What can $100 buy?

–Watercolor by Amelie Wang.

As senior Jim Wang prepares for college next year, he considers how far a dollar will stretch.

–by Jim Wang
Let’s take 100 bucks and go shopping! Imagine, you are an International Student at an American college. You live here by yourself, and you need supplies to last, say, for two weeks. You need your daily necessities. How much will $100 get you at a big box store like CostCo?
Firstly, I would grab my favorite fruits: oranges, lemons, and grapes. Four oranges might cost me $2; three lemons, $1; and one bag of grapes weighing 3 pounds might cost me nearly $9.
Secondly, let’s look to vegetables and meat. Vegetables cost a lot in America; meat is cheap. I personally don’t like vegetables, so I would just choose a head of cabbage (because it’s good for me), and that costs like $6. Eight pieces in a box of pork chops cost $7.22, and a package of hot dogs costs $3. You can cook the hot dogs for a simple meal at home, and it makes life easier when you are busy. Then, I would get some eggs for breakfast. There are several kinds of eggs–regular medium and large eggs and cage-free eggs or organic eggs (these two cost more money). A dozen of normal medium-sized eggs cost $2.
On average, dairy products are much more expensive in China than in America. Let’s take Haagen-Dazs for example. In an American market, a carton of 414 ml of Haagen-Dazs costs $3, but the prices in China are insane. The same box would be $30 in China.  (I guess that’s why people consider America like heaven!)

Below are the all things we can buy with $100.
These items should be enough food for two people to eat for two weeks along with the daily necessities which can be used for almost three months!