No wonder I have money in my pocket

The currency here is soles with a 3:1 ratio with the dollar. For some perspective these are the costs of certain items (in dollars):

Groceries
0.33 Big Bunch Bananas
1.00 Pineapple
5.00 Fish - Doncella (several meals)
0.33 Coconut
0.16 Aji (spice)
0.33 Avocado
1.20 2kg Potatoes
8.15 12 pack Gatorade
0.33 Bread (10 small squares)
0.11 ea Eggs

Eating out
9.00 Large Pizza for the family
10.00 Chinese Food for the family
3.00 Ice Cream for the family

Utilities
3.85 electricity monthly
33.00 internet monthly
50.00 cell phones monthly (we have 3 for different plans)
35.00 cable tv monthly

Transportation
1.00 motocarro downtown (for shopping, eating out)
1.16 motocarro roundtrip to take kids to school
80.00 rough estimate of monthly transportation expense

Exercise
30.00 swim class monthly for 3 hours a week

I've been working on this post for a while and it is so hard because things just don't translate. The things available are different and the options available are extremely limited comparatively. David has suggested when shopping I just think of 1 sol as being 1 dollar. That works pretty well for the most part, because I used to be pretty lenient about how much I would pay for things. If someone said it was 3 soles to go pick up the kids rather than 2, I'd say ok thinking 'I'm not going to argue over 33 cents'. But at the same time it is important to not be taken advantage of and thinking of it in terms of $1 or a gringo upcharge of 1/3 of the price - then I will protest, if only half-heartedly.

The thing that I find the most curious is my actual disdain for paper money. I feel like it does me no good whatsoever. For things I need - like picking up the kids from school or running an errand, people will only want coins. They will take paper but it can sometimes be a huge ordeal to get change. So I find myself using any opportunity to get change and really reveling when I've got a pocket full. I told David my dream is a huge 'pot of gold' (read: bowl of change) so I never have to worry about making change again. Oh, it's the little things.

Overall, it is safe to say things are 1/3 of the cost in the US, but housing is probably 1/4 and childcare is more like 1/10. Since we really weren't expecting to be able to rent out our house in Richmond, we will end up coming out ahead, even with all the travel. And that feels good. but... what I wouldn't pay for some of the things I miss right now! I'm looking at you juicy hamburger.