Pampered FIFO workers come back to earth with a bump

[sleepisforthedead]

As a breakdown fitter in an underground mine, I'll say that every single cent of my pay is earned. Over two km's underground doing repairs on a machine that's too hot to even sit on let alone climb into an engine or transmission bay to repair or replace something.. mining is not all easy work.

As HI PSI has said we're not all truck drivers, even underground skilled laborers get annoyed with which the ease a truck driver gets a job, but that's how it is. Everyone sitting there saying it's easy money bla bla yada yada.. working and living on site isn't a fairytale. Being away from family and friends for months at a time isn't a fairytale. Working underground isn't a fairytale.

All you guys quoting defense force figures, correct me if I'm wrong but their pay is tax free is it not? Defense guys get 1/2% house loans do they not?

[mcnews]

LOL tax free, that is a funny one... And pretty much all the benefits in regards to great pension system etc. is all gone too, the pension system etc. now comparable to mainstream industry etc.

[mcflux]

Originally Posted by mcnews

LOL tax free, that is a funny one... And pretty much all the benefits in regards to great pension system etc. is all gone too, the pension system etc. now comparable to mainstream industry etc.

I'd like to know what these mainstream industries are, other than politics, that provides a pension for their ex-employees

[mcnews]

As in there is no pension these days like there used to be after 20 years etc, It's pretty much like normal super. As I said, it's just like being a civilian now, but of course no over time, no penalty rates, on call 24-7 etc. etc. etc.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by sleepisforthedead

All you guys quoting defense force figures, correct me if I'm wrong but their pay is tax free is it not? Defense guys get 1/2% house loans do they not?

I wish

[mcnews]

The politicians kept all their perks mate but the defence lost all theirs about 25 years ago.

[Interceptor]

1: If FIFO workers want to whinge about missing the comforts of home, their families, being forced to live in hick towns and ****holes, sorry, but if they want the big paycheque, they have to pay a price somewhere.
2: If FIFO workers think that getting their pay and perks cut is such a hardship, they are quite welcome to **** off back to suburbia and go back to their average wage job, if they can afford to.
3: Working in the mining industry is not significantly more dangerous than anything else, what is a problem is the complacency, stupidity and lack of responsibility that came with the flood of cleanskins.
What drove the pay rates and benefits up for the mine workers was the unions holding the mining companies and contractors to ransom, giving the ultimatum of "Pay up or else". Its a shame that such demands have put the mine workers in a position where they are pricing themselves out of the market, thinner profit margins meaning either cuts to the size of the workforce and higher demands for efficiency, cuts to pay and benefits, or larger numbers of imported workers, a situation that is predicted to happen with the Adani mine.

At the end of the day, the FIFO'ers who think they are hard done by should think themselves lucky they still have a job. There are many, MANY more who will happily take their place.

[prydey]

I don't think anyone really begrudges the money those in the mining industry make. By the same token, those in the industry know what they are signing up for, so the smart ones make good use of their income while it lasts.

I did have to laugh about the guy in the article that was doing it so tough he had to sell one of his investment properties. The poor soul. However will he manage

The thing is, like any industry, when there is a downturn, cut backs are made, and wages and benefits are always top of the list.

If those in the industry don't like the new conditions or terms, then leave and find something else, or accept that employers don't have never ending supply of cash.

[Stefan]

I see no one complaining at miners rates of pay.

Our eyes glaze over though, when they whinge about cut backs when there is a down turn.

Move on, wait for the next boom.

[mcnews]

It is going to be very tough for those that have to adjust throughout the period though for sure.

A lot of the ones in their 20s have never really known what it is like to have to try to get a job and then have to live on crap pay etc.

And the impersonal job agency crap way of trying to apply for jobs these days has knobs on it too. That side of things is harder these days than it ever was for us a little older, I am damn sure of that. But of course then I remember my bricklayer dad sleeping in car outside newspaper printing office, to wait for first papers to come out the door so they could see the job adverts first and then drive to where ever the job was and sleep on the job and be first in line to get a day or a week laying bricks. But still, I think that has its positives over today's false job agency rigmoral people have to go through.

