Here are tips on how to host a successful outdoor summer party without putting a strain on your wallet.

Image by Rajeev Nair

1. Furniture

If you need extra garden chairs or garden benches, you can check Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/group/AU/) or Recycle Australia (http://recycleaustralia.swapace.com/) to see they are available through a swap. This way you don’t have to spend a single cent for a once off party and get to give away what you don’t want at the same time.

2. Decorations

Forget about fresh flowers if you don’t grow any in the garden. Head off to any budget store and pick some silk flowers to be used as a table centrepiece. Placed in a porcelain vase, they make an attractive table decoration and accentuate the mood of the party. Silk flowers are durable and can be used over and over again for any occasion.

Come nightfall, tea lights make pleasant decoration pieces for the table. The flickering flames not only enhance the festive mood of the outdoor party but also add a glow of light in the evening. On a breezy evening, place jars over the tea lights to prevent the flames from dying out.

3. Tableware

Choose bright coloured bowls, plates and glasses to jazz up the mood of at party. Inexpensive plastic tableware can be bought in any budget store in huge quantities. Attention-grabbing fork, spoon and knives can be added to the collection. Your guests will love the outstanding colour display. Forgo paper doilies or place mats for a barbeque party should be rustic and free from frills.

4. Food and drink

Nearer to the party date, look out for deals on frozen finger food, sausages and burgers at your local supermarket. Gradually build up a stock of affordable, good quality food for the day. On the party day itself, you can add pasta, rice or potato salad to your menu as they are not only inexpensive but also suitable for most palates and can be made in bulk.

Other food ideas for the barbeque:

• Corn on the cob
• Potatoes
• Garlic bread

The above food can be individually wrapped in foil and then placed on the barbeque. Your guests will have fun barbequing the food themselves. After all, barbequing your own food is a fun and casual way to intermingle with the other guests.

5.  Condiments

Barbecued steak, burgers and sausages should be relished with condiments. For a more creative touch, cut out red, green and yellow capsicums in halves, empty their seeds and fill them with barbecue sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and mayonnaise. The capsicums add colour and coordinate well with your coloured plastic table ware. They also can be enjoyed as snacks once the condiments have been used up. Now, isn’t that reducing wastage?

6.  Drink station

Set up a drink station in one corner of your garden. Cover the table with plastic tablecloth and place a big container filled with ice and can drinks on top of it. For free flow of cold drinks, fill up a drink dispenser with lemonade. Having a drink station allows guests to help themselves to drinks of their choice and lets the host mingle freely with the guests.

7. Outdoor kit

It is a known fact that flies come in droves in summer as the temperature becomes favourable enough for them to breed. Purchase insect repellent, sunscreen and hand sanitiser on special from your local supermarket and make them available to your guests so they feel comfortable and safe from either the harsh heat of the sun or the swarming flies.

Hosting an outdoor summer party can be fun and fulfilling. Summer is an ideal time to enjoy the sun and the succulent meat sizzling on the barbeque while catching up with friends after hibernating on the weekends in the winter months. You don’t have to splurge to host a successful barbecue party. All you need is ample time to organise and strategise your shopping to get the best deals for your barbeque essentials.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

1.Rent

Rent will definitely be your largest slice of your expenses pie. Read your rental agreement carefully as it will mention how the rent needs to be paid and if additional expenses such as electricity and water need to be paid directly to your landlord.   The rental costs that you have to pay are as follows:

• Bond amounts
• Rental increases
• Notice periods before moving out
• Inspections by the landlord or real estate agency
• Rental disputes

Before you even move in, you will need to pay a ‘bond’, or deposit, to your landlord. Depending on which state or territory you live in, your bond could be 4 weeks rent or more. Your bond acts as a form of security for your landlord, so if you damage the property or owe rent when you move out, your landlord may be able to keep some of the money. So make sure you get a receipt for your bond. Bear in mind that there are different rules in each Australian state and territory.

