Johndoe Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 But being ripped off is all about personal perception. There is no difference between being ripped off and feeling ripped off, as 'ripped off' is in itself a feeling, not a fact. I disagree "rip off" is defined as stealing, swindle, cheat or defraud. To tell a prospective migrant through a forum such as this that they can expect to be "ripped off" is not the same as telling them that they will pay higher prices because of factors that we are not fully conversant with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 There is also no sense of ever getting a bargain here. Again, I disagree. My butcher sells rump at 12.99...............every 6 weeks he has a special where it's 4.99. I have a 'sense" of getting a bargain nearly daily, especially since Aldi opened it's doors. Bench top oven for $59 whilst the very same oven, branded under a different name is $99 elsewhere to name but one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I disagree "rip off" is defined as stealing, swindle, cheat or defraud. To tell a prospective migrant through a forum such as this that they can expect to be "ripped off" is not the same as telling them that they will pay higher prices because of factors that we are not fully conversant with. I don't think the original intent of the OP was talking about theft or swindling. I think it was about the expensiveness of a lot of goods, retailers charging higher prices because they can. Here in Kal, a small town, it goes on even more because they know they have a captive audience. You are lucky in a bigger city to have more choice and therefore being able to vote with your feet, especially having somewhere like an Aldi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 All the best everyone, good debate, hopefully it didn't scare any would be migrants too much. lol. Costs are similar overall in each country. You know people keep knocking Jim but he is actually correct in his assumption. OVERALL being the operative word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Do they also have that small town effect in the UK?? Prices being higher etc....I suppose it is relatively easier to get to civilisation and thus cheaper prices though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 High price to pay for being away from your family and to have sun that you can't even go outside in because its too hot. Must be living in a different Perth from the one I live in if they are finding it too hot to go outside. It's going to be just about perfect for Christmas and next week, 30-32 in the day and 16-17 at night. There are some that find being away from family a bit of a bonus too, especially at this time of year. Might get accused of being a bit selfish on that point but I love relaxing with the wife and kids, not thinking we have to be somewhere we don't really want to go, sit in someones front room with the TV on playing the old christmas movies, eating too much chocolate and mince pies, gas fire and central heating on full, don't want to go outside 'cos it's freezing and horrible (unless you're on the way to the pub). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I'm a whinging chav Well I'm a whinging Ozzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't think the original intent of the OP was talking about theft or swindling. Not known for sure though is it? It's also not known if the readers interpret "rip off" in it's correct sense. I for one did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 There are some that find being away from family a bit of a bonus too, especially at this time of year. Might get accused of being a bit selfish on that point but I love relaxing with the wife and kids, not thinking we have to be somewhere we don't really want to go, sit in someones front room with the TV on playing the old christmas movies, eating too much chocolate and mince pies, gas fire and central heating on full, don't want to go outside 'cos it's freezing and horrible (unless you're on the way to the pub). Wasn't it a selfish move anyway, moving to Australia in the first place? I reckon for most people (I include myself) we move to Oz for selfish reasons, whether that's personally selfish or being selfish on behalf of our partners and children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I disagree "rip off" is defined as stealing, swindle, cheat or defraud. To tell a prospective migrant through a forum such as this that they can expect to be "ripped off" is not the same as telling them that they will pay higher prices because of factors that we are not fully conversant with. Or even factors we are fully conversant with? Someone was complaining about the cost of Moccona coffee here. Might possibly be something to do with it being transported from Holland halfway around the world, instead of 20 miles over the Channel?:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Probably if you are in Kalgoorlie, if you are in, say Sydney, and retail shopping, there are loads of bargains to be had at the moment. I do laugh at the 'special offers' of a few cents off. They used to do that in the UK as well - as well as you not actually receiving the discount at the till - how many folk check - I know I used to. But they are not all like that and to portray all Australian supermarkets as only offering a few cents