And good on the miners for getting what they could while they could. I don't hold that against them. Just my eyes glazed over at the whinge about the conditions ;-)

[Streets]

Originally Posted by mcnews

And the impersonal job agency crap way of trying to apply for jobs these days has knobs on it too. That side of things is harder these days than it ever was for us a little older, I am damn sure of that. But of course then I remember my bricklayer dad sleeping in car outside newspaper printing office, to wait for first papers to come out the door so they could see the job adverts first and then drive to where ever the job was and sleep on the job and be first in line to get a day or a week laying bricks. But still, I think that has its positives over today's false job agency rigmoral people have to go through.

Yes I hate this. A third of the jobs on jobsearch websites don't exist and are just a way for dodgy training companies to get your personal details so they can call you and try to sell you useless training courses. Another third of vacancies are posted by job agencies on behalf of a mysterious unnamed employer, so you have no idea who you are even trying to get a job with. And the last third are so vague it's impossible to write a relevant cover letter because the ad doesn't even list the duties you will be performing or where you will be working.

This is after sifting through the hundreds of irrelevant job listings that make it to the top of every page because they paid extra for their ad.

This doesn't even touch on the whole mandatory reporting thing the unemployed have to go through - there is a whole industry geared around exploiting the jobless, making money for employment companies at the expense of the unemployed.

[comagutsa]

well I just wrote a whole story of about me in FIFO for 13 yr and deleted it because unless you have worked in FIFO you really have no idea
yes I started in approx. 2002 when iron ore was worth $20US a tonne and I was doing 4 week on 1 off way before boom times for 1yr
then I was doing 6 weeks on 1 off for 2yr
the 3weeks on 1 off 6 months
2weeks on 1 off for 4 yr
the 9 days on 5 off for
now I was made to go 8days on 6 off (approx. 1.5yr now) and lost $22k which equalled $1100 a month out of my take home pay (I get paid monthly), which bloody hurts when you have 2 mortgages and you were halfway into major renos on your new house

now over this time when I 1st started I made $110k inc tax a yr. 13yr later I make $140k inc tax..don't see much of an increase in pay over that time (I was making up to $150k inc tax when working 6/1)...and they way some people quote peoples wages in mining I must really be in the wrong jobs....

yes I work less time than before and get around the same money
but I have missed out on so much since being in mining with my and other people lives
missed wedding, birthdays, births and deaths
I seen people lose their life's and take their life's while mining and this shouldn't happen
I do it to try and get ahead in life, when I 1st started my money went 3 times farther than it does today, cost of living was cheaper , housing was cheaper, everything was cheaper, but not now ..my wages haven't increase 3 times, lucky if they increase a quarter of the amount
yes I've brought and sold houses, sometime I made money sometime I didn't trying to set myself up , got burnt in global financial crisis yrs ago, things changed in my life and I lost girlfriends and mates and family from working away, I didn't blow my money on drug, **** and whores as most people think us FIFO guys do
I spent it on houses the odd car and motor bike for myself and my wife (2 cars in 10yr and 3 road bikes in 13ys) and trips overseas, failed business trying to get ahead so I can stop FIFO
I work away so I can afford to pay the bills and live comfortably and if I could find a job in perth that let me do the hours I would make the same money, but they are not there
I do it because that's where the money is not because I love it, it hard and at time you wonder why you do it, but I got off my a$$ and got a job years ago before the boom (now that was a hard time to get your foot in the door) even started way back then
no way could I afford what I have or if I was working in perth but saying that we don't deserve the money for what we do, that just makes me mad ...
yes since I got my pay cut I had to watch what I spend my money on as I now live from pay check to pay check because 2 mortgages will do that but I'm living in a great house (its not flash but its what I have always wanted and we are still trying to finish the renos it) , yes I could sell them and walk away with some money ..but what then I still need to find somewhere to live so the cycle starts all over again

