tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26177833615646299162024-02-21T04:47:09.957+11:00Another Personal Finance BlogKBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-15288320842185203502009-08-27T20:13:00.004+10:002009-08-27T20:17:03.664+10:00TaxWell I'm back.<br /><br />Not a very long hiatus, but I finished my tax!<br /><br />I'm getting a higher refund than I expected, I had a lot of deductions this year, so it's nice to get it in and get it finished. I also finally got around to lodging an amendment for last year's return as I realised I had made a mistake, which should mean I get an extra refund of about $500. <br /><br />So things are finally looking up finacially. Next week I should get my regular pay, plus payment for half my tuition from first semester, which will be $2,000, and some extra pay for lecturing.<br /><br />Hopefully I should get my tax refund in about 2 weeks, and that will pay off my largest credit card plus a bit extra. On the one hand it's great, but on the other hand I'm annoyed with myself, because if I hadn't racked up so much credit card debt, the tax refund could be used for so many other things (or for long-term savings). Live and learn I guess.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-76920627896127604312009-08-22T14:41:00.002+10:002009-08-22T14:48:20.120+10:00Goodbye for a little whileMy blog is going on a little hiatus.<br /><br />I have been struggling to keep up with things of late - nothing is wrong, but with work and an enormous amount of study, keeping posting unforunately isn't at the high end of my priorities.<br /><br />At the moment, I work 35 hours a week, and with the number of courses I'm doing, I "meant" to study a crazy 60 hours a week. In about 2 weeks, that will drop back to 36 hours a week as some of my courses are finishing, but with full-time work it's still a struggle. I don't actually study 60 hours per week, but particularly as I took a weekend "off" last week to go away, my life for the last few weeks has been work until 5ish, go home, and work on assignments until anywhere from midnight to 4am because not having studied the amount I should be, I have left them to the last minute.<br /><br />I'm not closing my blog and hopefully once study cuts down a bit I'll have more time. <br /><br />I'm still keeping track of my spending, but with my insane hours of late I have been buying too many "little luxuries" - i.e. fast food/magazines etc.<br /><br />I haven't even updated July figures yet, but a quick overall picture:<br /><br />I currently have 3 credits cards, owing around $19,000.<br /><br />Next pay I will get my regular pay plus $2,000 for study costs, so I will be paying off Credit Card 2.<br /><br />When my tax refund comes through, (i.e. when I finally finish my tax), that should be almost $10K. So I'll pay off Credit Card 3.<br /><br />Then, it is just Credit Card 4, which has a balance transfer rate. <br /><br />My aim will be to start the new year with less than $5,000K debt, which is more than achievable.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-84446559744979225612009-08-06T21:37:00.003+10:002009-08-06T21:43:10.048+10:00Update - finances, work etcI can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I posted. Work and study have been flat out, although I'm finally starting to get over my flu/virus/chest infection/whatever I had. <br /><br />Finance wise, things are looking up. I spoke to my boss about tuition fees, and it's all good - put in my expense claim today, although I don't know how long it will take to come through. But when it does it will be $2,100. <br /><br />I've been doing some lecturing which I didn't think I was going to get paid extra for - I was workin gon the "it's a good experience and will help on my resume", but my boss came and spoke to me last night and said she will pay be as a casual for any lecturing I do because is so far outside my job description. Which it is - I'm meant to be a research assistant and I'm taking 3 hour lectures on tax law. They are at an introductory level, but still! <br /><br />Still have to finish my tax - it's on a very long list of things I have to do for study and work. <br /><br />But once I get my tax refund etc, I'm hoping that I'll only have one CC left with an amount owing - one where I am on a lifetime balance transfer rate, so although I want to get it paid off, I'm not as stressed about it as my other ones.<br /><br />In bad news, my flatmate (whose parent's own our flat) has put my rent up. Good news - only by $5 a week. :) And I love living here so much that that doesn't bother me. Our clothes dryer is also broken, which in summer I wouldn't care about, but since it's winter in Australia, it's been a hassle drying off clothes. We are getting someone to come and look at it on the weekend, but I'm thinking it won't be cheap getting it fixed. <br /><br />Back to the study - have an assignemnt due tomorrow as well as stuff to do for work. I think it will be a late one!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-21819074956192858392009-07-27T19:47:00.002+10:002009-07-27T19:54:43.956+10:00Brief updateI've been very slack in posting as of late.