Grocery prices in Melbourne
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Originally posted by breytonhartge:
Hey HM,
Melbourne was good, just for the food itself and the many good chocolate stores... : )
Singapore Day was a real disappointment for me as the food quality really did not stack up. The queues were so long, I gave up trying to queue for food and some stores sold out early so could not try quite a few things... oh well...
Other than that, it was a good time to catch up with Miss Rhonda and my wife's side of the family...
Maybe we can meet up next time?
Take care!
Yeah, Rhonda was telling me about the long queues and we were sort of glad that we didn't go. I don't have the patience to queue. We ended up having a barbie at home instead.
Sorry to hear that the food was not up to your expectation but at least you got to come to Melbourne to catch up with family and see a bit of Melbourne.
Please let me know when you next come to Melbourne. We can meet up together with Rhonda for a meal or something.
You take care too!
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Originally posted by honeymouse:
Yeah, Rhonda was telling me about the long queues and we were sort of glad that we didn't go. I don't have the patience to queue. We ended up having a barbie at home instead.
Sorry to hear that the food was not up to your expectation but at least you got to come to Melbourne to catch up with family and see a bit of Melbourne.
Please let me know when you next come to Melbourne. We can meet up together with Rhonda for a meal or something.
You take care too!
Will do... and hope to see you soon...
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don't mean to bump this thread up, but thanks everyone for the heads up! i've been scouting around for good places, and i'll definitely check them out. i've been only around chaddy and westfield @ doncaster, and i have my asian delights at box hill and glen waverley. haven't really checked out other places yet.
i went for the SG Day and it was good, considering that we even had one and it was in melbourne! lucky! i went with low expectations on the food, so i was pleasantly surprised. haha... but of course they can't compare to the fare back home... but cannot hiam la.
it was only then that i also realised i don't really know much singaporeans since my time in melbourne! geez.
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Originally posted by GameGoddess:
Wow, where have you been shopping?
I think you're still living a relatively international student lifestyle because the prices you're paying is through the roof.Is that for a month? Or a week? Certainly sounds like its meant to last a week or two, max.
Do you travel to shop? Or shop at those annoying city Asian grocers where they jack prices up so bloody high I've seen limes going for $3 a pop. 24 hour supermarkets, IGA and certainly, 7-11s are not good places to be shopping for stuff because they're meant for the international or urban crowd with dollars to spare and won't bat an eye paying up to $2 more for everything.
I spend about $80 - $100 a week on groceries for two people who probably eat for 4. Breakfast and dinner, sometimes lunches for a 6 day period. It's been stretched to 2 weeks no problem as I like to have some excess food at hand, but ultimately, its what you buy and where you buy it that matters.
Things I get with $100 weekly (Mixture of Coles Supermarket, Wet market, Asian grocer & Local Butcher:
- Bread ($1.10) - Unless you go for the fancy $3 ones. Which isn't necessary for me.
- Pura Milk ($3 - $3.50)
- 1 kg Potatoes ($3)
- Bag of onions ($1.30 - $2)
- Garlic, pack of 4 ($1)
- Bag of mushrooms (~$3)
- 2 Eggplants (~$3)
- 1 kg tomatoes ($3)
- 1 kg Frozen Beans (~$2.50 - $3) (These last for abt 3 - 4 weeks)
- 1 kg Frozen Cauliflower (~$2.50 - $3) (These last for abt 3 - 4 weeks)
- 1 kg Frozen Spinach (~$2.50 - $3) (These last for abt 3 - 4 weeks)
- 1 kg Mixed Veggies (~$2.50 - $3) (These last for abt 3 - 4 weeks)
- Half Cabbage ($1.50 - $3, depending on season)
- Half Celery ($3)
- Garlic Sprouts x2 ($2)
- 1 kg chicken breast/thighs ($10)
- 3 kg natural yoghurt (for ethnic cooking) ($5)
- Ice cream ($4/$5 - Discounted) I usually buy discounted ice cream. Its not a necessity
- 2 litres Soft Drinks x2 (~$2 - $3)
- Cereal ($5) (Lasts for >4 weeks as its for days I don't feel like cooking breakfasts, which are few)
- Biscuits/Snacks (~$2 - $2.50) Anything with chocolate on/in it which is discounted, again, I am not a fussy snacker but will not buy house brand ones because I don't like the taste of it.)
- Eggs ($4) I buy free-range so this is a bit of a splurge.
- Cream ($3)
Total = AU$78
The stuff which lasts for more than a week are merely omitted in the next week's shopping, deducing the grocery bill for the next couple of weeks, unless I use the excess for stocking up on any sauces, oil, fruit, etc.
For good effect I have used the larger numbers in my calculations for the price ranges of goods.
