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I don’t get why they didn’t become a standard thing any house can’t be imagined without. Initially I thought that only the old houses still have the regular windows because people won’t be bothered replacing them, but I’ve checked and the majority of new projects don’t have double-glazed windows included, it’s an expensive extra - when it should be the standard.

Australian climate has such extreme temperatures and the houses have such big windows that it’s doesn’t make any sense to use regular windows as all the heat escapes through them quickly in winter and in the summer it’s the opposite, they don’t protect the house from sun.

Dare I say that a good way to start would be for our government to introduce rebates, same as they did for the solar systems and insulation. If we’re talking about conservation of energy - it would save tons because we’d use less gas and electricity to heat and cool our houses.

Enigma # 2 - automated window furnishings.

I didn’t come up with this one myself, a letter I received from a reader gave me a push, but nonetheless - why aren’t motorized shutters and blinds popular? Rum Charles, the principal consultant from Indigo Training says that according to his research only 0.5% (not even one percent!) of all the shutters in Australia are motorized.

Thinking about this, it would make so much sense, especially for the external shutters - why do we need to go outside, when it’s blazing hot, and use some kind of hook to pull the thing down, why not just press a button?

Is it about the money? Rum doesn’t think so and I agree - all the other things in the house evolved and the hi-tech version costs more. Still, we now have microwaves in addition to ovens, we have dishwashers in addition to sinks, we have air conditioning in addition to fans, and the list goes on.

I understand that it might not occur to people that motorized shutters can me so much more convenient and safe - but why doesn’t it occur to the professionals, the designers, the building companies, people who make living designing and building our houses?

And now I would love to hear what you think. If you have any insight, or simply want to speak up and be heard - leave a comment on this post or email me to chris@homeiown.com. You opinion matters.

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Store finance deals have many traps that we’ve warned about for many years. These credit deals are lucrative for finance companies and can be profitable for retailers too, but for consumers they’re a real mixed bag. Some provide good value if used cleverly; others should probably come with a wealth warning.

For example, not all credit deals are interest-free — some charge interest straightaway. Rates are likely to be higher than competitive personal loans and credit cards. Some deals, give a no-interest period (such as one year) before charging interest for the rest of the term. But with a high interest rate charged for the remainder (for example, three years), it’s not an option we’d recommend — unless you repay in full within the interest-free period.

Do you think that the chart of “Household debt Vs income” in the report represents a change in mindset of Australians regarding debt and debt management? Or do we spend more because of the marketing strategy of credit card companies that gets better and better over the years, combined with loose lending regulations?

The main reason for the increase in debt are housing costs and high mortgages. Australians have recently adapted to the tough times ahead and are reducing their reliance on debt by repaying credit cards and other debt. But credit card debt still stands at record levels.

Are certain demographics more likely to have trouble managing debts and if so, why? In other words, is there a certain age group that is in greater danger of getting into debt?

According to government statistics the majority of bankrupts is aged over 40, 19% are aged between 25 and 209 and 27% are aged between 30 and 39 years. 16% only owe less than $10,000 with about half of all bankrupts owing between $10000 and $49,000.

The report says: “Many people spiral into debt through circumstances beyond their control, such as losing their job, family breakdown or illness”. How do you know when to ask for help? What are the signs? How do you catch it before it’s too late?

Trouble of meeting your repayments or paying your bills would be a sure sign that you have a problem. The worst thing you can do is paying off one credit card with another one as it gets you in deeper. A good place to go are also financial counselors they can give you information about your options, help you with budgeting and making a hardship application.

The report suggests that people should consider selling a second car to reduce the debt. At the same time, it says that if a person is unable to make repayments on a mortgage they should apply for early release of super. Why not suggest that they sell the house to cover the debts and rent a place to live until their financial situation improves?

We are not suggesting that people should apply for early release of super – this option is a dangerous last resort. For most people, early super withdrawal is a trap, and one that’s been used by unscrupulous and predatory lenders. What we are suggesting is to go to a financial counselor and to find out your options.

If you are unable to make repayments the first thing is to contact your lender and let them know about your situation. The Uniform Consumer Credit Code allows you to make an application for a hardship variation of your loan in case of temporary financial difficulties. Apply for temporary relief such as reducing your minimum repayments or a waiver of fees or even interest.

In the GFC (global financial crisis), do you think Debt relief companies need more regulation? For example, should they be required to refer people to a financial counselor or at least to mention that as an option?

Debt relief companies are regulated by the Insolvency and Trustee Services Australia and all debt agreements need to be lodged with the government regulator. We would consider it good practice for a debt relief company to mention a financial counselor as an option. One thing to be aware of is that financial counselors are still desperately under funded, while the government has recently made more funding available for financial counselors there are still long waiting lists for some services.