2. Petty Cash

A petty cash is money in a till set aside for monthly household expenses like laundry and household cleaning products, toilet paper and food. The amount of cash can be split between you and your flat mate on a monthly basis.

3. Phone

Since it is difficult to keep track on phone bills, it is best to resort to individual mobile phones to avoid disputes.

4. Electricity

You may be directly responsible for paying the electricity bill depending on your rental agreement. Bills are usually split between flat mates.

5. Water

It is advisable to check with your landlord regarding how water bill is to be paid. This means that water is either included in your rent or the bill is sent directly to you.

6. Internet

In the technological age era, internet becomes part of our lives. This will be an area many of us will take into account when calculating the cost of our budget. If you or your flat mate is an excessive user, you may want to make arrangements for your internet access to be billed separately.

7. Foxtel Services

Television viewing is another difficult area to monitor, so it is best to split the monthly bill.

8. Home Insurance

Many renters tend to overlook home insurance when renting an apartment. You and your flat mate may want to consider taking out a home and contents insurance in case of fire, a burglary or in case the property is damaged by you or your flat mate such as carpet stains. It is best to find out which items in the property are covered and keep a list of the expensive items covered by the policy so that there is no argument about them if there is a need to claim.

9. Miscellaneous Expenses

This type of expenses is one area one should not overlook. Such expenses include the cost of supplies to maintain a household such as a vacuum cleaner or buying supplies to maintain potted plants in the balcony.     By planning a budget, you get better control over your money without the worry of unexpected expenses. It is best to communication clearly with your flat mate regarding how and what expenses need to be split or paid separately. Make your expectations known to avoid any misunderstanding in the future.

Image by Abi Skipp

1. Use a Broker

Many insurance companies encourage you to call their toll-free number or use their website to get a great deal on a policy, but the truth is, an insurance broker can usually get you a policy that works well for you while also saving you money.

Local insurance brokers are better versed in important details such as the location of fire hydrants, emergency response teams and other pertinent information that makes a big difference to insurance companies when it’s time to figure your premium. Local brokers also know how to finesse the information you give them to get you discounts and help you to get the best policy possible for your money.

2. Bundle Your Policies

Whether you use a broker or go it alone, you can save money on your home insurance by purchasing your home and contents policies from the same company. You can often save 10% or more just by buying both policies from the same insurer.

But don’t stop just with your home policies. Bundle your other insurance policies, such as car and life insurance, under the same insurer or through a broker, as well, and you can save even more.

3. Up Your Excess

Next to shopping with a broker, the best way to save money on your home insurance is by choosing a higher excess. By agreeing to take on more of the cost of repairing your home or replacing its contents in the event of disaster or theft, you can negotiate a better deal on your policy premium. The one caveat? You need to be prepared to pay more if you need to use your insurance. Start a savings account just for insurance excess payments, and you’ll always have the money ready should you need to use the funds.

4. Make Your Home Safer

Improvements that make your home safer, such as burglar alarms, smoke alarms, sprinkler systems and carbon monoxide detectors, can also reduce your home insurance premium costs. Ask your broker or insurance company how much installing these devices can save you on your premium.

5. Pay Your Premiums Annually

Although paying by the month is easier for many homeowners who are on a budget, if you can pay your home insurance policy premiums annually, you can often save money on the premium. Ask your insurer about any available discounts for paying your premium annually, and you may find yourself surprised by how much money you’re wasting for the “convenience” of making a monthly payment instead.

Here are some ways to save on refurbishing your home.

Image by Marco Antonio Torres

1.Plan early

Planning ahead saves you the hassle of missing out on areas you have left out in your finance budget. Invest some time in visiting hardware stores to see what materials are available in the market and the price tag they come with. The unavailability or high cost of a desired material allows you to look for alternatives without ruining your renovation plans.

