Went past a car dealership- started with oz btw and saw a Corolla Ascent 2012 model for $32k, but it included few years warranty. Just wondering if anyone came up on other rip off items.
Corolla Ascent 2012 model advertised for 32k (realistically worth 10k)
I blame negative gearing and the use of population growth to prop up the economy. It sucks to be Gen Y and not be able to afford a home. My comment was Gen Y joining the workforce and having a lot of disposal income that would have otherwise gone into a house. Anyway that's my uneducated take on it.
You're right about one of those factors. Mass importation of workers has resulted in stagnant wages and those people need a place to live in roughly within the same area/supply.
I watched the Monaco F1GP on the weekend and wondered what Zepter sells. Turns out they have $800 tinted sunglasses, $400 frying pans, and $2500 LED lights with dubious health claims. The possibilities for spending too much money are endless.
I agree with the majority but what's wrong with $200 for eye glasses and $100 for shoes? Those prices have been pretty standard for ages.
Mobile phone isn't just a mobile phone these days. It's a GPS, Camera, flashlight, video camera so the rising prices is justifiable.
Yes you are right, that's more like my limit of what I'll pay. I'll bump those numbers up to $300 and $150 respectively. :)
Western europe:
Taxi to Airport = 80EUR
Movie Ticket = 10 EUR
Mens Haircut = 25 EUR (yes there are places for 10 EUR but you could always get a $15 haircut in Dandenong)
TShirt=30EUR
Shoes=100EUR
my point is Australia is not that expensive.
Agreed, I wouldn't pay that much for those things if I was in Europe either.
hm… I find Germany & Italy are far cheaper than Australia.
Yup i am with you on that.
I forgot the biggest one - ALCOHOL! Especially cocktails at $15-20 a pop, and whatever craft beers/IPLs the hipsters are drinking these days.
I find the cocktail prices here offensive, but it is cheap compared to a lot of the western world.
also, 12 dollar schooners (domestic beer)
$50 Mens haircuts
Haha so true
$100 Taxi fare to airport
this is expensive, if you travelling by yourself. if your travelling with 3 or 4 people and split the fare it's sometimes cheaper than the bus or the train
Agreed with everything except the taxi to the airport. You're not paying for the ride - you're paying not to have to park there ;)
Cheap airfares let you get out permanently if required. The problem is the diffusion of bogans across the world.
Can't believe nobody has mentioned car rego and insurance. It's the reason I have to skip every second service.
This! My motorbike rego is ~$500 a year, including the ~$300 or so for the compulsory insurance. Then I pay another ~$400 for comprehensive insurance separately. I bet the insurance companies love this little scam.
What scam?
Charging for insurance on the rego and using private insurance companies to underwrite the policies. The insurance companies can charge what they like.
You can still make insurance compulsory by law but it's better for consumers to have to find their own insurance. Makes the market more competitive, plus people who want comprehensive insurance as well don't have to pay twice
@boundlessbeyond: CTP insurance is compulsory by law as it has a concrete set of cover (damage to a perosn). Comprehensive insurance cover can have hundreds (if not thousands) of factors. There is no way you could legislate this.
@Piranha2004: So public hospitals shouldn't cover injury in car accidents, we need separate insurance for that?
@OzzyOzbourne: Public hospital will only help with the initial trauma. Ctp covers the longer term costs as well.
@boundlessbeyond: The insurance covered with your rego is for bodily harm, it covers any harm done to people.
The comprehensive insurance/CTP that you buy separate is for property damage, ie. Damage done to vehicles, houses, etc.
@DangerNoodle: Other countries manage to legislate this without too much bother. The UK for one doesn't force you to buy insurance when you tax your vehicle but having insurance is still mandatory.
There is a problem of uninsured drivers but that's more to do with the sky rocketing insurance premiums caused by bogus whiplash claims and other such scams
Have you ever looked into single seat registration? I just paid $321.20 for 12 months QLD registration on my bike including CTP. But it's registered as a 1 seater.
Basically you're supposed to remove the rear foot pegs and rear seat (or shorten the seat to 50 cm or less), then fill out this form: https://www.support.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/formsdat.nsf/forms/QF3524/$file/F3524_CFD.pdf
Saves ~$170 per year. I believe some people just fill out the form dishonestly though. Don't take a passenger though if it's registered as single seat, as they won't be insured.
