Notes to a Gringa, Part 5: SHOPPING!
I saved the best for the last day of the workweek and the final chapter of the Notes to a Gringa series. Today, we're talking about shopping. If you've read my blog long and/or know many Mexicans, you probably know those with disposable income like to come to the U.S. for shopping. The bargains! The selection! NAFTA brought a lot to Mexico, but some things it didn't bring are Target, TJ Maxx, Loehmanns, etc. Most things that are imported here are pricier than in the U.S. So if you're flying from someplace like Dallas or San Antonio to Mexico, look for the Mexicans with their multiple shopping bags and overflowing suitcases.
After shopping trips to the U.S., is there a limit on what you can bring back into Mexico? Do you have to pay duties?
Are there any toiletries you can't buy there that really annoy
you? Like some specific brand of shampoo, lotion, makeup?
No but I like to go to Walgreens when I go to the US. It's just more comfortable. Also, I am not really picky about toiletries.
In general, what's the deal? Can you get all of the same stuff but it's just more expensive? Is everything more
expensive there, clothes, linens, housewares, electronics,
furniture? Is it prohibitively more expensive or just
marginally/annoyingly more expensive?
Everything that's imported is more expensive, annoyingly so. We bought our furniture, etc. here but we are thinking about buying some baby stuff in the U.S. because some things can be up to twice the price.
Everything that's imported is more expensive, annoyingly so. We bought our furniture, etc. here but we are thinking about buying some baby stuff in the U.S. because some things can be up to twice the price.
What are the things that you absolutely cannot get there that
drive you crazy? Evidently, they are not dealbreakers.
Mmmm... I don't know. It seems there are workarounds for almost everything. When people come to visit sometimes I make them bring me stuff. Some past examples include a BlackBerry battery, certain types of candy, certain books, etc. But all pretty trivial. Plus I recently heard of a little grocery that sells lots of gringo goods!!
Mmmm... I don't know. It seems there are workarounds for almost everything. When people come to visit sometimes I make them bring me stuff. Some past examples include a BlackBerry battery, certain types of candy, certain books, etc. But all pretty trivial. Plus I recently heard of a little grocery that sells lots of gringo goods!!
Um...I am not a midget, so will I be able to buy clothes in
Mexico, or will I have to do all of my shopping on trips to the U.S.? Where do you or would you shop for
clothes in Mexico?
I don't have much trouble buying clothes but shoes are another story. I wear a 10 and I would say more than half the time they don't have that size. Before doing anything in a shoe store I just say, "What is the largest size you have?" For clothes I like Zara, Massimo Dutti, department stores. But probably the majority of the stuff I buy in the U.S. I am not a big clotheshorse.
I don't have much trouble buying clothes but shoes are another story. I wear a 10 and I would say more than half the time they don't have that size. Before doing anything in a shoe store I just say, "What is the largest size you have?" For clothes I like Zara, Massimo Dutti, department stores. But probably the majority of the stuff I buy in the U.S. I am not a big clotheshorse.
I love online and catalog shopping. Is this at all possible in
Mexico?
Amazon will deliver here, as will some Etsy and Ebay peeps, but the rest, no. However, there is a thing you can get through Mailboxes Etc which is a virtual PO box where you have a U.S. address and then the send the stuff down here every so often. That way you can get online/catalog stuff. I am not sure if you have to pay taxes on the stuff though. It's called e-box if you want to look it up.
Amazon will deliver here, as will some Etsy and Ebay peeps, but the rest, no. However, there is a thing you can get through Mailboxes Etc which is a virtual PO box where you have a U.S. address and then the send the stuff down here every so often. That way you can get online/catalog stuff. I am not sure if you have to pay taxes on the stuff though. It's called e-box if you want to look it up.
I know that Target is one of the things you most miss about the
US; ditto that I love it. Is there semi-equivalent bargain shopping,
like for household stuff, at Walmart or Costco or Sam's there?
