Cost savings measure that hasn't worked?

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Cost savings measure that hasn't worked?

sen8or

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#208497 14-Feb-2017 16:55

Australian mum admits to stealing $4800 in groceries in elaborate, self-serve checkout scam

The QT reported the scam was uncovered when store managers noticed she regularly appeared nervous at self-serve check-outs. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A Queensland mum has catapulted self-serve checkout theft to an entirely new level with an elaborate barcode scam that enabled her to steal A$4500 (NZ$4800) in groceries from Coles and Woolworths.

The Queensland Times reports 35-year-old Kylie Milner of Ipswich orchestrated a somewhat labour-intensive plot, in which she photocopied the barcodes from A65c (69c) and A72c (76c) packets of two-minute noodles, which she then printed and glued to sticky labels.

She then went shopping at various supermarkets across the regional Queensland city, where she stuck the labels to an array of expensive items, such as meat, coffee machines and protein powders.

The QT reported the scam was uncovered when store managers noticed she regularly appeared nervous at self-serve check-outs.

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#1720137 14-Feb-2017 17:08

Maybe the checkout software should include some basic fraud detection routines instead of nagging about transferring the item to the bagging area every 5 seconds(unless it can pick the difference in weight between 10 pkts of steak and 10 bags of noodles).

I don't think Aus supermarkets do alcohol so they have less staff hovering around.

BlinkyBill

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#1720139 14-Feb-2017 17:10

Moving in together to save on rent and utility bills.

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#1720157 14-Feb-2017 18:41

It is a pretty poor system, if it doesn't detect the weight isn't correct. . You would think they would be able to see people sticking labels instore as well. These systems are supposed to be cutting their costs, but customers end up paying more due to theft. If it was staff scanning the goods, then this also wouldn't have happened.

cruxis

482 posts

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#1720158 14-Feb-2017 18:49

Its pretty dumb machine it cant even tell the difference between carrots and bananas, expects you do do it, even a 2 year could do that.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1720160 14-Feb-2017 18:54

Never use them. Why should I do someone else's job for free?

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Jaxson

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#1720161 14-Feb-2017 18:54

That Wanganui lady that stuffed $450 of meat down her pants. Damn.

Something different altogether, but I do wonder how many people find heat pumps in this category (cost savings that didn't actually pay off, not stuffing down pants). Incorrectly sized, or lots of run times could see heat pump bills pretty high. Their marketing is awesome, showing 300% efficiency, but this drops off as your indoor setpoint is a long way from the outdoor temperature. It's still costing you money to run, you're likely to use it in summer now too, and it costs a lot to buy outright and have installed. Could be a shocker if you've come from a wood burner with a cheap wood supply for example.

SaltyNZ

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2degrees

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#1720169 14-Feb-2017 19:35

Jaxson:

but I do wonder how many people find heat pumps in this category (cost savings that didn't actually pay off, not stuffing down pants).

Well there's your problem right there, mate. They're far more effective if you stuff them down your pants. Anything else is just ... wastage.

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MikeB4

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#1720171 14-Feb-2017 19:54

Rikkitic:
Never use them. Why should I do someone else's job for free?

Free? It is included in the price.

floydbloke

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#1720196 14-Feb-2017 20:34

Rikkitic:

Never use them. Why should I do someone else's job for free?

Because it's often quicker, and I don't have to make smalltalk with a stranger when I can't be bothered to.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?

shk292

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#1720200 14-Feb-2017 21:01

Jaxson:

Something different altogether, but I do wonder how many people find heat pumps in this category (cost savings that didn't actually pay off, not stuffing down pants). Incorrectly sized, or lots of run times could see heat pump bills pretty high. Their marketing is awesome, showing 300% efficiency, but this drops off as your indoor setpoint is a long way from the outdoor temperature. It's still costing you money to run, you're likely to use it in summer now too, and it costs a lot to buy outright and have installed. Could be a shocker if you've come from a wood burner with a cheap wood supply for example.

I've always seen heat pumps as a way of bringing NZ houses into the 20th century in terms of habitability, rather than as a way of saving money. Although, if wanting to live in a healthy-temperature house is a given, then they are also a way to save money.

We spent just under $7k on three heat pumps for our otherwise unheated 5-year old house when we bought it ten years ago. Considering this was about 1.25% of the purchase price of the house, I consider it extremely good value in how it's enhanced the comfort of the house.