I see camps get better from having a room that doesn't have a dunny or shower in it to having them..now it sucks going to the toilet in middle of day to do a **** and its 45 degrees outside then trying to get back to sleep for night shift, glad those days are over
I for one in all my sites have never had crayfish cooked to order been in over 15 camps in 13yrs FIFO and best you get to order is maybe some fish or chicken or steak and its not the best quality stuff or its food that's already made up
camps have gotten better because believe it or not they are your homes.. you spend more time there than you do in your own home with your wife and kids and dogs etc,
places don't last if they don't look after your employees no matter how much you pay them.
so after a 12yr day I can go back my room and watch fox, go to the gym , go for a swim or run around an oval or have a beer... what you guys do that to when you get home after your 8 hour day, so why cant I a FIFO worker , but you get to see you wife and kids and dog and spend time with them and do what you want to, we don't

we don't do it for the love of it and given the chance nearly all would come back home to work if they got paid the same money back home doing the same hours

yes times are tougher but I have seen tougher times for mining companies and they have never tightened the belt this much before .. not even when the global crisis hit
they are just looking after their share holders now

now some will agree and some wont just my 2cents from my time as FIFO
and its not easy on anyone who does it and those familys back home whos mum or dad, sister or brother work FIFO

[XWGT]

Unless I'm missing something everyone has a choice as to where they work and what they do.
Good times come and good times go.
Nothing new there. Just ask aircraft mechanics, ship builders, metal workers......

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by comagutsa

well I just wrote a whole story of about me in FIFO for 13 yr and deleted it because unless you have worked in FIFO you really have no idea
yes I started in approx. 2002 when iron ore was worth $20US a tonne and I was doing 4 week on 1 off way before boom times for 1yr
then I was doing 6 weeks on 1 off for 2yr
the 3weeks on 1 off 6 months
2weeks on 1 off for 4 yr
the 9 days on 5 off for
now I was made to go 8days on 6 off (approx. 1.5yr now) and lost $22k which equalled $1100 a month out of my take home pay (I get paid monthly), which bloody hurts when you have 2 mortgages and you were halfway into major renos on your new house

now over this time when I 1st started I made $110k inc tax a yr. 13yr later I make $140k inc tax..don't see much of an increase in pay over that time (I was making up to $150k inc tax when working 6/1)...and they way some people quote peoples wages in mining I must really be in the wrong jobs....

yes I work less time than before and get around the same money
but I have missed out on so much since being in mining with my and other people lives
missed wedding, birthdays, births and deaths
I seen people lose their life's and take their life's while mining and this shouldn't happen
I do it to try and get ahead in life, when I 1st started my money went 3 times farther than it does today, cost of living was cheaper , housing was cheaper, everything was cheaper, but not now ..my wages haven't increase 3 times, lucky if they increase a quarter of the amount
yes I've brought and sold houses, sometime I made money sometime I didn't trying to set myself up , got burnt in global financial crisis yrs ago, things changed in my life and I lost girlfriends and mates and family from working away, I didn't blow my money on drug, **** and whores as most people think us FIFO guys do
I spent it on houses the odd car and motor bike for myself and my wife (2 cars in 10yr and 3 road bikes in 13ys) and trips overseas, failed business trying to get ahead so I can stop FIFO
I work away so I can afford to pay the bills and live comfortably and if I could find a job in perth that let me do the hours I would make the same money, but they are not there
I do it because that's where the money is not because I love it, it hard and at time you wonder why you do it, but I got off my a$$ and got a job years ago before the boom (now that was a hard time to get your foot in the door) even started way back then
no way could I afford what I have or if I was working in perth but saying that we don't deserve the money for what we do, that just makes me mad ...
yes since I got my pay cut I had to watch what I spend my money on as I now live from pay check to pay check because 2 mortgages will do that but I'm living in a great house (its not flash but its what I have always wanted and we are still trying to finish the renos it) , yes I could sell them and walk away with some money ..but what then I still need to find somewhere to live so the cycle starts all over again