Bargain shopping is not too good. There are some outlets but they are just OK. Idea is OK but it's not Ikea (in more than name). Wal-Mart has what you would expect (low prices, cheap quality) and Costco has good stuff but the prices are a little high. There's no place like Target.
Bargain shopping is not too good. There are some outlets but they are just OK. Idea is OK but it's not Ikea (in more than name). Wal-Mart has what you would expect (low prices, cheap quality) and Costco has good stuff but the prices are a little high. There's no place like Target.
In addition to the regular supermarkets, is there anything like
Whole Foods for if you wanted to buy specialty stuff or fancy stuff for
a special recipe? Do you ever go to the real mercados?
There are natural food stores but none as big as Whole Foods. There are gourmet stores and there is the gringo store I mentioned above, though I've never been there! I hear it has Grape-Nuts!! I almost never go to the real mercados. Laziness on my part I guess.
There are natural food stores but none as big as Whole Foods. There are gourmet stores and there is the gringo store I mentioned above, though I've never been there! I hear it has Grape-Nuts!! I almost never go to the real mercados. Laziness on my part I guess.
I'm a big baker. Is the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking
soda, oatmeal, peanut butter, etc. equivalent there? I feel like you mentioned something in your blog about not
being able to make something b/c something was different.
Most of that stuff they have. I had to buy baking soda at the pharmacy, but it worked. PB comes in small containers but it exists. Everything else is the same. Some things I've had trouble finding are molasses (made my own) and certain spices like allspice, alum, etc. Oh. Lemons. They don't have those here. Hope you like limes.
Most of that stuff they have. I had to buy baking soda at the pharmacy, but it worked. PB comes in small containers but it exists. Everything else is the same. Some things I've had trouble finding are molasses (made my own) and certain spices like allspice, alum, etc. Oh. Lemons. They don't have those here. Hope you like limes.
After shopping trips to the U.S., is there a limit on what you can bring back into Mexico? Do you have to pay duties?
As long as
it's for "personal use" (like, you don't have the same shirt in 4
different sizes) it should be fine. We tear tags off everything before
we come back though.
Are there equivalents of Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn,
Crate & Barrel? Or only super expensive design type places?
No, we don't have much like that stuff. Idea. And department stores. And some boutiques. That's it I guess!
No, we don't have much like that stuff. Idea. And department stores. And some boutiques. That's it I guess!
Same with electronics.... Can
you buy them at Walmart/Costco there at approximately the same prices
as here?
Wal-Mart is good although it's probably still more expensive than in the U.S. There is a Best Buy here but I have never been there. Also if you know a lot of gringos they are always coming and going and selling stuff when they leave (this applies to cars too).
Wal-Mart is good although it's probably still more expensive than in the U.S. There is a Best Buy here but I have never been there. Also if you know a lot of gringos they are always coming and going and selling stuff when they leave (this applies to cars too).
No but I like to go to Walgreens when I go to the US. It's just more comfortable. Also, I am not really picky about toiletries.
There are a lot of things to comment on here. First of all I want you to come soon so we can see how good a chef you are, I love food! Mexico was a very nationalistic and protective country until the early 90s then Mexico became the country with the most trade agreements in the world but that doesn't mean the borders are open, that only means that they have agreements to control trade; for example, a lot of things are cheaper in the US because pretty much everything is fabricated in China and Mexico, compared to the US, has established high customs tariffs against Chinese products. The vast majority of Sloane's friends and relatives are amazing, interesting, smart and well educated people with open minds, which is a basic requirement to travel, meet other cultures, customs, people, ideas, food and local products; I am sure you are that kind of nice person. In Mexico you may not find any of those chain stores that sell Chinese products but you are going to find a lot of works of art made by artisans that put their feelings in their handicrafts.
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Gringa series is one of my favorites! Feel like I'm ready to move to Mexico. What an exciting time for your friend!
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