Comments on: Money and Tourists http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Sat, 25 May 2013 16:34:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14500 David Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:51:54 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14500 @stuffisthings Thats why I eventually bought the chips for $2. @stuffisthings Thats why I eventually bought the chips for $2.

]]> By: Robin http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14464 Robin Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:15:38 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14464 No offense intended to the author, but reading travel stories that are focused on scams/inflated prices/pennies and cents just bores me to tears. As someone who has spent a few years travelling pretty extensively, if you don't have something to learn or reflect upon from your experience (say, economic colonialism, wealth inequalities, the complexities within a culture and how hard it is to represent it without massive generalizations), or at least some humourous anecdotes, there isn't much going for the writing. Budgeting and getting your money's worth is important for any traveller. But it's too easy (esp for novice travelers) to become obsessed with it all and try to impose some western idea of 'equality' (ha!) on how locals should interact with them. No offense intended to the author, but reading travel stories that are focused on scams/inflated prices/pennies and cents just bores me to tears. As someone who has spent a few years travelling pretty extensively, if you don’t have something to learn or reflect upon from your experience (say, economic colonialism, wealth inequalities, the complexities within a culture and how hard it is to represent it without massive generalizations), or at least some humourous anecdotes, there isn’t much going for the writing.

Budgeting and getting your money’s worth is important for any traveller. But it’s too easy (esp for novice travelers) to become obsessed with it all and try to impose some western idea of ‘equality’ (ha!) on how locals should interact with them.

]]> By: Jake Reinhardt http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14457 Jake Reinhardt Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:58:59 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14457 @Nick you say potato, I say...you're a dick in real life that doesn't appreciate the meat of a story(oh DEAR, mummy, that editing was horrrrid). And the seasons, they go round and round. @Nick you say potato, I say…you’re a dick in real life that doesn’t appreciate the meat of a story(oh DEAR, mummy, that editing was horrrrid). And the seasons, they go round and round.

]]> By: stuffisthings http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14428 stuffisthings Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:02:34 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14428 @Nick You're probably just reading the "white people version." @Nick You’re probably just reading the “white people version.”

]]> By: Nick http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14418 Nick Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:40:29 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14418 @Jake Reinhardt That was uncalled for. The editing on this piece is simply unprofessional. @Jake Reinhardt That was uncalled for. The editing on this piece is simply unprofessional.

]]> By: stuffisthings http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14417 stuffisthings Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:35:39 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14417 @Jake Reinhardt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility#Diminishing_marginal_utility">It does though.</a> @Jake Reinhardt It does though.

]]> By: Jake Reinhardt http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14416 Jake Reinhardt Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:30:35 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14416 @Nick I hope you’re not that much of a dick in real life. @Nick I hope you’re not that much of a dick in real life.

]]> By: Jake Reinhardt http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14414 Jake Reinhardt Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:29:18 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14414 @julebsorry but you have to understand that to them, fifty dollars means a lot more than it does to you. Jokes. @julebsorry but you have to understand that to them, fifty dollars means a lot more than it does to you. Jokes.

]]> By: stuffisthings http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14413 stuffisthings Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:25:59 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14413 Did those "upstate New York" economics classes teach you that prices are not intrinsic, but rather are equal to what the buyer is willing (and able) to pay? Or: is there a reason selling a bottled water at inflated prices to tourists is different than an airline charging two or three times more for a last-minute ticket? Did those “upstate New York” economics classes teach you that prices are not intrinsic, but rather are equal to what the buyer is willing (and able) to pay?

Or: is there a reason selling a bottled water at inflated prices to tourists is different than an airline charging two or three times more for a last-minute ticket?

]]> By: julebsorry http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/money-and-tourists/#comment-14409 julebsorry Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:14:56 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=11047#comment-14409 @Jake Reinhardt When I lived in Dominican Harlem, we called it "ESP" - English Speaker Prices. I'll never forget walking into a local bakery and asking for the price of a small sheet cake. "Fifty dollars". "You're kidding, right? How about $20?" "No. Fifty". Needless to say, it was, at times, ridiculous. @Jake Reinhardt When I lived in Dominican Harlem, we called it “ESP” – English Speaker Prices. I’ll never forget walking into a local bakery and asking for the price of a small sheet cake. “Fifty dollars”. “You’re kidding, right? How about $20?” “No. Fifty”. Needless to say, it was, at times, ridiculous.

]]>