<br /><br />I'm still sick :( which makes it 3 and a half weeks now. Went back to the doctor's last week and they weren't much help. I don't have swine flu, just another virus and there isn't much they can do for it. I ended up taking some time off work at the end of last week, but I still had study which had to be done. <br /><br />Only good thing about being sick is that I stayed at home and didn't spend money! Makes me realise how much money I often waste when I go out (such as to work). Just little bits here and there that add up. But nothing I actually need.<br /><br />Not too much happening - work, study, sleep. <br /><br />Have completed a rough tax estimate and I should get back a very nice refund. Hopefully will finish it off this coming weekend and will have my refund by end of August. Any refund will go directly into my bank account and then I will send it straight off to one of my credit cards.<br /><br />My job is meant to be paying for half my tuition fees once I successfully complete subjects in my Masters degree. I successfully completed two last semester (2 more this semester and then I will be finished!) so they should be giving me $2010 (each subject is $2010). My boss is currently overseas but will have to talk to her about it once she gets back. I know from my last job that there is a big difference between saying they will pay for it and actually getting it in your bank account! In my last job, I really pushed the issue and was ready to quit over it, but I like my current job, I know finances are tight, and I really want them to renew my contract this year. So I'm not sure how hard to push if they are resisting paying it.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-86690798341585691342009-07-21T08:20:00.004+10:002009-07-21T08:24:58.469+10:00Back from a very short "break"I went back home to the Gold Coast (Queensland) over the weekend. Took yesterday off work, and didn't have to take it as annual leave because I had been working some longer hours. My current job is so much more relaxed than my old one!<br /><br />Unfortunately, as I'm also studying I spent a lot of the weekend working on assignments. But I still got to catch up with friends and my family (it was my Mum and Aunts birthday last week).<br /><br />It was a spending weekend because I had dinner with a friend on Saturday night for her birthday, and breakfast with another friend Sunday morning. But overall not too bad. Dinner and drinks on Saturday night was $38 (I had steak, expensive but very nice!) and breakfast was $20. <br /><br />Also collect further information I needed to do my tax, so I will be working on that over the coming weeks.<br /><br />Back home this morning and about to head off for work - how is it that I can get up, be driven 45 minutes to the airport, take an 1hour and a half flight, collect my baggage and get a 15/20 minute tax trip home, and be back home before I would normally get up?? I mean, it was a very early alarm for me this morning, but it shows I should be getting up earlier!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-16139019886080673812009-07-15T07:57:00.002+10:002009-07-15T08:02:04.887+10:00Third of Aussies would not survive on savings if they lost their jobI read this artice online this morning:<br /><br /><strong>Third of Aussies would not survive on savings if they lost their job</strong><br /><a href="http://www.news.com.au/business/money/story/0,28323,25784706-5017313,00.html">http://www.news.com.au/business/money/story/0,28323,25784706-5017313,00.html</a><br />"MORE than a third of Australians would not survive on their savings for more than a month if they lost their jobs. Debt collection agency Dun and Bradstreet's latest consumer credit survey found many Australians were unprepared for financial hardships associated with redundancies and sackings. The survey examined plans for savings, credit use, spending and debt in the coming three months, <a href="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,25782471-662,00.html" target="_blank">the Herald Sun reports</a>.Four in 10 people said their savings would last only 30 days if they lost their job, while 38 per cent said they would have to use credit cards to cover household bills and other essential expenses. D&B chief executive <a class="media-search-keyword" title="Search for more about Christine Christian across the News Network" href="http://search.news.com.au/search//0/?us=ndmnews&sid=5017313&as=news&ac=money&q=Christine">Christine Christian </a>said the people struggling most were households earning $30,000 to $60,000 a year and aged between 18 and 49. "There is a very large demographic of people who are first home buyers who have taken advantage of the government's first home owners scheme and many of them are feeling quite pressured at the moment," Ms Christian said.<br /><br />"They're OK at managing their mortgage repayments in these unusually low interest rate times, but if they were to lose their job, that would be dire for many." Social researcher <a class="media-search-keyword" title="Search for more about David Chalke across the News Network" href="http://search.news.com.au/search//0/?us=ndmnews&sid=5017313&as=news&ac=money&q=David">David Chalke </a>said the results were not surprising. "Many people in the younger demographics have not built up any liquid assets," Mr Chalke said. "They either put their cash into superannuation or bricks and mortar and you cannot cash either of them in." Mr Chalke said younger people had buffers against running out of cash. "About a third of 18 to 34-year-olds live at home and another third could move home if money became really tight," he said. Ms Christian said people should look at preparing a budget, changing insurance payments so they were more frequent and smaller and paying close attention to bills."