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Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Relocation and Moving

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Mister_happy

Rocker

Joined: Oct 28, 2004
Posts: 620

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 03:18 PM

The Gravy Train has hit the Buffers for expats and locals. A few thousand less expats means a few thousand appartments not rented out and the knock on to other parts of the economy.

Looks like I will be eating in local restaurants more and maybe the happy hour offers for dinners. If I want to eat over priced food I can go back to the UK and pay the same price. In Febuary a pub meal/drinks for 4 in UK cost me 100 pounds, its very close to that now in the expat bars here in Shanghai. The first exchange I did for pounds-rmb was 1-15, now its 1-10!

The local Market does OSH and IPA for 10rmb a can, looks like I am watching the match at home on a saturday night now!

rxg

Raver

Joined: Sep 06, 2005
Posts: 496

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 03:45 PM

Quote:

rxg wrote:
IS starbucks coffee in China being affected like the bars?

They should be! I mean, come on, what kind of coffee are they serving at Starbucks anyway

The taste is, in my opinion, horrible! (tap water, tap water, tap water....say no more.)

Cheers

I totallay agreed. I wrote a letter to their headquart in US regarding the coffee in a few China locations. Waiting for response. The SB in US is better.

p1atl10

Shanghai Royalty

Joined: Mar 18, 2005
Posts: 9063
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 03:53 PM

rxg wrote:

I get paid in USD, over the last 3 years, my salary has decreased 20% or more from 8.31 RMB to 6.83 RMB per 1 USD.Regarless of how much a person make, I still think that 88 RMB per drink at nice bars or 70 RMB per pint of beer is expensive.

Then then again we are paying for the atmosphere, not neccessary the products.

As do I....Which is why I leave most of my salary in the US. It only depreciates against the RMB if you bring it over.

We have a US Chase credit card with negotiated rates...No FX Charges and an exchange rate that is .02rmb to their favor on the daily exchange rate used. I mean, what the heck, they are getting their 3% anyway.
If they will not do this...call a couple others until you find one that does.

I use the card for literally everything I can.

Which these days is getting easier as more and more establishments will accept foreign cards. The salary stays in the US pulling whatever interest it can.

Bring as little over as you can if your pay is being deposited in a US Bank...

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Zak101

FooJay

Joined: Jan 20, 2003
Posts: 1605
Location: 苏州 Suzhou
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 04:01 PM

What would happen if we left China (voluntarily, or forced), went back to our home countries ? Would we be able to secure a job back there - the way things are swirling around the drain?

Scary prospect.

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swisscook

Ranter

Joined: Aug 27, 2007
Posts: 554

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 04:33 PM

I think it depends in what industry you are - I'd like to think that the company that sent you here will try to keep you. Eventually things will turn around and look brighter - for them to go out there and recruit all over again might be more expensive than keeping you on the payroll for another year. With the experience and expertise you accumulated to be sent here in the first place I am sure there will be a job somewhere at home. Might not be the same pay I'd think. But then I tend to be optimistic and I think I am rather happy not to understand too much about the financial markets. But surely things must recover sometime in the next year or so ?

monkey7020

Reacher

Joined: June 10, 2006
Posts: 251

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 04:37 PM

I have noticed any decrease in sales in my place yet - average checks seem to be pretty constant and numbers are still up... BUT... I am fully expecting it to drop off.

I fully agree some of the drink prices are stupid now... before Guinness at 4 quid a pint was kinda acceptable, but because of the exchange rate it is now 6.50!!! However, for me to reduce our price would mean me either losing money selling it, or Guinness reducing their price. Unfortunately the supply companies keep increasing their prices...

NeilUK39

LoopKicker

Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 908

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 04:47 PM

Supply and demand i guess, once sales of high end imported drinks sell less than maybe this would be a driver for suppliers to drop there prices.

Wasnt guiness looking to produce here? thought i heard it but may have dreamt it as a reaction to the 6.50 pint Wink

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ziccawei

Board Royalty

Joined: Sep 12, 2008
Posts: 6796
Location: Ziccawei
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 05:08 PM

China's growth rate is expected to go down to 7.5% next year. That, coupled with a huge reduction in exports, can only result in more expats going home. As someone said earlier, thousands of apartments being left empty, expat bars and restaurants empty, city shop closes down and anyone left living off noodles. It ain't gonna be pretty.

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swisscook

Ranter

Joined: Aug 27, 2007
Posts: 554

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 05:34 PM

Quote:

city shop closes down and anyone left living off noodles. It ain't gonna be pretty.

