Buying a car overseas

I have a friend who went overseas recently. It was only meant to be for a few weeks, but now it looks like it will be a permanent move. Since it was unexpected they are now trying to work out how to set up there as well as get rid of everything here.

Their family is stepping in to help out with sorting their stuff, selling what they can such as the car, a few collections, clothes and things so the money can be sent over to the UK for my friend to buy what they need there.

It is amazing all the little things that you need when setting up again. The biggest thing on their mind though is a car. Since they did not sell their car here yet but they really need one for what they do over there it looks like their only option is a car loan.

I am normally pretty dead set against a car loan. I have had one myself in the past as we had not saved and there was no other way for us to get a car.  My first car loan was actually just through my parents. You’d think I would have planned ahead and knowing I would need to replace that car eventually, I should have saved. Nope. The car replacement came sooner than expected as we gave it to my now ex mother in law because she had no car and we bought a newer one. I don’t regret doing that. The interest on car loans over the years for my ex and I was a few thousand dollars. If you can pay cash for a car it is so much better.

My friend asked for my help. They are originally from the UK, so had a bank account and everything already. I did a bit of a search and one of the companies that came up was a Clydesdale Bank car loan which I liked as there was an early repayment option, no set up fee and you knew pretty much instantly if you got the loan or not.

Getting a loan in another country is not easy. Thankfully my friend was already set up and will be having cash come through from the sale of their things to cover what they need to set up there, but the car is needed now.

Have you ever had to set up completely elsewhere? Did you pay cash for a car or try to get a loan there?

30 by 30

On my other blog I have a 30 by 30 list and yesterday I crossed one thing off. It was very spur of the moment, but so worth it.

Us at the falls

Somersby Falls is about an hour from my place and I have been meaning to take my kids there for some time. I move to Canberra next week and decided yesterday to just drive to the falls.

The top of the falls

My daughters were excited because they got to see a waterfall, well the top of it. As we went to go down these black turkey like birds came from everywhere and scared them so much. They actually ran straight back to the car and jumped in. My 4 year old was screaming from the other side of the glass "Mum, get in and run them over! Kill the black birds!" Not quite the reaction I expected from my child who plays with sticks, picks up all kinds of insects, rolls around in dirt and loves all animals. She LOVES reptiles, holding snakes, lizards etc. But apparently a black turkey is terrifying!

First part of the falls

I plan on taking them to some waterfalls my sister told me about which are close to Canberra. Hopefully this time they will explore a little more.

First part of the falls, closer

When was the last time you just jumped in the car or went somewhere and did something you have always wanted to do or been meaning to do for ages? How often do we just plod along in life and before we know it another year has passed and we haven't done anything different that we wanted to. What will you do tomorrow? This week or this month?

Free Business Banking

If you have a business you need a separate business account. I know many people use their personal account when just starting out or if their business is from home or they view it as more of a hobby. For tax purposes, book keeping and basically running your business properly a separate account is essential.

Some banks will charge a lot for a business account with monthly account keeping fees, fees for doing pretty much anything so you really need to shop around. Business banking doesn’t need to be expensive, but you do need to ensure you are getting the right account and banking services for your needs.

You can shop around and find free business banking services in your area. You may find you don’t even need all the things that come with an official business banking account so a regular every day account would suffice for your needs.

Sit down and work out exactly what you want and need for your business banking such as online access, debit card, fee free, do you need a cheque book? When you know what you really do and don’t need it is easier to work out which account is best for you and your business.

You may find you need more than one account, or you want an every day account, savings account and a credit card for your business banking. Whatever it is that will work for you, do your research to ensure you are not paying for things you don’t actually need or use. Too often people go “I can claim it back on tax” so they don’t worry about certain expenses. While it is true you reduce your taxable income with various expenses, it doesn’t make that expense free, just reduced. You are still paying more than you need if it is a fee that you could otherwise not have to pay.

