One Hundred Euro

When coming from Indonesia where one hundred euro costs one point five million rupiah the expectation of what one hundred euro should buy in Ireland, can be high.

In Jakarta it would be somewhat difficult to spend one point five million rupiah on entertainment for three children for one day.  Soft play centres cost between 50 and 100,000 i.e. between three and six euro, Pizza Express have a children’s three course menu for five euro or a McDonalds happy meals costs one euro and eighty cents.  Outdoor activities are not included as there are virtually none but everyone has a swimming pool so pool parties are free, effectively. In the likely event of a couple deciding to have a night out on the tiles and double vodkas, the cost to forget your troubles would be no more than half a million rupiah, for two. Babysitter would be the maid, c. 50,000 (3 euro) would cover same.  So all told, the whole family could be entertained for one point five million rupiah or one hundred euro.

I remember when one hundred euro had a bit of clout.   People stood up and took notice of one hundred euro. It was perceived as a limit in spending not just the milestone it is today. It was a hefty sum, a sum worth having.

But what happened the value of one hundred euro? I mean, should we even bother with the five and ten euro notes anymore and just round everything up to twenties, fifties and one hundreds? See below a list of things that you will get in Ireland today for €100.

The cost to fill my 13 year old Avensis is €87, followed by the Sunday papers, a four euro lotto quick-pick,2 litres of milk and white buttons, the bill is………………€100.

The cost of admission for one adult and three children to Fota Wildlife Park is 14.50 per adult and 9.50 per child, total, €43.00. Including the picnic you brought and follow that with a visit to KFC on the way home at €33, total cost, €100.

Try and treat yourself for a morning, get Granny to mind the kids for nothing, go to a local beautician and book and facial followed by a lunch in the hotel, enjoyment duration two hours, cost, €85 euro, 70 for facial, 15 for lunch, then add on a cake and bunch of flowers to say thanks to Granny for babysitting, total cost, €100.

Book a romantic early bird, surely two €19.95’s, can’t add up to a hundred, add the bottle of wine you brought yourself, €13.99, a sixteen euro taxi fare both ways, a drink in a bar afterwards, €10 and bobs your uncle – only €96. Oops forgot the tip, €4.

And just try bringing three children into a café, where you get a ‘hand-cut’ sandwich, is there another kind? homemade muffins, glass bottles of juice and a single coffee for yourself all for the sum of €37. Only to get asked the question on the way out, ‘what are we having for dinner?’  Of course when you stop at your supermarket of choice, ‘Shock Valu’ you mentally pucker up and prepare for the jolt at the till, as you place your items on the belt, chicken breast fillets, red and green peppers, a jar of sauce and a few other bits……….’sixty three euros and two cents please’, and insult to injury, they break the euro for the two cent, another thing that doesn’t happen in Indonesia, despite being fifty times poorer.

It was whilst on this recent rant, that a friend pointed me in the direction of LIDL. ‘You won’t spend it there’, she warned. Having battled Doha, Abu Dhabi and Jakarta, I would face the challenge, I would visit LIDL.

Trolley filled to capacity with groceries for the week, the cost, €65.   I went back for the two-man tent and the LED torch, I picked up socks, clothes pegs and microfiber clothes, until at last the total was €100. Forgetting I was due a euro back from the trolley, so after all my foraging, I was back to €99.

So forget the fast food and the night on the tiles, LIDL……the only destination where you can’t spend a hundred euro