An infamous restaurant notorious for ripping off and intimidating its customers on a popular tourist island in Greece has been found tens of thousands of dollars.
DK Oyster bar in Mykonos has been forced to cough up $44,740 after being found to be in violation of several codes.
The country’s Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias instructed the Cyclades Regional Tourism Agency to conduct a thorough investigation of the restaurant after an incident involving American tourists who were charged a staggering $866 for two drinks and a portion of crab legs.
During the probe, the agency found the eatery had breached several codes, for which it was slapped with the fine.
It came after Brenda Moulton and her daughter Kaylea hit DK Oyster with a lawsuit after being strong-armed into paying the astronomical tab.
Brenda Moulton and her daughter Kaylea. Credit: Youtube
The pair were on holiday and enjoying the idyllic Platys Gialos beach when they were given the scare of their lives.
On refusing to pay the bill, they were surrounded by three waiters and the manager and told they would not be allowed to return to the US.
“I told them that two mojitos and two crab legs cannot make 600 euros. I will not pay you,” Brenda said.
The manager then allegedly threatened them: ”I will call the police. They will keep you here and you will not return to your homeland. We can easily find where you live.”
Feeling intimidated, Brenda quickly paid up — but it was not over yet.
On leaving the restaurant, Brenda started warning people about the bar and its outrageous prices — prompting staff to again confront her.
“The boss of the store came out furious and approached us in a threatening mood,” she said.
“I immediately raised my voice. I shouted at him.”
The owner of DY Oyster denies the complaints but the restaurant has a reputation for eyewatering bills and disgraceful behaviour.
Newlyweds Lindsay and Alex Breen with their expensive drinks and oysters. Credit: The West Australian
Newlyweds Alex and Lindsay Breen were hit with a staggering $850 bill by the restaurant after dropping in for a “quick snack”.
The Canadian couple ordered just one beer, one cocktail and a dozen oysters, with Alex being taken to a back room to pay after questioning the huge bill.
“It was pretty crazy,” Lindsay said. “I’m glad in hindsight that we didn’t cause an argument or refuse to pay because it could have ended up worse for us.
“They know when you’re tourists and they take advantage.”
Theodora McCormick and her husband. Insert: The beers and oysters they ordered. Credit: The West Australian
Holidaymakers Theodora McCormick and her husband were horrified when they were slapped with a $730 tab for two beers, two cocktails and a dozen oysters.
When they complained, “hulking” male waiters intimidated them into paying.
The owner of the DK Oyster, Dimitrios Kalamaras, has since branded the Breens “liars” — and labeled other customers complaining as influencers looking for a free meal.
“Unfortunately, all of us who work in the hospitality sector have been approached by notorious influencers who, instead of making their living by advertising products and services to their audience, they put pressure on certain businesses for exorbitant fees and free meals,” he said .
DK Oyster’s rates poorly on TripAdvisor, getting just 2.5 out of five stars.
Many reviewers give it a measly one star, labeling it “terrible”, a “rip off” and “a complete con”.
Even the Greek media have taken to calling the restaurant “notorious” and “infamous”, reporting on accusations of bullying tactics, a lack of menus and inflated bills.
The dust barely settles as it drifts across thousands of spectators circled around traditional dancers from Groote Eylandt kicking up a storm this weekend in the remote NT community of Barunga.
Historically, the buŋgul, a meeting place of dance, song and ritual, at Barunga Festival is largely admired from the sidelines — but this year was different.
“Barunga is one of those different places, it brings so many people from different communities to try to share together in one place, that’s what Barunga is all about,” Groote Eylandt dancer Leonard Amagula says.
“It is reaching out to other communities, reaching out to the young ones, to grow up and see we are doing wonderful things.”
The crowd is invited to take part in traditional dances. (ABC News: Max Rowley)
It starts as a trickle, and then legions of people from the crowd swirl into the centre, and press together behind the Groote Eylandt Anindilyakwa experts, billowing sand across the tiny community about 400 kilometers south-east of Darwin.
It’s one of those special moments that makes the three-day festival what it is; a place where both historic agreements are made and the promise of treaties echoes loudly.
And a place where remote Indigenous culture is strengthened simply by sharing in it.
