The great Aussie rip off?
 

I have been accussed of being a wingeing pom when I raised this after our trip to activate our visa in October 2010, but it seems that the native population are also starting to ask questions?

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonig...-pricey-prices

We have 3 years left before the visa expires, but I will hold my breath as to whether things change before then.

As to bookshops not being allowed to import books and being forced to print them in Australia!

It's about time the antiquated rules governing imports are reformed

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

I'm not really sure what/if there is a question here but I would point out that Today Tonight is hardly renowned for presenting balanced and well researched journalism. There are frequent cost of living debates posted on this site but I certainly wouldn't be placing any value on a Today Tonight report.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

For me, overall COL is roughly the same, with the UK a bit cheaper.

The internet is the place to buy books - in both countries, hence the amount of bookshops closing.
Some new cars are cheaper here, as are most consumer electronics.
Groceries are much more expensive in Australia - no matter which way you slice or dice it.
Utilities are roughly the same.

COL is high here, no question, but the UK ain't exactly cheap!

Today Tonight and A Current Affair = The Daily Mail

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Cant see a question in there either..

Remember why you wanted the visa and went throughh the whole process?

People come here to live and work... Same as at home... Day in day out... We didnt come here to become multi miliionaires or to change our standard of living dramatically (tho I still feel like Vic Beckham when I look at our pool).. Many people have given up a lot to do it... Why? because its a DIFFERENT lifestyle...

Whats different about it? Having outdoors that can be used 90% of the year... Fabulous weather so during the summer/spring/autumn EVERY day can feel like a holiday day if you make it that way... Different opportunities for the kids... Eg sailing, snorkling, swimming after school rather than xbox and other indoor activities... No more SAD for me...

Whats the same? You work, you have bills, you have housework and chores to do still...

What makes it hard? Family and friends being a zillion miles away and another time zone...

Australians often dont make the effort... Why should they? lets face it.. Back in the UK how much effort do YOU make to get to know and socialise with your immigrant neighbours???

Life carries on, no matter where in the world you are...

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Correct Eddie, but it is also a rip off.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

We can all complain about something... Ripoff? not too sure.. No one told me I was going to have a mansion and servants and never have to worry about bills again or shop around for best the deals on cat food...

i came from a country with a high cost of living... And pretty shite wages...

So maybe I was better prepared...?

I would like to know what WERE peoples expectations who came over? Better lifestyle? More money in their pocket? living like millionaires due to large wad in back pocket, highh wages and low cost of living?

Being wealthy is a combination of being able to adapt to local situation (go to the library if a book is too expensive, they'll get a copy for you) and a state of mind...... Ergo I'm better off in Australia because I think I'm better off and I feel what needs I have that are important to me are being met here better than in the uk...

Being happy is a state of mind... I think I'm ok, thefore I am ok

Friendships? I've had to adapt

Mangoes were 50cts each the other week.... Ok we havent had lettuce for nearly 3 weeks coz of some weather condition or other and the price of them and the poor quailty... But when life throws you mangoes? Make mango vodka slushies... Thats what I say

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

There are always stories like this in the media, plenty in UK too "rip-off Britain" spring to mind. Books are expensive, I don't buy them here, just get e-books.

Overall in terms of how financially well off I am, well it feels much the same, but on paper it probably isn't as I spend so much on rent here. But I don't begrudge it, it is what it is.

If I were to live in the country where I was best off financially I would still be in Bermuda ... bringing in $500k a year tax free between us but being extremely unhappy. It's not worth it.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Wouldnt you only have to do that for 3 or 4 years and permanently retire though ?

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Depends on cost of living.. Raking in 500k a year doesnt help if you're spending 505k a year on living does it?

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

It would take more than 3 or 4 years of earning $500k to permanently retire!

My rent was $100k a year and utilities about another $10k. We were of course able to save, but no amount of money is worth the amount of misery I went through. Dead too long for that.

My misery was predominantly due to a complete bully of a boss and an unfriendly and hostile work environment. Bermuda is a very small place and it pervades into every aspect of life. It is not possible to be sponsored for a work permit by different employers within 2 years in Bermuda and by the time it got to the end of the 2 years I just wanted to go.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Interesting question. Would 2 million be enough to retire on:unsure:

By the time you buy a house, I doubt it.

Depends I guess on how many years you want it to last.

Probably wouldnt work for me, the teenagers would devour most of the funds in food :lol:

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

That's the rub. You need a crystal ball to find out how long you are going to live for. Plus, you need to assume you can get a return of 5% plus on that money somehow - by no means guaranteed in the current climate.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

For me the book price issue has sailed. I download onto my kindle now - I think in the last 3 months I've bought 2 books but downloaded 20 odd.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Totally agree. Media now comes down an ethernet cable and does not need a physical store to be sold in.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Actually got to admit it would probably be 5/6 years because of local COL... however 2 million could be enough if you rented and your interest more than covered the rent.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

2 mil x 6.8% in CBA / NAB / WBC /ANZ shares = $136,000 (with $62,200 tax credit ) $198,000 round of the tax , another $24,000
Still leaves a modest $112,000

I think I could scrape by on that

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

I saw a few minutes of the program and it appeared to me to be broadly correct.

I have personal experience in the last few months: a fastening system in Oz $13.50 per metre, in the US US0.66c per metre (converted to metres and including tax.

An irrigation pop-up head: $64 here and the same part in the US US$11.95 - available for $9.95 on the internet plus tax and postage.

On many items we are not talking a few percent, we are into many times the price. Much of it is due to the stranglehold of importers which stifles competition and choice.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Yes much the same for us, many of the things relevant to our work are 2 or 3 times more expensive here. We were looking at Aldi prices last night, UK and here and many here were 50 to 75% more.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

I agree that things like this can be incredibly expensive here - out of all proportion. Other things not so:
Samsung UA60D8000 TV - offered to me for $3120 by The Good Guys a few weeks ago.
Samsung UE60D8000 TV (UK model) - cheapest internet price $4790 (GBP3249 at Comet).
There are other things too - VW cars for instance.
A lot of the hobby stuff I buy locally is now only 10-20% more expensive than the US, other stuff is much more expensive here though.

It's a mixed bag. A lot of stuff that is radically more expensive here can be easily bought on the internet. It's stuff that is hard to ship that is the problem.

Re: The great Aussie rip off?
 

Talking of the hard to ship stuff does anyone have any ideas about how to get stuff across cheaply? I want quite a bit of sailing stuff from the US or Europe - can you hire a very small piece of a container?