Cold cuts in Malang

[Shadrach]

In a house (not a flat) you can use a gas powered water heater.
It's the case where I live.

600 USD / year = 850 k Rp per month. Surprising, but depending on location, and why would the guy lie ?

I think this is possible, but rare to find. I would love to find a place near Ubud. Far enough away, for the traffic to slow down, have a decent market to buy fruits, and veggies. I have a hard time with the steps at some places being ridiculously too high. Broken bones, before. So I need a place with moderate steps, easy access, preferably many windows, large balconies, AC, hot water, outside area large enough for a small vegetable garden, I have my own kitchen equipment so don't need a fully supplied kitchen. I like a TV, but could always buy my own. Good internet access. I don't want a place surrounded by walls with no view.
If anyone knows of a place like this, please let me know. I am willing to pay up to a few Juta a month if the place is right. Dennis

 

[Jaime C]

Sorry, but I just can't believe that you can find a nice house, with hot water, AC, for $600 a year. Anywhere near a tourist town. And like someone else said. He didn't mention the cost of the Kitas visa. His job description sounds like a good scam to get stupid people to pay big bucks. An inspirational coach. hah! He's also not allowed to work in Indonesia. Careful there Charlie!

His name is Bobby, not Charlie.

If you can live more like Indonesians do, you can really reduce your expenses. Shop at the pasar instead of the fancy supermarket. Find a meat wholesaler and save 50% or more. We’ve done this in Bandung recently for pork items. I really like pork belly, but paying 170k for 250 grams (actually only 187 grams after cooking) at my local Chinese restaurant is crazy. Instead buy at DNA Pork here for 130k or so per kilo for uncooked meat. Almost half the price of Setiabudi supermarket, too.

The local satay ayam motorcycle guy comes around most nights. 15-20k for 10 pieces.

I recall when B_A moved into her new house in Bandung, she had a neighbor that was renting a whole house out quite cheaply. This was 10 or so years ago, but I recall it being $300-500 a year. Maybe she can verify the amount.

 

[Balifrog]

If you can live more like Indonesians do, you can really reduce your expenses.

Of course.... but that's not my dream....

 

[Shadrach]

I am reducing my cost of living by growing my own food, and spices, organically. I am interested in finding a house outside of Ubud, where there's a Pasar near by. I need a place with easy access, not many crazy steep steps, AC, hot water, good WiFi, I can buy my own TV. I already have all the equipment for a kitchen. I'm willing to pay a few Juta a month for a place that fits my needs. Let me know if anyone has a place like what I want.

 

[Jaime C]

Of course.... but that's not my dream....

Well, I’m not talking about living in a hut in the middle of the jungle. There are lots of changes you can make to reduce expenses by 30-40%.

I don’t mind eating meat or veggies from the pasar, or cheap satays from the motorcycle cart. I do quite enjoy certain foods from the US, and bring a couple of suitcases stuffed, everytime myself or a family member travels back from there.

 

[harryopal1]

Well, I’m not talking about living in a hut in the middle of the jungle. There are lots of changes you can make to reduce expenses by 30-40%.

I don’t mind eating meat or veggies from the pasar, or cheap satays from the motorcycle cart. I do quite enjoy certain foods from the US, and bring a couple of suitcases stuffed, everytime myself or a family member travels back from there.

How do you get on with Indonesians Customs? The form to fill in, as I recall, asks if you have food. A classic feature of Border Security in Australian is the huge number of Chinese visitors who fill in the declaration form and indicate "no food" and then when their suitcases are opened they are stacked with food stuffs. If food is declared in Aus it is accepted if it is tinned or commercially packaged but any raw products, meat, fish or plants are confiscated. I am always surprised how often people are let off with a warning or a little slap on the wrist.

