One in seven Australians on poverty line: report

[kkerry]

Part of the problem in Australia is many people want the latest and greatest but want it now rather than making sacrifices.

While I do wonder how people can afford to buy houses these days when starting out in life, and with the outrageous cost of water, power and government charges, I look back at how I did it. I went years driving the same old car, didn't go out drinking and eating every night, saved money by making my own sandwiches for lunch and by not buying three or four take away coffees everyday as I see some people do. I'm sure I wasn't the most fun person to be around back then but today I have it easy. I'm never going to be eligible for the pension but I don't need one. Try to live within your means and Australia for all its faults can still be a pretty good place to live when you look at the turmoil that exists in some countries.

[tw25rw]

I agree with Neverdie, it has become a place for the Rich, and will become a Chinese country in the not to distant future, lived there most of my working life, it is an Over regulated, Over Taxed Dump. The only redeeming feature is you can get good food there, at a price!

Here I was thinking that Australia was on the verge of becoming a caliphate based on what some of TV's finest were saying.

And now you are telling me I'm going to have to get used to using bloody chopsticks for every meal?

Or is it the Chinese Muslims who are taking over Australia.

I'm all confused!!!

Saying they oppose large scale muslim immigration isn't the same as saying it's at risk of becoming a caliphate. Not wanting a troublesome minority doesn't mean you are scared of them taking power.

[tw25rw]

Always thought Australia was becoming a place for the very rich and very poor.Cost of living rising fast and property prices out of reach for many ,politicians have screwed up and nothing changing much.

I went back in March after 5 years away and was horrified at how expensive it was.

I've done some research into property and found that if you don't need to commute to a large town, you can still buy very cheap property. The upside of living in a large, sparsely populated country..

[natway09]

This subject is far too complex for my little brain, but it does point out a lot of the worlds problems & some which we should heed, in particular if living here.

ie, I am rich here, but poor in OZ. $400 a week is 48,000 bht a month, more than 95% of the Thai work force are on a lot less than that.

Oh well, relativity. as Soopy says "I am happy in my Stupidity" I'll just stay here for now

[kkerry]

You're going to struggle in Australia on $400 a week if you eat out a lot, smoke, drink, shop at 7/11 etc.

Can of Coke in Thailand 15 baht v Australia $3

Can of beer 30-40 baht v $3+ in a bottle shop.

Smokes 60 baht a pack v $15!!!

A food court or street stall meal and drink less than 100 baht v $10

McDonalds meal 130 baht v $8+

Water bill 200 baht a month v $200 a quarter!!!

If you don't drink or smoke, can cook your own food and don't go out a lot, live in a low rent area then I wouldn't say you are living in poverty in Australia, but have a few kids that go to school and it gets tough.

A single person on $400 a week in Thailand can have a nice standard of living.

[Evilbaz]

So Age Pensioners on the basic Single Pension (without supplement payments) are " below the poverty line in OZ" but can live like a "hansum man" in Thailand.

Who can wonder why there are so many "economic refugees" ?

[DavoTheGun]

Yes and there will be many more as time goes on, I do not get a Pension but if I had stayed in Aus I would have had to get one eventually, That if I wanted to retain the Lifestyle I was used too, Travel, Dine Out. Holidays etc etc, can do it Easy in Thailand and Die leaving something for my Wife, which I would probably not be able to if in Aus!

I am just amazed at the stupidity of some young people today, they have to have the Biggest House, bloody great Mortgage, both have to Work to pay for it, The Swimming pool, have to try and furnish this monstrosity, Heat and cool ot, huge utility bills, only live in a small part of this House, never use the huge Kitchen, eat take away, or go out, most cant cook anyway, do not know how. then one gets sick or Pregnant, then huge Problems,

Of course once they have finished uo filling up the house with crap, they then rent Self Storage to put more crap in!

In the not to distant future the bubble is going to burst on Real Estate in Australia,Houses will devalue at least 40% in some suburbs, just like the US only a few years ago. I Promise!

[White Christmas13]

DavoTheGun, on 15 Oct 2014 - 08:37, said:

I agree with Neverdie, it has become a place for the Rich, and will become a Chinese country in the not to distant future, lived there most of my working life, it is an Over regulated, Over Taxed Dump. The only redeeming feature is you can get good food there, at a price!

You seem to forget that "Over regulated, Over Taxed Dump" is the country that provided you with the income that has allowed you to now live in Thailand. There are millions who are quite happy living there, seems to me the people who complain about being "Over regulated" are the very people that the nation needs to "regulate", most are anti social in behaviour, hence enjoy the "freedom" of slack law enforcement. All to his own, Australia is better off with you.