City Shop as in the Import City Shop ? When did they say they close ? I thought they are just expanding into Beijing and within Shanghai ?

tassi

Barker

Joined: Nov 24, 2008
Posts: 134

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 05:40 PM

ziccawei wrote:

Oh please. It will just go back to what it used to be 2 years ago in Shanghai, or worse case 4 - 5 years ago. Plenty of restaurants and bars will make it just fine, as will many expats. Quite a few companies are still planning on bringing new foreigners to Shanghai in fact, even while other send some home.

Juan_Tamad

Board Royalty

Joined: Jan 29, 2007
Posts: 7336
Location: Smoky Mountain
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 05:40 PM

Why the Doom and Gloom... think of some bright spots
- Dunkin Donuts is now in Shanghai
- Reeb beer is still 3RMB for 600ml
- Yang rou chuar has gone up but still affordable at 3 kuai
- shi tou is still the cheapest way to waste an hour

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bench_body

Lurker

Joined: Aug 19, 2007
Posts: 31

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 07:17 PM

pare koy......

sandawei

Talker

Joined: Oct 18, 2008
Posts: 117
Location: Bogota -Colombia
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 08:11 PM

Well.. maybe it gets easier to pick a Chinese girl in a bar,...

Maybe the massages will get cheaper...
Maybe the cheese will get cheaper...

A lot of bright things.., call me crazy, but i liked this place better when there wasn't so many foreigners..., so, all that people that wouldn't get a job back home, and come here and pretend to be the best that the West has to offer.., Well, they could go home!!

niubi

Talker

Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 113

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 09:25 PM

kulturschok wrote:

huaidan wrote:

regarding the increase in phone calls from financial advisers - I use a fake first name with the food delivery services Sherpa & Mealbay (to know who is selling out my info) and the financial guy addressed me by that name, so it's one of them that did it, or a rogue employee.

I had a friend stay and registered him with my number at the police... a few days later got a phone call from DeVeres finance on my number, but asking for him.

I wonder if the government requiring everyone to re-register for their pink sheets is related to the financial advisors

NeilUK39

LoopKicker

Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 908

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 09:27 PM

sandawei wrote:

Ah so Sandwei, now we see your true colours, lets all chant together "foreigners out foreigners out" So you are manager in a head hunting agency? Aint got a great gasp of reality have we boy? couple of points then you get back to jingonistic thoughts.

Many expats work for large MNC ( multi national companies just for you ) if i were to go back home i am employed still by my company and they have to find me a job or give me a nice pay off. Sorry to disappoint but i wont be collecting plastic bottles in picadilly circus.

You work in the recruitement industry, now listen carefully. Global slow down, exports from China reduce, spending in China reduces, companies do not hire guess what dumbass you dont hire people...you dont get paid.

So dont sit there patting yourself on the back for taking over from your aussie boss and thinking you have reached a peak in your career because obviousley you work for a global HR company and these companies do tend to identify quite quickly dumbass people

I would guess that you are not an expat by the fact you say you liked it better when there were less foreigners here? if so and you have just come to gloat whilst expat famalies are going through tough times then may i respectively ask you pi$$ off from an EXPAT majority website. If you are an expat i will apologise for telling you to Pi$$ off but would again respectfully say gloating during this difficult times makes you lower than a snakes balls and if, if one day you have a family and are worried aout the future that you have some immature prick gloat over you.

Oh and my avatar extends a traditional english hello.

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underh20
Board Legend

Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 12702
Location: Veggie-Free Zone

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 09:36 PM

Neil, why waste your time on PandaWhy? The fucktard is obviously not any brighter than your average gerbil.

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FTM

Raver

Joined: Apr 15, 2007
Posts: 478

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 09:38 PM

Well, expats aren't the only ones loosing jobs. Theft is on the rise since locals are also out of work. BE MORE CAREFUL with your apartment, belongings and while you're out. Exclamation

Last edited by FTM on Nov 25, 2008 - 11:22 PM; edited 1 time in total

edbreejen

Ranter

Joined: Apr 24, 2003
Posts: 560
Location: Shanghai, Zhongshan park area
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 09:44 PM

@NeilUK39, take it easy.

Some people still think MNC companies just don't give locals a fair chance and therefore hire way too expensive expats.

Call me stupid, but if there was so much local trustworthy and result driven talent easily available, MNC's could easily do without. The fact they don't do this probably means they have to import what they can't get here. And that will probably still be the case in 20 years, as much has to do with mindset and ethical education (and that's something you can't biuy with an MBA).

