Me being the avid shopper, the forever trying to budget type, the one who lives by an old expression that a penny saved is a penny earnt….
But…. the cost of living has soared somewhat, our council rates (what’s this I see in their car park all day… more new vehicles!) the insurances… every time I see disaster of floods, or fire, or twisters….  up goes our insurance premiums to cover those claims.
Doctors have stopped bulk billing….and the vet consultation recently was $90 
I was in a store last week… I wanted plastic containers they have … used to be $27 for 5…. Now it’s $35 and then some have specials, what was x amount months ago, is now what it is discounted to and regarded as a special 

Yeah I’m not saving any pennies … not anymore… used to be able to…

But I wanted to ask… anyone with pets gone to vet lately?
What’s the consultation fee? I just felt $90 was a bit much. I was maybe thinking $70.

UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2024 at 8:20am:


To get yourself around town to do graffiti… you use a car?
To use a ceiling fan and to watch tv you use electricity?

Recently paid $300 something to have a kitten desexed.

Had to shop around and travel for that deal as local vets charge between $550 -$650.

That’s included vaccines.

I see your point absolutely but I can also see the vets.

There rents have skyrocketed, so had their electricity and insurance and every fee, levy the council puts on them plus the cost of advertising and staff.

While at the same time everyone else is absorbing the same costs in life so money needs to be carefully spent. I waited 8 months to have the cat desexed when in the past I would have done it within two weeks.

I think the cost of living in Australia is the number 1 issue and just opening the gate to bring in millions to right the economy isn’t working like it did in GLobal finical crisis.

I note Sydney water is increasing costs by 50%.

https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104549138

Sophia wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2024 at 11:30am:


Because that would require government to fix prices in our 'invisible hand' markets - aka a planned economy....ouch....

Meanwhile, high inflation and the resulting cost of living crisis is the reason Albo is on the nose in Oz, and Trump is even getting a look-in, in the US.

https://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1645944963/990#999

#999

Michelle Obama asked the question we’re all thinking, but struggle to answer


Seven minutes into a searing takedown of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Michigan last week, former first lady Michelle Obama posed the question millions of other Americans have been asking: “Why on earth is this race even close? I lay awake at night wondering what in the world is going on".


"It's the economy, stupid" - in this case, the cost of living crisis badly affecting median and low wages earners, courtesty of mainstream neoclassical economic  orthodoxy.  

UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2024 at 8:20am:


I know a trick how to save on airconditioner and/or fan cost.
When temperature in shade is 40+ and you  think it is hot go out in open sun for at least half hour, then come back to  shade and feel wonderful 

mothra wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2024 at 9:49am:


Interesting … I will tell daughter and check about that vet-pay.
I was looking up pet insurance too.
About $40 a month average, with $200 excess, then up to 80% of total bill up to about $10,000 they pay out, more or less depending on monthly premium.

A friend was telling me earlier about having spent $2,000 on scans, blood tests for her dog with a lump on his paw… the lump was benign but they couldn’t see what was wrong and says to redo the tests…
Geez! She refused and was upset her dog wasn’t given any meds even for pain, as it was advanced in age.
But fancy saying to re-do all the same tests for another $2,000 yet they couldn’t work out what the first test results were showing.

thegreatdivide wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2024 at 12:02pm:


It just feels like we are playing “catch ups” with wages lagging whilst all costs rise.

I was thinking… since I’m a baby bloomer 
How different things were for us in our younger working years, how much easier it was to work and save, then buy when we could afford to. Before credit cards.
It just feels so different … hubby says we couldn’t do today what we were able to back in the day.
I noticed a recent news report saying because of house prices escalating out of reach for the younger generations… they have gone in droves investing in the ASX.
The housing market is still mad!
There’s a property near where son lives… on the market for around $1.5 million, normal block land, 4 bedroom brick with a garage and a pool.
Was on market a week ago, and there’s a “under contract” sign on it already!

Re: younger couples trying to break into the housing market, I think if 2 working couples buy a house together, a 4 bedroom with 2 bathrooms, and car park space, it could be done, say @ $1.4 million, it’s $700k per couple to pay off.

In the past, we also had our Aussie dollar worth more compared to overseas than what it’s worth today.
Son and his wife had gone to Bali recently and said the cheaper prices are disappearing as many resorts are now charging more expensive than back in Oz.

Well - with 20 and 25% pay rises for some sectors, clearly the costs will follow on rapidly - and all those who haven't had a 20-25% pay rise will cop it... and so it goes on and on.... and on ...