OzBargain 19th Birthday Meetups (2025)

scotty on 10/10/2025 - 15:01

A few people have asked about it over the past weeks, and here's the placeholder post for all OzBargain meetup related discussions in 2025. Members of OzBargain can still organise meetups and we'll link them here. However the biggest change this year is:

OzBargain will no longer sponsor those meetups.

I have outlined my reasons last year, and I think once you're over 18 you gotta pay for your own stuff anyway :)

However I believe some of you guys still want to run some small scale meetups and advertise it in the forums. If that's the case:

  • Post a new thread in Site Discussions with "OzBargain 19th Birthday - <Location> Meetup" in the title. Use the thread to discuss with the community to work out preferred date/time & venue.

  • You have to figure out how the event is funded. For example BYO food/drink in the local park, pay for your own meal in a restaurant, a set cost collectable via PayPal/BeamIt/etc.

We can still utilise the event module that we developed over the last few years for people to register interests.

As of T-shirts, I haven't ordered any for this year and I don't have any 2025 specific designs. However I might do a small batch of generic OzBargain Tees (in iPhone 17 Pro orange + OzBargain logo in the front) to giveaway.

List of Events

DateTimeVenue, LocationOrganiserRegWL
NSW
Wed, 5 Nov30:00PMIppudo, Chatswoodihbh20
Sat, 29 Nov11:00AMPrince Alfred Park, Surry Hillscerealsmok3r130

2 events from 2 organisers.

Site Discussion OzBargain19

Comments

  • geek001 on 10/10/2025 - 15:09
    +5

    Is Ozbargain iPhone 17 Pro orange or is iPhone 17 Pro Ozbargain orange? :)

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/10/2025 - 16:26
      +5

      Yes

      • geek001 on 10/10/2025 - 16:37
        +2

        Sorry, I couldn't resist…. I don't have much won't power.

        • clayaa on 11/10/2025 - 20:05
          +1

          How about an Ozbargain socks? I do occasionally where my tshirts, but with socks, i can wear them anyweher :D

  • I Smell Pennies on 10/10/2025 - 15:17
    +8

    Still happy to host something this year! Hope you and family doing well Scott. Everyone get an Uber Eats account and we can get 50% off and hangout somewhere. Or maybe First Table etc…

    • BloodRanger on 11/10/2025 - 01:19
      +1

      Would love to finally attend one in Parra if that's where you're hosting it this year!

      • truongster on 12/10/2025 - 02:51

        Perhaps split catering?

  • squidz on 10/10/2025 - 15:21
    +1

    Oh noes, life support gotten cut…
    too bad wendy's bayswater isnt opened yet.. would be keen to host one there xD

  • nomoneynoproblems on 10/10/2025 - 15:32
    +6

    RIP meetups. Was good while it lasted and forever grateful for attending one. Shamed it was ruined by lurkers.

    • scotty on 10/10/2025 - 15:43
      +7

      Please note that for those who want to meet IRL can still organise and meet. It's just that there won't be official sponsorship from us. That might mean there will be less people going to meetup events but might be a good thing overall.

    • Mokr on 10/10/2025 - 16:56

      Ozbargain spent 50k of that marketing budget on meetups.

      Over 1,000 people attended.

      • ChipsChicky on 11/10/2025 - 01:02

        50k / annum or in 15 years?

  • frkino on 10/10/2025 - 15:38
    +6

    Thank you for the sponsorship in previous years
    Had the privilege to attend the past few years' birthday meetups, shame the b'day itself got OzBargain'd

    Happy Birthday in advance OzBargain : ))

    • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 16:52
      +5

      shame the b'day itself got OzBargain'd

      😂

  • McMaferMur on 10/10/2025 - 15:39
    +8

    I completely agree with the second point made in Scotty's comment. For instance, during meetups last year and years before, I attempted to spark a conversation about a bargain thread that had over 5 pages of comments and attracted thousands of clicks. However, it seemed that no one at my table was familiar with or interested in discussing it.

    • jv on 10/10/2025 - 15:52
      +2

      However, it seemed that no one at my table was familiar with or interested in discussing it.

      Was it about Albo ?

      jv on 10/10/2025 - 15:52 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • Mokr on 10/10/2025 - 16:52
      +3

      I mean talking about a specfiic thread on ozbargin is a bit tough, I would start with more general conversation starters like what is your best bargain.

      What do you look for on ozbargin etc.

      Keep it more general.

