Prices
Friday, January 20th, 2006 -- J. DoeBuzzurro and I have been doing a little shopping while in the US and comparing those prices to Italy.
Clothes are much cheaper in the US by far. Even when you are a bad girl like J.Doe and buy the most expensive coat in the whole store! OOPS. Sorry Buzzurro!
Shoes are very, very much cheaper too, even those shoes that are made in Italy!
Beef, chicken and pork seem to be cheaper, but I cannot really say the food is cheaper because eating styles are different. What we were used to eating in Italy is very expensive here (but at least available) and when we were in Italy the food that we became used to eating while in the US on vacations was very expensive, if even available.
Aspirin and other OTC medicine is very much cheaper. We spent 3 hours in Walgreens checking out the prices in amazement. They are so low, and then on top of that everything seems to be available in the generic store brand.
Buzzurro is still to this day, surprised by the low cost of gasoline in the US. Gasoline costs 4 times as much in Italy. Where we used to fill up the gas tank of our little Fiat with 60 Euros, here in the US, on a much bigger car, a 20 dollar note will do.
Has Buzzurro ever live in the US before?
No, I just went here on vacation more times… and I liked it here.
Cool.
You two have an interesting perspective then. Keep writing about what you feel and observe.
I will. The problem is, we have less free time, despite we’re not currently working (yet), because we’re organizing our lives. So we also had less time for this great hobby, blogging.
Both of you have already given Americans a great lesson. WE SHOULD STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT GASOLINE PRICES!!!
We should also begin to produce our own gasoline and oil using coal gasification (just as Germany did in WWII and South Africa does today). We have enough coal to supply our gasoline needs for hundreds of years. The cost of a barrel of oil from coal gasification is $35 per barrel. The cost from Saudi Arabia on Friday was $69 per barrel.
I’ve been paying attention to prices too… 3 things immediately jump out at me (for being so ridiculously cheap in Italy compared to here):
Wine
Cheese
Bottled water
I’m on an ongoing mission to find DRINKABLE wines for under $5! I’ve found one or two so far around that price. I’ve become a cheapskate!
I like cheddar cheese, and that is much cheaper here. The bottled water is very expensive though and so is the wine, but I’m not much of a drinker anyway so haven’t even looked to buy that stuff yet. (and I use a Brita water filtration system).
Now you are making me homesick! I ALWAYS fill up on my “stash” of OTC drugs when I am the States. I am starting to get low, thank goodness that my Mom will be here in a week to refill my stash! I have to force myself to stop saying “Well in America this only costs this…in America this is so much cheaper….” or my husband might strangle me. Not only were things cheaper, but people (in general) make more money. Sigh, now I am really homesick.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE living in Italy. I just wish it wasn’t so $$$$$!
Cyn
PS. Congrats on your driving test!