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Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

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Old Aug 17th 2013 | 9:05 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by colchar
Check the Tesco website (just using Tesco as an easy example). They sell 2L of milk for £1.99. Do the conversion and that works out to be $3.21CDN for that 2L. I just bought milk when I was out today and got 4L of milk for $3.97. So I paid $0.76 more but got twice the amount.
Nope, it's £1.99 for 6L, not 2L (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Produ.../?id=254957550).

Sorry to pick holes, but your calculations above weren't exactly correct and you actually paid more and got less, rather than the 'twice the amount' you claimed!

Last edited by christmasoompa; Aug 17th 2013 at 9:08 pm.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 9:23 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by CanadaJimmy
If we're going to compare prices, lets compare eating at a restaurant. In the UK this is around 2x-3x the price of eating out here (Nandos for example). The only place I found that was cheaper is Weatherspoons, where you get a roast dinner plus a pint of beer for £8 - pretty hard to beat that!

n.
I enjoyed you BE Aug 12 article, Jimmy.

As for eating out in the UK being 2-3X the price of Canada, that is just plain wrong! What are you comparing? A typical casual dining meal (like a Whitespot) would be £10-20 pp depending on what's ordered, say £15 or $24, you're not suggesting the same style and food would be $8-12 are you? I would say restaurant meals one service and tax are included are roughly the same price.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:09 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
Nope, it's £1.99 for 6L, not 2L (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Produ.../?id=254957550).

Sorry to pick holes, but your calculations above weren't exactly correct and you actually paid more and got less, rather than the 'twice the amount' you claimed!
In the spirit of hole picking, it's actually £1.99 for 6 pints which is 3.4L...!
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:09 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by Shard
I enjoyed you BE Aug 12 article, Jimmy.

As for eating out in the UK being 2-3X the price of Canada, that is just plain wrong! What are you comparing? A typical casual dining meal (like a Whitespot) would be £10-20 pp depending on what's ordered, say £15 or $24, you're not suggesting the same style and food would be $8-12 are you? I would say restaurant meals one service and tax are included are roughly the same price.
I agree - I don't think eating out in Canada is any cheaper than the UK (the crappy exchange rate doesn't help). Even the US isn't as relatively cheap as it was a few years ago.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:17 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by Shard
In the spirit of hole picking, it's actually £1.99 for 6 pints which is 3.4L...!
Doh! Still cheaper though.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:22 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by MarkG
It's one thing to fail a car because the brakes are corroded and leaking. It's quite another to fail it because of a jagged, non-structural rust hole or a crack in the windscreen, or the other nonsense that's been added over the years. As far as I can see, the primary goal is to reduce the economic lifespan of cars so the car companies can sell more.

It's probably also one reason why second-hand cars are cheaper in the UK, because people who can afford new cars don't want the hassle of being forced to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds for pointless 'repairs'.
A crack in the windscreen is "nonsense"? The car fails if the chip or crack is over a certain size and is in the portion of the windscreen in front of the driver. Might be a pain but a sensible rule in my book. As for non-structural rust holes, try telling that to a pedestrian if they get knocked down by a car with a gaping hole in the front wing.
What is nonsense are the stringent rules car owners have to adhere to regarding emissions, yet I see plenty of rancid old buses belching out black smoke running around, very often they have a couple of passengers on as they run at daft times and they don't tell people they only do 6-8mpg. Not as environmentally friendly as some people would like you to think!
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:22 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by russellg
I agree - I don't think eating out in Canada is any cheaper than the UK (the crappy exchange rate doesn't help). Even the US isn't as relatively cheap as it was a few years ago.
I've always found eating out in Canada to be much more expensive. I can easily take the kids to somewhere like Pizza Express or the local pub and all of us will eat and drink for £20-30.

I guess that a chain like Nandos might be cheaper in Canada, but nobody in the UK pays the menu price for Nandos anyway with so many vouchers around! I always get one from the internet before we go there, usually it means that either hubby or I will eat for free or we get 20% off the bill. Or I use Clubcard tokens and so we all eat for free. Yes, I am a cheapskate.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:23 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
Doh! Still cheaper though.
You read my mind C ! I think knowing where to go, and the use of coupons or value days (for family dining) make a huge difference.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:33 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by CanadaJimmy
If we're going to compare prices, lets compare eating at a restaurant. In the UK this is around 2x-3x the price of eating out here (Nandos for example).
I've not eaten at Nando's in Canada, so just out of interest I've just looked at their menu and am confused as to how you think it's 2x-3x more expensive to eat there in the UK as it seems exactly the same price to me?

For example, a 1/4 chicken with 2 sides is £7.20 in the UK and $11.75 in Canada (give or take a few cents, exactly the same price), and a Nandinos kids meal is £5.25 in the UK and $8.50 in Canada - again, exactly the same price.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:45 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
I've not eaten at Nando's in Canada, so just out of interest I've just looked at their menu and am confused as to how you think it's 2x-3x more expensive to eat there in the UK as it seems exactly the same price to me?

For example, a 1/4 chicken with 2 sides is £7.20 in the UK and $11.75 in Canada (give or take a few cents, exactly the same price), and a Nandinos kids meal is £5.25 in the UK and $8.50 in Canada - again, exactly the same price.
People can kid themselves all they want but for many things Canada is no cheaper than the UK (and in some cases more expensive). Having said that, there are real bargains to be had if you are prepared to shop around.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:46 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by Shard
You read my mind C ! I think knowing where to go, and the use of coupons or value days (for family dining) make a huge difference.
I'm a huge fan of that! We often go in to London on a Sunday, park for free and free entry to a museum or two, or use Clubcard tokens for days out (got ones for Thorpe Park this week so we'll all have a great day out for free!).

Cheapskate or frugal? Hmmmmm.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 10:51 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
I'm a huge fan of that! We often go in to London on a Sunday, park for free and free entry to a museum or two, or use Clubcard tokens for days out (got ones for Thorpe Park this week so we'll all have a great day out for free!).

Cheapskate or frugal? Hmmmmm.
Well it's interesting that in Britain there is a sense of being too frugal whereas in NA the same behaviour is generally seen as being sensible.

I have just discovered that you can park at Westfield (Shepherds Bush) for £5 on weekdays (10-10) and then take the tube into town.
 
Old Aug 17th 2013 | 11:21 pm
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by Shard
Well it's interesting that in Britain there is a sense of being too frugal whereas in NA the same behaviour is generally seen as being sensible.

I have just discovered that you can park at Westfield (Shepherds Bush) for £5 on weekdays (10-10) and then take the tube into town.
You can, or you can just park on a side street near a tube station, and then it's free parking. When I commuted in to London I used to park near South Ruislip every day and then tube in from there.

We tend to always go in on a Sunday now though to get free parking right in the centre, and to avoid the Congestion Charge too.
 
Old Aug 18th 2013 | 12:32 am
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
You can, or you can just park on a side street near a tube station, and then it's free parking. When I commuted in to London I used to park near South Ruislip every day and then tube in from there.

We tend to always go in on a Sunday now though to get free parking right in the centre, and to avoid the Congestion Charge too.
I didn't know there was still free parking anywhere near a London tube. We also tend to do the London on Sunday thing. Though not today
 
Old Aug 18th 2013 | 1:40 am
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Default Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?

Originally Posted by Shard
I didn't know there was still free parking anywhere near a London tube. We also tend to do the London on Sunday thing. Though not today
Us neither, but we've just been for a bike ride and a picnic - also free!
 


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