A ‘rough but happy’ beginning
The festival has a long and important history that started over three decades ago in 1985.
Mr Amagula has been a regular attendee since his teens.
Back then, he says, it was “kinda rough but happy” and much larger with far more people traveling in from other Aboriginal communities.
Cultural workshops including yidaki (didgeridoo) making ran all weekend. (ABC Katherine: Roxanne Fitzgerald)
This year, after the festival was postponed due to COVID, creative director Michael Hohnen says that balance was almost struck again.
“Because it was not a long weekend, [there] was probably a few less people and the date change, a lot of people can’t plan for that date change, but I actually like this energy a lot,” he said.
“We didn’t push it at all in anywhere but remote communities … that’s what Barunga [Festival] is supposed to be, the community invites visitors in.”
Festival attendees learn weaving from Barunga elders. (ABC Katherine: Roxanne Fitzgerald)
A succession of local NT bands took to the main stage across the three days, as MCs called musicians up for their slot and announced the winners of sport trophies in between sets – the by-product of a festival thin on staff running on ‘Barunga time ‘.
On Saturday night, singer and political activist Walmatjarri elder Kankawa Nagarra – who toured with Hugh Jackman in Broadway to Oz – opened the main stage concert delivering a string of songs that delved into a life of hardship as she moved from mission to mission.
West Australian political activist, singer and songwriter Kankawa Nagarra was a special guest at the festival. (ABC News: Max Rowley)
Then Salt Lake and Eylandt Band from Groote fired up the crowd.
A link to political past
Dissimilar to past years, where the rallying cries for action from leaders have been loud and fearless, it was quieter on the political front, leaving the festival’s roots in sport, music and culture to shine.
But at a festival steeped in political history, the past couldn’t be ignored.
It was at this festival, 34 years ago, that Aboriginal elders and leaders presented then Prime Minister Bob Hawke with the Barunga Statement – a call for treaty.
“We haven’t seen a treaty yet,” Northern Territory Treaty Minister Selena Uibo tells the crowd gathered for the opening ceremony in the heat of the afternoon.
“This is something my team and I are working hard to have progressed … to listen to all of those voices that have been very loudly singing for the last three decades.”
Treaty Minister Selena Uibo encourages the crowd to work together to close the gap.(ABC News: Max Rowley)
It’s been almost five years since then chief minister Michael Gunner and all four Northern Territory land councils signed a Memorandum of Understanding — the Barunga Agreement — paving the way for consultations to begin with Aboriginal people about a treaty.
And just last month the Territory’s first treaty report was tabled in parliament.
Ms Uibo reiterated her commitment to provide a formal response by the end of the year and encouraged people to work together to close the gap, which she labeled, “so devastating in terms of disadvantage.”
“What can you do in your role, what can you do in your bubble, what can you do in your everyday lives that will truly promote and create reconciliation?” she asked the crowd.
It was a cheeky bid to grab a slice of the action in the home of pizza.
But US chain Domino’s has admitted failure in its attempt to conquer Italy and has said a hasty arrivederci.
After spending seven years trying to persuade Romans and Neapolitans that popular American pizza toppings – such as pineapple – were not a sacrilege, it has closed all its 29 Italian stores.
Domino’s, which has more than 1,100 UK outlets, arrived in Italy in 2015 hoping to cash in on the home delivery market.
The firm said it aimed to open 880 stores and would use ‘purely Italian’ traditional ingredients such as prosciutto, gorgonzola, grana padano and mozzarella.
But Italy’s notoriously perfectionist diners proved hard to please.
They turned their noses up when Domino’s offered US-inspired varieties such as the cheeseburger topping, the pepperoni passion and, worst of all, the pineapple-strewn Hawaiian.
The coronavirus pandemic also saw potential customers flock to local, often cheaper, restaurants for home-grown options.
Domino’s main market in Italy, according to the firm’s detractors, was just “drunk American tourists”.
The US fast food giant shut its stores across Italy after local franchise holder ePizza went bankrupt.
ePizza, which had debts of nearly £9million, has blamed the COVID pandemic lockdowns and a significant rise in the level of competition, particularly from more traditional Italian outlets, for the decision to shut its restaurants.