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Let’s face it - we spend a lot. Sometimes more than we should have. Sometimes more than we earn. And recession such as this one is a good time to re-assess our budget voluntarily, before God forbid our creditors come and make us do so. Or do we even have a budget?

Reacting to the global financial crisis, Choice released a report that IMHO is a must read for anybody, no matter how safe you feel right now money-wise. This report discusses quite a few important issues.

For starters, they say that we spend $160 for every 100 we make - which basically means that the majority of us live outside our means. And to think that only 10 years ago we spent only half that much!

This leads to the most logical conclusion - some belt tightening is in order. Here is how - in addition to the report, Choice have put together a calculator to help us understand where our money goes. It allows entering your income and all the expenses (nicely classified in categories) and shows whether or not your family is spending more than earning and on what.

But what do you do if it’s too late to make a budget, if your family is left with just one income or even worse, no income at all? Choice’s report says that the most important thing is to react fast, contact your lenders and see a financial counselor. I don’t know about you, but this was the first time I have ever heard about a financial counselor. Apparently they exist, are funded by the government and their job is to help you find the best debt relief solution for your family.

The report mentions a lot of options to help with paying bills: reducing the minimum repayments on mortgage (or even the interest!), a repayment holiday for people who lost their job, etc. I was surprised to learn that if you’re unable to pay your bills (such as energy bills or taxes), there is an option of contacting the billing company and asking for a flexible repayments plan. Another option they mention is a no-interest loan scheme.

And the most important thing - you should definitely seek financial counseling before signing a debt agreement with a debt relief company. Debt agreement is basically you saying to your creditors “I know I owe you a $1000, but can only afford to pay a $100 back.” and debt relief company arranges everything to freeze your debts, no more interest will apply and you will pay the agreed amount over a long period of time. As easy as this sounds, Choice says this is may not be the best solution for your situation and it will certainly harm your credit history.

Bottom line - Choice is saying this: you may be in debt and lost your income, but your still have consumer rights, the situation can be fixed and there are people you can see to seek help and solutions. Read the full report here and learn how.

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Brown house spider

Usually found in dark places: cupboards, inside or under furniture, in sheds. It has a small brown body (4 - 10mm) with tiny white spots and long legs.

Symptoms if bites

Headache, nausea, small blisters around the bite site. Not deadly.

Redback spider

All the other spiders look scarier than this little creature and yet it is the one you should really watch out for. The females can easily recognized by the red “hourglass” on their rear ends, whereas males have the same shape of marking, only white. The females are twice as large as the males; their body size is 10mm vs. 4mm in males.

Unfortunately these spiders like living close to us, humans, which is why we should be very careful when moving rubbish bins or old containers, sitting on the steps of our verandas or using outdoor toilets - always look under the seat. Personally, I always wear gloves for gardening or if I have to touch anything that’s been sitting outside for a while.

Symptoms if bites

Bad news - this spider is deadly. Good news - there is antivenene in every hospital, you just need to get there quickly. The symptoms are sharp pain, sweating, loss of coordination, vomiting. The bite site becomes red and swollen and in five minutes the pain increases significantly and spreads all over, the person gets very thirsty.

Treatment

Get to the closest hospital as soon as possible or call an ambulance.

Daddy Long Leg

This is the most common spider and I have 5 of them living in my house at this very moment. I don’t do anything about those little guys for one reason - they kill and eat Redbacks! Which is why I think of them as guardians rather than intruders. On contrary to what many people will tell you, they are not venomous and present no danger to humans.

Daddy Long Leg are harmless, live in dark corners of a house, under the ceiling, behind doors or in cupboards. They have extremely long slender legs and smallish body and don’t look scary at all. If I could pick a “favorite” spider, it’d be Daddy Long Leg

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To keep this phobia under control I follow the old saying: “Know your enemy”. For me this is the only way to stop freaking out every time such unwelcome guest crawls out of some dark corner.

I have compiled a list of the venomous and not so venomous spiders that you can find in Victoria, with pictures, symptoms if they bite and suggested treatment. It should help you to identify the spider (and then spray it), and if it bites anyone you care about, to know how to deal with the wound before you rush to the hospital.

And now the “getting to know your enemy” part - prepare for some scary pictures. People with heart diseases, pregnant women and children, kindly leave the computer screen or proceed at your own risk

Huntsmen Spider

This is a large spider, with body length of 16-20mm (plus legs), it is famous for hiding in the cars (whenever you forget to close the window) and then unexpectedly jumping on your dashboard. How cute. It occasionally comes into houses, leaving it’s normal hiding place - foliage and trunks of trees.

Symptoms if bites

Local severe pain and swelling, sweating, nausea and vomiting. Not deadly.