 

[Shadrach]

How do you get on with Indonesians Customs? The form to fill in, as I recall, asks if you have food. A classic feature of Border Security in Australian is the huge number of Chinese visitors who fill in the declaration form and indicate "no food" and then when their suitcases are opened they are stacked with food stuffs. If food is declared in Aus it is accepted if it is tinned or commercially packaged but any raw products, meat, fish or plants are confiscated. I am always surprised how often people are let off with a warning or a little slap on the wrist.
View attachment 4456

That is a good question about how they get 2 suitcases full of food through? Maybe all tinned? I have been to the Ganges river at Varanasi, and believe me, I didn't want to even touch it there. I did go up North to Hardware, and the river was actually clean mountain water, that I would swim in. I don't see why a person couldn't bring in a little bottled water from a holy river? They're not going to drink it, or pollute the Australian water system with it

 

[harryopal1]

That is a good question about how they get 2 suitcases full of food through? Maybe all tinned? I have been to the Ganges river at Varanasi, and believe me, I didn't want to even touch it there. I did go up North to Hardware, and the river was actually clean mountain water, that I would swim in. I don't see why a person couldn't bring in a little bottled water from a holy river? They're not going to drink it, or pollute the Australian water system with it

It is a security issue as the container may not have water but perhaps an inflammable liquid or maybe acid.

 

[Balifrog]

It is a security issue as the container may not have water but perhaps an inflammable liquid or maybe acid.

It is a sad world when people are paranoid and systematically think about the worst.
Same as with Aids, Covid....
How can one enjoy life when always fearfull ?

 

[Balifrog]

Well, I’m not talking about living in a hut in the middle of the jungle. There are lots of changes you can make to reduce expenses by 30-40%.

I don’t mind eating meat or veggies from the pasar, or cheap satays from the motorcycle cart. I do quite enjoy certain foods from the US, and bring a couple of suitcases stuffed, everytime myself or a family member travels back from there.

Well, as you probably know from previous posts and the food thread, I live 100% French style.
Of course I could cut the J.D and G.T., the music evenings, the french food, french restaurant, kick out my companion and go live in the cheapest part of town, it would reduce my budget by over 50%.
But honestly, I would be more happy in my village in France in that case.

But I can understand other choices / circumstances.

 

[fastpitch17]

Customs really don't open everyone's bags nor do they read the declaration papers much. If you list things they seem to be pretty accepting. I have brought cheese and cured sausages with no problems. Everything vac packed. I have carried in more than the allowed alcohol and was never questioned. Funny thing. The only time we had been stopped by airport security at a gate was from Palembang to Jakarta where my wife bought a couple small potted plants and she was stopped because the dirt in the 2 inch pots was not allowed. Domestic flight. Domestic dirt. I was stopped leaving Jakarta for Lampung and after carry-on bag was scanned I was asked to open it. The 5kilo full ribeye was thought to be a child in my bag.

 

[Shadrach]

Customs really don't open everyone's bags nor do they read the declaration papers much. If you list things they seem to be pretty accepting. I have brought cheese and cured sausages with no problems. Everything vac packed. I have carried in more than the allowed alcohol and was never questioned. Funny thing. The only time we had been stopped by airport security at a gate was from Palembang to Jakarta where my wife bought a couple small potted plants and she was stopped because the dirt in the 2 inch pots was not allowed. Domestic flight. Domestic dirt. I was stopped leaving Jakarta for Lampung and after carry-on bag was scanned I was asked to open it. The 5kilo full ribeye was thought to be a child in my bag.

Man, 5 kilos of ribeye sounds good to me! I hope you got to eat it.

 

[Hawk256]

Customs really don't open everyone's bags nor do they read the declaration papers much. If you list things they seem to be pretty accepting.

Customs at the airport maybe but Customs for shipping has held up every package I have ever received and make their own price up out of the blue. Invoice means nothing. Learned my lesson though. Don't buy anything from overseas.

 

[fastpitch17]

Man, 5 kilos of ribeye sounds good to me! I hope you got to eat it.

Of course. Half was smoked and the other half cut into real steak sizes for a nice grill day with some friends. Let's see, 4 adults, 2 very small children who don't eat beef so 4 steaks was just right. A little extra in the cuts for the guys. The smoked for one meal and the rest sliced for sandwiches including a smoked beef french dip. Hey froggy, do they actually have french dip in Franchise or is that like French Fries?

