technosomy Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 i can only speak for myself but with the australian dollar so strong at the moment (one of if not the strongest) i still seem to be struggling with the cost of living, obviously we all operate differently from country to country, but am sure the formula is the same. power here in new south wales has almost doubled in the last 12 months!!!! food is so much more expensive now, with more brands being owned by fewer companys (kraft, nestle, pepsi own 50% of all processed food products here) rents mortgages interest rates blah blah blah. wages have not gone up but all of the above has, and it's starting to hit home. the dollar here is way to strong, and now people starting to lose jobs. so..................... how about you lot, i am aware of the euro crisis at the moment (well so they say) the push for a one world currency is almost complete, and the eurasia is almost underway, unless it can be bipassed completley for one single bank and one single currency. how are you coping with the big squeeze? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkraver Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I'll tell u abt the situation here in INDIA technosomy, Pertrolrum products prices have gone over the roof.!! Even the LPG used for cooking is also very expensive. The place were I used to have breakfast near my college has doubled its price in 6 months!!! Man, what to speak abt it, I can just pray that we get a new government and they'l bring back all the corrupt black money & the euro crises disappear. Screw the inflation n all that shit :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blubber Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 life is getting more expensive everywhere i think (am i wrong?) or at least compared to wages and employment rates but living in germany with a somehow functioning economy, job market and social net we don't have to complain about of course there are lots of people here who argue that everything is going worse and that they have problems to make a living but compared to the majority of countries and cultures, keeping in mind that germany made an incredible evolution since the world wars, i see no reason to whine about only thing is sometimes i'm doubting that germany is this forerunner in europe, the paradigm for serious planning, economizing and social working, as i get the feeling that we pressure a lot of other countries to hold them down, to stick to our economy and values and spoil others' own ways and possibilities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procyon Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 @techno: multiply Australian prices by two, three times. Divide salary by three. Voila', you have Brazil. And I believe that's the economica of most 3rd world countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veracohr Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 The guy I sit next to at work works with customers in central & south America, and he's always telling stories about how difficult it is to export things to Brazil and how expensive they are there once they finally make it through. I'm not sure I can really speak about the big picture here in the US. Food prices continue to rise but nothing huge, and inflation is normal. Gasoline prices fluctuate a lot, but I think it's generally accepted that the prices here are quite a bit lower than many other places in the world. I've worked at the same company for about 8 years so I've been lucky enough not to have to deal with the job market. I think if I didn't have a job, I might have a much more negative view of things. I know people who have had a hard time finding jobs, and I know on the occasions over the last few years when my company had job openings, they received hundreds of resumes. I don't understand a lot of economics. Doesn't "strong dollar" mean things would be good? Because I swear when I read news articles about the economy in one country or another, they always use the term "weak [currency]" to mean a weak economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I'm Greek... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotwang Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Doesn't "strong dollar" mean things would be good? AAUI, a strong dollar is good for Americans buying things abroad, but bad for American companies trying to export. It means that the amount of foreign currency you get in exchange for a dollar is high when compared to how much things cost in the two currencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veracohr Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I still don't understand how that translates into a strong Australian dollar making things expensive for technosomy. Economics is one of those things for which I happily bury my head in the sand. Thinking about money period just ruins my day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technosomy Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 I still don't understand how that translates into a strong Australian dollar making things expensive for technosomy. Economics is one of those things for which I happily bury my head in the sand. Thinking about money period just ruins my day. things were expensive before our dollar went up, so that isn't solely to blame, but yes, people losing jobs here because people are not buying australian made stuff, but yes buying in foreign cheap crap, much cheaper, and putting more people out of business. understand guys, that we have it so much better than most countries, but that wasn't my intention for this topic. am generally interested at how you are being affected by the big squeeze. better now, than having a chip in your arm, with no cash what so ever. with one currency for the whole world i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkraver Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 @techno: multiply Australian prices by two, three times. Divide salary by three. Voila', you have Brazil. And I believe that's the economica of most 3rd world countries. Exactly!! +100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotwang Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I still don't understand how that translates into a strong Australian dollar making things expensive for technosomy. Oh, then I misunderstood you're question. I have no idea about that, sorry. am generally interested at how you are being affected by the big squeeze. I've been lucky with money (I received some inheritance a few years back) so the cost of living isn't a problem for me, but I have had more difficulty finding a job than I anticipated. I like to think the economy has something to do with that, but it could just be that I'm useless and unemployable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procyon Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 things were expensive before our dollar went up, so that isn't solely to blame, but yes, people losing jobs here because people are not buying australian made stuff, but yes buying in foreign cheap crap, much cheaper, and putting more people out of business. understand guys, that we have it so much better than most countries, but that wasn't my intention for this topic. am generally interested at how you are being affected by the big squeeze. better now, than having a chip in your arm, with no cash what so ever. with one currency for the whole world i guess That's the China factor, the new world order. When US was the most powerful nation in the world, everybody got their share of the cake - though not much. With China raising as the #1, everybody will get nothing. China will eat the whole cake. Same is happening here in Brazil, ultra cheap Chinese shoes, clothes are destroying our national industry lilltle by little. The reaction to this is a tariff barrier that tries unsucessfully to stop the cheap imports, and it does more damage than good. Things that are not manufactured here also gets a overtaxation that makes some products the most expensive in the world to the population. And due to lack of vision, energy, telephone, gas, water, are among the most expensive in the workd too, though