Frustrated by a price jump over 1 week

I use Goanna Balm Ointment and have been paying $5.25 for it at local chemist - this week noticed when I got home it was marked up at $9.95.


Not old stock the first lot as only 2 months apart on expiry. Only comes in one size 50g pot.


Thought I would try to find recommended retail price before I go and ask the pharmacist what is going on.

Went to Goanna and they put me through on phone to sigma who thought I was from a pharmacist and gave me these prices. 11.30 net and 12.40 gross.

Obviously the price for wholesaler who then put on their mark up to the chemist who then put on their mark up to us the customer etc. And must be for an outer of so many pots as tiny and would never be shipped out as one pot so must be say 2 minimum or more likely more to one carton.

Anyone have any idea where to find out RRP before I go and ask the chemist who is not my favourite as he charges like wounded bull on most stuff cheaper next door if available to supermarkets. Like Goanna Arthritis he charges $12.50 and $6.99 next door.

Brings up too recommended retails - not seeing it much these days now - always used to and with GST being incorporated into prices and not added at the till as in UK, Europe and the states makes it hard to see who is charging what etc.

I did ask the girl at Sigma if the price she had quoted was for an outer - she hesitated and then said no must be for one pot of ointment and then remarked why worry about the extra cost after all $10 is peanuts.

I don't usually bother but get fed up with some of the very different prices on medicines these days and seeing as elderly folk spend heaps on arthritis and other meds for it and not on PBS we have to try to get the best prices.

BTW this ointment is really good it has less painkiller than Goanna Heat but seems to work faster or longer at night.Maybe penetrates being an ointment?

11 comments

Seggie. Re the Goanna balm. Have you tried to email Chemistwarehouse for their price? I usually find them cheaper for some items so try them if possible.

Re the girl saying $10 isn't much. I find that too. Most of the young I know spend money as if it grows on trees. I tried talking to my trees but none replied. Maybe after hearing our water bills are going to hike up too, I should have sworn at the trees.

My latest gas bill made me put on an extra cardigan over a cardigan and turn the heating off for a while.

I'm dreading the next electricity bill. There is no way I could cut down any more than I do on water, gas and electricity. Apart from usage, it's the service charges that you can't cut down.

Any ideas?

You are right Seggie, I find that the actual usage componant although getting higher every account I can swallow,Its the service charges that annoy me as I cant see the justification ,Its not as if they have to visit you weekly to service your connection Gggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Its a rip off.We are paying for fat cats that think nothing of paying out $10 dollars as to them on their wages its just buttons. BIG VAL, have you tried Panamax Osteze ? they are on the health list if prescribed by your GP .They are excellent for arthritic conditions ,You go on a regime of 6 tabs throuout the day and this completly gets rid of arthritis pain in most cases ,they realy are very good and very economical as you get 2 packs of 96 tabs for $ 5.40.Wobbly. 8-/

No Wobbly never tried them. I use Sea tone which is green lip mussel extract and have done since mid 80's until I moved to Tassie in 93 when they told me no longer made - usual thing I later found - never stocked them but I believed them when they said no longer made - silly me - found them on the internet in 03 when I finally got connected and went back.



Meanwhile tried every one of the OTC stuff. Will ask the Doc when I see him in 16 days - wow got an early appointment when it once took 8-10 weeks to get one. What a difference having a super Clinic has made eh! Guess they go there and wait - read they also have specialists there so don't have to travel to Hobart or Launceston - a Rudd special - at least he kept his promise there.



Sea tone is good - cheaper than Mobicosa which is same thing but more expensive and different amount in capsule and they advertise. Sea Tone has been around for years never seen it advertised. I get it on EPharmacy for around $15 for 125 capsules of 230g.



Epharmacy has not got Goanna Balm in stock - have asked them to see if they can get it in - before bought locally. Not had an answer.

I buy most of my meds from them - cheapest I can find and they are Chemist Warehouse - just online version.



I get fed up too with the static charges over $462 for Tassie for power before you even switch on a light or fridge etc. Pensioner concession does not actually cover this entirely. When they changed over in 1998 to this way of charging because the shack owners complained paying too much for their second home which I bet they rented out for hols anyway, we all got stung with double the first 500 KWhrs. then it gets cheaper as you go, meaning those with the least money subsidize those with more - complete arse about face of User pays which was designed to make those who used more pay more.



But then like income tax we don't have the money for donations- those who do - make sure they minimize their income tax and that we lot pay for them where they can - which is why the Bilderberg Group want one world government they say so they dont have to pay off more than one lot of politicians - right now have a long list of them to pay donations to for favours. Was a time when the very rich paid 100% once they reached a certain income in taxation.



Our problem is the poorer ones with limited incomes simply do not stick together - they divide and rule us - only have to look at pensions and SFR to see that. Even age pensioners like to get on TV and say how well they are doing on it and rest of us just cant manage etc. See it on here too.