Thanks for the tip but I carry pillion more often than not
You can thank the state government for the separate 3rd party compulsory insurance - it was designed to increase competition so that the prices would drop. Doesn't look like it worked very well, states with combined rego + 3rd party are just cheaper.
The Victorian TAC scheme runs at a significant deficit which the taxpayer has to pick up. The CTP scheme in other states usually do not have a government subsidy.
@mubd1234: I think this year Vic government is set to get a fair chunk of cash from TAC in form of dividends so I don't believe this statement is correct.
This. I pay $900 rego, $300 service, and $800 insurance a year to drive my car.. 5-6000kms. $2k a year to maintain and protect my car on the road. I'd get rid of it if I didn't have a hobby that required said car.
Ugh skipping service= bad oil= whole lots of problem.
Skipping the 6 month service probably not a big deal if the car gets on the open road occasionally
Which manufacturer does 6 month service interval?! The norm is 1year/10k km. These days even the japanese do 15k km.
Oh and skipping a service on car under warranty will give dealer a reason not to honor your warranty.
@rave75: If you read the manual pretty much everyone should be doing 6 months because they are either:
Doing constant high speed driving
Always short journeys
Lots of towing
Blah blah blah…
@WhyAmICommenting: Which manufacturer though? Got VW & Merc and I don't think I came across something like that when I skimmed through.
@WhyAmICommenting: Some people said even 2k km above your scheduled servicing at 15k for example, is considered a lot. Some oil are rated for long service interval, like Caltex Edge LL which is more forgivable.
Most of rego is for CTP, which is how we pay for people injured in road accidents. We're paying for their compensation and lost wages, sometimes for their entire lifetime if they become wheelchair bound or similar.
Pretty sure CTP is less than the rego component. It's broken down on qld rego notices.
12 months renewal for a 4 cylinder car:
Registration fee $321.35
Traffic improvement fee $56.05
CTP insurance premium $339.20
12 months renewal for a 2 seater motorcycle:
Registration fee $121.35
Traffic improvement fee $60.85
CTP insurance premium $305.80
Source: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/registration/fees/cost
It's the reason I have to skip every second service.
How much does it cost to have your car serviced? I would expect skipping services to cost you more in the long run. Changing the oil only requires a spanner, a pan, and oil, you can do it for $30 and a few minutes.
I always felt ripped off when paying for anything car related, so I really started to think about whether I actually needed a car to myself. So I sold my car. Started taking public transport to work, bought an electric scooter to get to local shops, and joined several car and bike sharing services that I only pay for when I use them (which hasn't happened yet). My partner does have a car, but even so, we've still halved our vehicle running costs.
Children. Single-handedly the most overpriced in comparison to what you get in return.
lol
And you're not allowed to sell them on ebay either!
no refunds or exchanges either and no warrantry
At least you can't blame the seller for them,
Only 50% in this case
You're not listing them right!
Nasty
Says who?
Hi Dad, always appreciate your love and support.
Marriage a close second… They often come as a pair too… Double whammy
Really?? Children are free (for most people) and what you get in return is priceless. The overpriced ones are the products and services that the children (and the parents) need.
I've seen the reverse of this. At a vegetable store right next to woolies and branded as "local farmers' or something, the price of the item at the entrance was ridiculously low, but everything else inside was double the price of supermarket
Same could go for butcher prices although people say they taste better (psychology at play?)
yep
same as IGA
Meat at supermarkets, apart from Aldi, is generally expensive though. As for quality, you get good and bad at both supermarkets and many butchers. We tend to buy meat in bulk from local suppliers
I've has a grocer literally tell me that's the strategy … they call it "supermarket stock". Put the stuff for cheap out the front (that is you ask them they'll tell you is poor quality) and drag you in for the pricey stuff inside.
I tend to find better quality meat for the same price at my local butcher
Coffee. I get it if you want to sit down and chat or read a newspaper, but $5 for on the go coffee is madness. Get a vacuum flask or keep cup. Even if you're above instant, an Aeropress or good espresso machine will pay for itself in time.
Same with cooking your own meals, growing your own food, repairing your shoes, making your own clothes, … might as well live on a farm. People pay for convenience. You can't say "don't buy that $5 coffee, save the money instead", because then you'll be asked where has your daily $5 gone.