The firm said: “We attribute the issue to the significantly increased level of competition in the food delivery market with both organized chains and “mom and pop” restaurants delivering food.”
It was a cheeky bid to grab a slice of the action in the home of pizza. But US chain Domino’s has admitted failure in its attempt to conquer Italy and has said a hasty arrivederci. Credit: YALCIN SONAT/yalcinsonat – stock.adobe.com
Italian newspaper Il Messaggero offered a more withering assessment of Domino’s attempts to win over the country.
“Italians don’t like pineapple pizza”, it said, claiming Domino’s menu “would turn up the nose of traditional pizza lovers, while intriguing xenophiles”.
In Italy, pizza is such a way of life that the original, traditional Neapolitian has protected status and strict requirements, while the art of dough twirling in Naples has even achieved Unesco world heritage recognition.
One online commentator said bringing the US chain to Italy was like “trying to sell snow in the North Pole”.
Another wrote: “May we all have the insane confidence of the Domino’s executive who pitched opening in Italy.”
But some American takeaway giants remain unperturbed by the pizza chain’s fate.
Starbucks has opened 16 stores across Italy in the hope of tempting coffee traditionalists away from the country’s much-loved espresso bars.
Qantas has responded to an announcement that more than 700 aircraft engineers from Qantas and Jetstar are planning to stop work for “one-minute” in August.
The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers’ Association(ALAEA) federal secretary Steve Purvinas told members in a meeting on Wednesday the majority had voted in favor of industrial action.
Airline engineers are asking their employer for a 12 per cent pay rise to make up for stagnant wages the last four years.
The union’s first action will be a one-minute stoppage across all airlines sometime in late August.
Qantas engineering executive manager Scott McConnell has said the airline is “disappointed” in the union’s decision to strike and is putting contingency plans in place to deal with disruptions.
Airline engineers from Qantas and Jetstar will stop work for one-minute in August. NCA NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
“It’s extremely disappointing the union has taken this step towards industrial action,” Mr McConnell said.
“The union has repeatedly said that any industrial action won’t impact customers’ travel plans and, while we hope they stick to their word, we’re also putting in place contingency plans in case they don’t.
“The entire aviation sector is still recovering from the impact of Covid, and the threat of industrial action is the last thing travelers need.”
“The first action will be a token one,” Mr Purvinas told members.
“A one-minute stoppage of course is not going to harm any airline and also demonstrates our willingness to negotiate in good faith and not try and harm the airline.”
Airports across the country have reported massive queues, flight cancellations and missing luggage. NCA NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Purvinas said the token stoppage aimed to give the airlines an opportunity to come to the table.
“We do want to give some time for resolution of these matters before we have to do anything that may even be close to disrupting the public,” he said.
The strikes come at a difficult time for Australia’s national flag carrier, as the aviation industry struggles with staff shortages that have led to flight cancellations, delays and missing luggage.
If the stoppage does not motivate negotiations, the union plans to notify the airline of more work stoppages.
During these stoppages, the union has offered to provide “alternative labor provisions” to the airline.
ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas says the stoppage isn’t designed to ‘harm’ travellers. Ray Strange Credit: News Corp Australia
“We want to assure the public that we won’t be harming their services,” Mr Purvinas said.
“Our target is the airlines who are not negotiating in good faith.”
ALAEA members voted against using overtime bans to avoid “exacerbating” already challenging conditions in the industry.
A Qantas spokesman told the NCA NewsWire in July that the 12 per cent pay rise was something the airline “simply can’t afford”.
They said Qantas had a policy of 2 per cent annual increases for all employees across the Group.
The airline has a history of not holding back when it comes to dealing with union industrial action.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce infamously grounded the airline during a dispute with the ALAEA and two other unions back in 2011, leaving 200,000 passengers stranded without notice.
Yet another tourist couple have been left horrified at the bill charged by a notorious restaurant on the Greek island of Mykonos.
American holidaymakers Theodora McCormick and her husband were taking in the sights of the stunning island when they dropped into the DK Oyster bar.
They ordered two beers, two cocktails and a dozen oysters — and were slapped with a $730 bill.
Then when they complained, Ms McCormick claims that “hulking” male waiters intimidated them into paying.
She said that they only dropped into the restaurant to call a taxi and ordered to be polite.