      • McMaferMur on 10/10/2025 - 17:31
        +1

        i did that Mokr but you know what, 8 from 10 people in the table are basically friends/group and they eat and talk about their stuffs outside ozb like hey lets go watch x movie this weekend and visit x house blah blah for uni assignments blah blah

  • Far Cough on 10/10/2025 - 15:58
    -1

    ill come to one

  • capslock janitor on 10/10/2025 - 16:10
    -7

    how bout a capped sponsorship

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/10/2025 - 16:36

      How does that fix the highlighted issues?

      • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 10/10/2025 - 16:49
        +1

        Sponsorship for OzB members with a minimum amount of comments/deals. Or based off join date, etc.

        • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 16:55
          +1

          minimum amount of comments/deals

          That can be gamed.

          based off join date, etc.

          Only people with >10 year accounts?
          That will weed out, a lot of people, quickly.

          • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 10/10/2025 - 17:09
            +1

            @whyisave:

            That can be gamed.

            Pair with minimum upvotes, etc.

            • McMaferMur on 10/10/2025 - 17:29
              +2

              @WoodYouLikeSomeCash: Pair with minimum upvotes, etc.
              this website is not about competition amongst members but sharing between members

          • McMaferMur on 10/10/2025 - 17:12
            +1

            @whyisave: i will be included in over 15years but i dont recommend going this route, we are one big family not exclusiveness here and there

            • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 17:20

              @McMaferMur:

              i will be included in over 15years

              I won't be included even if it was 10 years, but I thought why not have a 'hard' limit, to get quality…I mean, if getting into .AU was hard in the 1980s…then, OzB can have some time-based "quality control" too 😇

              • McMaferMur on 10/10/2025 - 17:28
                +1

                @whyisave: what if 11 years but never login in the last 11 months… then we will setup over 10 with login over x time and then add another criteria, another one and so on….

                • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 18:45
                  +1

                  @McMaferMur: Many criterias can be gamed, and length-of-elapsed-time is harder to fake, but you're right, in that can be a multitude of criterias in combination, with age of account, to filter out the community members who should be eligible.

              • MrFrugalSpend on 12/10/2025 - 10:52
                +1

                @whyisave: This prompted me to look at my 'member since' date… 10 years in 4 days time - woohoo :) !!

                • whyisave on 12/10/2025 - 11:20
                  +1

                  @MrFrugalSpend: "10 years" was just a number plucked out of the air, because of some chatter before about introducing criteria / filters for OzB members for these meet ups.

                  There are members who are under 10 years and definitely contribute a lot, and then there are also old-timers, whose life circumstances mean they are not as available as they once were, so yeah, all communities have their own ratios of producers and 'moochers'.

    • brendanm on 10/10/2025 - 18:13
      +4

      How about pay for your own food? Surprised Scotty paid for as long as he did, I imagine it was 95% freeloading scumbags.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/10/2025 - 22:15
        +2

        The way some events were made and then practically insta filled last year to me it looked like some some level of shenanigans for sure

        • Bren20 on 12/10/2025 - 07:43
          +1

          It's hard to get too mad, this is the exact type of shenanigans this website loves.

      • nottodaysunshine on 13/10/2025 - 00:39

        It was 23% i asked chat GPT

  • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 17:02
    -4

    @scotty ,

    I think once you're over 18 you gotta pay for your own stuff anyway :)

    Will under-18s get sponsored? Hah 😬

    From 11 DEC 2025 in Australia, Digital-ID might be coming in for online age verifications,…so maybe OzB can piggyback off this, for future events 😊

  • cheapass88 on 10/10/2025 - 17:56
    +2

    I only first went last year and didn't even know it was funded! I thought the budget was what we were to spend haha. But I still hope to attend a few this year if my wife can handle our new baby. Thanks for last year again scotty!

  • Clear on 10/10/2025 - 18:07
    +3

    When I had people last year ask me who jv and Scotty was I knew they were freeloading nobodies. You do notice it year after year, the same people coming out of the woodwork.

    I won't be travelling far for anything this year. Maybe @Chazzozz and I can organise something for all 4 of us locals 🤣

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/10/2025 - 18:08
      +4

      who jv and Scotty

      I would have left in disgust

      • Clear on 10/10/2025 - 18:43
        +1

        Yup fair to say I left that table. Perhaps I need a trip to Brisbane.

    • ChipsChicky on 11/10/2025 - 02:38

      So, you know who is @jv … its a big breaking news though …

      • jv on 12/10/2025 - 16:49

        @Clear is on everyone’s speed dial.

