Vicky Fenton Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Why is everything so damned expensive!!! Arghhh!! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 In Australia? What in particular? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Well.........all goods incur cost of sales (manufacture, raw materials, wages, distribution etc). Then there are profit margins for the producer, retailer and any middlemen. Plus of course taxes including sales tax (or VAT). Does that help answer your question? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themaccas Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Everything is more expensive in Aus except petrol!! Although....when I was visiting the UK last year I was very surprised to see how much things had increased in price. Clothing...food...entrance prices. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottieGirl Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 43 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said: Well.........all goods incur cost of sales (manufacture, raw materials, wages, distribution etc). Then there are profit margins for the producer, retailer and any middlemen. Plus of course taxes including sales tax (or VAT). Does that help answer your question? But all these factors apply both in Aus and the UK and given GST is half the VAT rate I conclude someone somewhere in Aus is making more profit. I had my equivalent of the Economist's big Mac index. I used to track the price of Bombay Sapphire gin and Jo Malone perfume. Both went steadily up irrespective of the exchange rate which was at an all time high against the pound post GFC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I've moved this out of the Visa chat forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Your salary and welfare benefits are a lot higher in Australia so it makes no difference in the end. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I stopped comparing prices long, long ago. Some things here are a total rip-off and when I see some stuff in the sales at much reduced prices I wonder why on earth they were so expensive in the first place. Some people will argue black's white about Australia being more expensive than the UK or vice versa but when I was back in the UK a couple of years ago I found some things there were cheaper and some more expensive. I also came to the conclusion it depends on the area where you live. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I've found that the higher salary more than balances out the higher price of certain goods. Plus, unless you're over here on holiday or you're using up savings from overseas it makes no sense in comparing prices between the UK and Australia. Just look at it as a % of your wages or, as I still do, work everything out in pints of beer. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest263228 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 9 hours ago, Vicky Fenton said: Why is everything so damned expensive!!! Arghhh!! Thanks. It wasn't always the case. There was a time when Australia was great value all round. That came to an abrupt halt during the mining boom, although things were changing but slower probably since the early 90's recession. I recall a cover of the magazine Newsweek from back in about 1988 asking 'The End Of The Good Times Down Under ?' They questioned then just how long the good days would roll. True enough hard times hit in around 90. Saying that things were not too bad in 96 when I came here, apart from jobs not that easy to find in the West at least. The rot started in about 2003 and steadily worsened, until we got to the situation today of being one of the more expensive countries in the world. (with rising prices and largely stagnant wages) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest263228 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 1 hour ago, Parley said: Your salary and welfare benefits are a lot higher in Australia so it makes no difference in the end. A lot higher? How is that? The dole is at subsistence levels and Rent Support barely exists. Pensions are low and poverty inducing for many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Dole in the UK is £73 per week whereas here it is $290 per week. So as I said significantly more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) 4 hours ago, ScottieGirl said: But all these factors apply both in Aus and the UK and given GST is half the VAT rate I conclude someone somewhere in Aus is making more profit. I had my equivalent of the Economist's big Mac index. I used to track the price of Bombay Sapphire gin and Jo Malone perfume. Both went steadily up irrespective of the exchange rate which was at an all time high against the pound post GFC. Not two of the most representative shopping basket items I would suggest. The UK has a few key advantages where it comes to pricing. Market size: Bulk ordering is always cheaper. And a larger market attracts greater competition. Geography: Smaller distribution distances. Easy access to cheap labour (soon to be curtailed perhaps). Farm subsidies: EU agriculture policy has meant that farming has been subsidised heavily. Offsetting the above is a strong currency and a low comparative rate of sales tax as you point out. It is very hard to make meaningful comparisons though. In general terms are average working people demonstrably poorer overall in Australia than they are in the UK? I don't sense that they are. Edited May 3, 2017 by Gbye grey sky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest263228 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 27 minutes ago, Parley said: Dole in the UK is £73 per week whereas here it is $290 per week. So as I said significantly more. Well on top of the dole one gets a large part of rental costs as well. In Australia it is a minimal amount towards maintain a roof, to make it useless. So why in crude terms it may be more, (dole) it is actually goes far less. Even The Chamber of Commerce has agreed it is Not enough to ensure people are work ready. (able to sustain a standard expected for work) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I agree it should be more. It is practically impossible to live off the dole which is why many have cash in hand jobs on top that they don't declare. It should really go up about $100 but it won't happen as the budget can't afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Apart from food I just buy most things online from overseas. Looking forward to amazon.com.au starting up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said: Not two of the most representative shopping basket items I would suggest. The UK has a few key advantages where it comes to pricing. Market size: Bulk ordering is always cheaper. And a larger market attracts greater competition. Geography: Smaller distribution distances. Easy access to cheap labour (soon to be curtailed perhaps). Farm subsidies: EU agriculture policy has meant that farming has been subsidised heavily. Offsetting the above is a strong currency and a low comparative rate of sales tax as you point out. It is very hard to make meaningful comparisons though. In general terms are average working people demonstrably poorer overall in Australia than they are in the UK? I don't sense that they are. That is changing everyday. Inflation is pretty obvious here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beffers Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 6 hours ago, akiralx said: Apart from food I just buy most things online from overseas. Looking forward to amazon.com.au starting up. I knew I would really miss Amazon, but now I know it's coming to Oz, I think I'll be okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky Fenton Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 Hi, sorry, I had my rant then had to go out. Naughty I know... I meant visa stuff. We are applying for 189 PR and there are just loads of expenses at every hurdle (e.g. a first aid course costing £354 which we hadn't accounted for). We're saving like crazy and although I think it's gonna be the best money we ever spend, it's driving me crazy! I feel better today though! Ploughing through this with a stiff upper lip (which I intend to get rid of when we leave haha). Apologies for not clarifying what is so damned expensive!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Why are you doing a first aid course for a visa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky Fenton Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 Husband is a plumber and the assessment requires a first aid course with additional topics such as bites Etc.... therefore the costly 3-day course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 2 minutes ago, Vicky Fenton said: Husband is a plumber and the assessment requires a first aid course with additional topics such as bites Etc.... therefore the costly 3-day course ok,just never heard of that before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky Fenton Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 2 minutes ago, AJ said: ok,just never heard of that before! I know, same..... we think it's because he'll be working under houses and floorboards, meeting Australia's finest creepy crawlies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottieGirl Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 12 hours ago, Parley said: Your salary and welfare benefits are a lot higher in Australia so it makes no difference in the end. So are your rent and house price if you live in Sydney, and in no way compensated for by the higher salary. Where you live makes a huge difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 11 hours ago, Parley said: Dole in the UK is £73 per week whereas here it is $290 per week. So as I said significantly more. but if you add housing benefits etc etc the dole is actually higher in the uk, plus the uk has lower unemployment than oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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