I see camps get better from having a room that doesn't have a dunny or shower in it to having them..now it sucks going to the toilet in middle of day to do a **** and its 45 degrees outside then trying to get back to sleep for night shift, glad those days are over
I for one in all my sites have never had crayfish cooked to order been in over 15 camps in 13yrs FIFO and best you get to order is maybe some fish or chicken or steak and its not the best quality stuff or its food that's already made up
camps have gotten better because believe it or not they are your homes.. you spend more time there than you do in your own home with your wife and kids and dogs etc,
places don't last if they don't look after your employees no matter how much you pay them.
so after a 12yr day I can go back my room and watch fox, go to the gym , go for a swim or run around an oval or have a beer... what you guys do that to when you get home after your 8 hour day, so why cant I a FIFO worker , but you get to see you wife and kids and dog and spend time with them and do what you want to, we don't

we don't do it for the love of it and given the chance nearly all would come back home to work if they got paid the same money back home doing the same hours

yes times are tougher but I have seen tougher times for mining companies and they have never tightened the belt this much before .. not even when the global crisis hit
they are just looking after their share holders now

now some will agree and some wont just my 2cents from my time as FIFO
and its not easy on anyone who does it and those familys back home whos mum or dad, sister or brother work FIFO

Originally Posted by fat289

If you havn't done this already - JUST DO IT , will be the best change you'll ever make
Dont forget to make up the ball joint wedges to stop binding on the top ball joint at full compression

Someone please send the kid a box of tissues.!! if you can't stand the heat get out and do something you can handle

[smoo]

Originally Posted by comagutsa

well I just wrote a whole story of about me in FIFO for 13 yr and deleted it because unless you have worked in FIFO you really have no idea
yes I started in approx. 2002 when iron ore was worth $20US a tonne and I was doing 4 week on 1 off way before boom times for 1yr
then I was doing 6 weeks on 1 off for 2yr
the 3weeks on 1 off 6 months
2weeks on 1 off for 4 yr
the 9 days on 5 off for
now I was made to go 8days on 6 off (approx. 1.5yr now) and lost $22k which equalled $1100 a month out of my take home pay (I get paid monthly), which bloody hurts when you have 2 mortgages and you were halfway into major renos on your new house

now over this time when I 1st started I made $110k inc tax a yr. 13yr later I make $140k inc tax..don't see much of an increase in pay over that time (I was making up to $150k inc tax when working 6/1)...and they way some people quote peoples wages in mining I must really be in the wrong jobs....

yes I work less time than before and get around the same money
but I have missed out on so much since being in mining with my and other people lives
missed wedding, birthdays, births and deaths
I seen people lose their life's and take their life's while mining and this shouldn't happen
I do it to try and get ahead in life, when I 1st started my money went 3 times farther than it does today, cost of living was cheaper , housing was cheaper, everything was cheaper, but not now ..my wages haven't increase 3 times, lucky if they increase a quarter of the amount
yes I've brought and sold houses, sometime I made money sometime I didn't trying to set myself up , got burnt in global financial crisis yrs ago, things changed in my life and I lost girlfriends and mates and family from working away, I didn't blow my money on drug, **** and whores as most people think us FIFO guys do
I spent it on houses the odd car and motor bike for myself and my wife (2 cars in 10yr and 3 road bikes in 13ys) and trips overseas, failed business trying to get ahead so I can stop FIFO
I work away so I can afford to pay the bills and live comfortably and if I could find a job in perth that let me do the hours I would make the same money, but they are not there
I do it because that's where the money is not because I love it, it hard and at time you wonder why you do it, but I got off my a$$ and got a job years ago before the boom (now that was a hard time to get your foot in the door) even started way back then
no way could I afford what I have or if I was working in perth but saying that we don't deserve the money for what we do, that just makes me mad ...
yes since I got my pay cut I had to watch what I spend my money on as I now live from pay check to pay check because 2 mortgages will do that but I'm living in a great house (its not flash but its what I have always wanted and we are still trying to finish the renos it) , yes I could sell them and walk away with some money ..but what then I still need to find somewhere to live so the cycle starts all over again