Brazil is naturally rich by nature. A leftist administration does not help too. In the 10 years since Labor Party came into power, things have deteriorated a lot. Instead of lining up with democratic powerhouses like US, Germany, it has supported the pseudo-democratics like Iran, Venezuela, Argentina. So, a personal warning: beware of leftist parties in your country - wherever it is - they tend to worsen economics. And politics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procyon Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 @techno: out of curiosity - I have been reading in some Asian news sites that the political relation between Japan and China had worsened a lot over the disputes of a rocky island the Japanese call Senkaku, Daeyou to Chinese. Some are saying it could lead to war, with Australia supporting Japan. How are you guys 'feeling' this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technosomy Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 @techno: out of curiosity - I have been reading in some Asian news sites that the political relation between Japan and China had worsened a lot over the disputes of a rocky island the Japanese call Senkaku, Daeyou to Chinese. Some are saying it could lead to war, with Australia supporting Japan. How are you guys 'feeling' this? mmmmmmm not aware of this, but will look into it, japan is in a whole lot of hurt, battling a fragile nuclear plant currently poisoning most of the planet. think our support of america will prob do the same, they building bases everywhere as we speak, which once again strengthens the stronghold in the pacific, not to mention, the natural resources being pumped out of australia at a astronomical rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmot Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have been reading in some Asian news sites that the political relation between Japan and China had worsened a lot over the disputes of a rocky island the Japanese call Senkaku, Daeyou to Chinese. Some are saying it could lead to war, with Australia supporting Japan. That wouldn't get too high on my list of worries. Compare that to, say, Korea, which is technically still in war (armistice) over a direct land border and producing end-of-the-world-imminent-right-now headlines every month with little really happening. There are dozens of disputed territories like those rocks around the world. The whole point is that neither side can give up as it would make them look weak and cowardly. However, there's nothing tangible to gain from nearly worthless rocks, compared to the risks of a full blown war that would ensue. Therefore both sides keep on rattling sabres and issuing heavy-worded statements while largely agreeing that nothing is really going to happen over the matter. The press, of course, loves headlines where the whole issue is effectively called a prelude to WWIII. It sells better than "same old, nothing's going to happen". Don't buy it if there are no real news. If even Korea can remain in a standstill for decades, I wouldn't expect Japan and China to start a major war which would cost them utter fortunes, all recent development, and their whole reputation. At least not for a few islands. That would make a convenient excuse for other motives, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoebis Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 In Belgium prices are rising and economy is not really good... And specially, you have the highest taxes in the world (if you earn 100€, state takes IMMEDIATELY between 40-60€, and after that, if you buy food etc you pay 21% extra... Insane, a study not so long ago said, if you count all... VAT, taxes, extras on food/cigarettes,... a normal Belgian person pays 72% taxes!!!!!! Can you imagine? You earn 100€, you get 28€ in the very end!!!!Prices for a normal house are also insane, between 250.000€ -300.000€ for something decent not too far from a city... Ah well...Still, I can not complain, I have a good job, and wasn't workless for 1 day... But one day I'll move... I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psydmt Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Try NZ bro lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technosomy Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Try NZ bro lol. i feel your pain my friend, i am a kiwi, and the china factor is crushing our beautiful country not to mention the national government, middle class kiwis are a dying breed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Sunray Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 life is getting more expensive everywhere i think (am i wrong?) or at least compared to wages and employment rates but living in germany with a somehow functioning economy, job market and social net we don't have to complain about of course there are lots of people here who argue that everything is going worse and that they have problems to make a living but compared to the majority of countries and cultures, keeping in mind that germany made an incredible evolution since the world wars, i see no reason to whine about only thing is sometimes i'm doubting that germany is this forerunner in europe, the paradigm for serious planning, economizing and social working, as i get the feeling that we pressure a lot of other countries to hold them down, to stick to our economy and values and spoil others' own ways and possibilities Agree with you =) Moved here from Italy and it's really quite a difference.. cost of living is nearly same as is Italy, often even less (everything around cars for instance), but income is way higher (for doing the same job). Ofc there are ppl around complaining about how bad everything is.. but actually I think they just never moved out their own country to see how things work somewhere else.. Only thing that's quite expensive in Germany is energy/electricity, but I'm perfectly fine with what.. as it costs more because they are about to replace all the nucalear and coal plants with wind turbines and solar panels ("Energiewende" and EEG...).. happy to sponsor that.. so go ahead^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richpa Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 In Croatia situation is horrible, our nominal GDP per capita is around 14 000$, and prices for basic things are very high. Many people did not wanted to be part of European Union and I was one of them, but now even after joining we're all aware that it can't be better, only worse. Our debt towards the IMF and other financial institutions was high and now it's even higher and it will rise, probably until our goverment sold complete natural resources, infrastructure and do the final privatization of the national companies. It's similar scenario that happened and is happening to all small countries in the area, and i'm not optimistic at all. For example in Croatia average salary is 990$ per month and 21% is the registered unemployment rate. With bad politics, pressure from the outside and apparent democracy we got small (and beautiful) country in debt, with high unemployment rate and un-used resources, similar thing that is happening to all countries in ex-Yugoslavia and we all knew that Yugoslavia was one of the strongest countries and economies before the war happened in early 90's. Divide and conquer rule has been applied to small balkan tribes who lived in harmony and welth for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 One word: Greece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerto Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Sweden is apparently the second most (unnecessarily) expensive EU country to live in, which I assume, should speak for itself. On the other hand, the net wages, after the absurdly high taxes, are still decent and among the highest in the EU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insejn Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 No complaints here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoptes Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Here in america we all go around pretending out currency has value and ignore whats going on elsewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.