Most overpriced things in Poland?

Seanus:

ZUS also. They seem to think that, by virtue of having your own company, that you are some kind of self-made millionaire. It's just a convenience for schools but an inconvenience for me and others who will have to pay around 840PLN a month for entering the third year of my company.

Foreigner4Threads: 22 Posts: 1,975 Joined: Nov 18, 07	Sep 9, 09, 05:23 / #
So in your opinion, what things, be them big ticket or small ticket, are the most overpriced things here as opposed to the rest of the e.u. or north america?

BLSThreads: 79 Posts: 171 Joined: Feb 14, 08	Sep 9, 09, 09:39 / #
Tennis balls - a can of 3 Wilson's goes for $2.50 in the states, 28 zł in Poland.

Jay24Threads: 21 Posts: 110 Joined: Apr 27, 09	Sep 9, 09, 09:44 / #
Aftershave/perfume - a great deal more expensive than in the UK.

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07	Sep 9, 09, 09:48 / #
car parts, electrical products, clothes, curry sauce pastes

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Sep 9, 09, 09:50 / #
Taxis, drinks at a bar!

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Sep 9, 09, 09:55 / #
Some medication is overpriced here. Designer label aftershaves. I wait for the discounts :) Społem shops for basic Polish food

PaulieThreads: 1 Posts: 49 Joined: Aug 15, 09	Sep 9, 09, 10:02 / #
golf equipment

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,467 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER	Sep 9, 09, 10:07 / #
dnz: curry sauce pastes any imported foods actually everything imported is overpriced unless on sale. ohh and roofers

dtaylor5632Threads: 49 Posts: 4,459 Joined: May 2, 09	Sep 9, 09, 10:17 / #
The women.... bloody cost you a fortune in dating

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Sep 9, 09, 10:24 / #
Imported foods, WB just reminded me of sth. There is a place on the way to Inverness, near Nairn, that's for the well-to-do snobby cnuts. I was there last summer and the prices have rocketed since I went there a few years back. They were bad then. Anyway, to the point. It was 2 pounds for a bag of Black Dragon sushi rice, around 8PLN. It's 12PLN here in Tesco, sometimes more. The other imported goods are treats as they are so pricey.

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07	Sep 9, 09, 10:26 / #
computer repair, just paid a fortune to get my power port replaced on my laptop because all of us brits are rich. Thats one think i despise about poland is the dual pricing.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Sep 9, 09, 11:59 / #
Generally, imported things are overpriced. The same thing from a Polish company and imported usually differ a lot, even if quality is about the same. In Sweden it's the opposite, imported things are usually cheaper. Where you get most for the money (compared to other countries) is, for sure, the service sector. mvefa: Taxis Where I come from Taxi is like 300-400% more expensive than in PL.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Sep 9, 09, 12:00 / #
SzwedwPolsce: Where I come from Taxi is like 200-300% more expensive than in PL. Well if you are a tourist they charge you 200-300% extra haha And true, from where you come from (sweden) everything is like 300% more expensive, i like sweden though!

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Sep 9, 09, 12:20 / #
mvefa: Well if you are a tourist they charge you 200-300% extra haha Especially if you take taxi to like Stare Miasto in Wawa. Then you have to know some Polish voc. to tell him what you think about it. mvefa: where you come from (sweden) everything is like 300% more expensive Actually, some things are more expensive in PL than in Sweden. Eg. some electronics, imported food, jeans etc. If you want to go to an expensive country, go to Norway, one of most expensive countries in the world. Totally crazy prices.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Sep 9, 09, 10:37 / #
ZUS also. They seem to think that, by virtue of having your own company, that you are some kind of self-made millionaire. It's just a convenience for schools but an inconvenience for me and others who will have to pay around 840PLN a month for entering the third year of my company. Scandalous! For my 4 main monthly payments, I'll be forking out around 2700PLN. I'll be working like a demon to get privates on top of working for 2 schools.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Sep 9, 09, 12:31 / #
Yeah but 6 euros for a small glass of beer in stockholm, was crazyness!!

Jay24Threads: 21 Posts: 110 Joined: Apr 27, 09	Sep 9, 09, 12:41 / #
Holidays! Can't believe the prices in some of the Polish Travel Agent windows.

JucheThreads: 13 Posts: 356 Joined: Feb 17, 09	Sep 9, 09, 12:43 / #
Seanus: They seem to think that, by virtue of having your own company, that you are some kind of self-made millionaire. It's just a convenience for schools but an inconvenience for me and others who will have to pay around 840PLN a month for entering the third year of my company. well said, total bollocks and just another cheap method of ripping off the general public. BLS: Tennis balls and tennis court fees, what a rip off. and no one mentioned flat prices, especially in Warsaw. Now those are a TOTAL rip off.