2.  Second-hand materials

Purchasing second-hand materials can help you make significant savings. Places you can go to look for second-hand materials are eBay, demolition stores, building materials auction and garage sale. Many people may regard second-hand materials as inferior but this does not always hold true.

3. Bulk Buying

Buying materials in bulk may result in massive savings. Such materials include tiles, tins of paint and wall paper. Masters or Lowes offer free home delivery which saves you time and money.

4.  Special offers

Keep an eye on advertisements on building materials in your local paper. Purchase the materials you need in advance to take advantage of the offer. This way, you can easily save up to 50% off regular prices.

5.  Forget custom-sized fabrication

You will tend to save a lot more if you buy off-the-shelf fabrication dimensions from manufacturers. These include doors, windows and storage systems such as cabinets. Ensure that you consider custom-sized fittings in your renovation blue print.

6.  DIY

It is a known fact that the best ways to make huge savings is the most laborious. By handling your own demolition and the finish work yourself you can make significant savings. Some of the ways you can handle the renovation project yourself without engaging a tradesman are painting, sanding, rubbish removal and avoid delivery charges of renovation materials by picking them up yourself.

7.  Tap on your tradesman’s sources

Your tradesman is the best person who can provide you with information on leftover stocks from previous jobs. Also, your tradesman has a network of other tradesman who can offer materials from a demolition job. All you have to do is ask.

8.  Mix and Match

An effective way of saving money on refurbishing your home is to mix more expensive items with cheap ones. For example, you can add high quality cabinet handles on cheap cabinet doors. Alternatively, you can opt for solid wood top to compensate for cheap cabinet units.

9.  Go for replicas

In any department, replicas are popular because they can pass off as the real thing. You can purchase synthetic versions of expensive materials such as hardwood and granite. Such materials not only cost a fraction of the price of the authentic versions but at the same time provide your living space with that special touch.

Refurbishing your home can be stressful and expensive but be assured that you can trim away costs by following the above tips and planning your project early. Be sure look at alternatives in every area of your project to cut costs. Invest time to do some leg work prior to your project so you can consider options for the best economically-priced materials in the market.

Making your emergency fund a priority is the best way to keep yourself out of debt. Here are a few ways to get yours started.

Image by Dan Harrelson

Collect Coins

Those coins rattling around in the bottom of your purse may not seem like much, but they can be the beginning of something beautiful. Saving all of your coins is a great way to start, and continue to fund, your emergency fund. Put your coins in your savings account, or, if you don’t have a savings account,  open one when you have enough saved for the initial deposit. From then on, keep saving your coins, and add to your new emergency fund with a monthly deposit. Your emergency fund may not grow quickly by this method, but it will indeed grow.

Start Small

If the thought of saving coins seems hopelessly outdated to you because you never use cash, fear not — there’s a way for you to start small, too. Once a week, move at least $5 from your checking account to a savings account. If you don’t have enough to open a savings account yet, then save by getting an extra $5 from the cash machine or as cash back on a purchase, and put it up until you do have enough to open an account. From then on, keep funding your emergency fund with the once-weekly deposits. To grow your fund even more quickly without feeling the pinch, add a dollar to each deposit each month.

Save Automatically

Not everyone is disciplined enough — or thoughtful enough — to move money to an emergency fund each week. For the forgetful among us, the direct debit is the best way to grow an emergency fund. Each month, arrange to have a sum debited from your checking account and deposited into your savings account, even if it’s as small as $5 or $10 dollars. If your earnings are deposited directly into your checking account, have the amount taken out each payday. Gradually adjust the direct debit upward, going from $10 to $15 and so forth.

Put Your Money Out of Reach

If your problem is not saving your money, but rather is spending your emergency fund on non-emergencies, then put your money out of easy reach by investing in term deposits. Ideally, you would put the largest portion of your savings in a longer term deposit account that would pay more interest, while reserving a smaller portion, say $500-$1000, in a savings account or a shorter term deposit account, such as one that matures in a three or six month increment. Term deposits not only keep your money out of temptation’s way, but also help you to grow your emergency fund even more quickly by paying more interest than the standard savings account.