Theodora McCormick and her husband. Credit: Facebook/Supplied
“I told my husband, ‘Oh, why don’t we call a taxi and grab a drink’,” she said. “That was my big mistake.”
Ms McCormick said that when she asked for a cocktail menu, the waiter instead rattled off a list of options.
They ordered two martinis and two beers — and were amazed at the size of the drinks.
The beers were served in giant glass boots, estimated to hold about three pints.
Ms McCormick said the waiter then hassled them to order the oysters.
The gigantic beers the couple ordered, served in glass boots. Credit: Facebook/Supplied
Even though they had braced themselves for a big bill — “It was Mykonos, we knew it was going to be ridiculous” — they were still gobsmacked at the whopping tab.
“My husband was like, ‘There’s got to be a mistake’,” Ms McCormick said.
The dozen oysters. Credit: Facebook/Supplied
They claim they were then surrounded by “a group of big, hulking men.”
The couple felt they were left with no choice but to back down.
It comes after newlyweds Alex and Lindsay Breen where hit with a staggering $850 bill by the same restaurant after dropping in for a “quick snack”.
The Canadian couple ordered just one beer, one cocktail and a dozen oysters, with Alex being taken to a back room to pay after questioning the huge bill.
The owner of the DK Oyster, Dimitrios Kalamaras, has since branded the Breens “liars” — and labeled other customers complaining as influencers looking for a free meal.
“Unfortunately, all of us who work in the hospitality sector have been approached by notorious influencers who, instead of making their living by advertising products and services to their audience, they put pressure on certain businesses for exorbitant fees and free meals,” he said .
DK Oyster’s rates poorly on TripAdvisor, getting just 2.5 out of five stars.
Many reviewers give it a measly one star, labeling it “terrible”, a “rip off” and “a complete con”.
Even the Greek media have taken to calling the restaurant “notorious” and “infamous”, reporting on accusations of bullying tactics, a lack of menus and inflated bills.
Newlyweds Lindsay and Alex Breen with their expensive drinks and oysters. Credit: The West Australian
Qantas has announced a major change impacting passengers catching a domestic flight before jetting off overseas.
The national carrier has been looking at ways to deny issues around staff shortages which has seen the rate of mishandled bags almost doubled to nine in 1000, up from five in 1000 pre-COVID, The Australian reported.
Passengers connecting from Qantas domestic to international flights in Sydney and Melbourne will have their minimum transfer times extended from 60 minutes to 90 minutes from August 21 in a bid to avoid baggage issues.
The additional “buffer” is considered sufficient for the bags to be successfully transferred without being mishandled amid the current staffing shortage and sickness rates which are 50 per cent higher than normal.
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Customers with an existing booking where the transition between a domestic flight to an international service is less than 90 minutes will be transferred to an earlier domestic flight without charge.
Passengers who will have their flight changed under the new interval will be notified by the airline which said the “vast majority” of travelers would get a flight on the same day.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the measure was to help improve operational performance which had dipped due to the recent staff shortages.
“While there are lots of good reasons why, the simple fact is our operational performance hasn’t been up to the standard our customers are used to, or that we expect of ourselves,” Mr Joyce said.
“We are taking additional steps to get back to our best, which have been shaped by feedback from our frontline teams who are doing a phenomenal job under tough circumstances.
“Bringing our operations back to pre-COVID standard and maintaining our focus on safety is our absolute priority.”
The decision comes just days after it was reported Qantas asked senior executives and other office workers to fill in as baggage handlers amid the staff shortages.
The Australian reported on Monday that the national carrier had called on at least 100 managers and executives to opt into a short-term arrangement over the next three months.
A young family reported missing to police between Queensland and NSW on Monday have been found safe after two days of searching between three states.
Darian Aspinall, 27, her children Winter Bellamy, 2, and Koda Bellamy, 4, along with their grandmother Leah Gooding, 50, were traveling from the Noccundra Hotel in Queensland to a planned destination of Packsaddle in far west NSW on Sunday.
The children’s father Linny Bellamy told of his family’s actions to ensure they’d survive while stuck alone in the outback for two straight days.
He said they relied on roadside puddles for sustenance and used a mirror to attract the attention of a police search aircraft.
