In Reply to: Massage girls earn? posted by Roz on Monday, 28. May 2012 at 18:09 Bali Time:
Look, this is really sad as Roz is not alone in this, there are many people everyday having their kind hearts broken by this sort of thing.
Maybe people really don't realise how much things cost, I think if you come as a tourist you really don't see how cheap it is.
With 700,000 IDR this is how easy I can live:
Say my rent is paid, which we paid 3 years in advance so it is, but say I live at home then it is paid.
25,000 IDR 1 months credit for my phone (most send free sms from same provider to provider)
20,000 IDR Fuel for motorbike (if I live within 20 kms of work)
450,000 IDR for food
If employed you get health insurance (as must), unless working for yourself.
That leaves me 205,000 IDR for Bintang, now I don't know many Balinese girls that drink like I do so I presume that leaves her money left over.
Say, she does not live at home, she can get a Kost for 200,000IDR a month, we pay 200,000IDR a month for one of foster our girls to live in a Kost to go to school (it includes electricity and water). If she does live at home she may need to contribute towards electricity and water. If her family don't have AC's or fancy kitchens, or hot water etc then their bill would be the same as ours - 100,000IDR per month (shared among how many live in that house), water is about 15,000IDR per month
If you don't believe me then let me break down my food choices for 1 day if I did not have toast (Oh, I don't pay for my Vegemite, it's a gift from anyone coming from OZ, hint hint - he he)
Typical meals for one day if you eat local and you don't even have to go 100 metres from your house.
Breakfast choices in my area:
Roti Roti, Happy Happy, Roti Roti, this is the bread guy who comes around at 5.30am, 6.30am and 7.30am. You can get various sweet buns etc, a chocolate sandwich etc, everything is about 200rp - 1,000rp.
Lunch:
Bakso soup guy - 4,000 for a bowl
Chicken Satay guy - 4,000 for 6 satays and rice
Nasi Campur - 5,000IDR up to when hubby eats 10,000 IDR for white rice and mixture of vegies
Dinner:
Same Lunch stuff plus the little lady up the road starts cooking Nasi Goreng for 6,000 - 8,000 with a chicken leg.
All the Street carts come out about 5pm and you have so many choices, pancakes, Tahu Isi, Pisang Goreng, Fried Tempe, many deep fried items (who doesn't like anything deep fried) yum yum, most pieces are 500rp, some smaller are 300rp, pancakes are 3,000 IDR
Drinks
Fresh young coconut (whole coconut) - 6,000IDR
Fresh juice with Ice - 4-6,000 IDR
Yucky, jelly sweet drink with ice - 2-3,000 IDR
Aqua water gallon in your house 19 litres - 3,000 IDR to refill at the fill stations
Roz, please understand that as others have said, why is someone asking you for money, they see you as a walking ATM. Please don't give her anything, I know you want to but I'd rather you didn't as it encourages this behavior and it really is not acceptable behavior. even if they don't directly ask and just play on your heart about being sick etc just do as you have done and get more information such as you have done by going on the forum. Maybe have your sister-in-law go and have a massage with her and not mention who she is and see if she gets the same poor me story.