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How To Beat Sticker Shock At Restaurants In BA?

Nanaimo, Canada
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How To Beat Sticker Shock At Restaurants In BA?
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There has been lots of verbalization on various posts about the rapid inflation that has occurred in BA. Very little has been posted on how to minimize costs to travelers in this situation.

One of the challenges is how to beat the sticker shock at restaurants in BA? Any creative ideas?

T

Edmonton, Canada
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1. Re: How To Beat Sticker Shock At Restaurants In BA?
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Start with an excursion to Uruguay, and buy a big wad of Argentine pesos there at a significant discount. That'll soften the sting when you're back in BsAs.

Notice the exchange rate mentioned in this article:

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/11/16/argentina-tells-uruguay-it-will-not-accept-surplus-pesos-from-the-summer-season

Australia
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2. Re: How To Beat Sticker Shock At Restaurants In BA?
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What is "sticker shock"?

Abilene, Texas
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"Sticker shock"= higher prices than in the past. Tourists who have visited before are surprised by home much more expensive BA is than the last time they visited. And those who have read that BA is a "bargain" destination are similarly shocked to discover that stuff was cheaper at home. Rapidly rising prices are due to high inflation.

Abilene, Texas
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Viajero, I've never thought of going to Uruguay to exchange money. Interesting idea.

I have dealt with sticker shock in several ways.....At least part of the time I eat my main meal at lunch rather than dinner to take advantage of mid-day fixed price lunch specials. At night I enjoy a couple of empanadas and a glass of malbec, sometimes in a cafe and sometimes in my apartment.

I no longer buy clothing in Argentina....The exception is leather goods....I confess I am addicted to Lopez Taibo shoes.

If I go out at night for dinner, I may drink a before dinner cocktail at home rather than in a restaurant....If we order wine, I look for something less expensive....whereas formerly I did not pay much attention to prices.

Take public transportation. The collectivos in BA go virtually anywhere you want to go and the cost is still a bargain, especially as the price of taxis has gone up.

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DrDawggy, would you really say that prices in BA are mote expensive than at home where you live? Seriously? Wow!

Lucca, Italy
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for Buenos Aires, Argentina, California, Italy
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If you are from Canada then prices will seem a bargain in Argentina. I was in Canada this Summer and the food and liquor prices were unbelievable.

I utilize the same techniques which Dr. Dawgy offers above. Your best restauant prices are during the lunch meal so I would plan on a long lunch then a lighter dinner or snack. This is typical of what many Argentines do as they do in Italy,also.

If you have an apartment then take advantage of the many pasta frescas, and other food stores to prepare meals at home.

Many of the shopping malls have very good food courts which eliminate the cover charges for table service.

Abilene, Texas
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Otro, I live in a relatively small town in rural Texas...so, yeah, things cost less here than in BA. What has been surprising to me is to discover that even in larger US cities, I often spend less on travel than in Argentina.

Sockhopper has been quick to note that quality of service/life should be considered as part of the equation, and I agree. I love Argentina for a host of reasons but an inexpensive vacation is no longer on my list.

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It depends too on what part of Canada you are from. The Maritimes are less expensive but as you go west, it seems to get pricier. Plus in Canada, you have high taxes. Thank you for your suggestions on economizing. We might end up staying with our friends instead of renting an apartment. So right there is a great savings. Of course we will want to take them out to dinner a few times but they will know where to go.

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And I love Argentina too especially BA. I am always so happy to return there after a two or three day excursion to another city in Argentina. Actually what I like to do cost nothing. I love to meander around the streets of Recoleta, Belgrano, and Palermo. I also like having conversations with people and refresh my Spanish. Once I took private French lessons while I was in BA. The instructor was from Quebec and we had some great conversations. It was a lot of fun and reasonably priced.

Buenos Aires...
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for Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10. Re: How To Beat Sticker Shock At Restaurants In BA?
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One more tip from an inflation-experienced Argentinian: check prices dayly.

Restaurant A may be more expensive than restaurant B.

As they will both rise their prices periodically (beause they can't do otherwise), restaurant B will most probably raise his prices sooner than A, and become the most expensive for a while ... until A updates its price list again.

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