Free Booklet Understanding Money

Making Your Money Work For You

Understanding Money Free Booklet is now available...

It's easier than you think to take control of your money...No matter who you are or what you earn. Most importantly....Start taking action today!

To get your free copy of Understanding Money... You should be able to pick up a copy at your local library like I did or visit http://www.australia.gov.au/understandingmoney

Copies of the handbook are also available in Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese. Download to your computer or order have the free book mailed to you.

Putting yourself in charge & Learn how to make the most of it can really pay off.

Saving Batteries With Wireless Mouse

I just can't believe how often I was having to change the batteries in my wireless mouse. Must admit it is great not having all those leads. I had tried buying cheaper batteries, but they just ran out sooner. Thankfully we don't seem to have the same problem with the keyboard... it just keeps on keeping on.....

Then I decided to remove the batteries from the mouse at night when I closed down the computer. At first I was concerned that this might interfere with the connection.... But no problems, just pop them back in & ready for the day's work ahead. This works out to be quite a saving. My son suggested we should buy a recharger for rechargeable batteries. Definitely thinking about it. Is this really a saving as you have to buy the recharger & pay the extra for rechargeable batteries? I'd love to hear if you've found it's a saving ....

Snapshot of Super Changes

Constant changes are being made to your Superannuation.... On 5 September 2006 Treasurer Peter Costello announced further changes providing even more incentive for people to boost their super savings.

From 1 July 2007
* Super benefits to be tax-free for people aged over 60 years
* Reasonable Benefit Limits abolished
* Simpler tax treatment for super benefits received before age 60
* Lump sum benefits taxed more concessionally
* Super more attractive for self-employed

From 1 September 2007
* Assets Test for Age Pension benefits will be more generous
* The 50% Assets Test exemptin will be removed for new 'complying' income streams.

What's New?
* New transitional limit on undeducted contributions of up to $1 million
* Revised deductible contribution limits
* Refined undeducted contribution limits
* New transitional rule for employer ETP's
* Invalidity benefits extended to the self-employed
* New rules for quoting of Tax File Numbers
* New pre and post component changes
* New rules for death benefits paid to dependents
* Commutation of complying income streams will not be permitted.

** It is always recommended to speak with your financial adviser to make the most of your Super.... Who knows what the next changes will be or when they will occur.. Hopefully making it a much simpler system to understand. ==> Federal Budget Info

Free Kids’ Lunchbox

MAGGI Back-to-School Offer.....
This offer is exclusive to Coles (Aust) and is only available from 22nd January for a limited time or while stocks last. The MAGGI team are offering a fantastic kids’ lunchbox free with every purchase of specially marked MAGGI 10 Pack noodles. Give your kids the taste they love and the nutrition they need & be quick to grab your free lunchbox. Finally…. after 6 weeks...school’s back... time for mum & dads to catch their breath & take time for themselves!

Free Kids Shoes

Mathers is proudly celebrating over 80 years of expert fitting, professional advice and great service to the feet of all Australians.

They have a great offer..... Receive a FREE** pair of kids shoes... When you buy 5 pairs of full price kids shoes in their exclusive range of kids products - the 6th pair is yours FREE!

** Valid until 31st Dec 2007 Conditions apply. See instore for details.
==> Visit Mathers website

Watch ecoNSW and Win

The NSW Government's free to air digital TV channel is giving you the chance to WIN an LCD widescreen TV or a water saving washing machine. There are also water saving packs up for grabs!

For more information, tune into Channel 45 and watch out for the competitions appearing on screen during the ecoNSW show at 2.30pm and 10pm Monday To Friday. The competitions close on 28th Feb 2007.

ecoNSW also features regular updates on:
* breaking news
* weather
* surf conditions
* water saving products
* dam levels
* water quality results
* water restrictions
* water wise gardening

For more information visit: ecoNSW - ChannelNSW is the NSW Government's Digital TV channel, delivering public and government information into your lounge room.

Free First Home Buyers Seminar

Are you thinking about buying your first home? This information packed evening is a must attend event for anyone thinking of buying their first home. Learn the answers to important questions from Mortgage Choice such as:

* What government benefits am I entitled to?
* What if I don't have a deposit?
* What other costs do I need to allow for?
* How much can I afford to borrow?
* Should I get a pre-approval?

Thurs 1st Feb 6pm - 8pm
Manly Leagues Club NSW (Aust)
02 9949 8698

Rainwater Tank & Washing Machine Rebates

Water Saving Rebates & Offers

Rainwater Tank Rebates
Sydney Water has a Rainwater Tank Rebate Program offering customers up to $800 to install a rainwater tank. A special Rainwater Tanks in Schools Rebate Program is also available for schools.

Washing Machine Rebates
A rebate of $150 is available to customers who purchase a new washing machine with a water efficiency rating of 4-star1 or AAAAA. The rebate offer commenced on 1 March 2006 and will run until 31 July 2008. 4-star1 or AAAAA water efficient washing machines save more than 21,000 litres of water a year compared to older machines. The rebate offer could help to save one million litres a day.

