Rip Off Britain

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by laup, Mar 8, 2007.

  1. laup

    laup Byte Poster

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    Ok now why when its basicly $2USD to the GBP does a cisco exam still cost 100 quid when our american counter parts get the same thing for $120/£60
    which equate to bloody a good 40% difference for the same thing.
    And well we are all connected to the same internet to take the fookin things.
    arrrrrh grrrr pisses me off lol
     
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  2. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    You should see what 'developing' countries pay to do theirs mate.

    Hence the popularity of bootcamps in India. What you save on the exams for an MCSE pretty much pays for the flight...
     
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  3. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    I'm very annoyed about that too.

    It's if you live in the US or a developing country you get the best deals. Not only do we have to put up with the $1 equals £1 but on top of that we have the priviledge of paying taxes on that too, all I can say it that I'm glad that there are sites like getcetifiedforless.com out there (at least they reduce the price a little).

    And it's not just limited to exam vouchers, it includes petrol also :evil: "all-time high" petrol prices in the US: 1 gallon (3.8 litres) of regular petrol is now $1.68 (£1.17), that a little more than what we pay per litre!

    -Ken
     
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  4. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    Britain is becoming less attractive every year as far as I am concerned. Pete had the right idea. :)
     
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  5. nXPLOSi

    nXPLOSi Terabyte Poster

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    Agreed that Britian do rip us off in most areas, but just a thought, are our wages higher in comparison to these cheaper countries?
     
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  6. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    I think you have to compare a salary with the cost of living.

    An old school friend has moved to France.
    Apparently, he pays about £250 per year for what we would call council tax. This also includes some other things like a television licence!
    Although he doesn't earn the same salary that he was earning in the UK, he has a better home, higher standard of living, works less hours and can save more money.
     
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  7. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Exam prices have not changed for 9 odd years, i dont see what your all complaining about, everything else has gone up in price, exams are relativley cheap now, the study guides cost more than the exams lol

    Also I never paid VAT for an exam until I did a VUE one, something fishy there methinks! lol
     
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  8. Headache

    Headache Gigabyte Poster

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    I read an article recently which claimed that the amount we pay in taxes (both direct and indirect) in this country comes to more than 60% of our earnings. After that I stopped wondering why I wasn't saving anything.
     
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  9. laup

    laup Byte Poster

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    Im just pissed off at the fact of it seems where prices are concerned its basicly $1usd to the pound where alot of computer stuff is concerned.
     
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  10. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    You mean apart from exams...

    Microsoft Vista Ultimate:
    US: $378.99 (after exchange: £196.53)
    UK: £313.98

    Apple Mac-mini:
    US: $599 (after exchange: £310.63)
    UK: £399

    Xbox 360 Core:
    US: $299.99 (after exchange: £155.61)
    UK: £199.99

    Halo 3 for the 360:
    US: $59.99 (after exchange: £31.11)
    UK: £49.99

    Oh well...

    -ken
     
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  11. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Lets bear in mind that the cost of living in the US and the average wage is on par with the £ for $ phenomanon
    just because we can take a bucket load of cash over there and come back with twice as much, doesnt mean they can do the same

    a job paying 20k here may well only pay 25k USD. not the 40k USD you might expect
     
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  12. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    Forget about this country and abroad, just look at the different wages say from London vs midlands vs further north for the same job :)

    -ken
     
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  13. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Well london is the 4th most expensive city on earth
    way ahead of any US city
     
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  14. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Where are you getting those petrol prices from? I paid $2.35/gal just the other day. National average is currently $2.50/gal: link
     
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  15. aw69

    aw69 Byte Poster

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    I have ordered A+ all - in- one 6th ed from the USA costing $43.77 [£22.68] saving aprox £12.00 :D
     
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  16. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Try Wales.

    We're not listed as a developing nation, because we're going in the wrong direction.

    Vista Ultimate here costs £29.95 and can usually be found in the bargin bin at Morrisons because it has been sent to them and they don't know what it is.

    On the downside, we consider £10,000 to be a fantastic management salary.

    We don't visit England much, because the £5.00 toll to cross the Severn bridge is a month's salary.

    Not me of course, because I work in IT.

    :biggrin
     
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  17. Kitkatninja
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    I believe it was the BBC website end of last year (Nov), sorry 3 months out of date.

    -ken
     
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  18. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    At one point last year, we were up to almost $3/gal, average (much worse in larger cities). Granted, that's still far less than you're paying.
     
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  19. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    That's about £1.55 per gallon, we were paying up to £1.01 per litre in some places (sometimes even more in rural areas).

    But that is life...

    -Ken
     
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  20. wizard

    wizard Petabyte Poster

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    most of what we pay for fuel is made up with government tax, if that was removed we would only be paying something like 30p/litre
     
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