Who says Australia is expensive!
Jul 16th 2011, 12:27 am
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
"The Aussies like to charge like wounded bulls".
It's not just prices, it's an attitude whereby:
"The Aussies" do this - "The Aussies" do that. They drive like this, they drive that - the tale-telling is endless.
Still, the sort of people who talk like that talked like that in the UK too. It's a form of ignorance - especially the telling of tales and why you often hear me say that people who run down Australia/UK are no better than anyone they criticise. I feel quite clear, pretty clear, on the sort of people these people are(!)
Often these people are very out of tune with the real world, where people make mistakes, are only human:
"tradesmen are this, tradesmen are that" - I have a lot of time for tradespeople.
Jul 16th 2011, 12:37 am
#32
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,117
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Maybe not in so many words but favourite words from people are things like
"The Aussies like to charge like wounded bulls".
It's not just prices, it's an attitude whereby:
"The Aussies" do this - "The Aussies" do that. They drive like this, they drive that - the tale-telling is endless.
Still, the sort of people who talk like that talked like that in the UK too. It's a form of ignorance - especially the telling of tales and why you often hear me say that people who run down Australia/UK are no better than anyone they criticise. I feel quite clear, pretty clear, on the sort of people these people are(!)
Often these people are very out of tune with the real world, where people make mistakes, are only human:
"tradesmen are this, tradesmen are that" - I have a lot of time for tradespeople.
"The Aussies like to charge like wounded bulls".
It's not just prices, it's an attitude whereby:
"The Aussies" do this - "The Aussies" do that. They drive like this, they drive that - the tale-telling is endless.
Still, the sort of people who talk like that talked like that in the UK too. It's a form of ignorance - especially the telling of tales and why you often hear me say that people who run down Australia/UK are no better than anyone they criticise. I feel quite clear, pretty clear, on the sort of people these people are(!)
Often these people are very out of tune with the real world, where people make mistakes, are only human:
"tradesmen are this, tradesmen are that" - I have a lot of time for tradespeople.
Jul 16th 2011, 12:50 am
#33
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
I know...
I'm not trying to add fuel to the fire
but to be honest one of the amusements for me from a BE perspective is the way so many complainants come over as the 'the two blokes in the pub' from Harry Enfield...
Not a good look, really.
I sometimes think they think they're being artfully critical, or cogent.. but often it falls sort of flat.
I'd love criticism of Australia and the UK if it was put so much better..whether it is prices, graffiti etc. Some people put it better than others.
I'm not trying to add fuel to the fire
but to be honest one of the amusements for me from a BE perspective is the way so many complainants come over as the 'the two blokes in the pub' from Harry Enfield...Not a good look, really.
I sometimes think they think they're being artfully critical, or cogent.. but often it falls sort of flat.
I'd love criticism of Australia and the UK if it was put so much better..whether it is prices, graffiti etc. Some people put it better than others.
Jul 16th 2011, 1:21 am
#34
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Jul 16th 2011, 1:41 am
#35
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
To be perfectly honest, this is a true reflection of BE.
There are a lot of people who gush about how expensive Australia is and leave you in no doubt they mean the whole thing, everywhere, all the time.
I find many things very reasonable in Australia. Only electricity has suddenly risen to make me change my mind on that one. But I know people complain about rises in the UK too.
I do remember people complaining about rip off Britain - in particular cars 10 years ago so I believe a lot of progress was made in that area.
But the UK is not universally cheap either.
There are a lot of people who gush about how expensive Australia is and leave you in no doubt they mean the whole thing, everywhere, all the time.
I find many things very reasonable in Australia. Only electricity has suddenly risen to make me change my mind on that one. But I know people complain about rises in the UK too.
I do remember people complaining about rip off Britain - in particular cars 10 years ago so I believe a lot of progress was made in that area.
But the UK is not universally cheap either.
My electric bill is enormous in Winter... but I have a big open plan house, three times the size of my UK home, no gas or wood burners and two grown up sons who have their own caves to run... heaters, games consoles, TV's, fridges, you name it.. so it costs a packet.
Now having said that, I was totally, 100% convinced, in my own mind, that my gas and electricity costs in the UK were fifty quid a month back in 2005/6until I found some old bank statements the other day during a clear out. I was paying 100 quid a month back then, before the major price hikes the UK has seen.
It didn't make me feel much better about paying $130 a fortnight for electricity... but it did put a more realistic perspective on it.
Jul 16th 2011, 4:18 am
#36
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Ah, I get it. You are Bix posting under a pseudonym.
But you mis-spelt heaters.
It is "airconditioning".
