The totally off-topic thread

[love_the_life]

Saving is one thing, being able to service a mortgage on the 'average' home is quite another. To buy an average home in a cheaper area than where we currently live would require my entire pay to go on the mortgage. And that's with a decent deposit. No point having the house of your dreams if you have no life. You've only got one.

I can remember doing the figures once on whether it was cost effective to rent or buy - our figures showed it depended on where you wanted to live and in some cases it was better to rent. Just look at some other countries where life time renting is the norm. The sky hasn't fallen for them. In the end we ended up with a mortgage in Canberra but our last few places have been paid for in cash outright.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I am constantly being told that I need to leave enough for my daughter. I don't quite agree. I want my daughter to work hard and achieve the best possible results from life not to bludge because her grandparents, her uncle and her parents left her a small fortune..

I totally agree with this. We gave our kids a good start - we were very involved in their lives while they were growing up (actually still pretty involved, given Ms FM asked me to plan and book her honeymoon, although they paid).

We paid their hecs for Uni, bought them cars and gave them a deposit for a house. After that they were on their own financially. We made it very clear to them while they were young and after that, that the money was ours, we had worked hard for it and we intended to enjoy spending it - we had no intention of leaving them anything. Realistically of course unless we totally stuff up our finances they will inherit, as we don't know when we will die! Wouldn't it be nice to know you had x years and could blow everything and then pull the plug.

All 3 kids have good jobs, work hard and budget well (although Dr FM does have a weakness for designer shoes - don't know where she gets that from!).

 

[TheRealTMA]

I totally agree with this. We gave our kids a good start - we were very involved in their lives while they were growing up (actually still pretty involved, given Ms FM asked me to plan and book her honeymoon, although they paid).

We paid their hecs for Uni, bought them cars and gave them a deposit for a house. After that they were on their own financially. We made it very clear to them while they were young and after that, that the money was ours, we had worked hard for it and we intended to enjoy spending it - we had no intention of leaving them anything. Realistically of course unless we totally stuff up our finances they will inherit, as we don't know when we will die! Wouldn't it be nice to know you had x years and could blow everything and then pull the plug.

All 3 kids have good jobs, work hard and budget well (although Dr FM does have a weakness for designer shoes - don't know where she gets that from!).

quote "If you don't travel first class, your children will."

 

[drron]

Sounds like a rather depressing existence.

Not too sure that advice would assist the very fragile Australian Economy at present.

It is what we did in the early 70s.Didn't think it was depressing.
I do know it is harder now. but saving might just help reducing that time.People just have to make choices as they have always done and will always do.

 

[blackcat20]

I can remember doing the figures once on whether it was cost effective to rent or buy - our figures showed it depended on where you wanted to live and in some cases it was better to rent. Just look at some other countries where life time renting is the norm. The sky hasn't fallen for them. In the end we ended up with a mortgage in Canberra but our last few places have been paid for in cash outright.

We could definitely afford to live in 'preferred' areas if we rented but with three fur babies and the desire for security, owning is winning out for me. At least I won't ever be subjected to someone else's real estate schedule again.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Saving is one thing, being able to service a mortgage on the 'average' home is quite another. To buy an average home in a cheaper area than where we currently live would require my entire pay to go on the mortgage. And that's with a decent deposit. No point having the house of your dreams if you have no life. You've only got one.

would it be possible to start with some tiny little unit and then build up from there? I know they are not nice and particularly if you want a pet, but maybe a way to get on the merry go round? I did that in Sydney in the 70s - bought a little studio at Werrington (just about in the blue mountains in those days!) and I was working in Wynyard, so a huge commute every day. Then after I met Mr FM we bought a fibro shack together - really struggled to get the financing, as they wouldn't take my salary into consideration because we were in a relationship! Then interest rates went up to 17.5%! It is so hard these days particularly in the big cities.

 

[blackcat20]

would it be possible to start with some tiny little unit and then build up from there? I know they are not nice and particularly if you want a pet, but maybe a way to get on the merry go round? I did that in Sydney in the 70s - bought a little studio at Werrington (just about in the blue mountains in those days!) and I was working in Wynyard, so a huge commute every day. Then after I met Mr FM we bought a fibro shack together - really struggled to get the financing, as they wouldn't take my salary into consideration because we were in a relationship! Then interest rates went up to 17.5%! It is so hard these days particularly in the big cities.