<br /><br /><br />This doesn't surprise me. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck, and until the global financial crisis, job loss probably wasn't a possibility for a lot of people. On the one hand, I'm prepared for the fact that my contract may not be renewed in February '10; but on the other hand, my emergency fund at the moment won't exactly last long! I'm in the category of 18-34 year olds mentioned in the article that could move back home if I really had to, but I would have a lot more chance of getting another job in the state I'm in now rather the state my Mum lives in.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-69758650827832194392009-07-12T09:27:00.003+10:002009-07-12T09:32:01.804+10:00June UpdateFinally sorted out all my expenses/income for June.<br /><br />I've updated my sidebars, although I left a credit card statement at work, so I estimated, it is slightly less than I'm showing now. In good news: UNDER $20,000! Still a horrible amount of debt, but I'm slowly getting there.<br /><br />My income for June was: $3,734.15<br /><br />Expenses, not including credit card interest, (will update once I get my other credit card statement back from work), were: $2,450.28.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTSmrO36UXbMY-lBL1le86bNJwhm067eXiP1R0tiHCZkkucS8NB08QTcBgTg7N7hqKK_qkLnXXINjhaIvFzFnmnCiScwWb7FQ_ePu7PSRm14JanyIg8Yl9UO-oqELh5pC2fl4UeMUNyd-/s1600-h/June+Expenses.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357349220580391074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTSmrO36UXbMY-lBL1le86bNJwhm067eXiP1R0tiHCZkkucS8NB08QTcBgTg7N7hqKK_qkLnXXINjhaIvFzFnmnCiScwWb7FQ_ePu7PSRm14JanyIg8Yl9UO-oqELh5pC2fl4UeMUNyd-/s400/June+Expenses.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Emergency fund is slowly going up. Savings have taken a hit due to me buying a laptop, so have to start working on those again. It's a new financial year, I've had a horrible start due to being sick, (and still am sick), but need to get much more organised in terms of budgeting/goals etc.</div><br /><div></div>KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-78364822458122408062009-07-09T16:34:00.005+10:002009-07-09T16:47:14.920+10:00Ski tripFinally got paid for all my overtime I did a while ago in this week's pay. Once again, the tax they took out was ridiculous. I earnt an extra $1,009, and of that $444 tax was taken out. Meaning "cash in hand" I received an extra $565. $440 of that went to pay for my ski trip I had previously mentioned. I'm not regretting agreeing to go, because as I've mentioned I've never seen snow, and have the opportunity to go with a good friend. Considering most of my friends are in long-term relationships and/or married and/or have kids, I wouldn't usually have the chnace to go on a holiday with just a girl friend. But still - there was more than a moment of guilt as I was sending the payment off.<br /><br /><br /><br />I think I will put the remaining $125 from my extra pay up towards the holiday - I need to get from Sydney to Canberra (which I will do by coach - about 3 and a half hours each way) for $20 each way. Food/accommodation is all included in the trip, and I have bought some ski gear quite cheaply off ebay, so although I will need to hire skis, I won't need to hire any other gear. So I don't really have any other "expected" expenses, but I'm sure there will be a couple of things popping up - e.g. spending a night in Canberra with my friend before we go, as she is letting me stay with her free of charge, I will pay for us to go out to dinner; things like that.<br /><br /><br /><br />In good news, I worked an extra 32 hours over the weekend and last week before I got sick (probably explains why I got sick, I was working until about midnight every night and still working my regular job) for another university which I should get paid for next week.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-2980125178348917032009-07-09T16:27:00.003+10:002009-07-09T16:33:53.057+10:00HairdressersI've booked a hair dresser's appointment for the weekend. <br /><br />I'm just getting a cut, so it shouldn't be too expensive, but I haven't been to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hairdressers</span> in over a year. I have long hair which basically lives in a pony tail, so have just been letting it grow. But it is getting a bit ratty, and I have a conference I'm presenting a paper at next week (on Asian Double Tax Agreements - such an exciting topic (although sadly I actually find it very interesting!)), so need to look <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">respectable</span>; and having been sick I need a bit of cheering up. I always feel better after going to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hairdressers</span> or beautician - not too sure if it's because I look better, or because of the pampering aspect.