Jul 16th 2011, 8:42 pm
#37
beach bum
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Snowy Mountains, NSW
Posts: 1,995
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Ahhhh what price happiness?
The UK is only cheaper (for some things not EVERYTHING) if you still have a job and can afford to pay your 0.5% interest mortgage.
I went back at Easter and all people talked about was how skint everyone one was, who had just been made redundant, who couldn't sell there house, who was at risk of being made redundant and how lucky I was to get out when I did.
Oh and how they couldn't afford to go on holiday cos the quid is worth zilch in most other countries. Good for the UK seaside towns though eh? Tourist trade on the up? And its been sunny this week.
All I know is that I have more disposable income here than I ever did in the UK and I have more freedom in terms of work life balance to do the things I want to do. And its warmer. Usually. So who gives a shit about the price of bananas? (even though it is still very shocking).
And the first person to call me a Godzoner is gonna get a smack!
The UK is only cheaper (for some things not EVERYTHING) if you still have a job and can afford to pay your 0.5% interest mortgage.
I went back at Easter and all people talked about was how skint everyone one was, who had just been made redundant, who couldn't sell there house, who was at risk of being made redundant and how lucky I was to get out when I did.
Oh and how they couldn't afford to go on holiday cos the quid is worth zilch in most other countries. Good for the UK seaside towns though eh? Tourist trade on the up? And its been sunny this week.
All I know is that I have more disposable income here than I ever did in the UK and I have more freedom in terms of work life balance to do the things I want to do. And its warmer. Usually. So who gives a shit about the price of bananas? (even though it is still very shocking).
And the first person to call me a Godzoner is gonna get a smack!
Jul 16th 2011, 9:45 pm
#38
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Well last time I looked 93% still had a job in the UK against 96% here, hardly chalk and cheese is it ? Everyone we know still has a job and amazingly still go on holiday overseas and never seem to talk about how skint everyone is. They seem to have the same work/life balance as they work the same hours as people work here and given the day has 24 hours that makes sense.
I guess we see what we want to see.
I guess we see what we want to see.
Jul 16th 2011, 9:57 pm
#39
beach bum
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Snowy Mountains, NSW
Posts: 1,995
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Well last time I looked 93% still had a job in the UK against 96% here, hardly chalk and cheese is it ? Everyone we know still has a job and amazingly still go on holiday overseas and never seem to talk about how skint everyone is. They seem to have the same work/life balance as they work the same hours as people work here and given the day has 24 hours that makes sense.
I guess we see what we want to see.
I guess we see what we want to see.
25% public spending cuts in all public sector services equates to lots of people country wide (not just my friends - though I probably am friends with most of them on FB) in the firing line for redundancy. You obviously have lucky friends. I'm sending your email address to the 100 bin men and street cleaners at my home town council that just got laid off. Maybe your friends can help them out with paying for their kids school uniforms this year instead of having that extra week away? Well they do say charity begins at home!
And you will notice that my reference to work/life balance was personal to me. I am not in a position to comment on anyone else's.
Last edited by ponyrama; Jul 16th 2011 at 10:02 pm. Reason: forgot the best bit!
Jul 16th 2011, 10:06 pm
#40
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
I'm not sure my friends will be happy to support other peoples kids, will you be happy to do the same for the 100's of Heinz workers losing their jobs here when production moves to NZ ?
Jul 16th 2011, 10:22 pm
#41
beach bum
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Snowy Mountains, NSW
Posts: 1,995
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Yes I'd happily chuck $100 of my hard earned in the pot towards any worthwhile cause. I have a limit of course - but some have a higher limit than others - and some have negative equity.
Jul 17th 2011, 12:06 am
#43
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,117
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
It costs me about $20 to fill up my McCulloch 17HP 42" and that lasts me 3 months.
Jul 17th 2011, 12:08 am
#44
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,117
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Well last time I looked 93% still had a job in the UK against 96% here, hardly chalk and cheese is it ? Everyone we know still has a job and amazingly still go on holiday overseas and never seem to talk about how skint everyone is. They seem to have the same work/life balance as they work the same hours as people work here and given the day has 24 hours that makes sense.
I guess we see what we want to see.
I guess we see what we want to see.
Jul 17th 2011, 2:49 am
#45
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 320
Re: Who says Australia is expensive!
Moved here about 2 weeks ago from the USA. Initial impression is that not everything is more expensive. Yes there are occasional items that cost more, but if you are a smart shopper, prices average out.
Well, "Costco" is opening on July 21st in Sydney, so will wait and see.
Well, "Costco" is opening on July 21st in Sydney, so will wait and see.