Financially Better off OzBargainers, since The Inflation Rises, What Is One Product or Service That You Refuse to Spend on?

SupeNintendoChalmers on 07/09/2023 - 10:11

I was talking to a couple of mates about this. Most of my mates and I are in a relatively privileged position, none of us are millionaires, not by any stretch, but we have decent jobs, stable relationships and relatively low mortgage\rent to salary burden (~25% of wages).

Since this rapid rise of inflation we've all seen goods and services rise, and whilst we all discussed how much higher our grocery and power bills are, we know that we can absorb an extended run of inflation rises.

That said, we talked about about goods or services we have refused to purchase during this period.

Cars, both old and new came up a lot, as did things like international flights. A personal one for me has been cheese, not that it's a super high cost, but considering my favourite cheese has almost tripled in price I've basically stopped buying it our of principle, and my waistline is not complaining.

What are yours?

General Discussion

Comments

  • cauilfield on 07/09/2023 - 10:26

    I got a number of IPs - so interest rates have hit hard

    • takeaway coffees - unless I am meeting with someone for a coffee, I don't usually buy takeaway coffees
    • luxury items
    • Parked the car upgrade idea
  • capslock on 07/09/2023 - 10:29
    +3

    100Mbps internet. I now know that 25Mbps works just as well.

    • JimB on 07/09/2023 - 10:34

      I'm on 50, but you're right, maybe I should try 25 as we internet usage is very basic… the odd 4K movie.

    • Drpepper666 on 07/09/2023 - 10:41
      +9

      Its fine until your missus is watching Netflix while you're trying to watch the footy on kayo

      • cfuse on 08/09/2023 - 11:01
        +3

        Not having a missus is far more economical than fiddling with your internet plan to save a few bucks.

        • Kangal on 09/09/2023 - 07:37
          +1

          In general, fiddling is more economical than a missus. But can ya really put a price on lust? ❤️

    • non-core promise on 07/09/2023 - 12:50
      +6

      One thing I will add that people should look into is a router with SQM. https://www.google.com/search?q=SQM+router

      In short, SQM essentially tries to identify traffic that is latency sensitive and prioritises that so you can have big hungry traffic that isn't latency sensitive (such as video streaming) and small but latency sensitive traffic (such as multiplayer game control packets) living side by side in harmony. It's not the same thing as QoS.

      The main downside is that any one application cannot make use of 100% of the bandwidth, since you need a small reserve for that priority traffic, but in most cases, your internet should feel "quicker", which is not the same thing as "faster".

      Unfortunately, SQM is still fairly rare on consumer routers. It's fantastic for making more efficient use of lower bandwidth internet, however it becomes less important as you go up the bandwidth ladder. It also becomes computationally more expensive to process, identify and separate traffic with more stuff coming through.

      Obviously NBN Co and ISPs don't want the general public to know about stuff like this because they would prefer you purchase a higher tier, more expensive NBN plan to "solve" the problem through brute force rather than being cleverer and more efficient with the bandwidth you do have.

      Buy a router with SQM for a slightly higher upfront cost, save yourself a bit of money in internet plan bills in the long run.

      I've used it for living with 3mbps down, 0.5mbps up ADSL2+ for many years and still use it for NBN 12 and 25 tier plans.

    • bamzero on 08/09/2023 - 11:42

      Still on my grandfathered 50/20 500GB plan for $60. Speed is fine (line wont sync faster than 80Mb anyway) and rarely get close to quota.
      NBN pricing is a joke, and being on FTTN can't be bothered jumping ship every 6 months to save a few bucks on intro pricing. Wouldn't mind a faster upload speed though.

  • portard on 07/09/2023 - 10:30
    +2

    Financially Better off OzBargainers
    that's everyone here, all ozbargainers earn 300k

    Coffee has gotten expensive at some shops, $6 for a large, plus 10% sunday surchage = $6.60 which I find ridiculous

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 07/09/2023 - 19:14

      I don't drive a Mercedes though

      • Speckled Jim on 08/09/2023 - 10:38
        +4

        IIRC, 1981 Honda Accord.
        Hope you found your H.

        • Commodore64 on 30/06/2024 - 09:22

          It's currently on a chain around my neck

  • JimB on 07/09/2023 - 10:31
    +1

    Trades/repairs that I can do myself.

    Natural oysters at a restaurant.

