Keeping up (or not) with the Joneses

CFA123 · #1 03-30-2008, 08:24 PM

A few questions I've pondered before that perhaps go along with some DR1'ers current impression that more people are presently considering a move to DR for economic reasons or to escape the 'rat race'

If people are willing to accept a lower level of comfort in order to live in DR... small apartment, basic furnishings & amenities, less or lower quality food, no car, etc.... why aren't they willing to do the same in their home country?

Do people feel a need to keep up with the Joneses in their home country, but feel more comfortable having less in DR?

Is moving to DR a way that some use to become what would be perceived in their home country as an underachiever without having those they encounter daily think of them in that way?

Discuss.

TravelHippo · #2 03-30-2008, 08:56 PM

Funny that you bring this up, as I was just pondering the very same thought this afternoon. I have mixed feelings about the subject. I am sure some of it is, as you say, to do with keeping up with the Jones, at least in some cases, but there are other reasons for the different levels of acceptance.

In many cases, the lower costs of housing in our home countries are in the rougher, more dangerous neighbourhoods of our cities and towns, where it is then not the condition or size of the apartments/houses that are the concern, but the environment surrounding them. Wherever we are, we want to feel safe. And correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you can find these lower priced homes in safer neighbourhoods in the Dominican Republic than you would here in North America.

As for no car...Most of my friends living in a cities here in Canada do not currently own cars. Those living in smaller towns are more likely to own a car, as walking just isn't an option for the distances necessary to travel, and public transportation is only available in the form of 2 or 3 local taxi companies. In the Dominican Republic, if you can't walk there, public transportation is available in many forms... and those many forms are offering very reasonable rates.

Food - In my case, I'll eat what is readily available, what I enjoy, and what I can easily afford in which ever country I am in at the time.

Another thing is that I think we do adjust to our surroundings. Keeping up with the Jones? Not exactly. Our home country is where we started out. We have the bigger homes, the fancier furniture, etc because that is what we are used to. We didn't move up to that level. We were already there. We then move to the Dominican Republic and the people around us don't have these things, these things aren't as readily available, so we adjust. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Those are just some of my thoughts on the subject

bob saunders · #3 03-30-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFA123

If people are willing to accept a lower level of comfort in order to live in DR... small apartment, basic furnishings & amenities, less or lower quality food, no car, etc.... why aren't they willing to do the same in their home country?

Do people feel a need to keep up with the Joneses in their home country, but feel more comfortable having less in DR?

Is moving to DR a way that some use to become what would be perceived in their home country as an underachiever without having those they encounter daily think of them in that way?

Discuss.

In my case, no. I have enough resources , and will continue to have enough resouces to live a lifestyle in the DR that may in fact be a larger home, equal food, jeepeta...etc. than I currently have, but will we? Thats not the plan, but only time will tell. I don't keep up with the Jones here, I drive a 1993 Mercedes 400E with 270,000 miles on it, rarely buy new clothing, have a ten year old TV, but have very good shoes, great golf clubs...etc. Every one has different priorities, and mine have been and continue to help my children out with schooling costs as much as I can. I also help my parent out as much as I can because with fixed income and the price of heating a house now is beyond the means of their pensions.

Robert · #4 03-30-2008, 09:18 PM

It's not just about the size of the house or the car you drive, it's more about lifestyle.

In my opinion, the lifestyle attainable in the DR is far superior to that of other countries on similar or a lesser budget.

You only begin to understand this when your actually living here

DOMINCAN BOY · #5 03-30-2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob saunders

but have very good shoes with 270,000 miles left on them have a ten year old TV, .

Nothing wrong with a ten year old TV all the films are over 10 year;s old

drloca · #6 03-30-2008, 09:52 PM

I think in many instances, some people feel very intimidated in many NA societies because they face competition on so many levels, not just materially but professionally too.

There is a constant pressure to get ahead in both these areas and I think for some, it just catches up with them to a point where they just want "out".

Just my opinion.

I think materially, most of us would get by just fine with a lot less.

dulce · #7 03-30-2008, 09:54 PM

This is interesting for me. In my thirty's I had the lifestyle of keeping up with the Joneses. It was important to me then. I grew up poor to lower middle class then did better for myself by working hard. I had the huge house,cars.clothes,etc. with all the trappings. The trappings did not make me happy. I got divorced,traveled to the Dominican Republic for a few years. Material things were not important to me anymore. I then sold everything that I had and moved to the RD. I have since moved back to the US and still live a modest lifestyle. I guess you could say I have come full circle in my life. I came from nothing and needed nothing then and I still need nothing. There is a big difference between need and want. I learned that difference in the RD. What I have learned is that lifestyle is more about living as "I" feel is right for me and to hell with other people's opinions.
As far as keeping up with the Joneses in the DR I guess most people who knew me envied me because I was happy and free. As Robert said the lifestyle was superior reguardless of how little money I spent.

drloca · #8 03-30-2008, 10:08 PM

One more thing...I think so many people get caught up in this rat race and cant extricate themselves in NA societies so they look for a form of "escape" from this.

bob saunders · #9 03-30-2008, 10:38 PM

Here is NA, we, I seem to be so caught up with work, that doesn't end when you go home. The do more with less syndrome. Cutbacks in personnel, but not cutbacks in amount of work to be done, in fact more work. Then turn on the news to watch all the horror going, on see which pedophiles they just let out of jail, that may in fact be living in your neighbourhood...etc. Bad air, bad water; it's enough to turn a glass half-full guy like myself into a glass half empty. On the other hand the suicidal drivers in the DR...ETC may be almost as much of a challenge. To wake up in the morning and have fresh fruit and coffee on the balcony, and receive smiles and warm greetings from the neighbours as they pass.

AZB · #10 03-30-2008, 11:52 PM

Who says you have to lower your standards when you move to DR. I live in a big 3 bedroom house with a sizable backyard, 3 car garage and have lights 24/7 (inverter), I have 2 a/c, fridge, microwave, home theater with 10 foot projection sreen, 3 PCs, 2 cars and all the free time I desire to do whatever I want. So why do you still believe that people come here to live a much poorer life than they are used to back home? The expats that i know who live in DR, live much better than they probably would at their own home country and have a much more satisfying lifestyle than they ever did in their lives.
AZB