Yes! If only those 7-11 $1 coffee machines weren't always broken.
Never really had this problem?
What people pay for "prestige cars", then section of those that still rent…
Renters that drive prestige cars you mean…
Mr Wongs charge $80 for a roast duck!!!
What's funny is that people think its good value cos it taste so goooooodd
Also amazes me that majority of the people in Sydney think its standard to spend that much when going out for dinner especially in the CBD restaurants.
Not really that expensive. You're not simply paying for the $80 roast duck but the experience, ambience and great service in a restaurant in the city.
If you want to pay less, could always eat at Cabra.
what sort of experience is factored into the price??
The ambience of the place is always loud, don't really think thats a good thing.
Perhaps off topic, but where would be your favourite roast duck/BBQ in Sydney CBD.
Don't like emperor's garden, BBQ King also overpriced. I quite like minh hai at the Sussex centre food court.
Where else can I go on my lunch break for some lovely (and reasonably price) Chinese BBQ?
EDIT: I saw Beijing impression opened up, any good?
Tai wong bbq opposite capitol theatre (right near chat thai) used to be the best by far imo, although last time i went they had changed the name and it wasnt as good :(
Haven't been to Tai Wong before, what's so bad about it??
Sun Ming B.B.Q Restaurant in Parramatta
The whole roast duck there is only $35, it's a "authentic" Cantonese cafe restaurant so expect the service to be loud and fast!
Beats Mr Wongs which charges $80
Edit: Sorry, didn't see the CBD bit.
Check out Ching Yip Coffee Lounge
Dixon House Food Court, Shop 210, Level 2, 413-415 Sussex Street, Haymarket
It's a hidden gem and their authentic hong kong milk tea is really good
lol Plantronics Audio 655 DSP USB Headset with Stowabl is $180 there, same thing online $80
$17 USB-C cable seen in the departure zone at Sydney Airport.
I have been a sucker a few times for convenience items like that at the station.. basically had no time to prepare no energy and needed something real fast.. that is where they get ya when you need something and there are no other choices.
Paying something like $15 for ear buds and maybe $20 for wireless really bad headphones twice made my inner ozbargain soul die a bit inside.
The really smart businesses prey on your weaknesses remember that.
So figure out your weakness because everybody has one and learn to protect it or the very least be somewhat aware of it.
$10 for a bowl of "seasoned fries"
So many parts, spares, consumables, accessories etc from car spares shops. They're all pretty bad but Auto One in the worst.
I only buy when they have 25-30% off, unless it's an emergency, such as last weekend.
“Sashimi”
or any everyday item name replaced with a random japanese word suddenly doubles in price.
Sushi trains and the like are quite overpriced. We recent got Mugen house in SA, $40 all you can eat sushi. We calculated how much value we were getting from the receipt and it ended up being a saving of $200 compared to sushi train just from the aburi salmon alone
Um, sashimi is raw fish which by nature must be very fresh to reduce the possibility of getting sick - this costs money. So it's a bad example but, yes, sometimes cool sounding foreign words make things magically more expensive
Anything purchased on Colesworth full price (when 50% deals are always rotating) e.g. Frozen foods, ice creams, rice, etc
Also branded items which really serve no benefit over home brand, unless you're making something very very specific…e.g. Coles Flour vs White Wings etc.
Any food you buy at the footy or similar events. They make a mint off them.
actually i was pleasantly surprised by the prices when i went to a game at bankwest stadium
i got a sausage roll, tub of chips and a bottle of water for $13
Each
nope for the lot
heaps of them
luxury cars, watches, even speakers.
Watches are an acquired taste.
nadals watches :)
iphones etc- you can easily buy an oppo etc for 1/4 of the price, same functions maybe not the gimmick wireless chharrging
Color OS is horrible to use in my opinion.
I used to shop phones by comparing features, but it's really not a good comparison. I replaced my huawei with an iphone se, and the iphone is hands down the best phone I've ever used. Specs-wise it wasn't much different to the huawei, but the iphone just does everything better and feels much faster.
any items at tourist destinations
it's extra tasty though..
It doesn't matter.
All those cheese & crackers combinations are an absolute rip-off.
Aldi doesn't save the day either.
The Phantom
Going Postal
Yeah, because you're subtly trying to blame Gen Y.