    Meredith goats cheese for a while, found them on sale for $10 a jar so stocked up.

    Actually basically any full priced grocery items that regularly goes on sale, e.g. Omo laundry powder.

    Business class trips.

    Restaurants that have Sunday surcharges.. I'll just visit when there's none.

    Try to avoid paying with credit cards where they charge a surcharge.

    • Kangal on 09/09/2023 - 07:38

      Natural Oysters at a restaurant 🦪

      …so you now eat the cheaper, artificial plastic ones instead ??

      • JimB on 09/09/2023 - 09:53
        +1

        Don’t knock it until you try it

  • freefall101 on 07/09/2023 - 10:34
    +3

    Chips, I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices of $5-6 a bag. Also good for my waistline (although I've just been going to Aldi more instead). Colesworth in general I've dramatically cut back my spending with them - I wish more people would do the same.

    Parking at work shot up in price, except for the early bird pricing. Which means I've started hauling myself out of bed earlier (but then I leave earlier, which is kind of nice, and beat the traffic at both ends).

    And I've stopped drinking as much scotch as I used to. That's been happening for a few years now, but I can't bring myself to spend over $100 a bottle for a bottle of scotch when I used to get some of them for $60-70 a bottle not too long ago.

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 07/09/2023 - 18:36
      +1

      That's why I get them at Aldi.

      And the giant packet of plain chips with Himalayan salt at Costco are to die for

    • bamzero on 08/09/2023 - 12:13

      The potato shortage helped me a little with that too when there just wasn't much to buy. Now like you say prices are ridiculous so rarely buy them any more (except the rare markdowns). Even Aldi prices have gone up somewhat. Popcorn is where I'm at these days :) Still working through a big box of Flavacol and the 1KG bags of kernels I get haven't gone up in price in years.

      I'm trying to shift my spend away from Colesworth as much as possible these days too. Also trying to get the missus (and others around me) to drop the attitude of "well, everythings gone up thats just the way it is", meanwhile they are posting massive profit increases.

      While I don't drink out too often, was at the pub the other week… $15 for a pint of Balter Hazy 😔 - 4 pints and your almost in for a case ($63 at Liquorshed, not the jacked up prices at Dan's etc..)

  • Drpepper666 on 07/09/2023 - 10:41

    Coffee

    • Kangal on 09/09/2023 - 07:38

      Username does not match

  • Cluster on 07/09/2023 - 10:48
    +2

    Frozen chips. Pre COVID price was $1.89/kg. Now it's $3.70. No thanks.

    Cheese. My favourite cheese has gone from $9/kg to $14. Now I wait for Coles to offer me 25% off via Flybuys and I stockpile those kilo bricks.

    Internet. Downgraded from 100 to 50MBps and I don't see any difference apart from saving $15 every month.

    Dr. Oetker pizzas. Not so long ago it was possible to buy them sub $4. Now the standard price is $9 (you've got to be kidding) and they rarely appear for less than $6.

    • Cheaplikethebird on 08/09/2023 - 10:15

      Dr Oertkers are $9 now!? Poor stoners 😥

    • Grazz989 on 09/09/2023 - 14:20

      I mean … at $3.70/kg that's still some of the cheapest food in a supermarket.

  • saltypete on 07/09/2023 - 10:50
    +1

    We’ve avoided bought coffee, but that is since finding out that our own Moka pot makes the coffee we really like.
    Very picky about buying clothing too - only buy decent quality and have to really love the look or we don’t buy.
    Avoid eating out as well, only because we are still festy crowd wary and most restaurants are pretty average food quality compared to home cooking with fresh ingredients.
    I think the key is that we look for value. Don’t mind paying for value to us, refuse to pay even a cent for anything that it not adding value to us.

    • freefall101 on 07/09/2023 - 11:36
      +1

      I think the key is that we look for value. Don’t mind paying for value to us, refuse to pay even a cent for anything that it not adding value to us.

      I have a terrible impulse buying problem (and have the lego and headphones to prove it), but when I'm being sensible I look at what I need, what best fills that need then buy it at the cheapest price. If it takes a few months then so be it, the joy of being financially secure is I have everything I really need to keep going, all I'm looking at is things that improve my life or decrease costs in the long run.

      Having a home loan actually makes life easier in some ways, any time I go to buy something I weigh up how much extra I could throw on the home loan instead, which will bring a whole lot more financial security once it's paid off.

