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Archive for December, 2010

New Year's Eve Update

December 31st, 2010 at 01:35 am

Argh! I lost my post...

I was doing an update on our doings here in the last week. Christmas was low key but good. DH and I spent less than $50 gifts on both of us. Since we been buying things that we wanted in the last few month, we don't really need anything else at the moment.

We got all up $200 cash gift, so on the 27th we spent it all on clothes and gadgets that were half price.

We also bought a new fridge (which arrived after I posted the missing post). This was something that we wanted to get maybe in a year's time. But my mum needs a new fridge, since her one is not working properly any more (everything is turning into ice), we will be giving her our fridge. She actually offer to pay for half the new fridge but we won't do that to her. Our fridge works fine but it is already 10 years old. I don't think it would sell for $650. The only problem we have with this fridge is it is not big enough for us, but it should be perfect for my mum.

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This week we got our annual bills for both home and car insurance. They are not due until mid next month. The Car insurance is down $60 but the Home insurance is up $30.

Also just got a notice from our electric supplier that the fees will be going up by around $1.60-$2 p/week, also starting next month. So at least $100 increase for a year. I have a feeling that they will most likely put it up again mid next year.

That's it for now I can't remember what else I wrote.


Have a Happy & Safe New Year everyone!





New Year's Eve Update

December 31st, 2010 at 01:07 am

Since it is our new year's eve here, I thought I should do a last blog for the year. We have been busy this week with various activities. DH and I went to the boxing day ashes (cricket) test (only Australian or British will understand this).

We also did a lot of shopping on the 27th. We got $200 cash gift for xmas so we spent it all on clothes and gadgets. We also found our new fridge, the price was so good that it was time to get it. Fridge is probably the only thing that I would consider getting next year. Now we don't have to deal with it any more. My mum will be getting our old fridge, since her one is dying, her one is not working properly anymore, everything is turning into ice. This was also another reason for us to get the fridge now instead of waiting for another year. She actually offered to pay half of the new fridge ($650) but both DH and I decided that we will not take her money. There is really nothing wrong with our fridge yet (although it is already ten years old) but we have been unhappy with its size for a while now. But it is perfect size for my mum. But it is 10 years old, so it will be unfair for her to be paying $650 for it. It can be part of her xmas gift since we didn't really get her much.

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We finally be getting our tax refund for 2008-2009 financial year (I know we are really bad at it). DH's fault, it takes him forever to gather the paper work. But anyway I don't want to get upset about it, he does try but it is one of those things that is the last thing on his mind. Good news is that we should be getting around $2,500 after accountant fees.

I am hoping now that DH will get our 2009-2010 tax done in the next 2 months.

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This week we received our annual bills for both the Car insurance and Home insurance. They are not due until mid next month. Car Insurance is down by just over $60, while the Home insurance if up by $30. So we will be better off by $30.

However, we just got another notice from our electric supplier that starting next month fees will be going up around $1.60-$2 p/week. About $100 increase for the year, I do anticipate that they will most likely put it up again half way through the year.

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I have been suffering from a sore neck and shoulder in the last two days, so I will be taking it easy tonight. DH and I are just planning to stay home since it is going to be very hot (40deg Celcius). I do plan to make paella for dinner, so that will be our new year's eve celebration tonight. It will be very low key, not even inviting anyone over. We actually been invited to someone's place but I really don't want to be driving in this heat. Plus the new fridge will be delivered today, and I have no clue on when they will actually get here so I can't go anywhere until they get here.

More dividend

December 22nd, 2010 at 02:36 am

Just received another check from one of our stock, we normally have a DRP with this stock but they have postponed it at the moment. Cash is good too, we could used some more for christmas.

Today should hopefully be another NSD, this would make this 3 in the row this week.

Nothing really much happened here in the last few days. The weekend was a bit spendy with christmas lunch with dear friends and a lot of christmas shopping. I have not been as prepared for christmas this year, but luckily we have decided to keep it low key this year. So it has not been stressfull at all. Well, not yet anyway.



Lunch Date and Dentist

December 17th, 2010 at 04:56 am

I just got back from the dentist ($219) and just in time too because it is now raining. I took public transport so I had to walk to and from the train station. Anyway, my teeth are now fix and would not have to go back for another 6 months for the usual check-up and cleaning. The new tooth feels funny at the moment, my tongue can't stop playing with it.

After the dentist, I meet up with DH for our monthly lunch date. We went to a Thai restaurant, not bad and pretty good cost wise. Only sepnt less than $30, including drinks.

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I'm expecting to do a bit of cristmas shopping this weekend.

Sunday we will also be going to a christmas lunch with my university friends.


Have a nice weekend everyone.