These are some of the many ways the NSW Government is helping you to help secure Sydney’s water for life by saving water in and around your home. To find out more and to take advantage of rebates and offers visit the website links above. Please read all information to qualify for rebates & expiry dates of offers.

Save Water, Save Money, Save the Environment!

Fresh 'n' Crisp

Fresh 'n' Crisp Fruit & Vegetable Storage Bags

This morning while shopping I spotted some gel pack fruit & vegetable storage bags.

I thought this was quite an interesting concept.... Just ask yourself this question... How often have you thrown out vegetables because they've gone limp or discoloured... this is especially true for broccoli or celery that goes limp after one day!

I thought for a cost of about $2.60 AU for 10 medium bags it was worth a shot at what I could save.

These bags are light green...& I have heard something about green bags before... where? who knows?....The pack states that they contain approved natural ingredients (couldn't find a list anywhere on the pack) which slow down the ageing process of fruit & vegetables.... Preserves freshness, vitamins & flavour.

I will let you know how my experiment went. Of course there are directions which I will need to follow to help preserve my fruit & veges for as long as possible.They also list the suitable produce to place in your Fresh 'n' Crisp storage bag.

On the back of the pack they show a piece of broccoli that was stored for 21 days still looking fresh & green from using the storage bag.... 21 Days my goodness! If it was still in my fridge after all that time it'd make me wonder what I'd been eating!!

Looking forward to saving money by keeping my fruit & veges fresher!

Click Here => For Everday Savings Hints & Tips

Refrigerator Door Seals

As you're most probably aware your refrigerator is constantly using extra energy.. & that means electricity as well... especially if the door seal is not doing it's job.

So, before you replace your fridge....maybe all it really needs is new rubber around your seals. This helps keep the fridge door closed tightly ... keeping the cold air inside where it belongs. Check your local newspaper for a tradesman who replaces the seals. Don't forget to ask him for a quote before he arrives & whether a service call fee applies to help you make an informed decision. If you are eligible for a pensioner discount etc don't forget to ask.

Another tip is to not continually open your fridge door. Try to take items out at one time. Apparently older style fridges also use a lot of electricity.... so ask yourself...Do you really need that extra fridge in the garage? Maybe the dh thinks so... especially if it's chilling his beer!

Recycling Xmas Cards

A creative way of recycling your old xmas cards is to use cutouts from old Christmas cards to make delightful and creative gift tags.

I have always used my old cards as next years gift tags. Just cut out what looks like would make a pretty tag, punch a hole in the top with a paper-punch, and use a ribbon to attach to your gift. Sometimes you can get multiple tags from one card.

For larger gifts use the whole front of the card as a tag. For a little extra pizzazz add some glitter glue to parts of the card or even use a pair of decorative craft scissors for cutting the edges.

So... With 6 days till xmas you still have time to make up your own creative gift tags... not only saving you money but creating a gorgeous gift tag that I'm sure will be appreciated.

Seasons Greetings!

Clothing Savings

Clothes Savings can have a huge impact on your budget....Here's some ideas to help you keep within your budget.

Buy separates that coordinate: Make numerous combinations with a few well matched items. For women, skirts, slacks, jackets and blouses can be mixed and matched to create many different outfits. Change the look of these outfits with accessories such as scarves or jewellery.

Men's clothing offers a wide variety of separates that can be coordinated: shirts, blazers, slacks and ties can all be interchanged to create a versatile wardrobe with a minimum of expense.

Buy a season ahead: Buy next year's winter clothes at the end of this season and save. Buy quality clothes in the sales and these should last longer.

Stay away from trendy fashions: Sticking with the basics you can always be sure your clothing styles will last from year to year.

Always dress to suit your body type & style. Wearing styles that suit your body shape has the power to increase your attractiveness instantly. [Learn More]

Click Here => For Other Great Savings Ideas

Banana Cake Recipe

Don't throw your money away with your mushy bananas... Bake a cake instead!

Banana Cake

125g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 cup milk

Icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
30g butterjuice of 1 orange
orange rind to decorate

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in eggs until combined.
2. Stir in banana. Stir in half the sifted dry ingredients and combine. Add remaining flour and milk, stir until smooth.
3. Pour mixture into greased 20c, round cake tin.Bake at 180ºC (350ºF) for 30 minutes.
4. Stand for 5 minutesbefore turning on to wire rack to cool.
5. To make icing beat icing sugar with enough orange juice to make a firm mixture, beat in butter. Spread over cake and decorate with orange rind.

Serve with cream and ice-cream for a tempting dessert.

Now that sounds delicious! Happy Baking!

Banana Cake - Recipe Source

Click Here => For Other Great Savings Ideas

Bananas!

Bananas reducing in price!

It certainly was a nice surprise to see bananas down to $3.99 AU kilo this morning.

They had reached ridiculous prices of up to $15 kilo over about 4 months due to a shortage due to the hurricane. At that price I was purchasing them far & few between.Despite this hike in prices, it wasn't the farmers getting the $ benefit.

Bananas are a quick & easy snack, a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Also great to add to your morning cereal.