      • saltypete on 07/09/2023 - 14:10

        Yes, my wife has taught me a lot of this. She refuses to hurry a purchase and will wait months for the right price. In the meantime funds are in our offset account reducing interest costs.
        Always keep in mind the Project managers rule price, timeframe, quality - pick whatever two you want because you will never get all 3.😁

  • onetwothreefour on 07/09/2023 - 10:57
    +11

    I've always been frugal and even though, like you, I am in a good financial position now I am still frugal. It's kind of hard to break the habit. So therefore I have not really given up anything as I have never spent a lot of money on things anyway.

    • vengeance88 on 09/09/2023 - 09:04

      This is the way.

    • Ultimate Gattai on 10/09/2023 - 23:07

      This is pretty much me, on rare occasion, I will make a big purchase, but for the most part, I don't see the need to buy a lot of stuff, and generally only buy the essentials I need so that I don't waste much food.

  • foxmulder on 07/09/2023 - 11:05

    Takeaway coffee unless it's 7/11 and I like to do the double espresso plus hot milk trick as I feel better off. Hospital parking. Pay parking over time limit, thus I move the car to elsewhere. Clothings.

  • Jimmyolo on 07/09/2023 - 11:47
    +1

    less takeaways dinners and lunch at work.

  • Pigey on 07/09/2023 - 11:51
    +1

    Frozen Chips. For some reason they've doubled in price, but potatoes haven't.

    So we make our own from potatoes now. Potatoes haven't gone up in price in Perth.

    Can find 4kg of spuds for $5 around the place.

    • bamzero on 08/09/2023 - 11:51

      Most of the frozen chips come from the east. We didn't have any potato shortage here in WA, yet got hit with it on the processed potato products anyway.
      Of course, prices go up but then never seem to come down.

  • Godric on 07/09/2023 - 11:54
    +2

    I'll answer this in a month once my fix term comes off ;/

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 07/09/2023 - 18:38
      +5

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      • Godric on 07/09/2023 - 19:04

        Oh wow

      • Loopholio on 08/09/2023 - 11:56

        I don't know why you posted this skull, but I like it.

      • kaleidoscope on 09/09/2023 - 07:25

        💀

  • Sweet3st on 07/09/2023 - 12:12

    Cut out food delivery. No longer shop at Colesworth except occasionally. Food prices have increased by exorbitant rates.

  • Drakesy on 07/09/2023 - 12:22
    +9

    I'm now down to Aldi Caviar.
    I've given up the Moet in exchange for Yellow.
    The Range Rover now gets parked up due to fuel costs and i have to take out the Tesla instead.
    I only am allowed to take the yacht only comes out once a month as i've had to charter it out to fund its running costs.
    We had to sell one of our horses because the adjisting fees were unsightly.
    Decided to only renovate one of our investment properties, the renter scum can put up with their mould filled bedrooms for another year.
    Had to sell the chalet in Aspen and buy one in perisher instead. The maintenance fees were horrendous.

    • pinchies on 07/09/2023 - 13:11

      Did you cut back on one of the private chefs?

      • Drakesy on 07/09/2023 - 16:06

        Don't be ridiculous!

        Think of the judgement i'd get from Gertrude if i were to cook my own food.
        Like some peasant!

  • fritz and sauce on 07/09/2023 - 13:10
    -7

    My contempt for Woolworths and Coles has surpassed those gullible No voters.

  • thekensai on 07/09/2023 - 14:03

    condoms and lubes

    • cfuse on 08/09/2023 - 11:04
      +2

      Here's something that's going to end badly.

      • kaleidoscope on 09/09/2023 - 07:27

        well may be he stopped doing the act too

  • brendanm on 07/09/2023 - 14:37
    +4

    Flights, purely because you know they are just scamming you with the prices.

  • Lewd on 07/09/2023 - 14:38
    +2

    full price Red Rock Deli Salt & Vinegar chips. No the Aldi ones are not as good.

  • Gesiet on 08/09/2023 - 07:55
    +2

    Finish Dishwashing Tablets. Used to buy the top level (Platinum Pro I think). Now I buy Costco’s which at 17c a tab are just as good performance wise.