These can serve me for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including snacks, dessert.
I buy my groceries at Footscray. Dodgy as it is, I don't really care as long as I go in the day accompanied by my fiance as its safer. Its not as if I go there to buy Louis Vitton bags (which I don't buy anyway. Am a very pragmatic gal.) so no 'status/face' problems there (whcih again, I don't really care much for.)
Footscray is filled with Asian grocers, Chinese, Indian, Arabic. It has local butchers, a large wet market and I drive there every week to have breakfast at the local Turkish cafes with my significant other, then go grocery shopping all in one little central district, all walking distance from one another.
If I'm not taking the car, I go by train, bringing a trolley. Its just a few stations away from the city.
Ultimately its how you choose to spend your money and where. If you choose convenience you inevitably pay more in prices. If you choose specific brands (Some expensive brand, I guess) and won't compromise (i.e. for toilet cleaner use house brand. Who cares. Its a toilet cleaner! :P) on certain things, well, you pay extra for that for nothing.
Admittedly, Singapore is cheaper in terms of groceries. But if you go beyond the 'NTUC' essentials norm (like buy white button mushrooms, not shittake, etc etc) you are charged premium for it. Not to mention how some items in Australia is cheaper than in Singapore. So, really, its not much of a difference to me.
I'm good at stretching my dollar, anyway. :)
hi GG,
can i check where can i get toilettries and household items on the cheap here?
i arrived on sunday and is currently stocking up for the next fortnite or so. becos most stores are closed on sunday, i went to a safeway and found toilettries, like tissues, paper towels, etc. expensive. i would like to buy these in bulk.
i am currently holing up in a townhouse in boxhill south and will hopefully move to a permanent place in 2-3 weeks in the glen or vermont south area.
any recommendation for places to shop around these areas is appreciated.
thanks!
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Welcome reddust! I live in Ringwood North, 15-20min drive from Box Hill. If you need any help, pls pm me.
If you don't mind toiletries of lower quality, you can always go to get them from The Reject Shop in Box Hill Central. Otherwise there's a big warehouse in Nunawading, next to Harvey Norman on Maroondah Highway where you might be able to get some cheap stuffs too.
Have you got a car?
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Originally posted by honeymouse:
Welcome reddust! I live in Ringwood North, 15-20min drive from Box Hill. If you need any help, pls pm me.
If you don't mind toiletries of lower quality, you can always go to get them from The Reject Shop in Box Hill Central. Otherwise there's a big warehouse in Nunawading, next to Harvey Norman on Maroondah Highway where you might be able to get some cheap stuffs too.
Have you got a car?
hello, yes, i am on a rental car for about 10 days. i will be buying a car within the next 48 hours. will be visiting the yards today/tomorrow once i sort out my bank, medicare & vicroads stuff.
thanks for the pointers and offer. i'll be sure to pm you if i am stuck in a hole.
thanks!
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Originally posted by redDUST:
hi GG,
can i check where can i get toilettries and household items on the cheap here?
i arrived on sunday and is currently stocking up for the next fortnite or so. becos most stores are closed on sunday, i went to a safeway and found toilettries, like tissues, paper towels, etc. expensive. i would like to buy these in bulk.
i am currently holing up in a townhouse in boxhill south and will hopefully move to a permanent place in 2-3 weeks in the glen or vermont south area.
any recommendation for places to shop around these areas is appreciated.
thanks!
Nice update
Congrats on moving
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Are you planning to get a new car or used car? There's a big caryard that sells used cars in Ringwood, think it's called Car City. If you are driving on Maroondah Highway towards Ringwood from Box Hill... it's on your left. Hope you have a GPS too.
When you get a car, make sure you get insurance. Just shop around or get on the website to get an online quote to compare. There's RACV, AAMI, Allianz etc.
You can get the vicroads handbook from any newsagent (to familiar with the road rules). I believe there should be a medicare centre in Box Hill central too. Otherwise there's also one in Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre.
Good luck and I hope you'd get settled in pretty quickly!
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Hey reddust, not sure if you have signed up on a mobile phone plan yet. Think Optus has pretty good deal and their reception is pretty good too. Telstra is the best but it's very expensive.
