Don’t Waste Money on......

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by MTR, 27th Nov, 2019.

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  1. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    BTW. Did you get a free chook?
     
  2. KinG3o0o

    KinG3o0o Well-Known Member

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    watches , you pretty much all lose money unless you have a hand full of models that is being flipped, you will easily triple your money. more flipper than enthusiast


    whisky is another one on the hype training now, people are more interested in drinking colour additives & labels than whisky.


    Sneakers? yeezy 350 rrp and flipped for 2.5k ?

    who doesn't like that?
     
  3. Truly Exotic

    Truly Exotic Well-Known Member

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    spot on I totally agree

    I am the worlds biggest dog lover,
    if I was down to my last dollar and saw a homeless person and a dog on the street, id give it to the dog

    although its cute seeing a dog sitting outside a cafe with the owners, dogs at a cafe are annoying for everyone, and it makes others restless, and should for the owner too
     
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  4. Phar Lap

    Phar Lap Well-Known Member

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    I didnt say you were disagreeing.

    People should not treat dogs like they are humans.
    They are dogs which have a totally different social hierarchy to us humans. Its is one of the most misunderstood things when it comes to having pets.
     
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  5. Phar Lap

    Phar Lap Well-Known Member

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    Ha haa, no not yet.
    Havent been to Coles. Its 60klm away!
     
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  6. # 1

    # 1 Well-Known Member

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    Fair enough mate but I'm thinking more along the lines of buying a forum for general investment income/return, rather than what a small handful of individual posters write. You're a big fish in a small pond here and nothing wrong with that, it's comfortable to post in a cosy environment where there's only about 60-100 regular posters but I can assure you there's also lots of good regular posters with more knowledge on the big boards like Hotcopper, Whirlpool and Reddit.
     
  7. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    Buying the forum was a joke :)
     
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  8. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Can you post a couple of links

    Also can work the other way, for example US forum Biggerpockets is huge, but it can be difficult to navigate.... too much information

    Also too much sales talk if you get what I mean
     
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  9. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    We were in Europe recently (Budapest and several German towns/cities). I can't recall which city it was, but we saw several youngish men sitting in the squares, caps out waiting for donations.

    They didn't look homeless, but more telling was they they had beautiful, well fed, clean large dogs. We've given to homeless people before, but it seemed that these dogs were not missing out on any meals, nor the young men. I know we shouldn't judge on appearance. But each time you pass a hat waiting for coins, you have to make a quick decision so visual clues do mean something.
     
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  10. Truly Exotic

    Truly Exotic Well-Known Member

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    having travelled to a few asian countries and in the touristy areas
    and you see your fair share of homeless people

    sometimes its a bunch of young backpackers who've over indulged and need money to get a flight home, zero sympathy from me

    sometimes its a person with missing limbs, thats sad
    sometimes its a mother with a baby

    sometimes its a older white guy who obviously lives there and no longer has any money,

    my research has shown that many of these are part of a begging sydnicate, of which they give their donated money to the boss,

    someone told me the best way to see if they are real, is to give them food, and if they reject it, then they are professional beggars

    that being said, I very rarely donate to someone on the street
     
  11. sharon

    sharon Well-Known Member

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    Don't waste money on - dance lessons for your children.

    My little girl LOVES Ballet - and it's great when they are little - doesn't cost much.
    But now that she is getting older - the Ballet lessons are getting more and more expensive.
    And she is pretty good at it - so has been selected for Classical Ballet Eisteddfods and has just been invited to try out for Lyrical Eisteddfods too.

    I can't help think that if I had tried her in soccer or netball or ANYTHING else really when she was little - instead of Ballet - then she might have fallen in love with a sport that isn't going to send me broke. :)
     
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  12. Islay

    Islay Well-Known Member

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    HaHa I can sense your pride mixed with frustration @sharon. My experience is kids never fall in love with the cheaper option of ANYTHING. Well done to your daughter and you. In a few years you can post that it was all worth it after all. :)
     
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  13. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    Why's ballet so expensive? I thought some shoes and a tutu and off you go..
     
