Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
Aug 21st 2013 | 12:29 am
#226
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10,000
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
Thats what I thought 
I know its not going to be easy, but my husband been offered a job 3x his wages here in uk and with the way the uk going its not getting any better. We are terrified but excited too and its going to be hard first few months im sure.... but we want to give it a go, new life, new culture and new ways. So thanks 
I know its not going to be easy, but my husband been offered a job 3x his wages here in uk and with the way the uk going its not getting any better. We are terrified but excited too and its going to be hard first few months im sure.... but we want to give it a go, new life, new culture and new ways. So thanks
Aug 21st 2013 | 12:42 am
#227
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 47
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
+1
That is so true, and everyone's situation is different. The one phrase I often hear on BE and in lyn's post is that the UK is going down the plughole ... it may be for some but for millions of others it isn't. Great to move on, try out a different culture and mindset, but there's no need to assume that negative circumstances in your own situation apply to everyone in the country.
That is so true, and everyone's situation is different. The one phrase I often hear on BE and in lyn's post is that the UK is going down the plughole ... it may be for some but for millions of others it isn't. Great to move on, try out a different culture and mindset, but there's no need to assume that negative circumstances in your own situation apply to everyone in the country.
and yes lots of people have given great advice so thanks to you all for us this is an exciting opportunity but its still very scary and a huge up heval but we are looking forward to experiencing new things 
not sure about the cheese thing I LOVE Cheese
Aug 21st 2013 | 12:57 am
#230
Pondering a career change
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,595
From: Sunshine Coast, BC
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
UR welcome ... I had only read the first page and hadn't realised it had gone off-topic! 
in a hurry to sell I will decline offers. The thing is I don't set the "market price", so if people are daft enough to pay close to the new price, that isn't my problem, and I am not going to ask a lower price just so that the buyer gets a discount to the new price.
I sold a lightly used two year old baby seat for exactly the same price I paid for it, and if the buyer can't work out that she could have gone on line and bought a new seat for the same price, which happened to be about 75% of the local brick & mortar store price, then that really isn't my problem!
in a hurry to sell I will decline offers. The thing is I don't set the "market price", so if people are daft enough to pay close to the new price, that isn't my problem, and I am not going to ask a lower price just so that the buyer gets a discount to the new price. I sold a lightly used two year old baby seat for exactly the same price I paid for it, and if the buyer can't work out that she could have gone on line and bought a new seat for the same price, which happened to be about 75% of the local brick & mortar store price, then that really isn't my problem!
Last edited by Mikeypm; Aug 21st 2013 at 1:06 am.
Aug 21st 2013 | 1:00 am
#231
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
Well, maybe, but it's a long haul to beautiful places from Edmonton and most workers don't get much time off. I'd set my hopes no higher than seeing some snow.
Aug 21st 2013 | 1:07 am
#233
Pondering a career change
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,595
From: Sunshine Coast, BC
Aug 21st 2013 | 1:17 am
#234
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 47
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
That doesnt include overtime and at present in uk we live on 16k which is bad..... we know talk tooo families that are doing ok out there who have more than enough to live a normal canadian way of life .......
Aug 21st 2013 | 1:22 am
#235
Pondering a career change
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,595
From: Sunshine Coast, BC
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
16k for a family of four, wow that must be very tight. Do you get any tax credits or other support?
Aug 21st 2013 | 1:46 am
#236
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,402
From: South of Calgary
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
Were I not in Canada I don't think I could earn enough to pay the alimony. I didn't come just for the money but also for the bilingualism and, of course, I then had family ties here. After the children grew up and emigrated there was a phase when I was sorely tempted to move on, financial constraints prevented that.
I don't dislike Canada, but I can see lots of reasons not to live here. I don't think it's especially cheap and, as noted repeatedly, it's not well suited to lovers of cheese and wine.
I don't dislike Canada, but I can see lots of reasons not to live here. I don't think it's especially cheap and, as noted repeatedly, it's not well suited to lovers of cheese and wine.
Why did Canada tick that box when most of Europe (while not officially bilingual) has more than enough speakers of more than one language that, one assumes, the requirement could have been satisfied by a move to Europe?
How does Canada's bilingualism affect your life here when compared to say, London, other than being able to read your cereal box in French each morning?
Aug 21st 2013 | 2:04 am
#237
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 47
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
rents in uk very high so are bills its just getting silly ...... so canada it is..... although im a bit confused if Canadians need over 60K to live with 2 children...... minimun wage must be a lot out there 
Aug 21st 2013 | 2:06 am
#238
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
The idea of working in Europe is an interesting one but where would one go? Since being in Canada I've worked in Amsterdam, you need Dutch there, Dusseldorf, you need German there and Madrid, Spanish required. An English speaking country seemed easier. A recent parallel is the case of my daughter, French/English speaking, took up with an Italian/English speaker, they looked for somewhere in Europe to go and found London was easiest so there they are. I think it's very difficult to move to a place where neither half of a couple speaks the language as a native.
Affirmitive action programs favouring francophones in education provided my children with free access to schools of a quality I would have had difficulty funding had they attended school in the English language.
Aug 21st 2013 | 2:36 am
#240
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,402
From: South of Calgary
Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
The jobs advertised in the trade paper on the day we decided to move were in the US, Australia and Canada. At that time I had the English fear of the lack of socialised medicine, that ruled out the US. We were flat broke, Australia seemed an expensive place to fly back from if things didn't work out so we didn't go there. We thought they spoke French and English in Canada so we came here. In turned out that we expected the linguistic climate in Toronto to be as it then was in Montreal (also the architecture, we were stunned at Toronto's ugliness).
The idea of working in Europe is an interesting one but where would one go? Since being in Canada I've worked in Amsterdam, you need Dutch there, Dusseldorf, you need German there and Madrid, Spanish required. An English speaking country seemed easier. A recent parallel is the case of my daughter, French/English speaking, took up with an Italian/English speaker, they looked for somewhere in Europe to go and found London was easiest so there they are. I think it's very difficult to move to a place where neither half of a couple speaks the language as a native.
The idea of working in Europe is an interesting one but where would one go? Since being in Canada I've worked in Amsterdam, you need Dutch there, Dusseldorf, you need German there and Madrid, Spanish required. An English speaking country seemed easier. A recent parallel is the case of my daughter, French/English speaking, took up with an Italian/English speaker, they looked for somewhere in Europe to go and found London was easiest so there they are. I think it's very difficult to move to a place where neither half of a couple speaks the language as a native.
Is that particular to Toronto? I appreciate that FI can operate as a selection process but I haven't noticed a huge difference between those that are clever and attended regular schools, and those that are clever and attended FI schools (with the exception of being bilingual) in and around Calgary.