    Refuse to support a company (Reckitt Benckiser) that’s just price gouging! Their Mortein cans are now well over $10 a can, meanwhile the home brands are $3. The price difference between these equal performing products is astounding. These multinationals will kill themselves with their gouging - shoppers are switching to private label in droves.

  • Drj55 on 08/09/2023 - 08:09

    Botox and fillers

    • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2023 - 11:58
      +3

      I wish one of the other mothers from school would quit lip fillers …… they look ridiculous & enter a room 2 mins before the rest of her does.

      • SupeNintendoChalmers on 09/09/2023 - 12:38
        +2

        It's definitely a combination of body dysmorphia, social media and people around you deluding you that you look great.

        Those lip, butt etc fillers look absolutely ridiculous

        • [Deactivated] on 09/09/2023 - 13:01
          +2

          Cosmeticians should also be psych assessed. I swear some of them just hate humans altogether & act out by mutilating them & get away with it by marketing it as fashionably acceptable.

  • Mugsy on 08/09/2023 - 08:52

    Just some off the top of my head…

    We've gone from two coffees a week to just one.

    We've pretty much gave up visiting the movies.

    I have more $10 burger combos at work for lunch.

  • Chewy2221 on 08/09/2023 - 09:53
    +4

    Costco membership. They have increased the membership fee as well as many of their prices in store. I can no longer justify the cost of travel to the store even if they have cheaper fuel. The price differential compared to colesworth is negligible on most products.

    • Grazz989 on 09/09/2023 - 14:32

      Right? How is it possible that US Costco is good value, but ours has the same unit pricing despite also being gigantic bulk product sizes most of the time? (For the many dullards who apparently don't understand what unit pricing bloody is, I mean to say you don't even get a discount for buying in bulk).

      • SupeNintendoChalmers on 09/09/2023 - 15:33
        +1

        My rule of thumb for Costco

        Fuel 👍
        Eyewear 👍
        Hearing Aids 👍
        Tyres and Batteries 👍
        Roast chooks 👍
        Cafe 👍
        Cakes and Pasties 👍

        Fresh produce 👎
        Meat 👎 *
        General grocery items 👎 **
        Homewares 👎
        Electronics 👎

        *meat is high quality, so expensive and you need to purchase a lot of it

        ** The Kirkland crinkle cut chips are excepted

        • Grazz989 on 09/09/2023 - 19:19

          Not exactly much positive there, relative to the membership cost anyway.

          • SupeNintendoChalmers on 09/09/2023 - 19:20

            @Grazz989: The fuel more than makes up for the membership, but only if you live near a Costco.

            • Grazz989 on 09/09/2023 - 23:32

              @SupeNintendoChalmers: I don't know what your one is like, but the one at Canberra airport has a lineup so insanely long that it can't be worth it whatsoever.

  • Ozbar Gain on 08/09/2023 - 11:44

    Internet downgraded, 50/20 is good enough for streaming (family streams one thing at a time) and WFH.
    Dropped a number of streaming services, would rather cycle through them
    Wifey's hair being done a bit less often (grey streaks means frugal, frugal means sexy)
    Not doing without but did review car and house insurance, medical etc.
    Shop more at Aldi and less at C/Ww

  • Indiana1501 on 08/09/2023 - 17:55

    Moving the kids mobile phones from Telstra to TPG. I think the mobile phone plans offered by Telstra are just price gouging. I could justify $40 a month for the kiddies but not $65.

    • Ultimate Gattai on 10/09/2023 - 23:09

      I can't even believe the Telstra price increases, and it's always significant jumps in price as well with them, I don't even need much data or call/text.

  • jar-unit on 09/09/2023 - 07:09

    Woolworths. Now drive to Aldi for the groceries. Seeing some good savings. Also Netflix and Google One switched to Turkey hack. Got rid of Evernote and Todoist for Upnote.

    • Commodore64 on 30/06/2024 - 09:21

      Thanks for this, I discovered UpNote because of this and after giving it a try it's exactly what I am after.
      It's got the expected features of a note app in 2024 (images in tables, tags/links, markdown entry and export), a slick interface, apps for every platform and best of all a very reasonable price tag.
      Evernote is eye-wateringly expensive for something that's just a note taking app

  • kaleidoscope on 09/09/2023 - 07:34

    streaming services (no i don’t pirate, i use promotional offers and only sign up for ones i really need)
    food mostly home brand stuff and marked down ones
    take out food (some of them are ridiculous)

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