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Originally posted by honeymouse:
Hey reddust, not sure if you have signed up on a mobile phone plan yet. Think Optus has pretty good deal and their reception is pretty good too. Telstra is the best but it's very expensive.
thanks for everything....i really appreciate your help!
i planned to head to the glen tomorrow and register for centrelink and medicare at the same time. i think they are within the vicinity of each other. i also planned to visit the real estate shops there to ask for the rent list for the area.
i was at vicroads this morning to convert my license and was told i needed an appointment to do so, which will be next week. i guess i need to get use to the more laid back style here
. not that it is not efficient but clearly things are not done in a rush when it is not that necessary. i waited less than 10mins for my q-number to be called. i definitely think i can get used to things here...hehe...was also at the bank to clear my bank drafts and opened an account and again, the lady was very chatty while processing my a/c. none of the antics in singapore where they try to sell you something in between transaction. in fact, the bank officer offered advise to me and my wife what schools to consider, which areas have more amenities, etc. very friendly. a malaysian lady who works for the bank also came over and offered help when she saw us.
as for phone, i settled for a prepaid cap first. i can take my time to study this and decide which is the best plan to take. this is not a priority for me yet.
i heard about car city in ringwood and would have considered going there, but i settled on a car earlier today for my better half. i will settle on my ride perhaps in 6 months, when things are more settled. for now, we don't need 2 cars. but it made me feel stupid about my cars i owned in singapore.
after tomorrow, i will focus wed-fri house hunting. i need to get the keys b4 mid-dec as my container of rubbish will arrive from singapore.
but so far, things are moving in clockwork fashion according to my schedule.
thanks for all your advise. it really did help me check and double check on things i need to do here on my first week here.
my only bummer was i expected the weather to be warmer. i only packed lighter clothing and dump most of my heavy wears on the container. it has been cold yesterday and today and i am bracing for the rain this weekend. bbbrrr.....
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Originally posted by honeymouse:
......Hope you have a GPS too.
no gps! just the trusty 2006 melway i bought when i was last here on vacation. super reliable! -
I'm glad u got most of the things sorted out. So it looks like u have decided on living around Glen Waverley. It's quite a nice place as far as location is concerned. Shopping centre, train station, Asian grocery shops, restaurants etc all can be found there. Other than visiting the realestate agents in person, u can also check online www.realestate.com.au or www.domain.com.au When u r The Glen, go to the info desk and see if u can pick up a copy of the local newspapers. It usually has a section of the latest property available for rent or sale. I'm sure u would get a copy of your area delivered to your letter box on between wed & fri. Regarding the weather, I think that's one thing u need to get used to. Melbourne has 4 seasons in a day so u need to be prepared and check the weather forcast constantly. Like I said earlier, pls feel free to contact me if u have any questions. I'm more than happy to help with your queries. Take care!
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Originally posted by redDUST:
no gps! just the trusty 2006 melway i bought when i was last here on vacation. super reliable!Yes, 2006 Melway is pretty recent. You only need to get a new Melway every 4-5 years. Guess, the only thing that is not on your Melway is the completed Eastlink. It's probably still showing as "proposed" or "in construction".
My hubby bought me a Melway for Christmas in 2002 (infact before we were married) and I only just recently bought a new one as mine was to outdated and many new streets are not on it.
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Originally posted by SPLIT SECOND:
I surived on $400 when i was in adelaide Uni
$300 for rent
$200 for other expenses
That's $500 dude
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Originally posted by honeymouse:
Yes, 2006 Melway is pretty recent. You only need to get a new Melway every 4-5 years. Guess, the only thing that is not on your Melway is the completed Eastlink. It's probably still showing as "proposed" or "in construction".
My hubby bought me a Melway for Christmas in 2002 (infact before we were married) and I only just recently bought a new one as mine was to outdated and many new streets are not on it.
hehe....i will get a gps when i collect my car this friday.
in the last 2 days, i had too many 3 pt turns for missing a slip road here, a junction there while house-hunting. it is not very productive.
frustrating too. i also need to stop half way to calibrate my position. not much fun.
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Go for tomtom. Very user friendly. Garmin I heard not very good. Even with gps, it's still good to keep your melway. They (GPS) are not 100% reliable especially in rural area and sometimes in the cbd. Have a look at myer.... Sometimes u can get pretty good price from there when on sale.
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also, not sure u know about this, the street number of the place.... One side is odd and one side is even. Melway does show some street number so u can gauge where roughly the place u r looking for is. Before u get your gps, u can use www.whereis.com.au to plan your route. Hope it helps!
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congratz on your move, redDust. here's wishing you everything soon soon with you and the family. there will be adjustments but you'll get there. have fun! :)
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okie, questions for seasoned melbournites here,
1. is it advisable for vege to be frozen? we bought cauliflower and other vege and had trouble consuming them! they are just too big! in the fridge, they don't seems to last as long as after 2/3 days, you can tell the freshness gone. how to manage this well?
2. where are the salvo stores that sell used furniture? the ones i been to are small stores and i don't see any furniture on sale. maybe i have been to the wrong stores. (i noticed furniture prices here are really expensive).
3. are weekend fresh farm markets worth visiting? can recommend where? i drove past some but did not take note of its locations.