 

[savin399]

Ribeye and French dips? Smoked. That sounds like a feast! French Dip, by the way, isn't a thing in France, and it’s also not French, like French fries!

 

[Balifrog]

Hey froggy, do they actually have french dip in Franchise or is that like French Fries?

Had to Google it...

No respectable French would eat this sh**te !

Ribeye and French dips? Smoked. That sounds like a feast! French Dip, by the way, isn't a thing in France, and it’s also not French, like French fries!

French fries are from Belgium...

"They are called French fries only in the US and Canada, or perhaps they have become freedom fries now. Here in Europe nobody calls them “French”. I saw a sign in Leuven which said “If fries are French, pizza is Belgian”. There is an unresolved debate between the Belgians and the French as to who invented them. Clearly, the Belgian double frying method is superior to any other variant for taste and crispness. It is hard to adapt to fries (and beer!) in Germany after living for so long in Belgium. The story goes that Americans called them French because soldiers during the war were served by French-speaking Belgians, and they did not appreciate the difference between Walloons and French people. Probably made up, but it fits the stereotype of American cluelessness."

 

[fastpitch17]

Had to Google it...

View attachment 4481

No respectable French would eat this sh**te !

French fries are from Belgium...

"They are called French fries only in the US and Canada, or perhaps they have become freedom fries now. Here in Europe nobody calls them “French”. I saw a sign in Leuven which said “If fries are French, pizza is Belgian”. There is an unresolved debate between the Belgians and the French as to who invented them. Clearly, the Belgian double frying method is superior to any other variant for taste and crispness. It is hard to adapt to fries (and beer!) in Germany after living for so long in Belgium. The story goes that Americans called them French because soldiers during the war were served by French-speaking Belgians, and they did not appreciate the difference between Walloons and French people. Probably made up, but it fits the stereotype of American cluelessness."

Educational. As for your posted picture, I have never seen a French Dip sandwich with cheese. Probably "French" Dip because it is served in French bread and dipped in Au Jus making it French in appearance only.

 

[Jaime C]

I think they may have changed the customs forms from 3-4 years ago. Maybe an e-form now?

I don’t lie about the items I’m bringing in. All are commercially packaged, with any meats being cooked. Bacon bits, tortillas, See’s chocolates, Cheetos, Lindt’s, Toblerone, and a hundred other items. I’ve used food as a description many times on the forms.

I used to get the occasional chalk X on my bag, but haven’t in a long time. Out of 50 trips in the last 20 years, they've only opened my bags in Jakarta a few times. Never a problem.

Only once at the old Medan airport, I flew back with a suitcase full of samples from China, worth maybe $300. I was heading back to the US later in the month. The customs staff tried to separate my wife from me, and intimidate me in their back office. Luckily, that didn’t happen. What started as a 5 juta “deposit”, came down to a 400k “deposit”. I insisted on an official receipt, and they finally just gave up.

 

[fastpitch17]

I think they may have changed the customs forms from 3-4 years ago. Maybe an e-form now?

I don’t lie about the items I’m bringing in. All are commercially packaged, with any meats being cooked. Bacon bits, tortillas, See’s chocolates, Cheetos, Lindt’s, Toblerone, and a hundred other items. I’ve used food as a description many times on the forms.

I used to get the occasional chalk X on my bag, but haven’t in a long time. Out of 50 trips in the last 20 years, they've only opened my bags in Jakarta a few times. Never a problem.

Only once at the old Medan airport, I flew back with a suitcase full of samples from China, worth maybe $300. I was heading back to the US later in the month. The customs staff tried to separate my wife from me, and intimidate me in their back office. Luckily, that didn’t happen. What started as a 5 juta “deposit”, came down to a 400k “deposit”. I insisted on an official receipt, and they finally just gave up.

Any time someone has asked me for money I say give me an official receipt and I will give you the cash. No receipt, no cash.