<br /><br />A problem with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hairdressers</span> though (money wise) is even if you go in for "just a cut", they always try to convince you to buy treatments and their products. I actually did buy a shampoo recommended by my last hairdresser once - I loved it, best one I've ever used for my hair (I have very oily hair), but it was $30 for a bottle about half the size of the brand I buy at the supermarket for $4. Yes, it was good - but not that good!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-12342887422062284592009-07-07T10:09:00.002+10:002009-07-07T10:19:11.402+10:00Blog updateVery behind in updates. Still sick, actually took a sick day yesterday, my first one since being at this job (although I did still do some work from home).<br /><br />Back at work today but still not 100%. <br /><br />Literally spent almost the entire weekend in bed, (apart from bathroom breaks and occassionally getting food). <br /><br />There are a lot of things I want to do this financial year, including more regular updates to my blog and get some more readers/commenters. I've never aimed to have my blog make me any money; one of the reasons I've never set up adsense or anything, but I would still like to know some people are reading. There is a book I've seem on Amazon about Blogger, but am going to try to save the money and see if I can just get some tips online and through trial and error!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-20785812438297076432009-07-04T13:29:00.003+10:002009-07-04T13:38:38.366+10:00WeekendThis is the first weekend since I have been in Sydney when I don't have to work or study ... and, Murphy's law - I'm sick. I did a lot of extra part-time work this week - (30 hours), so I had a number of very late nights. I think maybe my body is now telling me to rest! I felt pretty yuck yesterday but thought it was just a cold, but when I finally woke up this morning (after about 14 hours of sleep!) my back was killing me (which I guess explains the dream I was having that someone was literally stabbing my back).<br /><br />I'm meant to go out tonight but even the thought of getting out of bed at the moment seems like too much of an effort. I'll see how I feel in a couple of hours.<br /><br />If I'm feeling better tomorrow I will summarise June - and then the first six months of the year.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-68712396688060668042009-07-01T00:21:00.003+10:002009-07-01T00:23:55.025+10:00Happy New YearWell, it is now officially the start of the new financial year (once an accounting geek, always an accounting geek!) :) <br /><br />Sadly, it's almost 12:30am and I'm still at work. Will certainly be looking forward to my overtime pay in the next few weeks! Just packing up to go home, I've been at work 17 hours which is more than enough!<br /><br />End of financial year always seems to be a busy time for me at work - when I worked at an accounting firm it was obviously busy, and now at the uni the semester has just finished, so I have hundreds of exam papers to mark.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-46780341665726369592009-06-30T07:37:00.002+10:002009-06-30T07:42:57.551+10:00New Year's Eve! :)Financial Year Eve that is.<br /><br />Tomorrow is the 1st of July, start of the 09-10 financial year. Just writing that seems weird - 2010 always seemed like such a long way off (I know there are still six months to go). <br /><br />I'm going back home in 2 and a half weeks and I'll have to make sure I get all the paperwork I need to do my tax. <br /><br />I should be due a large refund this year - I co-own a rental property which means deductions (although when you take into account the rental income we get it's actually not much - it's in a popular area so we get good rental returns). However, I also have a lot of educational expenses. I was in a job for half the year where I was on a higher income and they were taking out tax on the basis that I would be on that income for the entire year, then switched to a lower-paying job; and had 6 weeks without work. <br /><br />So overall I'm hoping to be able to pay a large chunck of debt off once I get a refund.<br /><br />Doing more overtime this week, so will be looking forward to my next couple of pay cheques.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-3028812370239003502009-06-27T11:02:00.003+10:002009-06-27T11:03:54.923+10:00Dinner last nightMy friend paid for dinner last night which was nice of him. He insisted of getting a bottle of wine - (I'm not a big drinker and would have been happy with water). $60 - sorry, tasted no better than a $10/$20 bottle.<br /><br />I did pay to get a taxi home when I could have gotten a train and a bus, but it was getting late and I was tired. There are times when I am willing to pay for convenience.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-54786914895814454642009-06-26T14:58:00.003+10:002009-06-26T15:13:02.990+10:00Weekend of work aheadI've finished my exams for my Masters this semester, which means I don't have to study this weekend. <br /><br />However, I think I will be pretty much working all weekend, marking exams for other courses. It's all extra income, which is great, but I'm looking forward to having a weekend off at some point! <br /><br />I'm seeing a friend for dinner tonight - and it sounds like it is an expensive restaurant. However, he doesn't live in Sydney, he lives a couple of hours drive away, and is just here for the night before going overseas. I haven't seen him for over a year so it will be good to catch up.