4. where to get the best prices for fishes and seafood? it's just out of this world in coles and safeways. we drove to dandenong market last week and the price are half on those we saw in vermont/forest hill but i don't think i want to drive to dandenong ever so often.
i am currently on a short term lease in boxhill south and will permanently move to blackburn south mid-dec. hence any tips on value buys around those area will be appreciated as i will need to stock up for my new crib.
thanks!
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another apparently simple question:
do i need a dryer here? i am buying the washer tomorrow; and depending on whom i speak with; some say yes and others say absolutely not necessary.
a 3rd opinion will help me decide. thanks!
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Originally posted by redDUST:
okie, questions for seasoned melbournites here,
1. is it advisable for vege to be frozen? we bought cauliflower and other vege and had trouble consuming them! they are just too big! in the fridge, they don't seems to last as long as after 2/3 days, you can tell the freshness gone. how to manage this well?
2. where are the salvo stores that sell used furniture? the ones i been to are small stores and i don't see any furniture on sale. maybe i have been to the wrong stores. (i noticed furniture prices here are really expensive).
3. are weekend fresh farm markets worth visiting? can recommend where? i drove past some but did not take note of its locations.
4. where to get the best prices for fishes and seafood? it's just out of this world in coles and safeways. we drove to dandenong market last week and the price are half on those we saw in vermont/forest hill but i don't think i want to drive to dandenong ever so often.
i am currently on a short term lease in boxhill south and will permanently move to blackburn south mid-dec. hence any tips on value buys around those area will be appreciated as i will need to stock up for my new crib.
thanks!
(1) Vegies can be frozen and use later. But when you thaw it, you will have to use it on the same day. Best to just buy enough for the week and store it in the crisper.
(2) http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/SALV/STANDARD/PC_61106.html You can always ring ahead to ask if they have furniture
Yes furniture can be expensive but it all depends where you look. There are many furniture shops on Maroondah highway in Nunawading and Blackburn. And it might be worth having a look at this place http://www.funkyfurniture.com.au/index.html We bought our dining set from there years ago and not badly price.
(3) Farmers market are quite nice to visit. You can get fresh produce at cheaper price. Have a look at this website to know the when the farmers market near your area is on each month http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/finder/vic.jsp. I think Croydon, Heathmont and Whitehorse are probably the closest to you.
(4) Unfortunately seafood is not the cheapest in Melbourne. You can get pretty cheap ones in markets like QVM, Footscray, South Melbourne.... but just not around where you live. Coles and Safeway are definitely not the best place to get seafood. If you do need fresh seafood, you can go to the fish pier at the shopping centre.... there's one in Forest Hill Chase, Box Hill Central or you can go to Glen Waverley. They are not the cheapest but at least fresher than Coles and Safeway.
Have you shopped at Aldi before? So if you're not fuss with unfamiliar brand, it's quite cheap shopping at Aldi as compared to Safeway and Coles. Also, you get junk mail delivered to your letter box so look at them for the weekly specials. Try to stock up on the stuffs that don't expire when they are on special. We usually do a meat shopping in Box Hill once a month and I just freeze them.
As for your dryer question, it depends on how often you need to do your washing. If you do washing in small load, you can probably hang in on the cloth frame inside the house over the ducted heating vent (i assumed you had ducted heating) during rainy days. But if you're doing in big load, it might be worth getting one as it's handy in Winter.
We only just got it this year after living without one for the past 3 years. Because it's getting very difficult to not be able to do my washing until the weather is good. I only do my washing in big load to save water.
If you are planning to get a dryer, then you need to know the size of your laundry. Whether you want a separate washer and dryer or combined. If you get a combined one, please get one that doesn't use lots of water considering our drought problem at the moment. It's silly to know you need water for drying!!!! Miele products are generally pretty good but they are also expensive. We are using a Hoover Top Loader washing machine and a Westinghouse dryer. It works fine for us. We have the dryer installed on the wall.
For electronics and white goods..... try to look around Clive Peeters (Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood), Harvey Norman (Maroondah Hwy, Nunawading), Myer in Eastland, Ringwood (don't be surprise... they sometimes have better price than other stores) and Good Guys (Home HQ next to Harvey Norman in Nunawading). If you're planning to get some white goods at the same time, just look around to see what you want and then go to each store to get them to price out for you. Usually you can get them to do a bundle deal which might work out to be cheaper for you.
Good luck. Any questions, please ask!
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$800 for my grocery. $500 for my shopping and clubbing. The other $200 for my cigarttes.
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Possible ans to the quest on how to keep veggies in the fridge more "efficiently".
Learnt this as a student in Oz many years back..use newspapers to wrap them and store in the bottom compartment for veggies. They should keep for at least a couple of weeks.