Sleeping out for the homeless

On October 25th there is a sleep out to raise funds for the homeless here in Canberra. It is being organised by Communities@Work and St Vincent de Paul Canberra and Goulburn. Having been homeless myself, with my daughters, I am very passionate about helping and am really excited to be participating.

I would have loved to have done the CEO Sleepout back in June that St Vincent de Paul do every year, but it wasn't possible due to personal circumstances, but I am aiming for next year.

I set myself a goal to raise $1,000 for this sleepout. So far I have raised $255 through donations and by doing haircuts for a few friends and family members. I have more booked in, so I am hopeful that I will reach my goal.

I know some people think sleeping out is not that big a deal and doesn't really make a difference. I have been doing volunteer work with the homeless here in Canberra and I can tell you St Vincent de Paul sure know how to make their money stretch and even a few dollars goes a long way to helping the homeless. Things like this sleepout help raise much needed funds, but instead of it just being a drive for funds, there is a practical element to it, having people experience a tiny taste of homelessness, albeit it not completely real. Sleeping outside, even in a group is daunting, uncomfortable and you are extremely tired because you don't get much sleep. While there are more issues than that the homeless face, I know people who have participated in events such as this and found it a truly humbling experience.

I would love any support, be it donations or encouragement. Have you ever done anything like this? Do you have a favourite charity you support?

How to save money on teeth

I will be spending a significant amount of money on my teeth in January. I need my wisdom teeth out and I want veneers. This is not going to be cheap. I have not got an exact quote but will be soon as I need a check up as well. Previously I was quoted $2,500 - $3,500 for my wisdom teeth alone.

Here's how I will be reducing my expenses:

Private health insurance
I knew a while ago I would need significant work done on my teeth so took out private health accordingly. I've waited the time and while it might seem like a waste because the insurance costs me more than I will get back on my teeth, the insurance covers other things like physio I needed this year, hospital, ambulance and so on. I would have private health whether I needed my teeth done or not.

Compare and ask for recommendations
From my own research so far, Sydney is looking cheaper than Canberra for the work I need done. I am getting a check up done here soon, so will know for sure if I am better off doing it one time when I am in Sydney compared to here in Canberra. Dentists don't all charge the same price and the difference in price can be staggering.

Take care of your teeth
I know, obvious right? But most of us have problems with our teeth because we are not taking care of them. We have a lot of sugar and junk food in our diet which erodes them, we don't get regular check ups, we wait and wait and wait until we can't bear it anymore or the tooth actually breaks before getting it seen to. Having a filling done is a whole lot cheaper than root canal! Take care of your teeth and get things checked early. It will save you money.

How do you save money on your teeth?

How to Save Money Using a Car Broker

If you’re on the lookout for a new car, you might not have considered using a car broker. Car broking is a booming industry in Australia with a whole host of providers promising to make your dollar go further by negotiating great discounts. Some customer savvy and a little shopping around at different brokers could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

The main draw of using a car broker or a salary-packaging service (offering novated leases) is getting fleet prices on private purchases. The process is fairly simple: brokers and salary package firms will contact a network of dealers (not always locally though, sometimes across other states and outside main metropolitan areas) to find the best deal possible for you. That is to say the dealership that is most keen to unload some of their stock.

The savings can be impressive and different brokers can give better results. In a study conducted by Drive.com.au, there was a difference of over $7,000 between the lowest and highest deals on a Mercedes-Benz C200. In general, according to the survey, there wasn’t much difference however in the lower and mid-range models, with differences of a few hundred dollars in offers on the Holden Barina hatch auto and the Mazda3 Neo hatch auto.

Novated leases from the salary-packaged firms tended to get a better deal on more luxury models. For those who are new to the concept of a novated lease, it is a special way of obtaining finance for a car that is backed by an employer. Essentially, the employee, employer and a finance company enter into a three-way agreement, called a ‘deed of novation’, where the employer agrees to make the repayments on the car out of the employee’s pre-tax salary.

The benefits of a novated lease, in addition to the savings, are usually greater flexibility with choice of car and the option for the employee to own the car at the end of the lease of term. Businesses that offered novated leases like Fincar tend to specialise in areas of car insurance and have strong relationships with finance and insurance provides so that customers get the most competitive deal. You’ll have access to greater options than you would by going to a normal dealership and if you need a loan or insurance they can save you money too.

Although brokers should be able to negotiate a good deal at any point, there are times when it is better to consider buying a car. The end of the month is a point when dealerships are striving to meet targets; and, even better, the end of the quarter when dealers are under most pressure to sell their vehicles. At these times, your broker is more likely to have the opportunity to drive a harder bargain.

Finally, do your own research on the car brokers and always make sure you know exactly  what you want when you go in. You have the potential to save a great deal, but always be sure to read the fine print and do your due diligence.

Working with the homeless

I have personally experienced homelessness as have some of my friends. I was homeless with my daughters and it was a really scary experience. I will be forever grateful for all the help I received from a friend and her partner during that time as well as the love and support of friend and family in another state.

Having been in that situation, I have now started on a new path in my life. I am doing a lot of work with the homeless and I can honestly say I have never had so much fun working. I volunteer for a particular organisation and where I work is meant to be one of the scarier places to be. There are a lot of rough sleepers that come in, drug and alcohol issues, mental health issues and you never know from one minute to the next how people will be when you see them.

I have never felt scared, threatened or in danger there. I have had people horrified I am volunteering where I am, doing what I am doing because it is a lot of one on one time, close personal contact, but I genuinely love everyone I have dealt with.

It's volunteer work, so I don't get paid to do what I am doing but I have never felt so fulfilled and the payments I get are worth more than money. I really get cheered up whenever I go there. After working there I am on a high for the rest of the day, and it is not about me feeling good about myself for helping others. It is about the people I am connecting with.

It is about their stories, them sharing their lives, laughing, joking and having fun with me. I love the people there and am so blessed to be able to do a volunteer position that is mainly talking with and listening to people, finding out about them and how we can help.

Some of the life experiences might have scared me a few years ago, but now all I feel is love for everyone I meet.

Some things are worth more than money and if I could I would go where I go to volunteer every day. I would do it full time. As it is I have increased my time there since starting, but I do have to balance it with my other work and projects.

I know doing it has made me a better mother, I am more open, compassionate and listen more. I am genuinely interested to hear everyone's story, see how they are going each week, what they got up to and the exciting things that might have happened as well as their troubles.

This experience has been worth more than anything and I am so grateful I am able to do it. I hope to do more of it in the future and will continue doing this work as long as I can.

What ways do you like to volunteer? Do you have favourite organisations? How do you like to help?