I see camps get better from having a room that doesn't have a dunny or shower in it to having them..now it sucks going to the toilet in middle of day to do a **** and its 45 degrees outside then trying to get back to sleep for night shift, glad those days are over
I for one in all my sites have never had crayfish cooked to order been in over 15 camps in 13yrs FIFO and best you get to order is maybe some fish or chicken or steak and its not the best quality stuff or its food that's already made up
camps have gotten better because believe it or not they are your homes.. you spend more time there than you do in your own home with your wife and kids and dogs etc,
places don't last if they don't look after your employees no matter how much you pay them.
so after a 12yr day I can go back my room and watch fox, go to the gym , go for a swim or run around an oval or have a beer... what you guys do that to when you get home after your 8 hour day, so why cant I a FIFO worker , but you get to see you wife and kids and dog and spend time with them and do what you want to, we don't

we don't do it for the love of it and given the chance nearly all would come back home to work if they got paid the same money back home doing the same hours

yes times are tougher but I have seen tougher times for mining companies and they have never tightened the belt this much before .. not even when the global crisis hit
they are just looking after their share holders now

now some will agree and some wont just my 2cents from my time as FIFO
and its not easy on anyone who does it and those familys back home whos mum or dad, sister or brother work FIFO

Sorry, but no one has held a gun to your head demanding you do fifo.
I'm sure everyone on here could all dredge up stories on how we've sacrificed a lot to get ahead in life. Be it work fifo, start up a business pouring every bit of spare cash and time into it, work 90 hour weeks, working two jobs, driving around in ****ters while mates have the latest whatever.
I type this after I've just packed my bag for a 6.30am flight for my next 28 day swing. Not looking forward to it but a walk in the park compared to my last job of being a truck driver, who have it ten times worse than any fifo worker. Perhaps the media can interview some interstate truckies for their next sympathy article, at least the concerns are genuine.

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by comagutsa

That big honking post

Mate, I hate to add to the disagreement of your post, but I think you've made some wrong choices & or been flippant with your money. You've made at least 110k per year for 13 years. Add 30 grand for say 5 years of that, is 1.58 million. I after tax have maybe earnt a third of that in the exact same period. You should have more than 2 investment properties, hell with that kind of bank roll, you should have been able to move into being a full time property investor!

While I may not the particular circumstances with that have led to your current predicament, I think it may be time to really liquidate your holdings, buy a house you own outright, and go to a Job where you earn 50k a year before tax. If your not happy doing it, not doing it for the love, and your not getting ahead, it seems to me your not achieving anything, it's time to dump it!

Time to be happy and broke, instead of unhappy, tired, stressed out and broke!

[pottery beige]

all good gutsa - props up for the share

tough crowd in here

fnlool @ dont forget yo thongs in the communal showers / dog box days

[comagutsa]

like I said if they haven't done it, they wouldn't know, no skin off my nose

hey we all make mistakes throughout life and I bet most of the guys in the same boat would be worse off if they did FIFO
yes I made mistakes , yes no one is holding a gun to my head to do FIFO, yes I have been trying to make my money work for me and yes I have lost a bit through bad choices and global crisis its better than blowing it on drugs and stuff , have only simplified my story (haha yep I did)

yes there are other job out there that do it tough to and fully understand that and I don't bag them out just wanted to put my side of the story through
I learnt over time what FIFO meant and am dealing with it... and that's my choice

FIFO has given me choices and been places that I would never had if I stayed at a mechanic.

just sick of people saying we have it easy blah blah

[Junkyard-Dog]

Originally Posted by Streets

Yes I hate this. A third of the jobs on jobsearch websites don't exist and are just a way for dodgy training companies to get your personal details so they can call you and try to sell you useless training courses. Another third of vacancies are posted by job agencies on behalf of a mysterious unnamed employer, so you have no idea who you are even trying to get a job with. And the last third are so vague it's impossible to write a relevant cover letter because the ad doesn't even list the duties you will be performing or where you will be working.

This is after sifting through the hundreds of irrelevant job listings that make it to the top of every page because they paid extra for their ad.