        • Clear on 12/10/2025 - 17:27

          I offer more services than Jim.

  • neil on 10/10/2025 - 18:27
    +10

    Is anyone interested in doing an Amazon tour? They can accommodate groups of up to 25.

    VIC is in Ravenhall.
    NSW is in Kemps Creek.

    Not exactly central locations. I think I have some t-shirts left from last year.

    • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 18:47

      Amazon tours for NSW are only in October (?)

      https://events.amazontours.com/au/onsite/BWU2

      • neil on 10/10/2025 - 18:56
        +1

        Yeah, I don't know if it's just October or maybe there is something different for private groups. Just have to find a human who can answer that.

        • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 20:23

          You actually gave me a good idea, so I'll book myself in, for an Amazon tour within the next couple of weeks.

      • whyisave on 12/10/2025 - 23:02

        @neil

        By the way, for the NSW tours, all of the dates in October are fully booked.
        I just checked.

        For VIC tours, there are still many availabilities, for many of the dates,
        however, there simply are no tours (currently listed) for the subsequent months, after October.

        Maybe more tour dates will open up, next year.

    • GreenGuava on 10/10/2025 - 23:46

      Wow, I had no idea they did tours. That's actually pretty cool! Kemps Creek isn't too far of a hike for me but unfortunately the October dates are all gone.

  • Clear on 10/10/2025 - 18:58

    I have outlined my reasons last year, and I think once you're over 18 you gotta pay for your own stuff anyway :)

    Did you end up getting another car?

    • scotty on 11/10/2025 - 14:08

      Not yet. Kid #2 still on her L plate. We'll need to get another car when she gets her P.

      • Clear on 11/10/2025 - 17:17
        +1

        Well just think that the tens of thousands you've saved this year by not sponsoring any events can be allocated to a car when she gets her P's 😉

  • SnowDragon on 10/10/2025 - 19:34
    +10

    Thank you for all you've given back to the community Scotty. The meet up sponsorship and charity donations have made this place a great place to be.

    • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 20:24

      Hear, hear

  • whyisave on 10/10/2025 - 21:20
    -2

    We can still utilise the event module that we developed over the last few years for people to register interests

    Will there be 'Registration Caps' this year, or is the event module, just a way to gauge attendee numbers for reservation purposes, catering, etc. ?

  • dust on 10/10/2025 - 21:58
    +2

    Thanks Scotty. We appreciate! I would still be happy to attend a self-funded meet up.

  • swamp potato on 10/10/2025 - 23:09

    I never got to attend one and I'd love to go, ugh, so sad about the lack of sponsorships!

    • capslock janitor on 11/10/2025 - 16:33

      Same here. I meant to attend the Ozb 18th but fell through

  • cerealsmok3r on 11/10/2025 - 00:37
    +2

    holy shit 30:00pm

    • nobro25 on 12/10/2025 - 11:49
      +2

      Yes, finally saw a comment on it. Assuming it's based on 24hr time it's 30:00 - 24:00 = 6:00.
      Therefore it's the next day 06:00 AM Thursday 6th.

    • nottodaysunshine on 13/10/2025 - 00:42

      is that 2025 in this dimension?

  • ChipsChicky on 11/10/2025 - 01:07

    Yeah, better to spend on some competitions, give aways on best deal etc.

  • Alley Cat on 11/10/2025 - 23:04
    +1

    I'm glad people are still going when it's byo :) Happy bday ozb!

  • Nillionaire on 12/10/2025 - 12:49

    Thank you, I support this decision.

  • eddyah on 12/10/2025 - 13:13
    -6

    As one of the big names that never show, I'd like to apologies…to absolutely (profanity) nobody.

  • bozaar on 12/10/2025 - 13:41
    +2

    Thanks Scotty for the sponsorship in previous years.

  • spychiatrist on 12/10/2025 - 14:14
    +3

    The meetups Ozbargained! Touche!

  • Tiredman on 12/10/2025 - 15:07

    Wow i've been around forever.

  • frewer on 12/10/2025 - 17:36

    Will there be whisky and hookers ?

    • Spootage on 12/10/2025 - 22:03

      You can organise any event you want. Just don’t be surprised if you’re the only one there.

    • nottodaysunshine on 13/10/2025 - 00:43

      Yes

  • zombie hunter on 12/10/2025 - 17:44

    Slussy Hills would be good. What happens if it rains

  • Fat Horny Ghost on 12/10/2025 - 20:40
    -1

    I'd like to make an event, but I am banned from creating forum threads / posts, can there be an exception?

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