To help your bananas last longer I usually try to buy them a little greener.

Tips:
Wrap in newspaper & place in crisper.... will last much longer or wrap in alfoil & place in crisper.
(the skins will go brown but they will last up to 5 days plus)
To ripen - place in brown paper bag with an avocado.

If you're anything like me I hate a mushy banana (they don't usually last that long in my house to even go mushy) - don't throwout - make a banana cake.

Enjoy your bananas... I know we will!

Negotiating A Better Deal

With goods costing more & bills arriving faster, you have to make your hard-earned money stretch further.

If you adopt this simple rule "If you don't ask you don't get", you stand a good chance of getting more for less.

Here's a few rules to getting your best price....

Do your homework....
The more information you have before you bargain, the greater your chances of scoring a deal.

Pick the right bargaining partner....
Always ask to talk with a manager or the owner.

Ask plenty of questions...
Be confident and ask the questions about the product or service you are interested in. Be polite & friendly & show an interest in the salesperson.

Make an offer...
Start off offering a price that's not too low & wait for their counter offer.

Be prepared to walk away....
If the salesperson cannot or will not budge on their offer be prepared to walk away.

Pick Up Other Great Ideas Like These=> [Learn More]

Happy Negotiating! If you don't ask... you won't receive!

Saving Money!

How To Save Money!

Reading through a magazine yesterday I came across this great cartoon that I had to share with you.... just wish I could show you the pictures!!

Here goes... Just imagine....

A man is holding his pink piggy bank
Caption: Take your savings

He has climbed a ladder to a very high cupboard & is placing his piggy bank inside
Caption: Place them on the highest possible shelf.

He is jumping on his ladder & breaking it up.
Caption: Destroy ladder

Well that certainly is an extreme measure to help save money! Do you have a story to match this?

Printing Savings Update!

In my previous post I spoke about the savings of purchasing the ream of paper & printing the job myself.

After having a think about this… I would save up to $33.00 from the one ream of paper by printing any future jobs myself.

Of course you have to work out whether your time is worth this saving…. Then again when you think about… Most times you need to leave the job to be printed & return for pickup.

All these little or not so little savings add up.

Printing Savings!

This week I organized the pamphlet printing for a Xmas promotion.

I headed off to Officeworks after my morning beach walk. I first checked the cost of a ream of red paper. Went to printing section & enquired as to whether it would be more economical to purchase ream & print myself. Not for the quantity I wanted printed.... I was told.

Ok.... Let them do it for me... which included cutting sheet in half. Thankfully I was lucky enough to browse round the store & wait for print job.... Parking is the pits! The gym is next door & they park in all the car spots.

Arrived home & decided to do a quick calculation. If I had bought the ream of red paper & printed them myself at Officeworks... I would have saved $10. (This was calculated on the sheets I actually used) The rest of the ream I could have kept for the next promotion.

Lesson learnt... Don't rely on someone else's calculation....Carry your calculator with you...(could have borrowed one.... Look where I was!!)

Looking forward to responses to Xmas Promotion!

Distinguish between Wants and Needs…..

In my previous post I mentioned…. Is this really a Want or a Need?

It was an amazing morning in more ways than one… The cicadas were again singing up at my place threatening another hot day, the sun was shining.

As I drove round the DY beachfront the fog hung heavy in the air….I wondered what the day had in store as the wind had started to whip up. The radio station said Centerpoint tower in the city could not be found.

My girlfriend & I headed out for one of our morning Manly beachfront walks.

We always stop at our local restaurant ‘Cristals’ for our coffee kick… We are supporting our local café during their time of controversy with the local Manly Council…. Now that’s another story!

Then off to check out Humphreys’ Newsagency for the latest Scrapbooking Magazines or card designs or other bargains (they have great book bargains) before we do our return journey.

My friend had her eye on a certain item & quickly had it clutched in her hand. As we strolled round the aisles she looked at the item & said to me “Is this really a Want or a Need?”

I almost fell over & told her that this was exactly what I’d posted on my blog this morning. We had a good laugh.

My friend resisted the temptation & placed the item back on the shelf…. It turned out to be a Want & Not a Need!

Want or Need!

Distinguish between Wants and Needs…..

You will save a lot of money if you don't mistake Wants for Needs.

Needs are those items that are necessary to sustain: Shelter, food, clothing, transportation.

Wants....are those things that enhance or possibly improve your family life. A car is a need. Unless necessary for your business, a flashy expensive sports car is a want.

Have you ever heard (or said) "I absolutely need...?" when the actual meaning was "I really want?" …. If you’re anything like me… I already know your answer!

This is not to suggest that you shouldn't be able to have the things you want.. you deserve a splurge now & then….Just don’t delude yourself into believing that a want is a need…and busting your budget in the process… This is a recipe for your financial disaster.

With the Xmas sales ahead of you this is a time when the Wants are screaming at you… Buy Me!! Buy Me!..... If you can’t resist just stay away from the sales!...

Just think... You'll not only save yourself money... but also your Sanity!

Asking yourself this simple question when tempted can keep money in your pocket….. Is this really a Want or a Need?