off as specials is a little disingenious. A bit like Harpo saying things are 'very expensive'...its a bit melodramatic really...keeps reinforcing that John Inman vision in my head. Sorry Harpo...:wubclub: careful sweety, or Mrs Slocombe will unleash her pussy on you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 As rightly pointed out by a mod..............this thread is not about difficulties for new migrants or whether certain items are expensive.................The clue is in the OP's title..............."rip off" Irrespective of whether you find living costs reasonable or exorbitant, it's whether you feel "ripped off" or not. As I said, earlier, unless you have all the fact(ors) contributing to prices here, can you clearly/honestly state that you are ripped off or that you just feel that you are. Ok, how about this, I get ripped off in Cairns compared to what I paid in Melbourne BUT I wouldn't swap it for the world, I am happy to pay the extra (for now) to live up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pintpot Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Judging by the behaviour of the retailers (I am an amateur student of the industry) there are definitely folk feeling the pinch over here I walked down to Chatswood this lunchtime. There are two shopping centres, the Westfield (pretty mainstream and with some cheap shops). It was heaving. The other one is Chatswood Chase (much more upmarket, with the bizarre exception of K-Mart which really doesn't belong in there, David Jones counts as a cheap shop in that place) and it was pretty much dead considering it's 3 days to Christmas I reckon about half the retailers, if not more, had some fairly savage discounting going on, with 30,40, 50% off a fairly wide range. Now I think some of that is because the retailers were being a bit greedy in trying to keep the advantages the strong dollar brings to themselves, so the original marked price was a bit gouging. But that's still pretty heavy discounting when it's pre-Christmas, especially when it's store wide and not just on a few random items no one wants. Reatilers work off a gross margin per item of about 40-50% depending what it is, even here I believe (it's less in the UK where there's more competition and online is much more developed). So at a discount of 40% or more they're sure to be losing money on the items. That's not normal behaviour. And even small, niche upper end retail outfits like Herringbone are at it, normally they're the last to succumb. The department stores (especially David Jones) look really quiet to me I was in the CBD yesterday and it was a similar story there, but busier. Still not exactly rammed though, which on Pitt St Mall at this time of year you'd probably expect it to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozziepom Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't think the original intent of the OP was talking about theft or swindling. I think it was about the expensiveness of a lot of goods, retailers charging higher prices because they can. Here in Kal, a small town, it goes on even more because they know they have a captive audience. You are lucky in a bigger city to have more choice and therefore being able to vote with your feet, especially having somewhere like an Aldi. I'm the OP. I posted the article (from the local paper here in Brisbane) because I thought it was interesting and would provoke discussion and debate, looks like I was right! As for theft or deception, that's not my interpratation a rip off is something that is overpriced, as an example I bought a camera lens for $800 US which was double the price in the high st in Aus, I'd call the local price a rip off, but would not accuse the retailer of stealing. As I stated I love living here but even on a joint income in the $200k's I find some things expensive, maybe it has also got more expensive in the UK but no comparison with the UK was made by me, or (not exclusively) by the article, of course we're by no means struggling and are very lucky. If that's seen as whinging or Oz bashing then I've failed to explain myself, either way I'm not going anywhere but recognise that not even Australia is perfect and one of the downsides, especially for new arrivals with savings, is the cost of living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 And here's the Cambridge dictionary's definition of rip-off: something that is not worth what you pay for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ok, how about this, I get ripped off in Cairns compared to what I paid in Melbourne BUT I wouldn't swap it for the world, I am happy to pay the extra (for now) to live up here. But are you getting ripped off or simply feel that you are? They may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for why things are dearer up there...........I did some research for bridget once when she was doing a thesis on "Diabetes iin the Indigenous population". What i discovered in several insttances that although healthy food iems were as much as 200% dearer in the far north and some parts of the Territory, the profit margins in many instances were actually less which is why some outlets wouldn't stock them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Wasn't it a selfish move anyway, moving to Australia in the first place? I reckon for most people (I include myself) we move to Oz for