My business banking needs are pretty simple as my business is all negotiated online, invoices are usually paid via PayPal or straight into my bank account. I do sometimes have to pay PayPal fees, but other than that my banking is fee free which is how I want it.

I’m curious, what sort of accounts do you have for your business banking or what banking needs do you have? Do you still use cheques at all? Do you have high fees?

I got a house and move in a month

I am very excited. I got a house in the suburb I wanted so my daughters can go to the school I wanted them to attend. I've been spending this weekend getting things ready which has been very exciting.

In preparation for moving I have been selling off a lot of my stuff that I do not want to move. If I don't love it, it's not coming. I have been giving away a fair bit too.

On my moving to do list I have:
- List the rest of things I want to sell this week
- Give away whatever doesn't sell
- Order my daughters beds
- Pack some stuff to move as I will be going to Canberra this week
- Book moving truck
- Pack anything I am not using
- Sign and get the keys for the new house

I am beyond excited to be moving back to Canberra. I have been down more often recently than I have in some time. I have a couple more trips to make before I move in less than 4 weeks, so will bring stuff down then too.

I really look forward to setting up the house, having a study, a gym and lots of room for my kids to play. We have 2 living areas so there will be a main lounge and the toy room. I have lots of organisation ideas to implement and just can't wait to start the new phase of my life.

Any moving tips for me?

When to take the jump to platinum

You have a gold card and you are wondering whether or not to make the step up and switch to a platinum card. But, is it worth it? Knowing the requirements of eligibility and getting a solid understanding of the benefits (and fees) are necessary before making the decision. Before jumping in, be sure to do your due diligence and review a number of platinum credit card offers. Generally speaking, platinum cards are intended for high-spenders who have a high income and excellent credit history. If you think this fits your lifestyle and spending behaviour, continue to do your research and read on.

When deciding on whether a platinum credit card is right for you, evaluate the offers on the following merits:

Eligibility Requirements

More so than gold credit cards, platinum credit cards want to ensure they remain exclusive and therefore they usually have fairly strict qualification standards. The usual requirements will be that you need to have a perfect credit rating, a yearly income of at least AUS$50,000 and meeting the minimum age level which varies between 18 to 25 depending on the card provider.

Rewards

If you decide to take the leap up to platinum status, you will need to shop around for the card that suits your spending habits and helps you get the most out of your card. Read more than just one platinum credit card review to see what current cardholders think of their rewards system. In general, the higher you go up in the chain of credit card statuses, the more rewards and benefits you are entitled to. Typically, the platinum credit card with give you 6 months of insurance, which is longer than the gold card or standard card.

Another important factor to consider is how often you are likely to use your platinum credit card and how much you will spend on eligible transactions such as, flights. Although you may qualify for the card, if you don't plan on using it frequently enough, you won't really be able to take advantage of the rewards. Getting involved with a platinum credit card often times means you need to plan your year ahead as you decide the amount you will spend on products or services which will earn you bonus points or activate other insurance benefits.

Security

High on the list when looking for a new credit card is security and an advantage of being a platinum cardholder is the added security and protections you will receive. Some platinum credit card providers offer 24 hour account monitoring which will help to ensure you are not a victim of fraud or crime.

High Credit Limit

One of the biggest advantages of the platinum credit card is that you receive a high credit limit, meaning you can make those large purchases with a swipe of your platinum card. However, if you plan to make a number of expensive items, be sure that the platinum card you have, gives a good return between money spent and the points you receive.

Low interest rates

If you hold a platinum card, you are no longer seen as a credit risk to your card provider and therefore you usually receive a low interest rate. Still be sure to shop around for the best deals on interest rates and check that the interest rate doesn’t change after a certain amount of time.

Before deciding whether or not to get a platinum credit card, you should sit down and read all of the extras and services included within each platinum credit card to see which is or isn’t the platinum card for you. This process can be made quicker by looking at platinum card reviews and reading up on customer feedback. Paying the higher annual fee will mean you will want to get your decision right the first time and take advantage of all the perks and rewards the card offers.