Cost of Living – Page 6 – Happier Than A Billionaire

COSTA RICA HEALTH CARE: THE SURGERY CONSULT (CONT)

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:38-04:00 August 8th, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: doctors, health care, hospitals|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: 8 ounce package of imported mushrooms-$6

After a couple hours of waiting on the side of the road, a woman dressed in white scrubs opened the gate and we all filed in. We started forming a line directly in front of the reception window. I glanced at a piece of paper taped to the wall which said the doctor would only see six people today. Our lack of Spanish made it difficult to understand why there were 35 people sitting here totally unfazed by this news.

“That can’t be right,” I told Rob. “What doctor treats six people a day?” I pointed to the sign and asked the person in front of me if that was true. The woman nods her head in agreement. “That sucks, there are already six people in front of us.”

“I don’t care, I’m not going anywhere. We’ve been through stuff like this a dozen times. You can’t give up right away,” said Rob. And he is right. It’s amazing how often I want to wave the white flag. But people immediately like my husband and hopefully the doctor remembers she told him to come back today. (more…)

26

“I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR”- AN INTRO TO COSTA RICAN HEALTH CARE

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:38-04:00 July 30th, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: doctors, hospitals, surgery|

Costa Rica Costa Of Living Update: Three heads of garlic-90 cents

A lot has been going on behind the scenes at Happier Than A Billionaire. Unfortunately, there has been a few not so happy times. My husband needed hernia surgery and I chose not to write about it until I knew he would survive. I’m nice like that—I prefer to have my husband alive and well when I write about all the embarrassing things that happened to him while infirmed.

And since he is convalescing, he has less ability to reach the computer to read about it and less of a chance to yell at me for talking about him on my blog.

So here it goes. A three part story on my introduction into the Costa Rica health care system. Grab some popcorn and hug your Blue Shield card…it’s going to be a bumpy ride. (more…)

14

THE TWENTY-FIVE DOLLAR BILLIONAIRE

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:54-04:00 April 28th, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: hotels, sugar beach|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Gallon of super gasoline-$5

Today we decided to go to Sugar Beach Hotel for lunch. It’s located on a lovely beach with expansive views of the ocean. Our friendly waiter helped us with our choice; I had the fish fillet sandwich while my husband ordered the curry chicken wrap. Deciding on saving some money, we both shared one Orange Fanta.

The meals were excellent and the bill (including tax plus tip) came to under $25. We then asked a worker if we could go for a quick dip in their pool. Of course we wouldn’t pass up that.

Twenty-five dollars is the perfect price for a place with a killer view and an equally killer infinity pool. I’ve paid more at Macaroni Grill to wait 45 minutes just to get a table…and I never once wore my bikini.

I may not be a billionaire but love the idea of living like one. That is, with a budget of $25.

14

HAPPINESS AND TOO MUCH STUFF

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:55-04:00 March 31st, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: happiness, moving|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: 4 ounce jar of Parmesan cheese at the beach- $8

Even though I am moving from one furnished house to another, I found that things stick to me like static cling.

I thought I kept my life simple… if simple was defined by three suitcases of books, a partially functioning fax machine, and a junk drawer that has enough gadgets and doo-dads to install that waterless composting toilet my husband keeps raving about.

Moving is a great reminder that we all accumulate too many things, and happiness is usually aligned with owning less.

So now I’ll attempt to thin out my belongings and get back to why I moved here in the first place. But to the dismay of my husband, I’m keeping the ABBA CD. It’s not my fault he is incapable of appreciating aluminum foil-wrapped Swedish pop icons.

4

THERE’S SAND IN MY SHOES

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:55-04:00 March 24th, 2011|Categories: Cost of Living|Tags: building|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Moving van with crew-$300

It looks like we are moving to the beach. Time has come to investigate the possibilities of building a house…in a foreign country….with very little Spanish skills.

Building is rough on anyone but this recipe should even challenge my calm and mild mannered husband. He’s excited about the project; constantly sketching house designs with many green energy ideas. One of which is a waterless composting toilet.

Really honey…you had me at hello.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride partnered with an equally depleting bank account…and not one flush in sight.

7

COSTA RICA HEALTH CARE: THE SURGERY CONSULT (CONT)

“I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR”- AN INTRO TO COSTA RICAN HEALTH CARE

THE TWENTY-FIVE DOLLAR BILLIONAIRE

HAPPINESS AND TOO MUCH STUFF

THERE’S SAND IN MY SHOES

Join us in Costa Rica