“I can’t believe they managed to stay as strong as they did,” Mr Bellamy said.
“They looked after each other and just tried to ration everything out.”
He said other than looking tired, his family seemed themselves.
The family had made plans to travel to Adelaide, where they were originally from, police were told.
Darian Apsinall went missing with her family in the NSW outback before being located by police helicopter on Tuesday. NSW Police Credit: News Corp Australia
But when the four never arrived at their planned location in NSW and were unable to be contacted, Barrier police were alerted and the investigation into their whereabouts began.
The family, who were traveling in a Hyundai Tucson, were found inside their vehicle, off track, about 4.15pm on Tuesday afternoon by helicopter.
The aircraft confirmed it was the missing family, and they were assessed by an on-board paramedic.
They were then flown to Tibooburra for further assessment and care.
“Could not feel more relief,” Mr Bellamy said in a Facebook post sharing the good news.
“My family has been found safe.”
Police officers involved extended their thanks to the community for their support and assistance.
A traveler has detailed the shocking moment she was “kicked off” a Jetstar flight after being mistakenly told she had a “dangerous” item in her checked suitcase.
Clare Vertannes was in her seat ready for takeoff from Sydney to Perth shortly after 12pm on April 10 when a flight attendant told her she could no longer fly with the budget airline.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Clare shares her Jetstar debacle story
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The 26-year-old event coordinator claims she started to “panic” when she was ordered off the flight without any explanation.
“I kept asking the flight attendant what was going on and I essentially started to freak out. Many thoughts started to rush through my head at this point,” Clare tells 7Life.
“I felt beyond confused and in disbelief because I had no idea what was going on.”
Clare Vertannes was traveling from Sydney to Perth on April 10. Credit: Clare Vertannes
Eventually, she was told there was a “dangerous” battery pack in her checked luggage – but Clare insisted hers was in her carry-on handbag.
“I knew my battery pack was not in my suitcase because it was in my handbag, which I proceeded to take out and show her,” Clare claims.
“After I showed her my battery pack and tried to tell her that there had been a mistake, she proceeded not to acknowledge what I was saying and kept repeating that I needed to collect my suitcase from baggage claim.”
Realizing she would miss her existing flight, Clare – who was visiting Sydney on a work trip – asked whether she was going to be put on the next plane to Perth.
‘angry and annoyed’
“The flight attendant said to me… that Jetstar will not be paying for another seat for me,” she claims.
“She said it was my fault that I had held up all these people on the plane and that I, in fact, had to compensate them because I had held up the scheduled flight.
“Again, I was in disbelief and this is when I started to feel angry and annoyed because she was blaming me and not giving me the benefit of the doubt.”
A traveler claimed she was ‘kicked off’ a Jetstar flight after being mistakenly told she had a ‘dangerous’ item in her checked suitcase. Credit: Clare Vertannes
Clare says she was left in tears by the time she arrived at baggage claim.
As she made her way to the counter, she was allegedly told her checked suitcase did not contain any “dangerous” item.
“The staff member said, ‘I’m so sorry, there’s been a miscommunication… there is nothing wrong with your bags – I left the desk to go to the bathroom and came back to this mess, I’m so, so sorry’,” Clare recalls.
“Honestly, I was hoping there was something in my suitcase so this drama wasn’t for nothing.”
‘Absolute s*** show’
Furious, Clare says she started to “raise her voice” because she was “upset and emotional” over the debacle.
“I got very angry and started to vent to her about how ridiculous this is and how it was an absolute s*** show,” she says.
“But then I started apologizing to the staff member because I knew it wasn’t her fault.
“After all that, I took a moment to breathe and said, ‘Ok, well, it is what it is, what’s the plan now? Can I get on the next flight?’ She said, ‘There’s no more flights to Perth until tomorrow’.
“I then told her that I needed to be on a flight back to Perth today and that I’d sit and wait for a flight – and that’s what I did.”
Clare was offered a free Qantas flight on the same day – but had to wait seven hours. Credit: Clare Vertannes
After waiting for an hour, Clare was offered a free Qantas flight to Perth on the same day – but she needed to wait seven hours.
“Qantas had a spare seat and they had secured it for me. No upgrades or compensation – just the seat,” she says.
