Categories
Consumerism Film TV

Given the price differential, it’s hard to see that GST on imports would make any difference

Among the presents I got for my birthday was a JB Hifi gift card. This always presents a challenge: what bargains can I pick up? Browsing around the store one day, I found the two Harry Potter movies we don’t already have — the Deathly Hallows parts 1 and 2 — on Blu-ray, for $14.98,  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism transport

No, the law doesn’t demand that Myki accept 5 cent coins, or that Metcard machines accept notes

The question seems to keep coming up as to whether it’s legal for Myki machines to not accept 5 cent coins; or indeed whether it’s legal for Metcard machines on trams to only accept coins (not notes). Some people assume that because it’s all legal tender, it must be against the law to demand specific  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Video games

There goes my August spending money

Yowzers. It’s been 7 years since I bought the house. And it’s been four years since I bought the car. At the time I bought the car, the dealer I bought it from had just paid the rego, so it’s due every August. This year it’s $696.50. Obviously because I bought the car in August,  ... [More]

Categories
Home life

The gamble of fixed interest rates

In October 2007 I switched to a fixed interest rate of 7.85% for five years. It turned out to be a terrible punt. The Global Financial Crisis hit the following year, with interest rates dipping to record lows. I shudder to think how much money I might have saved if at that point I’d locked  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Film TV

Too long to blog on their own, too short to Tweet

Forgot to review the Star Trek movie. In summary: great stuff, really enjoyable. (And still chuckling over The Onion’s take on it.) How is it that Rivers in Victoria have 7 retail outlets, but 31 clearance centres? For those of you who want to browse PT timetables online while out and about, bookmark this in  ... [More]