growing up pre-80's.  We put it in the fridge and cook as needed.  Lasts over a week in the crisper.  The produce that doesn't grow well here isn't sold, pretty simple.  There's plenty of analogues to replace them with if you make a minimal effort and have some local knowledge, wife/gf etc.  

We paid 330php for 30 jumbo eggs the other day.  Yes more expensive than 18 months ago but still just over half price per egg compared to the supermarkets in Australia (I just checked the Coles and Woolworths websites).  They're unwashed locally produced eggs, not free range, but not battery either.  

The great onion scandal seems to have passed so while still expensive, compared to the past, not as bad as this time last year.  

We never buy fruit or vegetables from the supermarkets regardless of chain, ever.  7 times out of 10 it's gone soggy/off in a couple of days even when refrigerated at home. PI has a lot to learn about refrigerated transport and storage.  I'd rather buy local anyway.  I used to do the same in Australia, support the local butcher, fruit and veg shop etc and living in a tourist area (Great Barrier Reef area) if you could produce a local licence/ID, they'd give a local discount.  Much like here, they didn't spray the meat with the chemical that keeps it red like the chains do and again, much of the produce was locally sourced.  

I'm not saying it's organic or grown with the principles of permaculture in mind but it's cheap and fresh.  We live about 2 and a half hours from the nearest major population centre (I don't count San Carlos or Bais as major, I'm talking Bacolod or Dumaguete in that regard) so prices are lower and aimed at the local customers.  I think there's about 3 other expats in town, 2 of them are my neighbours.  I mention expats as that does impact the price in some areas.  

I've never been charged the "long-nose" tax here, everyone is terrified of my MiL 

Fresh mushrooms I miss.  

Edited November 5, 2023 by BrettGC

[Mike J]

The wife buy our fruit and vegetables at the mercado, never at the grocery store.  The quality is better and the prices are lower because there are many seller booths.  We also have coconut and banana growing at our place.  Have tried growing a few vegetable but the soil here is a problem, very little topsoil and heavy with lime.

[hk blues]

On 11/4/2023 at 3:22 PM, GeoffH said:

Even 25% over 2 years is a lot of inflation, particularly when pension/superannuation increases lag behind as they tend to do.

I agree, but it's nothing like the 100% suggested.