How Do You Handle 'non-OzBargainer' Family & Friends?

Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 09:41

As a loyal and dedicated OzBargainer, I cannot buy something from a store if I know I can get it cheaper elsewhere - especially online. But in my extended family and friendship group and I seem to be the only one dedicated to this philosophy.

I can only roll my eyes when my parents or especially my wife buys something for a highly inflated price when I know it can be had much much cheaper elsewhere. I generally just suck it up and keep my tight arse tendencies to myself.

Wondering how other OzBargainers out there handle this frustration. Do you speak up to when your family get ripped off on something because they didn't bother to do any research on price, or do you just stay silent and let them make their own choices?

General Discussion

Comments

  • John Kimble on 31/03/2017 - 09:49
    +1

    Depends on the person; some people don't care about getting the cheapest price.

    Speaking up after the fact, if they won't change their behaviour going forward is probably a waste of time and will only make them avoid discussion on the topic with you going forward because they will see it as criticism on something they cannot change because it is already done.

  • RandomNinja on 31/03/2017 - 09:55
    +2

    Depends on the cost of the item, if it's sub $100 then it's not worth bringing up. Above that, I'll speak up and share a few tips on how to get a better price (if I have any)

    • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 09:57
      +10

      How do you approach it? "LOL YOU GOT RIPPED…."?

      :P

      • RandomNinja on 31/03/2017 - 10:01
        +2

        Sort of, but keeping it constructive and forward looking. Eg: next time you buy this, try X, Y, Z.

  • Diji1 on 31/03/2017 - 09:58
    +1

    You sound like a riot to hang around with.

    • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 09:58
      +26

      Wanna come round tonight and compare interest rates?

      • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2017 - 10:49

        Have you considered making some RL friends out of OzBargainers?

        You might find that you have a lot in common with some users. :)

      • chansthename on 08/04/2017 - 12:03
        +1

        I'll bring the eneloops :P

  • iforgotmysocks on 31/03/2017 - 10:04
    +9

    I usually handle them with contempt.

  • indium on 31/03/2017 - 10:09
    +1

    If someone hasn't paid for or bought something yet then I will usually have a quick look and suggest where they can get it cheapest. If they've already bought it, keep your mouth shut and smile. Some friends like getting good deals more than others so I might alert a friend to a deal if I think it would benefit or interest them.

  • Cheap Steve on 31/03/2017 - 10:11
    +18

    Tried to share the Ozbargain love with family and friends in the early days but no-one interested.

    Leave the full-pricers alone and stick with us on-line in the Ozbargain wolf-pack.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2017 - 10:51
      +5

      Oorah!

    • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 11:16
      +1

      Yeah this is the same with me. I tried… but I've given up.

      It still annoys me when my old man buys a bottle of scotch for $109 at the local no-name bottlo, when its $81 online at gooddrop!

      • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2017 - 13:36

        Next time he gets low, buy it online yourself and sell it to him for $100.

        That's $19 profit for you and a $9 saving for the old man, win–win!

        • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 13:53

          Fair call…….. but morally conflicting.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2017 - 14:04
          +3

          @Skramit:

          There's nothing immoral about profiting from people's ignorance/laziness/ineptitude.

          It's called capitalism.

  • Mad Max on 31/03/2017 - 10:25
    +2

    Family (wife, children) ultimately it is my money so the best price MUST be sought. Non negotiable.
    Everyone else, if I really like them I may mention it once but after that it is their problem/business.
    PS: I found that if you go on with advice too much people resent it or they just think you are a tight ass (no offence to TA).

    • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2017 - 13:16
      +4

      As an Asian I take pride in being a cheap tight ass. Who cares what others think.

  • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2017 - 10:38
    +2

    A chloroform soaked handkerchief usually does the trick.

  • apple2016 on 31/03/2017 - 11:12
    +1

    Lower price does not always mean better value. Buying Iphone in Australia is better value in my opinion than buying from overseas even if it means pays a bit more.

