chrispy

So what is cheaper and what is more expensive.... from what little i have gained from my experiance and reading here i will start with:

Cheaper

eating out
petrol
wine (good wine not shite from supermarket)
fruit (except bananas)
Japanese cars
Taxis
trip to the beach
speed boats
CDs and DVDs (no Amazon, postage to Aus expensive)
MOT (don't need one)
Salaries
Rabbits
Tim Tams
Vegemite

More Expensive
Bananas
Chocolate
Front loading washing machines
TVs
Flights to anywhere
decent clothes
loans
using cashpoints
second hand cars
Outdoor gear
Penguins (chocolate variety)
Marmite

The Same
Most other things

What else?

arkon

I'll try......

eating out (its all relative I personally think its more expensive and not as good quality or varied)

petrol (Price per litre yes, but the average australian drives 2.5 times as far)

wine (Yes cheaper)
fruit (No I find most fruit dearer and seasonal as apposed to the UK where it's mostly available all year)

Japanese cars (Marginally cheaper)

Taxis (Yes cheaper)

trip to the beach (Yes cos theres sod all to spend your money on when you get there, but the 30minutes to an hour drive to get there still means it has a cost)

speed boats (Maybe)

CDs and DVDs (I initially thought they were until I recently went back to the UK for a visit and they are now on a par with each other EXCEPT forget any kind of decent internet mail order as the postage out here makes buying things like this by mail order a waste of time. Thank god for BIG W!)

MOT (don't need one) (MYTH!! You need a pink slip re:MOT to be able to re register your car each year, you wont need it on new cars but then there is the 3% stamp duty on all car puchases new and used, they compulsory CTP insurance and then the need for fully comp on top as car crime here is very bad. Oh and you have to pay to renew your licence every 3 years and to cap it all car service intervals here are HALF what they are in the UK)

Salaries (Cant coment as I don't work but from what friends tell me they are genreally worse unless you do some kind of meanial work in which case you will probably get more)

Rabbits (Rabits cheaper?? maybe but pet shops dont tend to have rabits an guinea pigs)

Tim Tams (Probably because I don't remember these in Tesco)
Vegemite

More Expensive
Bananas (YEP)
Chocolate (YEP and shite tasting too)

Front loading washing machines (YEP and frowned upon because they are more energy efficient, water efficient and wash your clothes better. But apparently they are crap because you cant add more clothes once the cycle has started!!)

TVs (I'd say not that much difference now)

Flights to anywhere (Forget your overseas holidays unless you are very well off)

decent clothes (not sure about dearer but where I live they don't exist period! I've never in my entire life known such shite quality, bad fitting and un-uniform shop to shop sizes!)

loans (YEP, no competition)

using cashpoints (Depends on who you bank with)

second hand cars (YEP so bring over your robin reliant and sell it here for a profit!)

Sorry I've given up now, by and large I find the place hugely more expensive and prices increasing before my very eyes weekly!!! A weeks food shopping 2 years ago cost me $120 now its $300 FFS!

OK back to my box......

sassenach

It really is true Paul Keating wanted a banana republic i think ,we truly have one now .I had my first banana in neally a year today ,i felt like a real rich bastard .

BadgeIsBack

Yes, but you can't compare UK with Australia bananas for the reasons already given...

You've got to compare apples with er apples??!!!!!

I've never understood this baby thing. Occasionally my daughter has been asked to wear stuff that doesn't photograph that well. I think she looks ugly then. No rose tints for me on that score lol.

Nomore

i LOVE chocolate...i hate Bananas ,,,so i don't care if they cost alot cause i don't buy them


But the chocolate does taste abit iffy out here but it's still nice.
I have noticed that the British shops in OZ that sell food charge a fortune for the stuff, and half of it is American anyway,..peanut cups!!! never had them in UK...or did we?

BadgeIsBack

a few spring to mind

Aus expensive

books
white goods - just about any new gizmo unless its a KMart or BigW Tv/radio.
cars
Groceries
flights
power tools

Aus cheaper
Eating out, entertainment
Utils
rates
Housing (with caveat : you either get more for your money, or you're a cashed up migrant, otherwise it's as bad)
Public Transport
wine
private schooling

Generally I find that straya is cheaper if you don't have expensive tastes or needs.

I'm on the fence with petrol. I don't drive much further than in the UK, and I drive at speeds better for economy and for the engine. Ages ago I think I specified a fuel price that would bring it as a burden equivalant to the UK - well we're getting to that figure! Intervals - don't care, I change all my oils sooner than you should.

Overall, I agree with my old mate Mike Stanton and think it is comparable.

Pollyana

yep (at least I think so, we never do it cos I'm told its too expensive
yep
yep
Whats the beach, haven't been to one for two years
Not in Qld, you get a Safety cert here, but only when you try and sell your car.
You won't find cheap rabbits up here cos they're illegal
Penguins are nicer
Yum
Thank you dad for my inheritance!
Not allowed to comment as Mods can't have opinions
Sounds like MY box - did you know you had a lodger

Wendy

Did the Bloke tell you that as well

arkon

Maybe the Australian blokes who built the massive thousands of kilometer long anti-rabbit fence were infact thinking of your type of rabbit when they built it because the furry 4 legged kind were able to cross the fence as the holes in the wire were too big! Only in Australia could they build an anti rabbit fence that only keeps out 6 foot rabbits!

Wendy

Nomore

why do you hide in your box Arkon. What you say makes good sense.

arkon

Safest place to be. Normally coming out from under the box gets me shot at, and I can't resist a good argument from the 'The sun shines out of Australias ass' brigade so as I don't really have the time to indulge them, the best place is inside my airconditioned, mossie & fly free box. I've also decided that I know I'm right and Australia is a huge dissapointment and there is no need to tell people for my own sake. they will find out for themselves eventually.

Andrew Cross

Yeah i used to eat them in the Uk...are they Reeces Buttercups (peanutbutter in a chocolate cup) so lovely

Nomore

yep thats the ones...i do like them but i remember them in USA when we went there and not in UK.
Arkon...don't worry mate...i understand everything you say. We do need your input as it does help.

BadgeIsBack

Remember there is an exclusive, secret, by-invitation-only annex off 'The sun shines out of Australias ass' club called the "Can see the problems with Australia [most of which exist anywhere] but nonetheless like living here and have found a balance - infact secretly am doing quite well " too mate.

I think you are right about your part of the world. Keep on posting. And see my latest post on Fountain Gate where I pay tribute to your cynicism.