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-47786470435904903482009-06-23T10:39:00.002+10:002009-06-23T10:43:30.456+10:00Pay from extra jobsI mentioned a week or so ago that I had lodged my timesheets for all the extra work I had done. (And this weekend I will be doing some more.) <br /><br />They have been approved but at least in one case, I think the payment will come through after the end of financial year (Australia has a 1 July - 30 June financial year). Not so concerned about having to wait for the extra salary, but what is annoying is that I know a ton of tax will be taken out, which I will then have to wait another year to get back!<br /><br />I'm popping back home mid-July - it's my Mum's birthday, my Autn's birthday (they are twins), and my best friend's birthday, all within a couple of days. It will be a quick trip, but I got cheap flights and apart from the various birthdays, I will be able to collect various bits and pieces I need to do my tax. (I still have a lot of stuff stored at my Mum's place).KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-51704495425313018472009-06-22T09:37:00.003+10:002009-06-22T09:54:29.990+10:00Weekend spendingI had thought to myself Friday night that I wouldn't need to spend any money over the weekend.<br /><br />What did I actually end up spending?<br />Saturday: $96.10 at the chemist. <br />$66.35 on prescriptions<br />$12.95 on a pair of gloves<br />$11.50 on over the counter medicine<br />$5.30 on a hot water bottle<br /><br />Sunday: $12.50 at the gas station on groceries.<br />NEVER BUY GROCERIES AT THE GAS STATION!! My own stupid fault because I couldn't be bothered going to the grocery store. <br />$5.00 Loaf of bread<br />$5.00 1.25 Ltr Btle of Diet Coke<br />$2.50 Chocolate Bar.<br /><br />If I had been to the grocery store, it probably would have been around $6.00. <br /><br />On the one hand basically everything I bought I needed:<br />The prescriptions and chemist medicine - definitely<br />The gloves and hot water bottle - could have put off but had been thinking of buying for a while.<br />Groceries - well I should have gone to the grocery shop, but then with the cost of bus fares the savings wouldn't have amounted to much.<br /><br />But on the other hand - spending close to $110 when I thought I wouldn't be spending anything isn't exactly great!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-8845499845647489252009-06-20T05:10:00.003+10:002009-06-20T05:12:44.451+10:00Feeling sickIt's 5am and I'm awake with a sore throat.<br /><br />I used to get up at 5am before moving and changing jobs, but not anymore! I love the fact I live so close to work. I actually got up at 8:40am yesterday and was in at work by 9:05 (5 minutes late but no one else was there anyway!)<br /><br />Oh, and it's Saturday.<br /><br />Think I'll be making a trip to the chemist later today. I have an exam next week (my last one for the semester), and the last thing I need is to be sick.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-24518238339423480932009-06-19T10:18:00.002+10:002009-06-19T10:28:11.822+10:00Food - best before datesI've previously posted about <a href="http://anotherpfb.blogspot.com/2009/02/wasted-money.html">wasting food.</a> <br /><br />One thing I tend to waste a lot of is Yoghurt and similar - buy it and then never eat it before the best before date. Anyway, yesterday I ate a <a href="http://www.fruche.com.au/product_range/default.aspx">Fruche</a> which had a best before date of 2 weeks ago. It was fine - still tasted as good as ever. I've always been one of those people that as soon as something is at the best before date I throw it out - without even looking to see if it is still good.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-29064881218469152332009-06-18T09:31:00.003+10:002009-06-18T09:32:54.512+10:00Addicted to plasticThere is a show on Australian ABC tonight called "Addicted to Plastic" - I thought it would be a look at the extent of credit card usage, but upon reading the description .... no, it's actually about Plastic!" <br /><br />This is the description:<br />"An eye-opening documentary that investigates what's really known about plastic - the material of a thousand uses - and why there's so much of it. This film tells of a worldwide waste and toxic legacy, and introduces the men and women dedicated to cleaning up the global mess caused by plastic. Filmed over three years in 12 countries on five continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where plastic debris accumulates, this documentary looks at solutions to plastic pollution. Addicted To Plastic details plastic's path over the last 100 years and includes expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions provide a hopeful perspective about our future with plastic".<br /><br />I think I'll watch Medium or Private Practice instead! (I have an exam today so giving myself a night off from study afterwards).KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-36874730991226114212009-06-16T19:32:00.003+10:002009-06-16T19:57:02.234+10:00How Gen-Xers became has-beensThe title of my post is the title of an Article that appeared in The Daily Telegraph (a Sydney paper) today, and online. <br /><br />The article starts with: "MEET a young Gen-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Xer</span> with three university degrees who represents the new unemployed - over-qualified professionals".