Thread: Are we in a recession or do I just think we are?

Ok, so it is not just me.

I was lucky and scored a promotion last July and with it an 8% pay rise. Only we do not seem to be better off.

My parents are coming over from the UK this month and we normally try to go to the NSW North Coast for a week or 2 when they come out. Not this time. Too expensive and with the exchange rate the way it is my parents aren't in a position to help out.

Last year we were talking about selling the car and getting 2005 - 2008 something or other. Now we are talking about keeping the car for another year or 2.

Whether it is a real recession or not, I feel like we have to keep hold of the money that we have in case I get retrenched.

Originally Posted by p38arover

Yep, I understand that. However, in my case I don't need to sell nor does my wife think I need to sell. It's just that I feel guilty owning something I don't really use. That's why i sold my last bike. I only did 400km on it in my last year of ownership of it.

It's simply too much hassle to suit up to ride unless the trip is at least one hour long and the weather is right. It's normally too hot to ride in summer and I'm not interested in riding in wet weather.

I rarely even drive the Rangie any more.

I have a second bike I ride more often but again not much. It only had 4,000km put on last year and some of that was after I lent it to a bloke for a week.

Know what you mean. I gave up on motorcycles over thirty years ago. Every time I went out on one I felt someone in a car or truck was trying to kill me. Protective clothing is unbearable in Qld. summers.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

I have a Visa debit card. To use it at Dan Murphy's and other stores whose systems are not directly compatible you press the CR button on the handpiece and enter your PIN.

Same here I have had no trouble with my debit card,first time I've heard about some not accepting.I use mine almost daily.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

I am hearing what a lot of you are saying about Australian business and supply prices etc but regularly notice a lot of you here bragging about how you bought such and such overseas for cheaper price. Often calls for group buys on foreign purchases because its too dear here.

Do you perpetrators ever really give a local vendor the opportunity to compete on price on single or group purchases. I'm sure all advertisers associated with this forum would do almost any deal to keep your business local.
so buy overseas but dont ask for first aid when you have shot yourself in the foot.
as the song says "Wake up.....Australia needs a ****en good shake up!

I would love to buy Australian. I look for Australian made clothing but It's all made overseas. I look for Australian processed food but it's all processed overseas. What hapenned to Australian tuna? SAFCOL (Dean Lukin, Port Lincon) is now product of Thailand.
All the stuff I buy from overseas is not available in Australia because the local businesses are not interested in stocking the stuff.

One of the businesses I have worked for were building an installation. They needed quite a volume of steel. BHP quoted a price which was quite expensive so the bought from a New Zealand supplier. The New Zealand supplier supplied Australian made BHP steel at a cheaper price than BHP quoted. Says a lot really.

I apologise for the all over the place nature of this little rant.

very interesting rants and raves, with some very valid points. Unfortunatley we are a the mercy of the larger businesses that only have one aim and that is to make money for shareholders. ( look at the wesfarmers website)
having said that most of them are run by people with economics degrees, so they are only interested in making money by supplying goods that can be sourced cheaply with a high margin of return. where are the products sourced , China of course. ( thats where 95% of the products we sell come from, for thsoe who know where i now work) We have become used to buyng cheaper stuff , that fuels the bigger businesses to source overseas, due to local made stuff that costs more. In order to be more competitive most manufacturing is going offshore. As i see it, we make very little and import a lot. what do aussies actually make, very little these days.
We are our own worst enemies, as some of us are probably the shareholders getting the returns.



john

Whilts there is danger in contributing to the negative vibe I have to say that in my 30 years in the Mechanical Services ( Aircond) part of the commercial building sector , in my opinion , in Victoria , it is currently the quietest I have ever seen. I think it's due to GFC 1 and the lack of money that was available to developers/builders which would have seen projects moving ahead now.

Having said all that though , from;

SMH 15 Feb 2012

A measure of consumer confidence rose for a second straight month in February as households became more upbeat on the outlook for the economy and their own finances even as the Reserve Bank held back on cutting rates again.


The survey of 1200 people by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute showed its index of consumer sentiment climbed 4.2 per cent in February to 101.1, showing optimists finally outnumbering pessimists.

The index was still down 5.2 per cent on February last year, but that was an improvement on the previous month.

From NAB

Overall business confidence was relatively firm in the month, with businesses seemingly still taking relief from the recent RBA rate cuts as well some abatement of concerns about Europe. Nonetheless, labour market conditions remain soft and the overall outlook for near-term activity remains moderate.
Heavy falls in conditions in wholesale, transport & utilities, and construction were broadly offset by improvements in mining, manufacturing and recreation & personal services. Conditions deteriorated sharply in SA and Tasmania, but strengthened modestly in Victoria and Queensland.

So whilst it might seem like we are in a recession , I don't think we are technically.

I do note however that a number of people close to me also express hesitation in discretionary spending or upgrading cars etc.

Just my $0.02 cents worth , sorry my $0.05 cents worth as we don't have $0.02 any more.

Yep, I understand that. However, in my case I don't need to sell nor does my wife think I need to sell. It's just that I feel guilty owning something I don't really use. That's why i sold my last bike. I only did 400km on it in my last year of ownership of it.

I have to laugh at this one.
My son and I were talking a while ago and we reckon that a lot of guys put ridiculous prices on bikes as the "for sale" is a result of the wife saying "you have to get rid of that bike!"
"yes dear, I have been trying to sell it for months, and I won't take nothing!"
There has been a bloke on the Central Coast trying to sell a 800CC Yamaha twin for $4600 for 2years now. I would be interested at say $2500 but I know what his reaction would be.

I also think that the numbers are pretty low so it is not a marriage deal breaker, so many guys can continue the charade for years.

When I sold my 2002 Honda Hornet 900 in 2007 with 40KK on it, I listed it at AFAIR $5000 and it sold at $4700 in a few days. Only 40 something % of new value but realistic. Dealers want at least $2K markup, even on cheap stuff
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by incisor

retail is dead or at best dying in this part of the world

nearly every small business i talk to is pessimistic

already a few have folded around here and quite a few more have downsized to smaller premises

many are praying the make it to end of lease...

bit eerie actually...

the big carpark over the road from me had 3 cars in it at lunchtime today

that is definitely scary....

....and made all the more scary 'cos one of them was yours Inc