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Sep 9, 09, 12:52 / #
Seanus: ZUS also. They seem to think that, by virtue of having your own company, that you are some kind of self-made millionaire. It's just a convenience for schools but an inconvenience for me and others who will have to pay around 840PLN a month for entering the third year of my company. This is clearly the weirdest aspect of ZUS, and I still can't figure out why someone with a company turning over millions gets charged the same as someone who makes 2000zl a month. :/

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus Sep 9, 09, 13:11 / #
They are sharks and crooks. I've heard horror stories about them upon the death of a regular payer of it. They keep most of it and don't return it to family members. The bosses make damn sure that they can drive around in the latest flash car. SAAAAAD existence that, crippling others.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,948 Joined: May 17, 07	Sep 9, 09, 13:13 / #
Foreigner4: Most overpriced things in Poland? Polish chicken.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Sep 9, 09, 13:15 / #
mvefa: Yeah but 6 euros for a small glass of beer in stockholm, was crazyness!! Alcohol is very expensive in Sweden because of taxes on Alcohol. 50 cl beer in the pub/club is normally like 6 €.

JucheThreads: 13 Posts: 356 Joined: Feb 17, 09	Sep 9, 09, 13:19 / #
Seanus: The bosses make damn sure that they can drive around in the latest flash car. exactly dude haha welcome to PL

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Sep 9, 09, 13:24 / #
Juche, you are just the right man to understand my next point. My commentary about Poland is generally positive but I want to know what you think about this. I believe that communism served as a containment valve to the natural tendencies of people. I'll be killed for saying this but it was beneficial on one level. I see too many here saying they have the best of everything and constantly trying to outdo their neighbours. Their modesty and humbleness has disappeared in one way. Communism put shackles on (I'm not advocating its imposition back then) and didn't allow too many to be too showy and grabbing. They have quickly become Western in their approach to money and that isn't good.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Sep 9, 09, 13:33 / #
Seanus: They have quickly become Western in their approach to money and that isn't good. Many people might think that poles are dying to get money, like working extra hours and thinking only about money when abroad. some do, but i totally understand it. They did not go through the procress which we went. The Iron curtain fell together with the wall and all our habits, customs, were imposed to them, it did not go naturally as it should. But on time it will get better, its just a normal colateral damage..

dcchrisThreads: 11 Posts: 687 Joined: Oct 29, 07	Sep 9, 09, 13:35 / #
Seanus: communism Seanus: was beneficial I agree as well as some of my students (adults) who would never say it in public... Gotta run to class... Always a good chat there Seanus

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus Sep 9, 09, 13:38 / #
Mvefa, that's the other side. They have a right to pursue legitimate options presented to them. After all, communism was intrusive and unwanted by most. I'm just saying that, as a sociological phenomenon, it worked well to stymie/thwart the natural spur of some to be an exhibitionist. Modesty should never be understated :) Chris, hope you had a good class. You are a good forum poster too :)

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Sep 9, 09, 13:43 / #
Seanus: as a sociological phenomenon, it worked well to stymie/thwart the natural spur of some to be an exhibitionist. Modesty should never be understated :) It offcourse influenced grandly the development of polish culture, in every aspect. But does it mean that without it, many people who had the potential to be an exhibitionist would have gone all out about it? There are more factors i think than political represion to stop someone to become a exhibitionist, slut or whatever. Like religion? family ties? etc etc.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Sep 9, 09, 13:47 / #
I agree, there were other factors in play. Still, communism was pervasive and stuck in the psyche of many Poles. Religion was not as played out as it is now. There was constant wrangling between priests and communist figures. Family ties? How does that operate here?

JucheThreads: 13 Posts: 356 Joined: Feb 17, 09	Sep 9, 09, 13:51 / #
Seanus: Communism put shackles on (I'm not advocating its imposition back then) and didn't allow too many to be too showy and grabbing. They have quickly become Western in their approach to money and that isn't good. All DPRK jokes aside, I disagree...Communism fed the ambitions of pricks and ******* and beeaches just as much as capitalism does, but notice that in places like Poland the coming of the red army just overturned the power structure...the maids and the street cleaners were given medium level positions to keep the old money crowd under the thumbs of the new rulers and they were very eager to do it in most cases. There is a very telling scene about this in Wajda's film Katyn, where the old housekeeper returns after the war and thanks to her husband's new position was elevated to the status of master (or at least master's wife). Very good scene. In the end its all the same shite: greed and excess ambition. Now dig those tunnels, bourgoeis stooges!