Rising Price of Living in Australia

[Guest chris955]

I still think UK town centres are looking pretty sorry..

 

​Some of them possibly are but the ones local to us seem to be doing just fine, no empty shops, plenty of people shopping etc.

[Guest chris955]

Question to those currently in Oz: does the quality of life in Australia compared to the UK still make the rising price of living there worth it?

 

Im not currently in Australia but lived there for many years, for some the quality of life is better and for others worse. It isnt one size fits all. Many families are still being squeezed by rising prices and increased job insecurity.

[Peach]

​Some of them possibly are but the ones local to us seem to be doing just fine, no empty shops, plenty of people shopping etc.

 

I think you live in the UK equivalent of Tasmania (see Harpos comment), where normal rules don't apply. Nearly 22,000 shops closed since 2008 : http://www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php

[Paul1Perth]

I've not lived anywhere yet that the cost of living didn't increase. The UK and the rest of Europe has been through a recession and the money hasn't been around, salaries have stagnated and prices have had to stay low. Aus hasn't really seen much of this and has carried on as normal.

 

When I started work my first weekly wage was 7 pounds 14 shillings. Inflation over the years makes that sound unbelievable.

 

When a recession is on things slow down, they have to. When the UK comes out of the recession things will start going up there too.

[Guest chris955]

I think you live in the UK equivalent of Tasmania (see Harpos comment), where normal rules don't apply. Nearly 22,000 shops closed since 2008 : http://www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php

 

Granted it is a lovely area. The trouble is you make these things sound like UK issues. Shopping malls are causing the exact same thing in Australia. Earlier you mentioned jobs going offshore and businesses closing down, from where you are you dont need to look at the UK for those things.

[Guest chris955]

Australia has carried on as normal through the GFC ? You dont seriously believe that ?

 

​

I've not lived anywhere yet that the cost of living didn't increase. The UK and the rest of Europe has been through a recession and the money hasn't been around, salaries have stagnated and prices have had to stay low. Aus hasn't really seen much of this and has carried on as normal.

 

When I started work my first weekly wage was 7 pounds 14 shillings. Inflation over the years makes that sound unbelievable.

 

When a recession is on things slow down, they have to. When the UK comes out of the recession things will start going up there too.

[Harpodom]

I think you live in the UK equivalent of Tasmania (see Harpos comment), where normal rules don't apply. Nearly 22,000 shops closed since 2008 : http://www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php

 

Yeah, its called a recession, have you not heard about the GFC?

[Love Shoes]

Are there not import tax charges when ordering from the UK or USA or do you ask the sender to tick the "gift" box? :laugh:

 

I was told by one store I use that there is a 1,000 $ mark, I think that mean't though that I wouldn't get done for OZ duty because my purchase was less than a grand and also I had paid UK duty ....

 

My husband is looking for a pair of Church Brogues on the internet, because no one sells them in Hicksville ... he has found them in a store he bought his last pair from they are 320 UK pounds, no .... I found the same ones last night with a AU based company and the same pair were $660 which is more than double the price ... so even with the fluctuation in currency exchange and duty (if applicable) and delivery this purchase is still cheaper if he had them shipped over from the UK ... I fully understand the argument that the goods had to be sent to OZ in the first place, but it doesn't cost $100+ to send a pair of shoes fromNottingham to Sydney .... :eek: plus they bulk send stuff so therefore get better prices ... or should do ...... I will find out the exact price and comparison of these shoes just to make sure I am not going mad, but they were really adding the rip off factor ......

 

Some of you might say why does he need to spend so much on a pair of shoes .... the answer is simply quality .... the shoe shops where we live are worse than bad quality, unstylish ....

[Love Shoes]

Well that's Dandy.

 

A few years ago, in fact it was around 2000, I ordered a pair of Oakley Half Jacket glasses from the USA and the customs slapped a tax charge on the import. I got the glasses for something around £40 but the tax was about £15 to £25 so it worked out I might as well have not bothered.

 

It is different when shipping goods into the UK .... they are desperate to grab even more taxes ........

We sent a birthday present to the MIL just gift stuff, tacky kangaroo tea towels, et et... anyway idiot husband insured the package :frown: and put the value down as a couple of hundred quid I think it was .. result MIL got taxed 25 pounds before they would give her her parcel ...