Heat pumps are ideal for the Auckland area because the set point is usually within 10-15C of the outside temperature, which is when they seem to work best

JayADee

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#1720201 14-Feb-2017 21:18

Jaxson:
That Wanganui lady that stuffed $450 of meat down her pants. Damn.

Something different altogether, but I do wonder how many people find heat pumps in this category (cost savings that didn't actually pay off, not stuffing down pants). Incorrectly sized, or lots of run times could see heat pump bills pretty high. Their marketing is awesome, showing 300% efficiency, but this drops off as your indoor setpoint is a long way from the outdoor temperature. It's still costing you money to run, you're likely to use it in summer now too, and it costs a lot to buy outright and have installed. Could be a shocker if you've come from a wood burner with a cheap wood supply for example.

I prefer the heat of our wood fire but then there is stacking, lugging it in, stoking, lugging ashes out, extra dust and dirt, my hubby chainsawing it if required and sometimes bugs which I loathe and we are not getting any younger. I'm debating buying some wood this winter, or possibly getting our own as we used to but the man is not keen.

We didn't buy the heat pumps as a savings measure, just an alternative to wood. Wood is cheaper if you can find it free but then you end up doing a lot of work to make it that cheap.

Gardening- I like the fresh salads and pesto and spuds but the amount of hours I put into it and considering there are only two of us it isn't really saving us much. Probably just as cheap to buy produce. Fruit trees are way worth it tho.

Geektastic

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#1720287 14-Feb-2017 22:33

Rikkitic:

Never use them. Why should I do someone else's job for free?

Not sure - ask the IRD why we have to pay the cost of collecting GST whilst you're investigating...!

Geektastic

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#1720293 14-Feb-2017 22:37

shk292:

Jaxson:

Something different altogether, but I do wonder how many people find heat pumps in this category (cost savings that didn't actually pay off, not stuffing down pants). Incorrectly sized, or lots of run times could see heat pump bills pretty high. Their marketing is awesome, showing 300% efficiency, but this drops off as your indoor setpoint is a long way from the outdoor temperature. It's still costing you money to run, you're likely to use it in summer now too, and it costs a lot to buy outright and have installed. Could be a shocker if you've come from a wood burner with a cheap wood supply for example.

I've always seen heat pumps as a way of bringing NZ houses into the 20th century in terms of habitability, rather than as a way of saving money. Although, if wanting to live in a healthy-temperature house is a given, then they are also a way to save money.

We spent just under $7k on three heat pumps for our otherwise unheated 5-year old house when we bought it ten years ago. Considering this was about 1.25% of the purchase price of the house, I consider it extremely good value in how it's enhanced the comfort of the house.

Heat pumps are ideal for the Auckland area because the set point is usually within 10-15C of the outside temperature, which is when they seem to work best

Agreed.

To me, they allow you to heat and cool the house to a comfortable temperature. I expect to pay for that ability..!

Wood is fine if you have staff to deal with it I suppose but after growing up in a country with central heating in even the cheapest of homes, it seems a little too much like one of those pretend Saxon villages you can go and see where people live as though it is 1066..!

Aredwood

3885 posts

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#1720360 15-Feb-2017 02:32

The machines at Pak n Save weigh all of the items. As I tried scanning an item, placing it in a cardboard box, then placing the box in the bagging area. The machine didn't accept it.

Guess that same scam would work to buy expensive wine for the same price as cheap wine. Or for passing off milk as store brand fizzy drink.

As for heatpumps - there was a big promotional push advertising heatpump hot water heaters. Which went well until it was found out that most of them have very poor efficiency close to or below 0deg. In otherwords the claims of them using only 1/3 of the power of an electric cylinder were a lie.

And remember seeing someone claim on the trademe forums that they live in Otago in an old house, got a heatpump installed, Leave it running 24/7 over winter, And it only adds $30 per month onto their power bill. Compared to using a wood fire, while still keeping their house warm. Presumably that heatpump has a 100 to 1 COP. People will definitely disappointed buying a heatpump after reading that. And then finding out that their house does in fact obey the laws of thermodynamics.

kiwifidget

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#1720371 15-Feb-2017 08:00

We spent a small fortune about 2 years ago replacing all our light bulbs (mostly halogens and some normal ones) with LED bulbs.

There was no drop in the power bill at all.

On the upside we haven't had to replace an LED bulb yet.

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