NeilUK39

LoopKicker

Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 908

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 10:29 PM

underh20 wrote:

Neil, why waste your time on PandaWhy? The fucktard is obviously not any brighter than your average gerbil.

Your right undie, enough said. utter dickwad, going to save my breath now. cheers for the reality check, for a minute there i thought i was conversing with someone with at leat multiple brain cells.

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NeilUK39

LoopKicker

Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 908

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 10:32 PM

edbreejen wrote:

Spot on, does anyone really think that with the high costs of expats that MNC's bring people here because they feel like it or its job for the boys?

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leidelaohu

Board Royalty

Joined: June 11, 2007
Posts: 7195

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 10:53 PM

Sorry guys but I'm going to have to agree with Pandawhines. Maybe for different reasons tho ...

China was a hell of a lot nicer place before any of the fuckwit MNC's came here. Y'all think they came here to improve people's lives and better the world ? What are you, stupid ? They came here to fuck over the people of their own country, fuck over the people of China, get away from every environmental regulation or health concern and generally fuck over everyone they possibly could. Screw the goddamned MNC's and the horses they rode in on.

The mess China is in and will be in forever now is the direct result of Mr Dung's "get rich quick" stupidity and Mr Jiang's follow-on worse stupidity. The day Mao died this place started its slow inexorable slide back into the toilet. I can see why you'd be pissed at the whining panda, Neil, but that's the truth. Globalization is crap.

sandawei

Talker

Joined: Oct 18, 2008
Posts: 117
Location: Bogota -Colombia
Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 - 11:30 PM

NeilUK39 wrote:

sandawei wrote:

Fair enough Neil, I see your point...

Actually, my post was more directed to the huge amount of white trash that i see around. I'm sorry to say it, but i see foreigners coming here, with no skills, no preparation, and then getting disappointed bcs they don't get a good job..., and then i see this same foreigners at bars, pretending to be something they are not...

I mean no disrespect for skilled people, or people that come through MNC ( yes, i know the meaning of that, I would be a crappy headhunter if not) , after all, actually MNCs are the ones that give us Headhunters work,

Im young, 26, but i been coming here since 2002, and a couple of years ago, after finishing my studies i came to settle here..., Im an expat ( born in Colombia, but lived in Spain ) and I worked hard, so i could get opportunities in this place. And that's why i have no sympathy for dumb, unskilled people, that come here, and complained about their jobs, or survive teaching, although back home they wouldn't even qualify to teach monkeys...,

And actually, im gonna go further, and i could tell you that in my work, i get to interact with foreign managers in other companies, and sometimes they are dumb as hell, and the only reason why they keep their jobs, is because there is no one else to replace them..,

There is a lot of foreigners, helping the industry, or giving expertise, but also there is a lot of foreigners that are just getting a free ride, on the fact that there is no one else to fill their positions..,

Again, im young.., so i guess i have much more to learn..,

Last edited by sandawei on Nov 26, 2008 - 12:01 AM; edited 1 time in total

RussianBear
Veejay
Veejay

Joined: June 25, 2008
Posts: 2148
Location: Milky Way galaxy

Posted: Nov 26, 2008 - 12:00 AM

As we know from history .. NO FOREIGNERS LEFT in China.
Russians, Germans, Japanes.. all was leaved, that is just time's question,
somebody early , somebody late. The cultures are too differente and we
never been accepted to this civilization.. I love China, but i know that this
place is not good for my kids.. We are only quests here.

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Stnucerasnimda

Reacher

Joined: Nov 08, 2008
Posts: 247

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 26, 2008 - 12:14 AM

leidelaohu wrote:

China was a hell of a lot nicer place before any of the fuckwit MNC's came here. Y'all think they came here to improve people's lives and better the world ? What are you, stupid ? They came here to fuck over the people of their own country, fuck over the people of China, get away from every environmental regulation or health concern and generally fuck over everyone they possibly could. Screw the goddamned MNC's and the horses they rode in on.

LOL you commies...they came here to make money, DUH !

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MoonOverMiami
PopStar
PopStar

Joined: Jan 07, 2008
Posts: 1044

Posted: Nov 26, 2008 - 01:31 AM

^And I doubt the Chinese population were saint's before the MNC's arrived. Hell, we've already had several locally hired employees try to embezzle funds with the help of the gov't officials, doing their own business on the side with our customers, inflating the price of supplies in order to get a kickback. Doubt the MNCs taught them this.

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