I think many people are missing the point the OP is trying to make. If the minimum wage is 7.25 and you spend $60 then you are paying more then if the minimum wage was $15 and you spent $80 for the food. The point is the cost of food is nearly double here in America then it is in Australia. And since people can't think too well here in America, ATS excluded, we believe that because we are paid less and spend less that somehow we make more.

Originally posted by tauristercus
Ok, here’s a list of essentially basic food items that I could buy at my local supermarket for $AUS80.


washed potatoes 1kg
cauliflower each
onions 1kg
carrots 1kg
broccoli 1kg
lettuce each
tomatoes 1kg
cabbage (half)
apples (granny smith) 1kg
oranges (navel) 1kg
chicken breast fillet (skinless) 1kg
beef sausages 1kg
white bread loaf (sliced)
milk 2 ltrs
eggs 1 doz.
cheese tasty block 250gm pack
margerine 500 gm tub
nescafe gold blend coffee 200gm jar
coca cola (normal & zero) 2 ltrs
can beetroot slices 850 gm
lipton tea bags 200 pack
toilet rolls 12 pack
laundry detergent 1kg

Okay, would you be so kind as to transfer the kg into lbs? Washed potatoes? you can buy those in AU? Here we get a 2 pound bag or 1 pound for 3-4 dollars, not washed they have dirt and grime on them, sometimes including mold which you have to peel off.... for bread I got 2 whole wheat breads for 2.99, milk is $3 something, Eggs i get 18 for 2 dollars, toilet paper ( i get the high end stuff with the puppies on it) is 13.99 for a 18 pack? Typically veggies are inexpensive, I noticed I bought ground Turkey @ my local Price Chopper grocery store and it was over $7 for a pound of it, I was outraged.

I could go to Walmart and get a 1 lb bag for 3 dollars or so. When I make taco's thats the meat I use (turkey) as it is much more tasty and healthier, it absorbs so much of the flavors. Oh yea forgot to mention that's me making $155 a week on Unemployment, which I can barely buy all of those things in one shot and have $$ left over for the rest of my bills- 155/ a week = $600a month well below the poverty line.

I applied for food stamps and they declined me, Really. I hate using the system but when times are tough you have to do what you got to...

Originally posted by Irish614 I applied for food stamps and they declined me, Really. I hate using the system but when times are tough you have to do what you got to...

That's how it is supposed to be. Safty net and all that.. shouldn't want to use it, but should be able to use when you need to.

That's what really buggers me... this should ideally be one of our least expensive expenditures on a governmental level... not among the highest (social welfare, that is)

Originally posted by rogerstigers

washed potatoes 1kg - $1
cauliflower each - $2 (depending on season)
onions 1kg - $1.50
carrots 1kg - $2
broccoli 1kg - $1
lettuce each - $3
tomatoes 1kg - $2
cabbage (half) - $2
apples (granny smith) 1kg - $1.50
oranges (navel) 1kg - $3
chicken breast fillet (skinless) 1kg - $1.50
beef sausages 1kg - $4.50
white bread loaf (sliced) - $2.99
milk 2 ltrs - $1.50
eggs 1 doz. - $0.79 to $3.49 depending on variety
cheese tasty block 250gm pack - ummm.. what?
margerine 500 gm tub - $2
nescafe gold blend coffee 200gm jar - Instant Coffee? HEATHENS!!! (and $5)
coca cola (normal & zero) 2 ltrs - $1.99
can beetroot slices 850 gm - $0.99
lipton tea bags 200 pack - $1.99
toilet rolls 12 pack - $2.99 to $7.99 depending on variety
laundry detergent 1kg - $2.99 to $14.99 depending on variety

Here in Canada The total if i were to buy all the items in the list would cost around 100$ to 200$ dollar thanks to th HST Tax and other our own national tax code that we have here.

As a Romanian, that list is waaaaaaaaay above what a medium romanian can buy.

To have an ideea about Romania (an EU country that recently signed the acord), our minimum wage is 4.3 LEI per hour ( 1 euro / hour). About 60% of us work for that minimum wage...

What can you buy with 4 euros ( 17.3 LEI) after half day of work ?

-1 bread = 1.5 LEI
-1 Litre of vegetable oil = 6 LEI
-1 Kilo of sugar = 5 LEI
- 1/2 Kilo of cheapest sausages = 5 LEI

That is all.

Another 20% of people are retired...they have pensions BELOW minimum wage.

So...we have 80% of the population living with this income.

Imagine that EU wanted us, Romania, to chip in to save the EU.

I told you that so you have an ideea about how BAD things can be very very soon for anyone...because those time are coming...

"hehe, I doubt many Americans even know that .5 lbs~1kg."

'nuff said.

Hey that was my thread. It was pretty much an excuse to point out that neocons that wear patriot costumes are psycopathic And that the working poor do it way too tough. And that America looks like a bad place to live from the outside.

This is a good idea.It would be good to include rental prices and house prices. I read that Sydney is like the most expensive behind Hong Kong. I still think even with our GST we are much better off than Americans. There is money everywhere in Australia.