<br /><br />The rest of the article can be read <a href="http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,25643278-462,00.html">here</a>.<br /><br />There have been a lot of comments on the article, some very supportive/some very critical, and I'm sure some of what I say below will have already been said in comments.<br /><br />1. The article calls this the "new unemployed". What about in the lat 80s/early 90s recession? Surely the same situation happened then. Anytime there is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">recession</span>/economic crisis, unemployment will rise, and it will include people who are well-qualified and previously had no problems getting jobs. I really don't see how this is considered "new". <br /><br />2. Considering my level of debt, I shouldn't be one to comment on the fact he says he only has $3 left to the end of the week, but I would hope by the time I'm his age all my debt is gone and I have an emergency fund which would last me a year. I think we have all (well, most of us - me included!) lived beyond our means for so long - as soon as something happens like job loss, we are, to put it bluntly, screwed.<br /><br />3. He states: "Along with many of my friends, I never paid much mind to the idea that one day I might be unemployed. For my generation, who are used to a permanently strong economy, it was just never going to happen. " Although his age is not specified, he is Generation X, which means he is at least older than me (Generation Y). I was quite young during the late 80s/early 90s recession, but I remember it clearly (partly because my Dad was out of work and we nearly lost our house). But I would think this would have been the time the author of the article was in high school/at university - and would have been well aware of the poor job market.<br /><br />4. He talks about having to fight to use a computer at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Centrelink</span> - surely he would have a computer at home? I can't imagine anyone these days (particularly as he has, until recently, been working), not having a computer.<br /><br />5. As a number of comments pointed out, he was a marketing manager. Market yourself! If he is applying for a job where he thinks he will be overqualified, leave the MBA off. <br /><br />6. He says: "Don't get me wrong. Australia has a fantastic system that provides benefits and assistance to those in need. It is not, however, designed to cope with highly qualified individuals who have found themselves out of work". He doesn't explain what he means by this. How does he want the system to be designed? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Centrelink's</span> website says: "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Centrelink</span> is an Australian Government Statutory Agency, assisting people to become self-sufficient and supporting those in need". Helping the unemployed is just one part of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Centrelink</span>, and honestly, what does he expect them to do? I have only had contact with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Centrelink</span> when I was a student, but I thought in terms of unemployed, the assistance <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Centrelink</span> provided (apart from monetary) was providing access to computers to look for jobs, providing some courses in terms of resume writing etc. I don't see how he thinks the system is designed to cope with "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">un</span>-qualified" individuals and not "highly qualified" individuals.<br /><br />7. On that note, he also says that: "Regardless of our background, how much we studied, how privileged we may have been, we are all the same at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Centrelink</span>". Well I'm sorry - but why should you be treated differently to any other job seeker? If anything, the argument can be made that you had years of work (on probably a very good salary), you should have been able to save (once again, I realise how hypocritical that is coming from a girl in enormous debt), and shouldn't need assistance from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Centrelink</span> in terms of resume writing etc.<br /><br />8. Having raised my criticisms, one comment that really made me feel sorry for him was: "For myself and the rest of the Generation <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Xers</span> who grew up in a time where work was plentiful, this experience is one that crushes one's sense of self-worth and leads to an every day battle to maintain hope and keep up the momentum of searching for work". (Although I don't think it applies to only Gen X's). I think the longer you are unemployed the more depressed you will get, which in turn <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">probably</span> makes it harder to find a job.