My husband is the one to shop with over here, we went shopping for a new dishwasher, the old one had been alive for 14 yrs and it died. And I wanted the same one, we knew they were expensive, $1400 or there abouts. So of we went from shop to shop, prices ranged from the above mentioned $1400 down to $1200. A big difference, so he got his bartering head on, and we got it for even lower than the lowest, just over $1000. I know still expensive, but it proves the point. Anyway we are all into saving money else where so I can have my dishwasher, hehe. We try and do all the money saving ideas mentioned, and we are still trying to cut down even more, we've invested in solar panels, so eventually when we've finished paying for them we'll be laughing. We're lucky though we both work and we have a reasonable amount of money coming in, but I want to change jobs, which means I'll be casual for a while and may not have a lot of shifts to start, so we have got to cut back, reduce payments on the mortgage and car loan etc. So what I'm trying to say is keep it up, it will stand you in good stead for life in oz. I've loved reading this thread, I followed it when it first started. All the best to everyone with your future adventures and to those of you that have made it, long may it continue.
Jane