While I must agree of some of what you say, Aus is a Nanny State, I recently spent a Month back there with my Thai Wife to show her around the country, managed to rack up over $1000 of Speeding fines, never went more then 5Km over the limit anywhere, Motorways, Highways,etc have Cops of Hidden Cameras, it is worse now then 3 Years ago, friend had a party for his Daughters 21st, had to get a Permit from Council and let the Police know because had invited more than 10 People, cost $100.

If that is not Over Regulated I do not know what is! many more examples I could give you, but to many. The USA enjoys much more Freedom for its people, because in in the Constitution.

Australia used to be a good place to live, NOT anymore, Trying to sell my house for more then a year, disputed by my Family , (Daughter).because I changed my mind about my Will, so far cost me $100,000 In Legals, and still can not put on Market.

the Court System stinks, only for the very Rich, should not be so, I hope I do not have to go back to the Bloody Dump again!!!

Having spent a month there you say and you racked up speeding fines at $ 1000 I have been living here for about 40 years and had not 1 speeding ticket

The court system stinks, only for the very rich? And I hope you will never come here again you don't know what you are talking about

[MediaWatcher]

natway09, on 17 Oct 2014 - 13:41, said:

This subject is far too complex for my little brain, but it does point out a lot of the worlds problems & some which we should heed, in particular if living here.

ie, I am rich here, but poor in OZ. $400 a week is 48,000 bht a month, more than 95% of the Thai work force are on a lot less than that.

Oh well, relativity. as Soopy says "I am happy in my Stupidity" I'll just stay here for now

I'm not sure why people focus on $400/weeks, the minimum wage is $640.90 a week, or $16.87 an hour. read.. MINIMUM wage, this is for unskilled workers, so if you wasted your life, by failing school and/or not taking up a trade. then blame yourself, not the country. Now, if your living in Thailand, and living off an Australian pension, then you are a lucky lucky person...you should be living very comfortably, single person $427/week, what more do you want for free.

[MediaWatcher]

DavoTheGun, on 17 Oct 2014 - 16:32, said:

Yes and there will be many more as time goes on, I do not get a Pension but if I had stayed in Aus I would have had to get one eventually, That if I wanted to retain the Lifestyle I was used too, Travel, Dine Out. Holidays etc etc, can do it Easy in Thailand and Die leaving something for my Wife, which I would probably not be able to if in Aus!

I am just amazed at the stupidity of some young people today, they have to have the Biggest House, bloody great Mortgage, both have to Work to pay for it, The Swimming pool, have to try and furnish this monstrosity, Heat and cool ot, huge utility bills, only live in a small part of this House, never use the huge Kitchen, eat take away, or go out, most cant cook anyway, do not know how. then one gets sick or Pregnant, then huge Problems,

Of course once they have finished uo filling up the house with crap, they then rent Self Storage to put more crap in!

In the not to distant future the bubble is going to burst on Real Estate in Australia,Houses will devalue at least 40% in some suburbs, just like the US only a few years ago. I Promise!

But it is their choice, have you stopped to think about how your wife will live after you "die" and the money runs out. Basically you condemn her to the same life she had prior to you coming along. Like so many farang, only thinking of YOUR life.... not their families.

[Evilbaz]

DavoTheGun, on 17 Oct 2014 - 16:32, said:

Yes and there will be many more as time goes on, I do not get a Pension but if I had stayed in Aus I would have had to get one eventually, That if I wanted to retain the Lifestyle I was used too, Travel, Dine Out. Holidays etc etc, can do it Easy in Thailand and Die leaving something for my Wife, which I would probably not be able to if in Aus!

I am just amazed at the stupidity of some young people today, they have to have the Biggest House, bloody great Mortgage, both have to Work to pay for it, The Swimming pool, have to try and furnish this monstrosity, Heat and cool ot, huge utility bills, only live in a small part of this House, never use the huge Kitchen, eat take away, or go out, most cant cook anyway, do not know how. then one gets sick or Pregnant, then huge Problems,

Of course once they have finished uo filling up the house with crap, they then rent Self Storage to put more crap in!

In the not to distant future the bubble is going to burst on Real Estate in Australia,Houses will devalue at least 40% in some suburbs, just like the US only a few years ago. I Promise!

But it is their choice, have you stopped to think about how your wife will live after you "die" and the money runs out. Basically you condemn her to the same life she had prior to you coming along. Like so many farang, only thinking of YOUR life.... not their families.

The TG "wife" will do very nicely after she dons the white for her 100 days in the temple retreat.