This doesn't even touch on the whole mandatory reporting thing the unemployed have to go through - there is a whole industry geared around exploiting the jobless, making money for employment companies at the expense of the unemployed.

Let's not forget that experience is always required, regardless of the position available. God help the teenager that is willing to work for peanuts but isn't given a go because they've never had a job... because nobody will give them a go. It is mind boggling.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by comagutsa

like I said if they haven't done it, they wouldn't know, no skin off my nose

hey we all make mistakes throughout life and I bet most of the guys in the same boat would be worse off if they did FIFO
yes I made mistakes , yes no one is holding a gun to my head to do FIFO, yes I have been trying to make my money work for me and yes I have lost a bit through bad choices and global crisis its better than blowing it on drugs and stuff , have only simplified my story (haha yep I did)

yes there are other job out there that do it tough to and fully understand that and I don't bag them out just wanted to put my side of the story through
I learnt over time what FIFO meant and am dealing with it... and that's my choice

FIFO has given me choices and been places that I would never had if I stayed at a mechanic.

just sick of people saying we have it easy blah blah

Quite honestly I don't why you have to explain yourself here, most people would not have a clue about other jobs/careers that they have not done themselves, easy to pass judgement without knowing all the facts.

I always have a smile on my face when reading posts here, too many keyboard warriors, must admit bit guilty myself at times.

Cheers.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by CAT600

Oh and I should have mentioned, today the $450,000 property is comprised of a $300,000 block and a $150,000 house

Even the property that is miles out is $200,000 for the block with a $150,000 house on it
l

I want to know who will build a house for $150,000. Must be a no thrills special with 2 bedrooms

[barrys123]

I've got a son-in-law works onshore in Broome as Logistic Officer for the off-shore rigs and has a three bedroom house for himself up there that he shares with his opposite as they rotate, and works 3 weeks on 3 weeks off and on $350,000 per year and been doing this for 9 years now and loves it, just like a holiday every three weeks. No complaints and never whinges, prior to that was a storeman for Woodside living in Karratha.

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I want to know who will build a house for $150,000. Must be a no thrills special with 2 bedrooms

Building prices are dropping, especially in WA where things have slowed right down. Every second ad on TV seems to be a home building company and recently I saw advertised a home package for $99K.
Land prices seem to be holding steady, however I work directly for a large national developer and their land sales number have reduced significantly too. They have to be careful to not affect values of adjoining developments and do not discount land, rather they incentivise.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by barrys123

I've got a son-in-law works onshore in Broome as Logistic Officer for the off-shore rigs and has a three bedroom house for himself up there that he shares with his opposite as they rotate, and works 3 weeks on 3 weeks off and on $350,000 per year and been doing this for 9 years now and loves it, just like a holiday every three weeks. No complaints and never whinges, prior to that was a storeman for Woodside living in Karratha.

Can't imagine that being true, unless he is a sub-contractor and simply renting a 3 bedroom house.

No PAYG employee is getting that much working 25 weeks a year....Senior Management excluded

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Can't imagine that being true, unless he is a sub-contractor and simply renting a 3 bedroom house.

No PAYG employee is getting that much working 25 weeks a year....Senior Management excluded

internet mate

every storeman in the oil / gas / mines is pulling $300k+

[barrys123]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Can't imagine that being true, unless he is a sub-contractor and simply renting a 3 bedroom house.

No PAYG employee is getting that much working 25 weeks a year....Senior Management excluded

That's correct he subbies himself through an agency that specialises in supplying specialists to the oil & gas industry and she has around 10 that she negotiates their contracts with the oil and gas industry, and she charges the company a fee and is making more then the $350,000 pa that they are. Chevron supplies the house pays his return airfares, plus the cost of a hire car for when he returns to Perth as he lives down the south-west and also for his mobile phone plan.