Treatment

Firmly apply a compression bandage first around the bite site and then around the whole limb. Immobilize the limb with a splint to delay venom absorption. If you don’t have enough material to cover the whole limb, apply a broad tourniquet to the limb, it is better than nothing—and keep the person from moving.

Black House Spider

Mostly found in the corners of windows and door frames. Their web has a form of a funnel but they are not the famous Funnel Web Spider, people call them the Window spiders. As the name suggest, they are black, big, with body length 10-20mm and hairy legs.

Symptoms if bites

Nausea, sweating, localized pain and swelling. Not Deadly.

Treatment

Same as for Huntsmen.

To be continued, I know you can’t wait

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Follow these tips to keep yourself and your family safe, well and as cool as possible.

In the house

Close curtains and blinds to keep the sun out of the house. Keep them closed all day long until it gets cooler outside than it is inside. That will delay the heating up of the house.

Spray water in the air to increase humidity and cool the air.

Use fans and air-conditioning to circulate the air in the rooms.

Avoid cooking because it generates heat. Try eating fresh food, cold meat or cheese, sushi, fruit, etc, anything that doesn’t need to be cooked.

Beware not to burn yourself when opening even a cold water tap - the water in the pipes gets boiling hot!

Stay out of the sun and the wind.This combination of sun+wind is much more dangerous than the sun alone, because the wind significantly increases our dehydration.

If you don’t have air conditioning at home, go to a shopping center or to a library, places with air conditioning constantly running.

In the evening, when the house becomes unbearably hot, go to the beach and cool off in the water, enjoy the nice breeze. It is always cooler at the beach than in the city.

Outside

Wear light clothing with long sleeves to cover as much of your body as possible from the sun

Wear a hat to cover your head and your face

Use sunblock because the UV index is very high now.

In the office

Even though certain work places have a dress code, dress according to the weather.

If you have uniform at work, ask the management to allow casual clothes, as an exception.

Food and drinks

Eat fresh food & cool summer soups, avoid hot food.

Avoid spicy food because it makes you feel hot

Drink a lot, because our body loses a lot of fluids without even noticing it. If you are thirsty, it means that you are already slightly dehydrated.

Pets

Keep them indoors as much as possible, and always in the shade if outside.

Supply plenty of water.

Place a wet towel on the floor for them to cool on.

Behavior

Avoid arguments because we all get impatient and lose our temper easily in such hot weather.

If you have anything to add to this list, your own tips that work, I am all ears.

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I first heard about it from Ralph W. Ritchie, a survivalist and author of series of disaster preparedness books. I have also read his water handbook and learned a lot from it (this post largely relies on the information from the water handbook). When I wrote about being prepared to disasters and emergencies, the water problem has never occurred to me, and it should have.

Here is Australia we are already several years into a drought and water issues are very familiar to us - but the truth is that farmers are the ones really facing this problem, for most people who live in the cities the water was never a problem. I mean the water restrictions are there, but even if we’re not allowed to water our gardens whenever we feel like it, it’s not the end of the world and we can adjust.

How about this - what if they cut the municipal water sources off? How long will we survive? What do we know about stocking up on water? And I am not exaggerating here - if due to a power outage or another kind of fault the municipal water system stopped working, we would be in a lot of trouble. Here is just a short list of events that could easily cut our water supply: floods (by contamination), earthquake (by breaking pipes), power outage (by shutting the water supply down).

Where the water is concerned, there are three basic rules:

1. You must have a reliable source of water
2. This source must satisfy human purity requirements
3. You must provide a backup water supply

A lot of people have rain water tanks installed in their back yards, which they can use as an additional source of water. Another possibility is to use water from a swimming pool if you have it. Ponds can also be useful, provided the water is purified and tested for quality.

Purifying may sound complicated but it is not, and it is a better alternative than drinking a contaminated water - which is deadly. You can purify even dirty water by settling it to get the largest particles out of the way, boiling it to kill the bacteria, filtering with activated carbon filters and adding chlorine or iodine to it (there are also water purification tablets available as an alternative to the chlorine/iodine). Another interesting solution to water purification is to use pure silver - i.e pour the water in a silver mug or put a silver coin in the water container.

Backup water supply means exactly that - storing water in bottles, jars or containers, in case the municipal water supply is interrupted. You can freeze it or just store it in a dark cool place, and it is probably wise to distribute your stored supply so that no single event can destroy it. Ralph Ritchie has a 60 gallon plastic drum he uses for water storage and it has a steel frame built around it, so it can’t be crushed even if the roof collapses.

If this post made you think about your household and its water-problem preparedness, don’t just click away and forget all about it. Download the water handbook, by Ralph W. Ritchie, read it, and act.

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Why aspirations, you ask? Good question!

I have considered a number of other words, such as dreams or wishes. “Dreams” isn’t real enough because we all have plenty of dreams we will never fulfill. “Wishes” isn’t committing enough, it’s kind of weak. “Aspirations” has the strength, the commitment and the determination to succeed. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner – “New Years’ Aspirations” that is.

