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I believe the secret to living here lakeside is very simple. You just treat everyone as a human being, nothing more, nothing less. It is true I only tip in the 10 to 15 percent range but this is nothing different from what I do in the states. In addition, I give to all the beggars although sometimes I think I am being hustled. I have a fondness for the nino's so I contribute to their causes. We have a gardener and maid and we pay them the going rate and if they do something extra, we pay them extra. My wife always provides a meal for the maid and eats with her. Both the gardener and maid have been with us for 5 years and they are wonderful people. Sometimes they need extra money and we will loan it to them, they always pay us back. My wife is a psychologist here in Mexico and had her own television show in Mexico City, I worked for the government and traveled all over the world. Here lakeside we are just lakesiders who probably relate more to the Mexican community than the expat one. We are respected by the Mexican community as we are simply a member of the community. Unfortunately there are rich expat's and rich Mexicans who think money is all important. We believe a good heart is all that is important.

Most of my Mexican friends are generous. And most of my expat friends also. I tend to hang with persons who have gratitude in their lives. I appreciate a well prepared meal served by attentive staff. They are providing a service to me and with respect I show my appreciation. Others have the mindset that they are funding the economy here with their dollars so the locals are just lucky. Tan feo. Not much tolerance for rich Mexicans or expats who have the conquistador gene

Well, that certainly hasn't changed! 😁

... no but the CAT might!

Drive over to Tucueca or San Pedro Tesistan and pay attention to the real differences you see. If you are lucky enough to have a little tienda your only employee is likely to be family because most working age folks have left town. There is almost nothing to do there except barely survive. In 1972, when I first arrived in this area, Ajijic was a little fishing village which was mostly supplied by many very small farmers. I'm talking dozens of boats and groups of men pulling in heavy nets which could take hours. There were gringos living here then and it was a much cheaper place to live. A house could be rented for less than 50.00 USD/month. There were about four or five recognizable restaurants, two little hotels, no hospital, ambulance, telephones, television, library, immigration lawyers, car rentals, street lights, banks, clothing stores, malecon, etc. Folks complained a little about the hippie influx bu t most of the gringos were retirees who lived in Chapala. In those days the exchange rate was 12.5 pesos to the USD. Eighteen years later it was 3,000 pesos to the dollar. Prices went up dramatically all over Mexico. Then they removed all the zeros and it became 3 pesos to the dollar. Now twenty eight years later it is about 21 pesos to the dollar. And prices have gone up all over Mexico. If they hadn't dropped the zeros back then it would be 21,000 pesos to the dollar and prices would reflect that accordingly. I don't think gringos living lakeside had much, if anything, to do with any of that. If you think prices are lower in less desirable places because of over tipping or contributing to charities then go visit Patzcuaro or Queretaro or Oaxaca or Merida or even Guadalajara. Prices for housing, restaurants, gasoline, clothing, groceries, etc. will be the same or more than here. What is different is that wages are a little higher here because they can be. Waiters and maids can make good money. Housing is available, as are goods and services, and entertainment options abound. I thought capitalists were in favor of supply and demand and that rising water raises all boats...Places like Amarillo Texas are cheaper than places like Seattle Washington. It has very little to do with any rich folks living in either city who might be big tippers. It has to do with quality of life. Here that quality is relatively high and there is competition for workers many of whom were born here and stay because of that quality of life. I say good for them and good for us. We could not survive any place in the US that has any kind of desirability for us. That isn't true for everybody because there are many happy folks living in Amarillo! Alan

I wonder if you stuck your catś tail into solar system panel inverter if the CFE meter would run backwards?

Too bad you couldn't just leave it with Alan's excellent post and for one resist making things personal.