Thing is no one knows how life and health needs affect how we spend the measly pittance. Good health - can even save. Who is elderly and hasnt got some rotten thing to have to buy meds for and many not on PBS and even that can add up for those on lots of meds daily.



Whatever happens with this carbon dioxide tax it will hurt the pensioners the battlers and low income earners worse as usual.



Going out now to talk to my trees maybe they are better at giving money - Julia is not to date. John Howard did and Kevin Rudd made sure that it stayed when Julia wanted to stop the automatic rises.



What is wrong with her when her own mum and dad draw the age pension in Adelaide. Has she fallen out with them do you think?

We never se photos of her with them and one would think we would, she did refer to them recently - but to denigrate the intelligence of the elderly over STB's. Some thing rotten there.

Maybe her parents actually have some kind of integrity and have voiced their disaproval of the way she got into the prime ministers role,or maybe they are not happy with her living arrangements re the first man???????????????? wobbly :roll:

Big Val, you asked "who is elderly and not on any meds, well I'm not on any meds apart from a nurofen every now and again, oh and also a bit of Bi Carb that you recommended for my teeth :-) I also use Voltaren Gel for my knees if they happen to ache during the night, or for my back. I use Ventolin on the very odd occasion but other than that I am free of any meds, I have a Seniors Health Care Card which is useless for me as it is only good for prescriptions which I don't have any of however my Hubby who is a few years younger than me is on a couple of prescription drugs and is not eligible for the SHCC so has to pay full price :coolgrin:

Big val,I checked the price of Goanna Balm at the local discount pharmacy here today ,It is $8.40 a 50 gram jar.That was at Montrose just outside Glenorchy north of Hobart,bit cheaper but not much.Wobbly :-S

I dont use goanna balm, so have no idea of its uses/benefits. I would suggest however that you give "Tiger Balm" a go... Asians wear by it......claim it cures just about everything and it is fairly cheap and available at just about any asian food store.

Tiger balm is realy good Kfc, I had forgotten the benefits of it and actualy have a jar in my medicine cab thanks for reminding me.Wobbly

Yep my doc told me some time back to get Tiger Balm and that is why I think I bought the Goanna Balm - but it is good for night time when my left leg which is the worst feels like a 10 ton log to turn over and cant lie any longer on my right side as cant get it to go up with right one down as usual sleeping position (for me anyway). Penetrates better than most other rubs even Voltaren Gel. BTW Voltaren Osteo and Gel are exactly the same ingredients only the name is changed :P



today going into the Chemist to front them on price - seems I may have scored 3 pots for 5.25 to date if a discount chemist is asking $8.40 thanks Wobbley for the info. But I will try if anything I keep them on their toes - I being an ex accountant - keep my receipts and also the boxes meds come in to remind me of what I am taking so have both to show them. Photocopy.



But then re price - E Pharmacy which is chemist Warehouse's on line is the cheapest of the online chemists I have found but they charge $9.95 for Mentholatum Deep Heat Arthritis Rub whereas Woolworths charge $5.29 and Price Line $7.75 so varies quite a lot and I do wonder why as are we not supposed to have a recommended retail price to go by?



Anyway I will also send the receipts and copies of the boxes with price tag and use by dates only 2 months apart so not old stock to ACCC which is about as good as a toothless tiger but with cc ACA and TT which always gets one an answer - funny that eh! Otherwise black hole!

Big Val, you asked "who is elderly and not on any meds, well I'm not on any meds apart from a nurofen every now and again, oh and also a bit of Bi Carb that you recommended for my teeth :-) I also use Voltaren Gel for my knees if they happen to ache during the night, or for my back. I use Ventolin on the very odd occasion but other than that I am free of any meds, I have a Seniors Health Care Card which is useless for me as it is only good for prescriptions which I don't have any of however my Hubby who is a few years younger than me is on a couple of prescription drugs and is not eligible for the SHCC so has to pay full price :coolgrin:



Maybe not eligible for SHCC but surely for Health Care Card if as you say - farmers I think - having bad time - isnt there some way you can get it? Are there not schemes once you hit bad times? Or just out of luck?



Or maybe the doc is short sighted and accidently like puts your name on the script for hubbies meds.



Worth a try he can only say NO>



Naughty but others rort systems and being local is a bit off really as if in big town could get a male mate to lend him his card to get meds on concession which is what our lovely incoming migrants all do and why the last government was keen to bring in a card which identified each of us instead of a Medicare or other cards which dont have any photo ID etc.



Also of course the better off in places where they should know better who use up their safety net and then get free meds or did - maybe sorted but they were having cosmetic treatments which were allowed and expensive etc. While back now so may have been stopped but shows all humans try to rort the system.

Even the very rich ones!

Perhaps thats how they got rich ! :roll: wobbly

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