    • EFC94 on 31/03/2017 - 11:40

      I bought an IPhone 7 off Kogan and saved $400 off the Australian retail price, that to me is much better value. That's just my opinion though :)

    • cwongtech on 31/03/2017 - 13:13

      The price embodies not only just the product but the service that comes with it. E.g. Warranty.
      Depending on the service and the likelihood of the item breaking, I usually use the below formula.
      Other examples of service include: "local postage", which could be anywhere from 2 days to a week of waiting vs overseas postage (a week to a month dependent on the shipping service)

      Overseas market price (incl shipping) + 10% (for gst) + premium for local service = fair Australian price.

      Of course the warranty issue is not relevant if the brand offers international warranty

      • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2017 - 14:08
        +1

        Isn't the Apple warranty international?

        • cwongtech on 31/03/2017 - 16:24
          +1

          It depends on the manufacturer.. I didnt specify 🍎

        • Wystri Warrick on 31/03/2017 - 16:57
          +2

          Terms and conditions apply, please see cwongtech for more details.**

          **all information is general, it does not take in to account yours or mine "Wystri Warrick" needs or goals. I will not be held liable for any errors in this "T&C" even if it turns you in to a "Pumpkin".***

          ***this T&C can change at any time and there's nothing you can do about Mwahahaha

  • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2017 - 11:13
    +1

    whenever my friends by those overpriced drop shipped items they buy from instagrm, i show them the $5 ones on aliexpress, some learn some dont.

    • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 11:19
      -1

      iPhone/iPad cases are an annoyance….. family spending $80 on an Apple branded iphone case when the identical knockoff is $12 on ebay.

      • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2017 - 11:22

        anything that is the "new", "hipster", "must have" item, they buy from dodgy drop shippers and then show me, half the time they say they say "i wanted to fast" but when i probe more it took 14-20 days to come and they paid 50x more.

        • Skramit on 31/03/2017 - 11:22

          haha yeah

      • try2bhelpful on 31/03/2017 - 17:34

        Have had to resort of Apple products in the past when the phones are first released. I never allow my iPhones to travel until I can swaddle them in a cover and, preferably, a screen protector. Sometimes the market isn't geared up with covers if you are an early adopter. (BTW - I have never lined up for an iPhone - there are sites where you can preorder for pickup from stores the next day.)

  • KBZ on 31/03/2017 - 12:31
    +2

    I've noticed if it requires a bit of effort, people cbb.
    I've told some of my non ozb friends regarding the 7/11 Fuel lock spoof which IMO is probably the best everyday saving you can do but they cbb doing the GPS spoofing.

    • cwongtech on 31/03/2017 - 13:14

      Savings vs effort.
      Its pretty stupid.. For some
      A dollar saved is equivalent to a dollar earned after-tax

      Make sure you don't lend them any money.

  • ozbargainer888 on 31/03/2017 - 13:37

    I usually do say something to be helpful but some think it's a waste of time so if they don't want to hear it I don't mention it anymore. I understand the value of time but most of my ozbargaining is when it's relatively easy and I can hold off on purchases, some can't so they pay for the convenience.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2017 - 14:07
    +1

    I work with a person who wouldn't buy a fridge at Costco, because it was Costco, and instead went to Harvey Norman and paid over $1000 more for it.

  • Wystri Warrick on 31/03/2017 - 17:07
    +1

    Yeah I've tried to spread the Ozbargain love, Some take the love and some don't.
    I'll try and tell people that they can get it cheaper, but they usually aren't interested, and they think I'm "Special".

    Sometimes some of them avoid talking about buying something to me, or when I'm "around".

    Yeah it ruffles my feathers when someone shows me something that they bought on "specials" and it was a "bargain", when they could of actually got it like 10 times cheaper if only they did there research!

  • ilikeradiohead on 31/03/2017 - 17:38
    +1

    I tend not to talk about good deals with the unconverted. My housemate is the worst though, as I am constantly hearing about how she is both broke, and also about how she bought XXX even though I could have got it for her for YYY, eg she got a no name brand 6000 mAh battery pack for $40 from JB about a month after I got my 10,000 mAh Xiaomi for ~$15 shipped. I try to avoid talking to her about deals haha.

