Overpriced restaurant meals, price gouging.

Maybe not so much price gouging, but things have gone up hugely everywhere here.

Up until about 6 weeks ago, we went out to breakfast 2 or 3 times a week, going to 5 or 6 different places. How have things changed? Here are two examples: Daniel's great chorizo burrito was 80 pesos until September. It went up to 100 pesos then. Three weeks ago it went up to 120 pesos. Ouch!!! Espuma's fabulous french toast was 110 pesos. After their remodeling, it is now 300 pesos. No, we are not going there anymore, and Daniel's will be less often. I can't give an exact example for La Tejita, but their prices skyrocketed. The non tourist places so far haven't increased, or at least not much. We now go to breakfast once a week.

Yes, prices for everything have gone up.

Our weekly maid and gardener have been paid 400 pesos for their 5 to 6 hour day for a couple of years. (Yes, they are given a good lunch) The big discussion is whether they are going to go up to 450 pesos or 500 pesos. It's tough when our pension only goes up 2% per year.

We have a tourist apartment that we only rent out for a maximum of 10 weeks a year. We value our privacy so limit the intrusions in our lives. We raised our rental rate from 2000 pesos per night to 2200. Why? Because our living costs have gone up too.

What to do? Eat out less, and still enjoy ourselves to the fullest! We can't imagine living anywhere else.

400 pesos (app. $20USD for 6 hour day = app $3.50USD/hr for cleaning and gardening (yes, I understand a good lunch is given) sounds like an incredible deal.
Considering the going rate now in California is $15-25/hour (just given as a reference, take it or leave it).
Are they 'employees' of yours, thus making you responsible for all sorts of other 'obligations'?
Or are they more 'freelancers' aka 'Independent Contractors'.

If they are looking for more work please pass along contact info