Declare an Emergency

Having an emergency fund in the bank for unexpected expenses is one of the best pieces of financial advice you’ll ever encounter. If you don’t already have a emergency fund, get straight to the bank with your savings and open one. An emergency fund will prevent you from going into debt when the car needs repairs, the roof is leaking or any other expensive calamity strikes. If you fear that you’ll be tempted to spend your emergency fund for non-emergencies, consider putting it in a term deposit (more on those below). Ideally, you’ll make funding your emergency fund an ongoing interest, adding to it on a regular basis, and replenishing it as quickly as possible when the inevitable emergency strikes.

Put a Dent in Your Debt

Depending on the size of your savings, you may have enough to sock some in your emergency fund and take a bite out of your debt. Paying down — or paying off — expensive debts, such as credit card debt, personal loans or car loans can save you money now and later. Pay down a debt, and you’ll pay less in interest charges in the future. Pay off a debt, and your money is yours again. But don’t treat the money you free up by paying off debt as fun money — if you want to continue your great saving success, save part or all of the amount you were paying toward your debt every month.

Save Seriously — Invest

So the emergency fund is funded and you’ve already got a dent in your debt. If you’re that fortunate, then it’s time to start saving seriously by investing your money. While there are many different options available, from contributing additional monies to your superfund to purchasing stocks, one of the best investment tools for the new investor is the term deposit account.

Term deposits are one of the safest investments out there, so you need not worry about losing any of the money you’ve worked so hard to save. Think of a term deposit account as an amped-up savings account that pays you more interest than a traditional savings account, just for your agreement to leave your money there for a specific amount of time, be it 30 days, several months, or even several years. If you need to access your money before the term is up, you’ll be asked to pay a penalty, so if you’re the nervous sort that worries about having access to your funds, select the shortest term that pays the best interest rate. Opening a term deposit couldn’t be easier — talk to your bank or credit union about their term deposit options, or shop around for the best term and interest rate combo.

Below are some ideas you can adopt to enhance your business and drive leads for free.

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1.Word-of-mouth publicity

One of the most effective and economical ways to advertise is to get your friends and family members to spread the word about your product. If you want to take your business to another level, offer a small commission to friends and family members who produce leads. This business strategy will very much depend on the cost of your product. It makes sense to offer commissions for high-cost products than low-cost ones for mutual benefit. Alternatively, you can host a party for friends and friends of friends with the aim of introducing, demonstrating and selling your product.

2. Newspaper advertisements

Publishing your product in the local newspaper is effective as there is a higher chance of advertising your product to a wider audience. You can arrange for your product to be published for a specific period, say for consecutive days in a week or four times in the weekend.

3.      Free business directory listing

Business directories are effective in promoting your business as they are already optimised and are ranked high in the search engines. Examples of free online advertising are www.merchantcircle.com.au/corporate/, http://www.australiaonlineadvertising.com.au/ and http://www.enterprisesearch.com.au/.

When submitting to directories, you should make each separate profile unique. It is a good idea to write up a good description of your business using the keywords you want to rank highly for. Any additional media such as pictures and videos will be helpful advertising tools for your company.

4.     Direct marketing

Direct marketing is economical and effective if used creatively. The downside is that it reaches a limited and specific audience. Many businesses use direct marketing to promote their products and services. Fliers and emails are two common examples of direct marketing. Tie in with specials such as 10% discounts for the first 100 customers to attract recipients’ attention.

5.  Internet marketing

Starting a blog about your product or service is a good way to capture a wider audience. Social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter are also effective ways to market your business. Building a website of your own is also an effective vehicle to advertise your business globally. You can include testimonials of your product or business to enhance its credibility. Choose a web hosting company low hosting fees with a free domain name thrown in.

