What will an Argentine peso get you?

So far I've found all you can get with a peso is a piece of bubaloo chewing gum or a banana IF you're lucky and it doesn't weigh too much!

I had the car today so I decided to take advantage and take Pili to the mall to look for a pair of winter shoes. I had time to kill and decided to shop a bit. There were several things that I was interested in....
Boots for Pili first and fourmost (100 pesos)
Ben 10 gloves for Matias (21 pesos)
Bubble Bath (12 pesos)
tights for Pili (45 pesos)
Slippers (35 pesos) I ended up buying these off the street for 20 and the princess sticker has already peeled off :(
Cotton shirt with a little yorkie on it that Pili went crazy over (66 pesos)
A stroller for Pili to push her dolls around in (220 pesos)
I just happened to notice what a real stroller combo cost (2250 pesos)
Time to eat ... A happy meal(19 pesos)or fresh pasta (23 pesos) opted for the pasta.
Playland (3 pesos any ride which last about 20 seconds)
A couple random things that caught my eye....
Nerf gun (170 pesos)
Cinderella dress up (90 pesos)
Tricycle (400 pesos)

I thought going to the mall with 300 pesos was plenty however, I could have EASILY spent 500 since everything cost an arm and a leg.
It frustrated me and made me curious. Curious to know what was the average salary of Porteños (people from Buenos Aires). I googled it. The average monthly wage 2,500 pesos. The average person really can't afford to eat at McDonalds or step foot in the mall. However, over all, the people are happy and know how to enjoy life, but do complain often about the politics of the country. I remember a conversation I had with a friend in New York who spent time in the slums of India with small children. I asked her how she could do it without it totally breaking her heart. Her response was "The kids are happy, laughing and smiling, it's all they know." I guess it's kind of like that for Argentineans as well, except I sense they do feel it b/c for about 10 years (1991-2001) they were in an era where the peso was equivalent to the dollar and things were affordable. Then came the CRASH in 2001 and overnight things changed drastically. For the most part though I feel they have accustomed to buying a bottle of water for 5 pesos or a dessert for 15, or how about a tiramisu for 30 pesos (ridiculous but Nico insisted I treat myself). I don't think I would ever be able to fully accustom to these prices. One thing that I noticed that people do possibly to help them cope is say "well 300 pesos for a shirt at the mall isn't bad is it? It is less than 100 dollars." HELLO we're all earning in pesos so why bother to make these comparisons. It really does make things any better, to think in terms of dollars.
Two months into the school year and Mati's tuition was upped 100 pesos. What? (It's only 35 dollars guess it's really not that bad) How can anyone budget here? Oh and a gallon of milk- HOLD ON TO YOUR PANTS- is almost 20 pesos and rising. The list goes on, it's hard to stop; movie tickets (21 pesos)
I try not to comment in converstion about my thoughts on prices here (though it is really hard) because I know for me this is temporary (I'm pretty sure) but for most Argentineans the struggle will never end.
So it's a fact the Argentine peso doesn't amount to a whole lot but fortunately there is the charismatic Argentine culture that is unmeasureable!
I do love this country!
ps: What can you get with a dollar? 10 pieces of bubaloo, 4 bananas, a soda, a candy bar.???? Oh and then there is the DOLLAR STORE, I guess the list is infinito!