Not really; I need space to run my business (ie one bedroom) plus we want kids in the next few years. And those "tiny units" are selling for $800+
Heck, our current house is a tiny unit and went for over $1m. :shock:

 

[wandering_fred]

Spacebar

A few months ago I saw someone in a fire safety company vehicle throw a lit cigarette out of the window onto grass. I was furious.

Last week a bloke in an unmarked tradies ute - possibly a sparky - flung a bag of discarded junk food on the side of the road. I do not understand such people, and would happily place them in front of a firing squad.

Isn't this what dash cams are for????
And a cheap flash drive copy of the incident to the local constabulary?

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[love_the_life]

This has been picked up by SBS but haven't seen it on other news services as yet.
https://www.theguardian.com/austral...or-faced-with-deportation-over-autistic-child

 

[Bundy Bear]

Australia Post works; parcel sent from Victoria arrived this morning before 10am, that is all.

 

[JessicaTam]

Australia Post works; parcel sent from Victoria arrived this morning before 10am, that is all.

But how long did it take?

 

[Cossie]

This has been picked up by SBS but haven't seen it on other news services as yet.
https://www.theguardian.com/austral...or-faced-with-deportation-over-autistic-child

It was in todays SMH, so presuming it was in the CT as well, seeing that they are pretty much the same paper these days.

 

[Cossie]

But how long did it take?

But is that a KPI? As long as it got there, that's all that matters, said very much tongue in cheek!

 

[Denali]

What do people tip the room service person when staying at at US hotel? Is $2 still acceptable or theres been a wishy washy, feeling increase in the past year or 2?

 

[Bundy Bear]

But is that a KPI? As long as it got there, that's all that matters, said very much tongue in cheek!

It was directed at someone, they know who, the parcel was sent yesterday afternoon and arrived this morning.

 

[JohnK]

The best thing you can give your daughter is a good education. That gives her choices. The rest is up to her. You owe her nothing other than that and being a good parent.

That's not what's expected of me. Mother and wife agree together.

I wouldn't be surprised if that's aimed at us. All I'll say is that you don't know me so you're very far off the mark.

Not aimed at you at all. I have a few friends who behave the way I described and one in his 50's and paying $700+ week in rent because he is choosy where he wants to live. Wasted money. Down the drain.

Silly example. We play golf together. I wake up in morning and make myself a sandwich before golf. A box of 24 diet coke/pepsi costs ~$10-12 and I take a can with me. I also put water in the freezer to have cold water with me. He does absolutely nothing. He buys a sandwich/pie/diet coke at golf course for between $10-15. We play ~50 times a year. He has been doing this since 1984 when we started playing golf. I think you can work out how much money he has thrown away just on this alone.

Doing what I do is not a boring existence. It is saving early for a bright(er) future. My only hurdle was compulsive gambling. I've probably thrown away close to a million. Compounded that would have allowed me to retire a very rich man. But instead I'm still a pawn for would be empire builders.

 

[Pushka]

That's not what's expected of me. Mother and wife agree together.

Up to you of course but I don't think we should give our kids everything in life. It doesn't build resilience but an expectation that someone else will take care of them. It's what you do isn't it?

 

[blackcat20]

Australia Post works; parcel sent from Victoria arrived this morning before 10am, that is all.

I posted something on January 27 and it still hasnt arrived. It was returned to me over a week ago for no reason (labelled "mis-sorted") and is currently somewhere in NSW....

 

[get me outta here]

I was just reading a recent TripA NYC post about that. The consensus was, $5 if you make a real mess, $2 if you tidy up after yourself. Some people were embarrassed that they didn't think to tip.

What do people tip the room service person when staying at at US hotel? Is $2 still acceptable or theres been a wishy washy, feeling increase in the past year or 2?

 

[serfty]

What do people tip the room service person when staying at at US hotel? Is $2 still acceptable or theres been a wishy washy, feeling increase in the past year or 2?

Whatever you feel most comfortable with ... I am uncomfortable leaving anything; however I do tip in the USA.