The Economy - Is it just me or are we all feeling it?

[suzuki59]

After visiting China three years ago and seen what goes on there and in the old Country (UK) I can honestly say that Australasia is still the best place to bring up kids and enjoy life.We are in the middle of a financial recession and have to adjust,end of story.

[vmx42]

For every boom there is a bust... sure as the sun rises and sets.

That doesn't mean they are fun, but they are a challenge that adults have to face whether we like it or not.

Heads up guys, stand tall and we will all ride it out together... and in years to come I am sure we will laugh about it and how the 'younger generations' don't know how good they have got it... 

[Iain Cameron]

Hi guys . My first answer is to Asasin , I have been in the transport industry for almost 30 years from a driver to manager of Tasmania for a National company . My last employer fired me with no notice no pay in lieu . In the 9 months I had worked for him as a driver I had brought in over 30 new clients , worked on w/ends for no pay . By under cutting him I brought the costs down to what the other transport companys are charging and Im not talking about one man shows but larger companys . Second  answer to Worms , Thanks for the offer I too have worked for the big ones I started up Tasmania for PFM they are a specialist freight company ( Cat scanners, MIR's, Photo copiers and the like . At least we have our bikes to keep our thoughts of all the doom and gloom . Iain

[evo550]

Although a bit off topic, I always find it interesting when people start up in business and say they are going to undercut their competition, My question is, What if they are already going broke at thier price and you are trying to do the same job for cheaper ?

[Iain Cameron]

evo550 the company I under cut was charging about $4.50 more than any of the other transport companys in the area In fact Im slightly more expensive than most of my competition , What I offer is a on time guarantee or no charge . Iain

[asasin]

evo550 the company I under cut was charging about $4.50 more than any of the other transport companys in the area In fact Im slightly more expensive than most of my competition , What I offer is a on time guarantee or no charge . Iain

Well done.You have it right.
 I too have worked for a array of sized companies from CEO down so Understand all aspects.My initial reaction was here is another I can do it cheaper scenario which I stand corrected it is not .I have just seen too many business go to the wall on trying to get work by being cheap and lowering whole industry expectations.
 This is not the time for cheaper is better.

[motomaniac]

evo550 the company I under cut was charging about $4.50 more than any of the other transport companys in the area In fact Im slightly more expensive than most of my competition , What I offer is a on time guarantee or no charge . Iain

 This is not the time for cheaper is better.

If you still have the work at the same price as always then you are either a magician or its not a recession is it ?
During the last recession (that we had to have) my father , who was a building contrator, had subies knocking down his door looking for work . My father commented that some of these guys must simply want to get out of the house with the prices they are offering.

[oldfart]

Wasp ....we had a guy up our end of the woods do that this week-  $4 million dolllars in suit cases  

[motomaniac]

The banks dont like that  They know exactly what would happen, IF . 

They don't need your money,they need governments and large populations of people.If they are short they just get the government to write a check which the people have to pay back with tax's and austerity.Thats why they wont let Greece out of the EU.

[motomaniac]

Well , that proves the point , there is fairyland and there is us .

What point ? My point was that the banks don't loose ,the people do. You don't get one up on the banks by taking your money out.Money has been exiting Greece for sometime now and the banks just keep getting bailouts via the EU taxpayer and the Greeks get pounded with austerity.If Greece left the EU the millions of EU taxpayers would be nolonger obligated and there wouldn't be enough people to pay up.The central banks wont let that happen.

[Ando]

I started my business 31 years ago because I found out the general manager was getting $17 a week more than me a lowly site supervisor. So all these years later 5 employees,6 utes, 1 factory and busy with work it's all good.,except for UNFAIR WORK AUSTRALIA.
You try and run a business and a bloke pulls the paternity leave paid by the government twice in 14 months,and also expect to keep the phone and ute and run the internet at home via my mobile account,well he's gone!!

As an employer it's hard our way as well,it ain't all roses.I seemed to have struck a bloke who was 1 of 116 males who took up the offer of mister mum leave in a workforce of 10 million.
LET'S SEE.
Find the job to quote,quote the work,win the job,work out how to do it cos the consultant clown just out of univ hasn't been to tech,design the control panels,finance the gear,pay the wages,super,public liability,workers comp,fuel,vehicle insurance,tyres,oil and pay to service the fleet,buy more tools,ladders,,body corp fees,BAS payment,payg payment,keep your client happy,keep the builder happy,keep the blokes happy,keep your wife happy,clean the workshop,get rid of the rubbish,do the typing,read the vmx forum,check ebay,and still fit in time to work on my Bully's.

Believe it or not the Bully's are easy compared to the above,anyways they keep me sane,so just to stir the pot even more I have to go now as my mates and I (7 off) are flying to Malaysia for Moto GP.
PS.Working on the bucket list. Cheers

Truer words have never been spoken!!!

[Marc.com]

What point ? My point was that the banks don't loose ,the people do. You don't get one up on the banks by taking your money out.Money has been exiting Greece for sometime now and the banks just keep getting bailouts via the EU taxpayer and the Greeks get pounded with austerity.If Greece left the EU the millions of EU taxpayers would be nolonger obligated and there wouldn't be enough people to pay up.The central banks wont let that happen.

I agree that there is no end game in sight for the Greek people and they should be allowed to bankrupt and restructure. Remain in the EU but dump the Euro, it is the single currency experiment that will forever cause EU state economies to fail.

[Marc.com]

The point I made is . If we all took out the money at the same time , it would show that only a small portion of global wealth really does exist . The rest is just I owe yous on I owe you  . When that bubble can be deflated , the world has a real chance to become a better place .

Yeah but people don't generally enjoy the process of deflating the bubble, and I am not convinced it would become a better place, the fact is short of returning to the barter system we are stuck with a system of IOU's, for me the key issue is whether they are under written by real equity like property or the gold standard or we treat debt as equity like bond trading.

[firko]

The closer we get to a barter system again , the lesser are the chances to get diddled with dud funds , futures ,hedge funds and similar scams that are nothing else but hot air . They can only exist as long as we believe in it .

I totally agree. I'll swap you a Suzuki TS90 (in need of restoration), a Magura 314 throttle in OK condition, a NOS pair of rare black Oury grips and a pair of Royal Enfield motocross 5" rise handle bars for a set of Z 362 TR shocks 345mm long. Is that OK with you Walter?....The revolution must start somewhere so why not here and now!

[firko]

You are on the right track perhaps a bit to extreme

Extreme? hardly Walt. The whole idea of bartering is for me to swap something I've got for something you've got or for a service you provide. I don't happen to have 24oz of silver at hand to swap so your silver for shocks deal is little different to me giving you $899 in Aussie currency as I'd have to purchase the silver for $899 from a silver merchant. The silver or gold standard shouldn't come into it.