I am writing an article about being ripped off

J

johnmeag

Guest
Hello,

My name is John Meagher, a journalist with the Irish Independent. I am jumping on the Eddie Hobbs bandwagon somewhat by writing about Ireland: Rip-Off Republic and why many of us are unwilling to pay through the nose anymore.

I'm trying to find case studies - people who've had enough of paying through extortionate prices for just about everything and have made simple changes that have resulted in more money in their pockets.

Does that sound like you? Have you changed bank/mortgage company recently? Have you switched from certain national supermarkets to cheaper continental alternativesi? Have you deliberately avoided certain restaurants because you feel you can get better value elsewhere?

If any of these scenarios are true or if there are other examples about ways in which you have made beneficial changes to your finances, I would be very grateful if you would get in touch with me.

Can you email me at jmeagher@independent.ie or phone me on 01-7055618.

Thank you,

John Meagher.
 
Re: Irish Independent article

There was a great letter in the Indo (on Sat I think) from someone who did all of the things you mentioned above. It got me thinking about cutting my cloth a bit as well!
 
Try starting in the paper you work for ! or would that be to bold a journalistic leap ? Have you ever tried to place an add in your paper ? I have and its ridiculously expensive. The cover price of your paper is ridiculous . I pick up a free copy every morning of either Herald AM OR METRO and get everything if not more than in the INDO.(I know the connection ). So my advice to people would be ditch buying the INDO. every day and take your free paper in the morning and save yourself circa 600 euro a year . A nice week in the sun. I will email my proposal to you but will u have the journalistic courage to print it ??
 
Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had a great laugh at this, and I know you are serious.
 
If 0.75 Sterling in North, then ROI price should be circa 0.93 Euro ?
 
what is the gap in The Irish Times price?

I think that there is a big differential in VAT which makes papers more expensive down South.

Brendan
 
Brendan said:
what is the gap in The Irish Times price?

I think that there is a big differential in VAT which makes papers more expensive down South.

Brendan
Click to expand...

There is indeed a differential of 13.5% in ROI v zero in NI. Excluding this differential, the price of the Indo in ROI is €1.58 v 99c in NI - a 60% difference. I don't know the NI price of the Times but I presume it is similar to the Indo.

The Indo have been flogging the Rip Off Ireland horse for the guts of this decade while rarely bothering to explain the genuine tax, cost and economies of scale disadvantages faced by business in Ireland, all of which contribute to higher prices here. Little wonder that their one-sided and lazy approach has led to such cynicism among consumers, and that this cynicism is now affecting perceptions of the Indo itself. Payback time indeed.
 
GOBSTOPPER said:
So my advice to people would be ditch buying the INDO. every day and take your free paper in the morning and save yourself circa 600 euro a year .
Click to expand...

600 quid a year??? almost makes me want to be buying a newspaper every day............just so I can ditch it in my current economy drive!
 
ubiquitous said:
... Excluding this differential, the price of the Indo in ROI is €1.58 v 99c in NI - a 60% difference. I don't know the NI price of the Times but I presume it is similar to the Indo....(
Click to expand...
Irish Times is €1.76 excl. VAT in ROI vs. £1.00 (€1.24) in NI. That's a 44% difference for me. :mad:
 
You guys are all way behind on your savings, you can read the indo for free on the net for years now and you have to pay for the Irish Times
 
John.....the Fifth Estate ain't doing too good here.
Is the OP still on topic ?
 
Bronte said:
You guys are all way behind on your savings, you can read the indo for free on the net for years now and you have to pay for the Irish Times
Click to expand...

The Irish Times is now free as well. Good to see you're so far ahead of us
 
the only paper i buy is the sunday business post as i just love reading the sunday paper with a cup of coffee on a sunday. no way would i buy a paper during the week, its just a complete rip off.

i think most people are watching their money these days, its about time. it just amuses me when i used go to someones house and there was lights and lamps on all over the house just for show. these are all off now
 
I never buy newspapers - I read news online.

I buy a lot of items far cheaper online than in Irish shops. BioOil is the most recent example - 60ml bottle is €13.50 in local chemist, I bought 200ml for €15 online. (ebay)
Sticky tabs for french manicuring nails - €3.99 for sheet of 10 in local chemist, €7 for 60 sheets of 10 (600) online. (ebay)
Books are nearly always cheaper on Amazon, plus they do a lot of special offers. When Im in an Irish bookshop I make notes of titles Im interested in and then go home and order them off Amazon.
Thats just a few examples, I also use hayfever medicine (over the counter) and I have priced it online and found it to be a fraction of the price Im paying over the counter in Ireland.
 
x2
 
There is a big difference between paying, of your own volition, clearly displayed/divulged "high" prices - and maybe then switching to lower cost providers - and being ripped off.
 
My local Spar charged me €2.25 for 227g of Dairygold butter recently, as opposed to the €2.15 I would have had to pay for 454g of same in Dunnes (another 1/2 mile away). I had previously made a point of trying to support it occasionally, and would always buy my lotto and newspapers etc there and the odd grocery, but since that incident I am making a point of not shopping there at all if it can be avoided.
I understand that they can't sell products for the same prices as the large multiples, but that pricing is just ridiculous.

I also had the normal M&S stg exchange rip-off recently, I purchased an item for €14.50 in M&S Dundrum, only to see £9.50 on the other side of the label, now, my according to XE.COM the current rate in €0.81308, so even allowing for a bit charging etc this should have come in around €12.50 at most. When challenged, staff said that costs are more expensive here than the UK. What I don't understand is why they can't produce labels specifically for ROI, they can screw me price wise all they want, but I'd prefer not to know, can management not grasp this simple concept??
 
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