selfish reasons, whether that's personally selfish or being selfish on behalf of our partners and children. It could be construed by some to be selfish, for sure. We had got to the point in the UK, newly married, both working, small mortgage on an end terrace house you couldn't swing a cat in, newborn we were struggling to take out as the weather was so crap. We just started thinking "is this as good as it gets". We had been used to going on holiday a couple of times a year and for the first time in our lives, couldn't afford to get away from the daily grind in the UK for a couple of weeks in the sun to "recharge our batteries". I think that was the closest I've ever come to feeling depressed. We applied for emigration and got accepted pretty quickly. Luckily when we told our parents and families they were very supportive. My wifes parents had the opportunity to live in Canada for a few years and realised there was just more than staying put in the UK. My way of thinking is you only pass this way once, no second chances and you may as well make the most of it. We've probably seen the parents just as much as they've been out a few times for 6 weeks or so at a time. Same with the rest of our relations. Everyone agrees it's the best thing we could have done FOR US. Not meaning it's going to be great for everyone, we are all different and I know some miss their families terribly. My Sister and family would have emigrated too after coming out on holiday but couldn't get in. They were devastated at the time and made us realise how lucky we had been. I know our eldest appreciates what he's got here, he's been back on hoilday recently and seen his cousins, I think it's made him even more glad we made the move when we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 And here's the Cambridge dictionary's definition of rip-off:something that is not worth what you pay for it Selective quoting. Try quoting definitions given by other dictionaries and this from Cambridge, if you googled the definition, which just happens to be the first hit to cheat someone by making them pay too much money for something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 great post Paul1Perth. Sums it up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I suppose we will only pay what we feel something is worth....I will not buy kelloggs cereal unless its on offer $7 a box is simply 'not worth it' to me...same with the $15 bananas....again not worth it, there will always be people who refuse to alter their shopping habits, they may well feel 'ripped off' Ive never bought full price stuff, I shop on specials every single week. maybe thats why I dont feel as if Im being ripped off....never found the UK that expensive either. Always a deal to be done wherever you live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 But are you getting ripped off or simply feel that you are? They may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for why things are dearer up there...........I did some research for bridget once when she was doing a thesis on "Diabetes iin the Indigenous population". What i discovered in several insttances that although healthy food iems were as much as 200% dearer in the far north and some parts of the Territory, the profit margins in many instances were actually less which is why some outlets wouldn't stock them. At the end of the day if something is expensive and you can buy it cheaper elsewhere it is normal to say you are being ripped off, i dont really look at what the mark up is for the shop keeper, its the end price that bothers me. The things we find expensive are power (we only have Ergon), House Insurance (6 times more expensive than Melbourne), fuel (it's a lot cheaper in Airlie Beach than here) Harvey Norman (sofa was $200 more expensive than HN in Melbourne) in regards to food to be honest I don't really compare I just buy whatever is on offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Its not that i don't believe you, can you put the links up to evidence it. :wink: . search o2 sensors vw caddy, john hughes comes up for pre and post lambda sensors. i also checked out ebay too for new, then contacted vw portsmouth for same , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I have been hoist by my own petard. I will say more once I have finished tea, baked in a 'DARK' oven. :wacko: Pass the whinge powder Harpo... I had to buy a new oven lamp today...opportunity for a right royal rip-off I thought...something to report to PIO I thought...blooming heck, only cost $3.50 from Bunnings. Had to put the whinge powder back in the medicine cabinet.:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest 47403 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 thanks for that, had a quote from uk and can buy both sensors from them inc postage and it works out cheaper than 1 sensor here. But fair as i am on uk and oz I will say i contacted the garage I bought the car from as the warranty had expired and they have agreed to repair the sensor free of charge. Good of them, not many places would do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I have been hoist by my own petard. I will say more once I have finished tea, baked in a 'DARK' oven. :wacko: Pass the whinge powder Harpo... :biglaugh::notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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