During the wait, she tried to leave her suitcase at the airport so she could return to the city – but was told she needed to pay an extra $50 for storage.
“When they were asking me to pay to put my luggage somewhere after the whole order, I was over it,” she says.
“I decided to lug my suitcase back to the city. I ended up catching a cab because the trains weren’t working.”
‘I was shook’
In a shock turn of events, Clare received an email from Jetstar saying she was charged $10 for a pie under her seat number – despite her having been kicked off the flight.
“I remember sitting in my (Qantas) seat, thinking what else could possibly happen? And then I get an email from Jetstar. It goes: ‘Thank you so much for your pie purchase on your recent Jetstar flight’,” she says.
“I was shook… Someone on my flight had charged a foot to my seat and I got that invoice.
“Honestly, I was just in disbelief. I was thinking, ‘Is this real? Are they having me for a laugh?’ I was done at this point.”
Jetstar offered a refund and voucher, left, but charged $10 for a pie to her seat – despite having been kicked off the flight. Credit: Clare Vertannes
After the mishap, Jetstar offered her a $116.22 cash refund and a $350.78 voucher.
However, Clare is demanding a full cash refund of $467 and a $50 reimbursement for the taxi fare into the city.
“They didn’t give me the compensation I asked for, but they sent me a voucher to ‘compensate’ for the flight I was kicked off,” she says.
“I don’t know why they bothered giving me a voucher – it’s not like I will be flying with them again.”
Jetstar responds
In a letter to Clare, a Jetstar employee explained why the airline was unable to offer her a “monetary refund”.
“I hope you’d appreciate that we can only return something to you in its original form,” the letter read.
“Since you have paid for this booking using a voucher and a credit card payment, we can only process a voucher equivalent to the amount paid via voucher and a cash refund equivalent to the amount paid via credit card.
“We are unable to process a cash refund for a booking which wasn’t paid in cash in the first place.”
Clare demanded a full cash refund – but Jetstar has since declined. Credit: Clare Vertannes
The letter added: “We have assessed your claim in line with all relevant laws and conventions and I appreciate how unhappy you are with this outcome.
“However, we’re comfortable that we’ve met our obligations under applicable law by providing this outcome to you.
“We will respect your opinion and decision on this matter however our position remains the same.”
A Jetstar spokesman told 7NEWS.com.au: “We sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding and are looking into what took place.”
Four months on from the flight drama, Clare is speaking out about the ordeal on TikTok.
“Now that I’ve overcome my PTSD, I can finally share to you all the trauma that Jetstar gave me,” she said in a now-viral video with more than 700,000 views.
She adds: “I’m glad I shared my experience though because everyone is starting to share their horror stories too and hopefully something will change on how budget airlines treat their customers.”
In 2012, at 34 years old,I left my investment banking job and retired early with a net worth of $3 million. Currently, I live in San Francisco with my wife and two young children.
But since 1977, I’ve regularly traveled back and forth to Hawaii, where my parents have been retired for 15 years. They have a simple life with a modest budget, living off retirement savings and a government pension — thanks to the three decades they spent working in the US Foreign Service.
Seeing my parents live their dream, we want to follow suit. Our plan is to move to Hawaii by 2025. Between my parents’ experience and my own, I’ve learned a lot about the ins and outs of retiring in Hawaii.
Our consensus it’s the perfect place to retire by the beach — although there are still a few downsides to keep in mind.
Many financial experts suggest maintaining a 4% withdrawal rate to ensure that your investments last throughout retirement.
The median household income in Honolulu County, for example, is $88,000. If someone wanted to withdraw that $88,000 from their assets each year, they’d need about $2,200,000 in investments to withdraw at a rate of 4%.
But that’s just one example. How much money you need depends on where you’d like to live, your standard of living and your expected income.
If you can comfortably live off $42,500 a year, have a pension or can file for Social Security, you can have a lower net worth and less income-generating investments at the beginning of your retirement journey.
The downsides of retiring in Hawaii
Before you start your beach retirement plan, beware of these three biggest downsides first:
If you want to retire in Hawaii, consider buying a small condo or rent, rather than purchasing a single-family home. The average rent for a 594 square foot apartment is roughly $2,042, according to RentCafe.