  14. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    I'd say gymnastics is useful for those inclined as a kid. I if you get them to only do one thing, make it gymnastics. It's a good platform for many other activities, from volleyball (good form and body coordination), diving, dance, cheerleading, aerial silks, pole, unicycling (lack of fear), probably skating too.

    Balance, strength, flexibility, no fear.
    If you have gymnastic skill, it will take you places.
     
    Last edited: 6th Dec, 2019
  15. sharon

    sharon Well-Known Member

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    @Sackie - the Ballet exams each year add a minimal cost. But they come with 2 x compulsory workshops held in school holidays leading up to the exams. Plus you have to do 2 x Classical classes a week to be accepted into the exams in the first place.
    2 x classes a week = $375 per term.
    1 x Eisteddfod class a week = $130 per term.
    Extra Eisteddfod training and compulsory workshops leading up to the Eisteddfods (varying costs).

    In U6 age group there are two Classical routines performed per Eisteddfod and the dance school as a group attend 5 Eisteddfods (this is not negotiable if you are in the Eisteddfod group). First tutu is second-hand and cost $160 second is new and costs $280.
    Each Eisteddfod child is expected to wear the same make-up and brand of make-up on stage so they all look the same - make-up for 6yo = $120. And each child must arrive and leave the Eisteddfod in the same track suit - with the appropriate logo - $220 (for a trucksuit - OMG).

    So for the classes alone it's $505 per term or a bit over $2k per year.
    Plus exams workshops and fees.
    Plus Eisteddfod outfits, entry fees, and workshops.

    As I said it goes up from there.
    In comparison - my son plays soccer and it's $480 a year plus kit.
     
  16. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Two of my granddaughters dance, primarily ballet.

    But what most people fail to realise is that running a dance school is a BUSINESS!

    And how do they increase revenue? Extra classes!

    And they have a captive audience, keen little girls. So you enrol in one class. Little one loves it. Soon it is gently suggested that she would benefit from another class. Then another.

    After a year or two, comes the biggie. Your child is “promising”, “doing so well” and has been “selected” to enter an eisteddfod (competition). Then two! Then comes the “suggestion” that child would benefit from a private lesson to “fine tune” their item, or two, or ten... And a special costume just for each item.

    And then there are the exams, again extra classes.

    You have to buy a big bag to carry all the costumes to events and concerts. Child is in 5+ items, so 5 costumes, 1-4 pairs of different shoes, makeup, etc.

    Sure, the kids love it, (and my grandkids have rows of trophies) but it is a real money pit. And time consuming.
     
    Last edited: 6th Dec, 2019
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  17. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    I think it's common to dance schools, not just ballet. My sister says the dance classes for her daughter is expensive.
     
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  18. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Edited my post. Granddaughters do other classes beside ballet - tap, theatre etc.
     
  19. sharon

    sharon Well-Known Member

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    @Marg4000 - yep you have it in one. Well said. It is a business and OMG do they make money.

    As you said - they slowly increase the classes etc. For example - Lyrical was introduced to the 6yo girls at the end of this year - in their Classical class. The last 10mins dedicated to Lyrical - and what do you know - 7yo and above can enroll in Lyrical classes next year (as well as Classical).

    The stuff about "promising" and "doing so well" etc is also true. But interestingly - the ballet school also don't select everyone to be doing the extra stuff. They have turned down kids that want to do the Eisteddfods if they are not good enough (the owner doesn't want her name and reputation tarnished by submitting a low quality entry).

    Soon I will have to start saying No for the extra classes and Eisteddfods. I am not looking forward to that. But the money is crazy expensive. I know some couples where the husbands wage supports the family and the wife's entire wage is spent on dance stuff.
     
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  20. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    Never imagined it's that full on... But makes sense I guess, they wanna make a good return for their business.