Don't try to convince yourself that being cheap is somehow a good and noble thing. We tip well, pay for services well, donate to charities, provide dispensas to needy families, volunteer at non-profit organizations, and help a couple of families with kids. I have never heard a single person complain that it made them feel bad to get a little extra of our time, money, or energy. I speak Spanish fluently and visit with many folks about many issues including local costs and wages. They all know that many expats do help the local economy and help many individuals. I know of folks who pay for kids (especially girls) to attend school through university. And who help with medical bills. And gift old vehicles. And help with quinceaneras or funerals. I don't ascribe any of that to any social or political system...it's just doing the right thing with the resources we each have at our disposal. All of us have a different capacity to do those things that are needed. If that is being "part of the problem" then I think most of us have been misled about good deeds. As to socialism, it is not like communism. All democratic countries have socialist foundations. Police and fire departments are paid for with taxes collected from everybody even though you might not ever use either one. We paid property taxes for other people's kids to attend public schools. There are a thousand examples of things like that. Officials are elected, they work to decide who needs what where, and services are provided for the entire community. Military, highways, community hospitals, food stamps, CDC, food inspections, waste water treatment, parks, libraries, etc. Some countries provide more services with tax money than others. Things like public transportation, medical care, and higher education. They are all socialism. Unless you want to only pay to have your house fire put out after paying the fire fighters what they think it will cost...or never drive on a freeway or never drink clean water or flush your toilet but if you like all those kinds of things and use them without thinking then you are a socialist. Now if you don't like what your elected officials do with your tax money then vote them out. As to immigration comments, you should know that most folks from south of the US are not just excited to enjoy the fruits that the US democratic socialism would provide, they are just trying to survive and would gladly go anywhere they thought that was possible. Alan

Please don't say this should be in Furry Friends..... those with or without pets need to see this and warn pet people/friends! 5 pm Tuesday---- TP modem suddenly totally dark. NO lights red or green. Checked all plugs / connections. Tried power off / on modem switch plus surge protector. This meant no phone, internet, wifi, or TV. OMG the sky is falling 😡 LONG talk on cell phone with tech support. Nada. Sent tech out this a.m. Answer? Darn CAT had chewed the flimsiest gauge of all the wires that connect from modem to power source (the one with the little transformer) right in half !!! Asked why she would do this... never any other wires touched. He said those wires emit a "pulse" that cats (and guessing other smallish pets etc) can sense.... it attracts them, and they get a little electric "shock" as they make the cut. Apparently they LIKE this ??? Worse yet --- same cat has already done this to two cordless phone handsets. I just had not made the connection as to wires being the same. As usual... another day, another life TECH lesson........... sigh.

I had similar experience being Mexican citizen not being able to open account there unless I used my USA passport, So I went to Intercam and am happy I did...

Intercam is the best!!!!!!

Actinver can be good. It was, then we closed it when We became citizens. A few years later we decided to open it again. Then we did not know anyone there, and the person wanted to see and record our American passport. As a Mexican citizen you are never to show a foreign passport as identification. She refused to see our mexican passport. So we just left.

Then tjey woll have not so great brown beaches..simple

All I know is that I have a checking, savings, and brokerage account with Actinver Bank/Brokerage for maybe 20 years, plus or minus a few years. And I have never had a problem. Are they the best bank/brokerage lakeside? I don't know. I just know that I am very satisfied with them

rafter you are out of your gourd. For every Mexican you think feels the way you say they do, there are 10,000 that are grateful that someone more fortunate than they are has made a decision to share. I have worked jobs for tips in my younger days, and also relied on commissions in sales jobs. I never once felt someone was a fool for giving me a tip larger than normal, or increasing my share of a sale. No matter how much you squirm and use others to try to justify being a cheap so and so the truth is evident.

My internet was out since 10 this morning,I CALLED THEY SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON IT, it just came on now...7:00 pm

South of Cancun Puerto Morales might fill the bill. Nice beaches and water. Not too touristy yet. Like beach towns used to be.

So nose jobs aren't done in the civil hospital then?

The lights aren't synchronized which causes delays also.

In January of 1996, this area was so boring I thought I'd roll over and die. That's why we chose San Miguel de Allende. So much more going on here now. That "More" = more people and more vehicles. It's called progress unfortunately. Collingwood, Ontario experienced the same influx. I distinctly remember a cartoon, in the local paper in the 80's, showing the population sign and a hand written note over it... Collingwood, Population 13,783 AND WE INTEND TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. Nice places get busy and cost more. Everywhere.

My Mexican wife and the Mexican people I know do not consider people who over tip as being kind and generous. Rather they consider them to be condescending and stupid.

IMO, it probably does no one any good to post a comment like this. Why not just add a couple of sentences to give some validity to your opinion.

I know LaBodege has an open mic and I think one other place. I know Open Circle has a variety of presenters. My question: Is only singing allowed, or can a comic, or storyteller etc. "perform"? Snarky, non-relevant, "I want attention" comments by PM please.

That's when I lived there. Not for long, about 4 months. There were some pretty "out there" gringos around at that time.