She'll have a house, a car, sundry motorbikes and a thriving business here with a number of her family gainfully employed making curtains to order.

Edited October 17, 2014 by Evilbaz

[AnotherOneAmerican]

But it is their choice, have you stopped to think about how your wife will live after you "die" and the money runs out. Basically you condemn her to the same life she had prior to you coming along. Like so many farang, only thinking of YOUR life.... not their families.

Off topic,

Small point here, but most women don't consider how their man will live if they die, so why should we care how they live after we die?

I would rather my gf lives a life of misery and poverty, after I die, with only the fond memories of her life with me to keep out the cold. That sounds way better to me than the thought of her living it up with some young stud on the money she got from me dying (and wishing I had died even earlier).

Edited October 17, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[culicine]

I'm going there in 5 weeks. I hope I can still buy my Eggs Benedict and coffee for $20 in Glebe

Im just back from Perth. Everything is quite expensive now. Salaries are good, but that gets smashed by taxes of all sorts. One can have a nice life there but you do need a sizeable income. The poor get a double whammy - unless they cook at home they can only afford fast food - and still its not that cheap - 18 dollars for kfc for me and my son. A few groceries cost well over 1000 baht too.

[culicine]

You're going to struggle in Australia on $400 a week if you eat out a lot, smoke, drink, shop at 7/11 etc.

Can of Coke in Thailand 15 baht v Australia $3

Can of beer 30-40 baht v $3+ in a bottle shop.

Smokes 60 baht a pack v $15!!!

A food court or street stall meal and drink less than 100 baht v $10

McDonalds meal 130 baht v $8+

Water bill 200 baht a month v $200 a quarter!!!

If you don't drink or smoke, can cook your own food and don't go out a lot, live in a low rent area then I wouldn't say you are living in poverty in Australia, but have a few kids that go to school and it gets tough.

A single person on $400 a week in Thailand can have a nice standard of living.

And you are comparing the lowest prices from OZ too. Got a small beer in a restaurant in Perth - 8 dollars....average meal prices were 30-50 dollars in a half decent restaurant. Despite the cost, I saw a LOT of people eating out in Perth CBD every night.

[mikiea]

damm, $ 3 for a can of beer? a case of beer for almost 50 bucks! every time my lil brother & his fat a#s wife come over my house they by themselfs would be drinking almost $100 worth of beer. imported from where? dark side of the moon? sorry dude, had no idea :-)

[teatree]

Just got back from Oz ( Sydney)...wow that place is expensive! More so than London from my experience.

[kkerry]

damm, $ 3 for a can of beer? a case of beer for almost 50 bucks! every time my lil brother & his fat a#s wife come over my house they by themselfs would be drinking almost $100 worth of beer. imported from where? dark side of the moon? sorry dude, had no idea :-)

$40-45 for 24x375ml Vic Bitter cans, local not imported. I know guys who buy a carton of beer and smoke a pack a day... that's $400 a week gone... but they still manage to hold down a job so they get by.

[DavoTheGun]

DavoTheGun, on 17 Oct 2014 - 16:32, said:

Yes and there will be many more as time goes on, I do not get a Pension but if I had stayed in Aus I would have had to get one eventually, That if I wanted to retain the Lifestyle I was used too, Travel, Dine Out. Holidays etc etc, can do it Easy in Thailand and Die leaving something for my Wife, which I would probably not be able to if in Aus!

I am just amazed at the stupidity of some young people today, they have to have the Biggest House, bloody great Mortgage, both have to Work to pay for it, The Swimming pool, have to try and furnish this monstrosity, Heat and cool ot, huge utility bills, only live in a small part of this House, never use the huge Kitchen, eat take away, or go out, most cant cook anyway, do not know how. then one gets sick or Pregnant, then huge Problems,

Of course once they have finished uo filling up the house with crap, they then rent Self Storage to put more crap in!

In the not to distant future the bubble is going to burst on Real Estate in Australia,Houses will devalue at least 40% in some suburbs, just like the US only a few years ago. I Promise!

But it is their choice, have you stopped to think about how your wife will live after you "die" and the money runs out. Basically you condemn her to the same life she had prior to you coming along. Like so many farang, only thinking of YOUR life.... not their families.

You are so full of it, you are way of course, my Wife will finish up with about 3MBt at least, plus house, Car, Motorbikes, 100 Ria of Plantation, Car for Family etc etc. what she does with it will be up to her, she will certainly be young enough to find somebody else, she says she would not, But!

[DavoTheGun]

Sorry a Typo, 3 Mill should read 13Mil!