<br /><br />(And as a final point - a lot of comments on the article said he should lower his standards and get a job at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Woolies</span> - (which is an Australian supermarket chain). Someone I can't see them employing a 35 year old with no retail experience, when they can employ a 15 year old with no retail experience for a lot less money).KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-91560404281860075262009-06-10T08:54:00.002+10:002009-06-10T09:01:24.391+10:00Extra incomeI've just lodged my timesheets for some extra work I've been doing (marking). I do some through the university I work at full-time and some for another university. Before tax, it should work out to be almost $1,500. <br /><br />I should get some more work in a couple of weeks (marking exams). First I have to get my own exams out the way though!<br /><br />The extra income is a definite help this month - I'm going on a weekend trip in August which is $440. Not budgeted for, but I will be going to the snow - which... I have never seen! Having said that however, it's meant to be between 7-14 degrees Celsius in Sydney today, I'm in my office and freezing! So I don't know how well I will handle the cold!KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-85452440753158656932009-06-08T15:05:00.003+10:002009-06-08T15:13:10.230+10:00May Expense UpdateAn approximation of my May expenses are below. So much for saving money this month. May was very expensive! Although just over 33% of that was to purchase my laptop.<br /><br />I was also terrible at keeping track at my expenses this month. So I don't know how close the below is. Some things are certain (e.g. rent), and I went through all my bank statements/credits cards to catch anything I paid via debit/credit. Cash I basically looked at what I had at the start of the month, what I withdrew from my bank account, and what I had at the end of the month - and figured it was all spent on food and/or entertainment (as basically everything else is paid for via debit or credit).<br /><br />The important thing though is that I am back on track for June. In the past if I had stopped keeping track during a month I would have just given up all together.<br /><br />Income for May was $3,465.86<br />Expenses were: $3,818.71<br /><br />So I spent more than I earned, but as I mentioned the laptop was a huge expense, and I had saved up money for that.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlULcpOYvJOuwS2cG4auunJMpCBfe-GTlBwiYUmUbxzfOy7kUf23S_646DyOblf5P5RemuUGV-nPZmuODqqLvxoxv1RQ7SThrWFQoMATgSFSHqGSbhADD2pvm6VuM6dtcq_iMBQAKjthv/s1600-h/May+2009+Expenses.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344820323182823586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlULcpOYvJOuwS2cG4auunJMpCBfe-GTlBwiYUmUbxzfOy7kUf23S_646DyOblf5P5RemuUGV-nPZmuODqqLvxoxv1RQ7SThrWFQoMATgSFSHqGSbhADD2pvm6VuM6dtcq_iMBQAKjthv/s400/May+2009+Expenses.jpg" border="0" /></a>KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-82378622088284744162009-06-05T17:34:00.002+10:002009-06-05T17:40:45.322+10:00Queen's Birthday WeekendIt is a public holiday here on Monday. It is now Friday 5:34pm so officially the long weekend :) <br /><br />This week just gone has also been a four day week for me, I took Monday as annual leave and went back home. <br /><br />Not much planned for this weekend. Tonight I have to iron as I have no clothes in my wardrobe (slight exaggeration, but really all the clothes left in my wardrobe are shorts/t-shirts - it is now officially winter here). <br /><br />I'm going to see Angels and Demons tomorrow night with my brother and Dad. Last time we went to the movies I used movie money and also bought the popcorn/drinks - so I'm hoping this time my Dad will offer to pay. But it's always weird with him and money, if he does pay (in the sense that he pulls out his wallet first etc), you never know whether to offer to chip in or not. It seems if you do he refuses to take the money, but if you don't he thinks you should have. <br /><br />Rest of the weekend will be work and study. I'm doing some extra work (marking) (which I have been doing for the past few weeks - it should add up to a nice little extra sum in my pay). And on a positive note - it looks like my comments "Do not use Wikipedia - it is not a scholarly source) has been heard by the students. I'm the first to admit I use Wikipedia sometimes for general knowledge - but not for postgraduate tax assignments!<br /><br />Final exams are coming up (at least all my assignments are finished), and I have a conference paper to write which I'm starting to slightly panic about. I'm second author, but I'm basically taking the reins.KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617783361564629916.post-9855530272738404742009-06-05T17:31:00.002+10:002009-06-05T17:34:39.022+10:00Credit card update May/JuneIt's going down!!!<br /><br />On 1 May, I owed $22,016.77<br /><br />On 1 June, I owed $20,690.52<br /><br />I have completely paid off Card 1, which is the first card I've gotten rid of without any balance transfers. It was my smallest card, but it also had the highest interest rate. <br /><br />Next challenge is to Tackle Card 2, it actually has the lowest rate but only until about September (it was a six-month balance transfer off), I need to check the exact date it will expire. I would love to be able to pay it off just through my salary, but if worst comes to worst I should hae a tax refund by then (in Australia our financial year runs from July-June each year).KBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09939612249150222870noreply@blogger.com1