Rubbish Removal

December 15th, 2010 at 12:18 am

A guy is coming today to remove some rubbish for us, it will cost $260. This is the best price we could find, I don't think we could do any better if we did it our selves. We would have to hire a trailer, pay for petrol, and pay for entry into the tip. At least this one they actually load the rubbish for us, so we don't need to do anything.

I'm just hoping he gets here soon before the rain comes.

By the way, Monday and Tuesday were NSD. Obviously, today will not be a NSD.

Weekend and Mortgage

December 13th, 2010 at 03:04 am

Lost my first post Frown

Anyway, I was saying that on Saturay we spent 4 hour at the zoo. We didn't have to pay for the entrance fee because we still got our annual pass. We did spent a bit on lunch and coffee. My legs were really sore that night though, I really need to exercise more.

On Sunday we went to my mum's for my brother's birthday. I bought the birthday cake. We got to take home a lot of leftovers so we got enough for dinner and lunch today.

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On Friday we decided to put in an extra $500 into the mortgage this month. We could have put in more but we decide to keep a bit of extra cash for this holiday season.


Have a nice day everyone!

Weekend and Mortgage

December 13th, 2010 at 02:52 am

Went to the zoo on Saturday, they got a new baby elephant, old 3 months old. It was so cute. We spent almost 4 hours walking around, my legs were so sore that night. Obviously, I don't do enough exercise. Afterwards we went to Aldi and the fruit shop for grocery shopping

Sunday we got free feed at my mum. It was for my brother's birthday celebration. We got to take home a lot of leftovers. All I bought was the birthday cake, it was a bit expensive but yummy and we got to take about 1/4 of it home.

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On Friday decided to put in $500 extra into the mortgage his month, could have put in more but we want to have some extra cash around during this holiday season.


Have a nice day everyone!

Payday

December 10th, 2010 at 01:13 am

Today is payday...

And yesterday was NSD.

Nothing much financial is happening around here.


Take care everyone!

Out and About Weekend

December 6th, 2010 at 12:42 am

Our weekend was really relaxing, we didn't do much but some shopping. We went grocery shopping, all up we spent just under $100. $20 was spent on a turkey for christmas. The freezer is now full. We also went and got a new basin for our ensuite. This is our first purchase for our bathrooms renovation. This place that we found is a lot cheaper than the other once so far. We got a perfect size for our ensuite so we bought it and it fit in the car. We also found a couple different sizes for the main bathroom. We will go back next month after christmas. This place is so much better than the other places that we been to, a lot cheaper for the same product. The only problem is the shop is in the other side of town. They also got nice toilets that we want to get and the taps are more reasonably price. We asked how much the delivery will be to our place and it would be $120, which is quiet a bit. But the guy that serviced us said that he could do it for half that if we come on the weekend. Luckily he lives near our place and he normally does the delivery during the week and hence own a truck. If we go there on the weekend then he can drop off the stuff at our place on his way home. Perfect! Smile

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Got $60 cash as dividend payment for one of our stock. Nice!

NSD and birthday wish

December 3rd, 2010 at 12:37 am

We had two NSD in a row, athough we almost got tempted to get fish and chips for dinner yesterday but somehow we ended up having pasta. The weather hasn't been that great lately, it has been raining cats and dogs and that was why we didn't want to go out. So NSD was saved by the rain.

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My birthday is not for another 4 months or so but I already know what I want. I want to see the King Tut exhibit that will be coming down under (in Melbourne only), the last stop before it goes back to Cairo. This is the perfect present for me, it is all I really want. DH will be getting the tickets soon, pre-booking is a must especially during peek time. We went to the Titanic exhibit here recently and we were lucky to get in, probably only because we went during a weekday. Even then there were a lot of people. So to avoid disappointment we buy the ticket 4 months in advance.

November

December 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 am

Was going to post this yesterday but I got distracted with emails.

We managed to save $2000 for the month of November, $500 of it was put into prepaying the mortgage. Overall, it wasn't that bad, again entertainment was over (what else is new). I think we will try to get it out of our system until the end of the year. Next year it will have to stop. The dental work I got done and the property rate also made up a lot of our expenses in November.

So we only got $1000 to go to achieve Goal #6 for the year. We should be able to do it but I don't think we will be able to save $2000 though. Our car registration is due.

Our 19K challege is way out of hand now (I will update my sidebar after this). Really I got no excuses anymore.


By the way, yesterday was NSD, first one for the month of December. Oh and we had 11 NSD in November, I will try to achieve this again this month. I think today could be another NSD, but I'm not really sure yet, DH might get his monthly train ticket today.

On another news, we received our $250 wish card from claiming our AMEX points, and it did came with 2 movie tickets. I will probably give those tickets to my brother and his gf for christmas as part of their xmas presents.