  • Savas on 31/03/2017 - 17:54
    +1

    You don't need OzBargain to find the best deals, however I know people who spend hundreds on mobile data….

    • NobalaKoba on 01/04/2017 - 10:34
      +2

      Dual sim phone, I keep my old sim and use a kogan sim as well, get 14GB of 4G data for a dollar per month.

      • eyeballz2770 on 01/04/2017 - 13:19
        +1

        Please share your method, BradleyDS2! I have friends who will be traveling NSW and this is what they're looking for.

        • NobalaKoba on 02/04/2017 - 13:03
          +2

          Kogan offers a free sim with free delivery, and only charges a dollar for 14GB for new customers. Here's the link.
          I have a Oneplus 3 so it takes two sims, I keep my old Optus one in for the number, and insert a new Kogan sim every month. Of course that means a new number for the Kogan sim every month, but I use it for the cheap 4g data, not the unlimited call and text.
          It's really simple, and saves a lot of money.

          Keep in mind that there's a limit to the number of activated sims you can have in Australia at a time.

        • eyeballz2770 on 03/04/2017 - 10:31

          @BradleyDS2: Thank you so much for sharing, BradleyDS2.

          As for the number of activated sims you can have, can you cancel them as you finish with them for the month?

          I'm with Telstra and the sim is discontinued/released to the public after 6 months of non-use. That's theoretically, though, because I've never let it lapse, just topped it up with a dollar for another 6 months. It's a sim I use for potential spammers through contests and sales people.

        • NobalaKoba on 03/04/2017 - 11:17
          +2

          @eyeballz2770: I believe that after a certain length or time, Kogan also releases the number.

          I'm unsure about cancelling on request, that's something you may need to look into yourself.

          Personally, I've hit my limit, so I'm going to recharge my Optus sim and use it until a Kogan number expires, then I'll start again.
          It means that I can't do $1 sims forever, but I can do them often enough to save a lot!

  • lainey13 on 31/03/2017 - 19:34
    +1

    Spender mentality is a deal breaker. And I take after my (tight arse) parents. So no conflicts there. With other people, whatever they want to spend their money on is entirely up to them.

  • DisneyPrincess on 01/04/2017 - 01:45
    +1

    "Rolls eyes when wife buys something at an inflated price"….

    are you my husband? 😜

  • ozbjunkie on 01/04/2017 - 08:47
    +2

    I tell them what I paid for things we both have.

    I offer to find them a cheaper price on everything.

    I bring up ozbargain in conversation by name.

    Whatever they buy, I try to guess the price.

    Living the dream.

  • TransportPosters on 02/04/2017 - 07:59

    How about trying to help those extreme bargainers who won't buy something considerable unless it's ex-demo, has some damage, only one left on the shelf, discontinued, has questionable warranty, doesn't come in a box and so heavily discounted. I used to know someone like that and these points made them feel like they were getting an amazing deal.

    Can spend all day trying to find the best price on something for them as they won't part with their money until everything lines up like the planets.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/04/2017 - 09:50
    +2

    Not my circus, not my monkeys.

  • anastasiastarz on 02/04/2017 - 22:14
    +3

    Unless it's a close friend who appreciates the tip I keep my mouth shut. I have neighbours who disrespect me because I am an ozbargainer (I have the shirt framed in my trophy room) breaking my things and then saying "Oh it's not like you paid that much for it anyway".

    A lot of people will judge, and brag that they paid so much for it.
    I nod and smile, all while knowing I could get it for so much less.

  • goosegog on 03/04/2017 - 12:07
    +4

    Unfortunately I can never keep quiet. If I know there is a bargain to be found - then I share it to friends. Sometimes it isn't appreciated though - some just think it's me trying to be a know it all.

    • Skramit on 03/04/2017 - 12:43
      +2

      Especially when its a product they commonly buy (like alcohol or petrol or food)!

    • anastasiastarz on 09/04/2017 - 05:44

      That's me and life XD I give people tips, and they get all upset.

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