[Peach]

Granted it is a lovely area. The trouble is you make these things sound like UK issues.

 

So your local Woolworths, HMV, Zavvi, Aquascutum, La Senza, Republica, Jessops, Comet, Clinton Cards, Game, Peacocks and so on are still open in your lovely area?

[Guest chris955]

So your local Woolworths, HMV, Zavvi, Aquascutum, La Senza, Republica, Jessops, Comet, Clinton Cards, Game, Peacocks and so on are still open in your lovely area?

 

Well we have Game and Jessops, not sure about the others. You totally missed the point of what I said though, I said the issues you mentioned arent by any means restricted to this country.

[Peach]

Well we have Game and Jessops, not sure about the others. You totally missed the point of what I said though, I said the issues you mentioned arent by any means restricted to this country.

 

No, but presently compared to Australia things are by far worse in UK retail.

[Guest chris955]

no, but presently compared to australia things are by far worse in uk retail.

 

​ok.

[Paul1Perth]

Australia has carried on as normal through the GFC ? You dont seriously believe that ?

 

​

 

In WA a few of the big companies panicked and layed a few people off. Nothing happened and they got set back on again and things have just carried on as normal since. Migrants are still coming in, last I heard immigration to Perth was something like 1500 people a week. All we hear on the radio and TV is how house prices have recovered to highest on record, how rents are unaffordable as there are too many people chasing too few properties. So maybe not the whole of Aus but certainly WA hasn't taken a backward step.

 

I've been to Sydney and Brisbane too and didn't notice much difference there either. Even after the floods in Brisbane, which must have caused millions of dollars worth of damage, you would hardly know they had a flood 6 months later.

 

Not saying it can carry on forever, it's going to hit the wall one day.

[Paul1Perth]

I was told by one store I use that there is a 1,000 $ mark, I think that mean't though that I wouldn't get done for OZ duty because my purchase was less than a grand and also I had paid UK duty ....

 

My husband is looking for a pair of Church Brogues on the internet, because no one sells them in Hicksville ... he has found them in a store he bought his last pair from they are 320 UK pounds, no .... I found the same ones last night with a AU based company and the same pair were $660 which is more than double the price ... so even with the fluctuation in currency exchange and duty (if applicable) and delivery this purchase is still cheaper if he had them shipped over from the UK ... I fully understand the argument that the goods had to be sent to OZ in the first place, but it doesn't cost $100+ to send a pair of shoes fromNottingham to Sydney .... :eek: plus they bulk send stuff so therefore get better prices ... or should do ...... I will find out the exact price and comparison of these shoes just to make sure I am not going mad, but they were really adding the rip off factor ......

 

Some of you might say why does he need to spend so much on a pair of shoes .... the answer is simply quality .... the shoe shops where we live are worse than bad quality, unstylish ....

 

If I knew what Church Brogues were LS I might be able to comment but 320 pounds sounds too much for a pair of shoes to me. They would have to be made out of solid gold. I don't think I've spent that much on the shoes I've bought in my lifetime. With prices like that don't they come with a lifetime gurantee?

[northshorepom]

Not far off, Paul. Church's are superb shoes, will last years. Other excellent (British) makes are Loakes and Oliver Sweeney

 

You won't get much change out of 300 quid a pair for any of them. If that's too stiff, then buy Ecco (have to be careful with style, but again the quality and comfort is superb). They'll come in at around 120-150 quid a pair, although inevitably in Oz you're looking at about $300 for the same shoes

 

​Once you've had quality shoes (or suits, or shirts) I don't reckon you can go back easily. Once you've had the best it's easy to see where the money goes

[Paul1Perth]

Not far off, Paul. Church's are superb shoes, will last years. Other excellent (British) makes are Loakes and Oliver Sweeney

 

You won't get much change out of 300 quid a pair for any of them. If that's too stiff, then buy Ecco (have to be careful with style, but again the quality and comfort is superb). They'll come in at around 120-150 quid a pair, although inevitably in Oz you're looking at about $300 for the same shoes

 

​Once you've had quality shoes (or suits, or shirts) I don't reckon you can go back easily. Once you've had the best it's easy to see where the money goes

 

The missus knew she had a bargain basement type of guy when I used to get around in Dunlop green flash, summer and winter. Dunlop volleys here. many's the time I've had to borrow friends shoes to get me in a night club. I could fit in any size from 7 - 13 if it meant getting in.