2. Expensive groceries and gas
According to a 2021 report by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, Hawaii’s grocery prices are the highest in the nation.
For example, I’ve paid $8.99 for a gallon of whole milk on Oahu, whereas in San Francisco, it’s about $6. And while Hawaiian-grown mangoes are delicious, they can cost about $6 each!
Further, if you like to drive, Hawaii has unusually high gas prices. The average price per gallon in the state today is $5.41 and is continuing to rise, according to AAA, while the national average is $4.03.
3. You may feel claustrophobic
It only takes about four hours to drive around the 597 square miles of Oahu. Although the island does hold about one million people, in my experience, it can still feel small.
And with the pandemic continuing to make air and ship travel unappealing, it is possible that you could feel a bit stuck at times, without those options at your disposal.
The benefits of retiring in Hawaii
Yes, it’s expensive. But if you’re curious what it could be like to retire in Hawaii, here are some surprising perks:
My parents worked in Washington DC, Paris, Guangzhou, Kobe, Taipei and other big cities before retiring in Honolulu. They’ve found their Hawaiian lifestyle to be incredibly relaxing compared to all the other cities they’ve lived in.
2. Top-rated healthcare
The United Health Foundation also ranks Hawaii as the third healthiest state in the country. And according to US News’ list of Best States for Health Care, Hawaii takes the top spot.
I’m not surprised. Hawaii has beautiful weather nearly year-round, public beaches and parks, a variety of locally grown and raised food, and great access to preventive medical and dental treatment.
If you’re looking for a more healthy and active lifestyle, you can certainly find it in Hawaii.
3. ‘Ohana’ means family
An important part of Hawaiian culture is the care and nurturing of family and friends, or “ohana.” I’ve observed that nearly everywhere you go, whether it’s to a restaurant or to the mall, things are set up to be a family-friendly experience.
Plus, it’s not uncommon to have multiple generations under one roof in Hawaii. While my wife, children and I probably won’t live in my parents’ house, we hope to rent or buy nearby.
4. Tremendous diversity
Hawaii topped the list of states that have the most diverse population in the country, coming ahead of California and Nevada, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
5. Decent tax advantages
Hawaii ranks as having one of the lowest property tax rates in the country, at an average of only 0.28%. If you have a Federal pension, it’s exempt from state income tax. And the sales tax rate is a reasonable 4% to 4.5%, versus 7.25% to 8.25% in California.
However, Hawaii also has one of the highest state income tax rates, topping out at 11% if you make over $200,000. If you make between $48,001 and $150,000, you pay a state income tax rate of 8.25%.
If we move, we’d sell our home here and pay cash for a property in Honolulu that’s around 40% cheaper. We’d then reinvest the house savings into real estate crowdfunding, dividend stocks and REITs to increase our passive income for retirement.
Instead of needing $300,000 a year in passive investment income to fund the lifestyle we desire, $150,000 to $200,000 is probably plenty in Honolulu.
But more than that, with my parents in their 70s, I’d like to spend as much time with them as possible. Hawaii just feels like home.
Sam Dogen worked in investing banking for 13 years before starting Financial Samurai, his personal finance website. His new book “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Financial Freedom” is out now. Follow him on Twitter @financialsamura.
Here’s when and how you can access the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta – The AU Review
Activision has recently announced exactly how and when fans can get their hands on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta. And the best news? It’s only a few weeks away.
The beta itself will be available at an earlier date for those who have pre-ordered the game, with two separate weekends providing access to the beta over a couple of days. We’ve outlined them for you below:
weekend 1
Saturday September 17th, 3am AEST until Tuesday September 20th, for both PS5 and PS4 owners who have pre-ordered the game.
Monday September 19th, 3am until Tuesday September 20th, for all PS5 and PS4 owners.
weekend 2
Friday September 23rd, 3am AEST until Monday September 26th for all PS5 and PS4 owners, and for Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC owners who have pre-ordered the game.
Sunday September 25th, 3am until Monday, September 26th, for all console and PC owners.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will launch on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Windows PC on the 28th of October, 2022.
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Matthew Arcari
Matthew Arcari is the games and technology editor at The AU Review. You can find him on Twitter at @sirchunkee, or at the Dagobah System, chilling with Luke and Yoda.