If you ask me, it makes sense and feels nice to be summarizing the ending year before drawing those used-to-be resolutions. After all, they are called resolutions for a reason, they are supposed to be resolving some problems or issues we had in the past year – so those issues need to be remembered and summarized first, and only then we should think about some improvements to our life.

Concentrating on the resolutions alone, we can easily forget all the good that happened in this past year. We need to remember it, to give ourselves credit and a pat on the back, to feel contented and the proud of this accomplishment, and to keep it up.

Enough said; we’re already living in 2009 and here are my New Year’s aspirations:

I have been working too much. I will devote more time to myself, to my health and well-being than to my job. To be more specific, I will refuse to take more work than I usually do; I will go to at least two concerts this year, pay my doctor a visit and do some check-ups, and start paying more attention to my appearance.

I have been stressing too much. I will try to limit stressful events in my life because nothing is really worth it. I will think ahead, predict as much as possible and avoid stressful situations caused by over-committing and the expectations other people have of me.

I haven’t been physically active enough - I will start doing more sports. I will make sure I walk at least 2 hours a day and do some other regular exercising at least once a week.

I haven’t been spending enough time with my friends - I need to change that and make our relationships stronger. I will call every friend of mine at least once every two weeks.

How about you? What are your New Year’s Aspirations?

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Apart from the utility failures I have already mentioned, in Australia we have to think about natural disasters, such as bushfires, cyclones, floods and storms that were not all that uncommon lately. They too can cause the failure of utilities - for example a bushfire can leave a whole city without electricity by melting a major electrical cable.

That said, here what your proposed survival kit should include:

1. Cash. ATMs might stop working if there is power outage. Make sure the amount you have is in small bills and coins: $1,$2,$5,$10,$20 because stores will run out of change soon enough.

2. Generator - in case there is a power shortage and you still want your fridge to work.

3. Candles - in case there is power shortage and the generator just died.

4. LED flashlight (9 LED’s) and lots of spare AA batteries.

5. Food supply: freeze-dried food, canned food (don’t forget the can opener), noodles, rice and grains (you can find an exhaustive list of groceries to consider here). Store them in plastic see-through boxes for convenience.

6. Bottled water - 3 liters per person per day.

7. Battery-operated radio - to listen to the weather forecast, emergency announcements and the like.

8. Gas bottle for cooking.

9. Lighter and water-proof matches.

10. First Aid kit.

11. Pack of seeds to keep growing your own veggies

12. Pet food - they’ve got to eat too.

13. Hands sanitizer - alcohol based gel or wipes for cleaning hands and disinfecting objects when water is not available.

14. A stock of “barter” goods like toilet paper, soap, deodorant, shampoo, shaving razors, tooth paste, child diapers, etc. In times when the supply of goods in stores is irregular, these things are as good as gold and can be exchanged for other goods that you need.

15. A knife or better yet a multitool such as Letherman or Swiss army knife.

If you feel like being ready for anything and everything, here’s a couple of great resources: Frugal Dad explains really well how to prepare to emergencies of all kinds and SurvivalBlog is the ultimate place to be looking for answers to all survival questions.

Do you have anything to add? What’s missing on my list?

Update: this post has made it into Modern Families carnival

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Do you have memberships in clubs you are not interested in any more? Cancel them and save that money.

7. Cancel your newspaper / magazine subscriptions.

Are you reading every one of those issues? Is it worth to pay for weekly subscription if all you read is one magazine a month? Maybe you could cancel it altogether and read the magazine at the library, they usually have a rich collection of popular magazines.

8. Cancel your gym membership.

When was the last time you went? If the answer is “Can’t remember”, then you should definitely cancel it. Walking is free and an excellent way to exercise.

9. Buy products online.

In 9 cases out of 10 the online stores are cheaper. Do the research, find stores with good reputation and buy there.

10. Don’t buy books.

No, I don’t mean stop reading – use the library. It’s free; it’s a money saver and a great thing to teach your kids. Another idea is to stop buying music CDs and movies. You can listen to the music over the Internet for free and swap DVDs with friends (here’s a great article from Almost Frugal about it).

11. Postpone any renovations and not urgent expenses.

Anything that can wait – should wait. These are the times to tighten the belt and there is no such thing as renovations emergency.

12. Buy at cheaper supermarkets

ALDI is well-knows chain of cheaper supermarket. Give it a chance, do your shopping there a couple of times and then compare how much you save. If it work, you’ve found another way to save. This blog here is a great place to find recipes for dishes, all made from ALDI ingredients.

I am sure you have more tips for better family budget. Care to share?

Update: this post has made it to the Bankruptcy and Debt Carnival.

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