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Originally posted by Oimnadniia

Dear Cd's

Till now you guys are very helpful and giving all the information you have got.

While making my budget i just came across that even if we go for Rented place how much these following things will cost :-

TV ( With Indian TV channels )
Fridge
Press ( for Iroing)
Basic utencils for Kitchen
Good Quality Mattresses & comforter
DVD player
Mobile Phone
Other basic items

Looking forward.

Junior Desi

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A good Apartment size TV (easy to move) Flat Screen LCD, 32 - 36 inch (Diag) will set you back by about 400-700 bucks. By the time you land here it might be even cheaper by a hundred.

As regards the programs for the TV, it is hard to say without you settling down in an area. You might have to sign in for a contract too. Because the companies that provide the services you want are, sometimes region sensitive. I would not put it past 50 bucks a month at the MAX. You can find out if such services are available in the apartment building that you will rent, from the Building "Super". (He is the one who carries the Jailer's bunch.(of keys)

Here in Canada the rent includes a FREE Fridge and a Stove. Currently they charge you for the Electricity, called "Hydro". A few apartments 'might' have dish washers too. (But are rare)

An Ironing board and an Iron will cost you under $20 each, generally you can choose an higher end, and that is to your liking. That should take care of the 'Pressing' needs.

One Shot single ply set with one glass lid and four pots will cost you under $25
The same with three ply copper clad (coated) will cost anywhere from a hundred. All of the cutting tools for four, about $20. Good Corning set for four about $40, Glasses a buck a piece. A few other set of six about four bucks. Place mats, a buck a piece at the dollar store, so also the soup ladles, turners, potato (s)mashers. So, if you want to get started in a hurry about $100+ will get you settled for a start. Or go for all of the best, for under $300. Decide first which one.

Good Mattresses will cost you a whopper. About a thousand bucks, currently. Some of them even have a vibrator built into it. You will need four burly guys to move and set it up. The low end from anywhere 199 to 400. And Walmart had a sale of the inflatable type, for $49 inclusive of a pump. They were really functional. Decent pillows and the whoopie cushions are around five bucks at the low end and they are anti allergenic. Ten bucks at the higher end. Sheet sets are from $ 20 - 32.

You can get a variety of comforters, starting with Qualofil for 24 bucks + and Velour for 20. You can get the electric Bun warmers for sixty and up.

Older DVD players you can get for under $30. The latest high end 1080p for under a hundred. All boxed with remote and a warranty. Ask for it before you leave or before you buy it.

OTHER ITEMS: (That will surely take a day and I have been on it since morning.)

A nice portable cutting platter, the butcher block type will cost you about >$10
A set of kitchen cutting knives the lowest is about $10 - and the gourmet set. $100
All of the plastic wares such as colander and et all are buck a piece.
All of the electric appliances are under $20, some of them are under $10 but I will classify them under the throw-a-way-s.
Blenders are about $40. You can crush ice and also make smoothies.
Decent Kitchen clocks are under $20.

Now to the eatables:

Most of the veggies are under a buck a pound.
Potatoes are $2.00 /per bag of 10Lbs. 20c/lb in peak season.
Onions are like wise $2.00 / per bag of 10 lbs. 20c/lb " ".
Indian imported Vegetables are 2.99/lb.
Tindora,
Chilles,
Okra - Ladies fingers,

Curry Leaves 1.30 a bunch
Dhania Leaves 1.30 a bunch (Coriander- chinese parsley)

Following are a buck a piece/pack.
Carrots 3Lbs
Green Beans
Head of Lettuce
Head of Cabbage
Head of Broccoli
Small Cauliflower
Heart of celery
Ginger / lb
Garlic /lb

Under a buck a pound.
Egg plants
Squash
Bananas

Staples:
Rice : Basmati : $1.00/lb
Chalu : $1.00/kilo
Other dhalls : $ 1.00/lb
Some lentils : $ 0.80/lb

Spices are about $4.00/lb or less.
Such as
Red Chillis - Whole and Powder format.
Cumin
Cardamom.
Black Pepper

ATTA: Flour
Brand Name : $14 for 20 lbs.
All purpose : $12 for 20 lbs.

These Indian Shop Keepers all decided to fleece us since 2007. Before that we were in lala land as it used to cost us just about half. More power to them. (Some times I wondered how they ever survived, because of the exorbitant rent that they had to pay to keep the shop going.)

After noon Buffet are Under $10.00
The cost of per (a) meal for a night out $20

Dispensed:
Coffee stand : !.50/cup
Tea : 1.00/ cup
Do-Nut : 1.00 each
POP/Water : 1.00 each or higher.

Once you a see a bunch of advertisement pages, the ones we call FLYERS, you will get the hang of it. They can be seen at : http://www.flyerland.ca/ All you have to do is fill in the town (or any) and a location close by and you will get to see all or most of them. They will send you a link every week with a new set of flyers. They also drop them off at the apartment door, after you settle down. Some Apartment buildings have them in their foyer, in a bag or a rack.

You do have a good cross section of items here in this list that you might want to buy for your daily needs. Also you can make a list and carry with you and jot down the prices of the items at different locations for comparison shopping.

With the price of gas at a level where it is, I just buy these items eyes closed at one nice location, currently, and get back home. It is not worth the hunting.

Hope this helps you a little.

Freddie.