 

I was told off last week by my son as he had bought us a voucher for a nice restaurant and I made the effort to wear decent jeans and a shirt but wore some Merrel running shoes he gave me. My wife wasn't surprised at all.

 

You guys move in different circles to me. We are going back fo my nieces wedding and my missus asked me about getting a new suit. I still have the one I got married in and it was from Next so must be good. I've only worn it at the wedding and every job interview since and it still fits me fine. No point in buying another I reckon.

 

The son, on the other hand, is already talking about getting some hand made designer job when he's in London. Mentioned a name but it didn't mean anything to me. Must take after his Mum. One less pair of shoes than Imelda Marcos.

[Guest guest76088]

Church's shoes are excellent, and are designed to be maintained for life, not disposable.

 

Loake and Barkers are a good second-tier shoes. 100-200GBP retail.

 

Jones Bootmakers have some good brogues and similar styles. Retailing at about 145GBP and dropping to 95GBP in sale time.

 

Debenhams stock a limited range of Loake so presumably do mail order.

 

Depending on your wear pattern, consider the through-life costs and check out the cost of resoleing and reheeling locally. These services are usually prohibitively expensive for leather soles.

 

Comfort shoes are obviously a lot cheaper, but lack the edge of a formal shoe.

 

BigD

 

Not far off, Paul. Church's are superb shoes, will last years. Other excellent (British) makes are Loakes and Oliver Sweeney

 

You won't get much change out of 300 quid a pair for any of them. If that's too stiff, then buy Ecco (have to be careful with style, but again the quality and comfort is superb). They'll come in at around 120-150 quid a pair, although inevitably in Oz you're looking at about $300 for the same shoes

 

​Once you've had quality shoes (or suits, or shirts) I don't reckon you can go back easily. Once you've had the best it's easy to see where the money goes

[Guest Ptp113]

Lloyd aren't bad either. Churches last well, still have a pair somewhere...

[flag of convenience]

But with the high exchange rate things should be cheaper. Someone is ripping you off. What will happen when the dollar falls?

 

Aussies are being ripped off big time. You could say fillited and gutted in the process. When the dollar falls you can bet those who have been exploiting the situation will only reduce prices if forced to.

It may well take a deep recession to see some change when wages decline and jobless increase.

[flag of convenience]

Helps in keeping the riffraff out!

 

A bit like after the horse has bolted being two hundred plus years too late.

[flag of convenience]

Question to those currently in Oz: does the quality of life in Australia compared to the UK still make the rising price of living there worth it?

 

A number of variables to take into account and not soley monetary, but the value of coming out really needs to be weighed up. I would not have come/stayed if had arrived in recent years.

[northshorepom]

The son, on the other hand, is already talking about getting some hand made designer job when he's in London. Mentioned a name but it didn't mean anything to me. Must take after his Mum. One less pair of shoes than Imelda Marcos.

 

Tailor made suits are a fantastic luxury.....don't have to cost the earth. You can spend loads on a designer "name" like Timothy Everest (would love to, even I can't justify the cost) or the old money places on Savile Row, or get a not-far-off facsimile from a small back street tailor, still plenty of them around

 

This is the bloke I've used in the past, fantastic service and quality for about 600 or 700 quid depending on fabric. Worth every penny, ten times the suit of a similarly priced off the peg job from the big fashion houses

 

http://citytailor.co.uk/

 

Biggest problem with bespoke is it can't be rushed - minimum 4 weeks IME. So I can't pick one up when I go home. I am taking an empty suitcase for shoes, other clothes and bedding though

​:wink:

[flag of convenience]

Not forgetting Australia has the fifth highest out of pocket costs in health insurance. Only Switzerland,USA, Greece,Belguim come in at more expensive.

[Guest guest76088]

What we need here is a clever piece of SW into which you can enter _your_ lifestyle in terms of driving, shopping, consumption etc and it will interrogate suppliers in origin and destination to work out a comparison based on your habits.

 

You heard it here first :-)

 

BigD