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I want to know who will build a house for $150,000. Must be a no thrills special with 2 bedrooms

No, I work for a national builder here in QLD, they are a mid level project home builder, and their cheapest house is $158k on ground. No variations. We have a new range launching soon for our first homebuyer/investor range, reduced margins, that have no variations bars site requirements, no colour selection, 4bed, 2 bath, just "here's your house, you have your foot in the door". Prices haven't been estimated just yet, but they quite literally just held the national conference on Thursday/Friday for the company to present and sort this stuff out.

Another builder out there who I used to subcontract drafting work for their cheapest was $160, 4 bed 2 bath. They are out there, you just need to look.

Originally Posted by CAT600

Wrong... because even at 17% the inflation adjusted amount of 112k ($22,000 in 2016's money) is still only $1700 a month where median home loan repayment in Perth is more like $3,000+

Some good reading here to support what ive said:

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013...operty-values/

Its beyond recoverable in a controlled fashion and can only end one of two ways... massive bubble crash or basically un-affordable for our kids

Daniel

Dan, you've only just scratched the surface with the financial problem today. The problem is known as "time decay". Where you dollar simply doesn't buy as much as it used to. Anyone who doesn't believe that has their head buried in the sand.

Take this for example. In the mid 90's my family would go grocery shopping every fortnight. We would load up 2 shopping trolleys to the brim with the food for the fortnight (5 kids). That would cost $300 - 350 depending on of course what was bought. Let's just use $300 as base.

Wednesday the missus & myself went out to do our groceries for the week, and it came to $212 for us and two kids. Nothing exorbitant, no massive amounts of meat, just plain Jane everyday items with a mix of brand and home-brand products. Wasn't even a full trolley..... In 20 years....

Or another example, when I first started in Servos in 2004, a bottle of 600ml coke was $1.80, now $4.59 in just over 10 years.

Same with property. Y2K... Median house price in Sydney was $317k, 2010, it had almost doubled to $619k.

Time decay.... People need to pull the heads out of the sand. Because when your heads in the sand, something else is sticking up real high. And that's where you'll catch it.

That's why FIFO workers really need to be smart with their money. As someone said, do your FIFO work for 5-10 years. Pocket the money, invest it wisely, and keep moving.

That's why on top of my 2 jobs, I have started my own business. I'm not going to trust the government and a flimsy idea (superannuation) to take care of me when I'm nearing retirement age.

[Express]

Originally Posted by comagutsa

just sick of people saying we have it easy blah blah

You have it easy

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Revolver

Or another example, when I first started in Servos in 2004, a bottle of 600ml coke was $1.80, now $4.59 in just over 10 years.

You're using a bottle of coke sold at the local BP as your economic barometer.

In Sydney we usually get two bottles for 5 bucks...never seen a 4.59 price tag at a servo.

But, I don't disagree with you sentiment on average it costs more to to buy things but as I said before we also spend a bucket load more on non-essentials thinking they are essential. Bigger houses, more TVs, multiple cars, internet, gym membership, guitar lessons for the kids (or what ever your kids do), coffee on the way to work, iPhone, iPad for all family members, etc etc.

In my car club, not rich guys, just average joes, but anyone building an engine for their falcon was / is dropping $20-30K on a stroker roller cam V8 without batting an eyelid.

We are in a spending culture, eventually we will snap out of it.

Plenty things are cheaper too. Your coke at the supermarket is probably half the price it use to be, I can buy a can of coke for 50c at any supermarket. Cars are cheaper, TVs are cheaper, white goods are cheaper, hardware is cheaper, tools are cheaper.

Don't know about you, but I do earn a fair bit more today than I did in 2000.

[CAT600]

While the family home is the pre-eminent (by far) outlay that the Aussie family will have to pay every month, it's going to be the benchmark by which all other aspects (income) are gauged

Forget about a bottle of coke.

Cars are cheap yes, but they are probably where they should be and if you take inflation on a 1980 v8 XD Falcon it's probably right what an FGX XR8 costs

Land being out of touch is driving 90+% of the financial issues we have right now, might not appear that way on the surface but if you dig into it you'll see nothing has had an impact that even comes close

Store men in oil and gas where I work are on 100-110k, don't know about the 300+k figure doesn't seem right to me

Daniel