6.    Produce as many backlinks

Backlinks are links on websites that direct back at your page. Backlinks are essential to your marketing goals if you have a website featuring your product as they are one of the most important components in search engine optimisation. Offer to write a blog post on relevant niche websites for free to optimise your backlinks.

While the above ideas are effective and economical ways of advertising your business, you need to use creativity and invest time as well as effort in maximising your potential. Combine the strategies and discard the ones that don’t work. Use your marketing budget judiciously and keep track of results for each strategy used. You don’t have to resort to costly techniques to market your business. Take advantage of internet marketing tools or platforms online.

Here are useful ways to help you lower your phone expenses.

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1. Choose the right mobile plan

Mobile phone companies have made their phone plans very competitive. There are two phone plan categories that companies offer – fixed-term contract and prepaid. If you need a new phone and are a heavy phone user, the fixed-term contract may suit you. On the other hand, if you are an occasional user of the phone and hardly use the device to surf the internet, the pre-paid phone may serve your basic phone needs as you won’t be committed to the conditions on a plan.

2. Watch your minutes

When you purchase a plan, you will be given a certain number of minutes of local talk time free of charge. If you exceed the time limit, you’d be required to pay. It takes a lot of self-discipline to keep within the allotted talk time. It’s best to spread out the free talk time with a month to avoid running out of free talk time minutes by the middle of the month. Always check your balance to ensure that you have sufficient talk balance left for the rest of the month.

3. Read the fine print

Study your mobile phone plan thoroughly so as not to overlook any hidden costs. Read the fine print carefully before you commit to a contract. Find out about if you mobile phone charges a flag fall or call connection fee for each call made. Some providers charge a fixed amount for initiating a call, on top of the cost for the time of the call.

4. Look for savings

When you sign up for a plan, you should ensure that you’ve been given a good deal in terms of savings in the long run. Ask about discounts during off-peak times, such as evenings and weekends, and find out if you could get free calls or text messages to family members or friends on the same network. Also, ask if you get a discount for a family plan.

5. Pre-paid mobile plan

Pre-paid mobile plans are a great way to save for less frequent users. Many providers offer  attractive pre-paid plans such as up to $1200 bonus credit, 100 hours free talk time and up to 5 GB of data. You’ll never over-extend your allocated credit if you keep to the credits given. Also, purchasing a prepaid plan will mean that you can keep to your monthly phone bill budget.

6. Ask for a better deal

If you are on contract which is coming to an end, try to negotiate for a cheaper plan before signing a new contract. You may be entitled to a good deal having been a loyal customer with your provider.  You may also need to review your current plan to see if you could switch to a better one.

7. Monitor your bills

The most effective way to ensure that you stick to your budget on phone bills is to check it online or via text. This way, you can keep tab on whether you are spending too much or have sufficient credits to last till the end of the month.

To save on mobile phone bills, you need to be aware of what is offered in your plan and keep tab on your bills. Keeping watch on talk time on phone also helps you to lower your phone bills. When you are at home, it makes sense to use your landline instead to cut down cost.  Trim off the frills such as downloading music and videos on your smartphone. Start looking at where the extra costs come from so you can eliminate them.

The Solar Panel Solution

The consumption of electricity on average is entirely different across each of the states, with Queensland, for example, being one of the highest consumers, using more than the national average. Electricity use in an average Australian home is estimated at about 18 kilowatt hours per day, which is relatively high compared to the rest of the world. But with all the solar power radiating over this ‘sunburnt country’, how much energy will solar panels really produce for you?

Image by Abi Skipp

Solar Power Production Levels

The amount your solar photovoltaic (PV) panel system produces depends largely on where you live and how big your system is. Obviously, the larger the system, the more you’ll generate but you’ll have to pay more upfront, regardless of each state government’s bonus scheme. In saying that, a one kilowatt system can be expected to produce around 20% of an average Australian household’s power consumption. A standard 1.5 kW system can generate nearly 2500kWh of electricity per year, the equivalent of nearly 1/3 the average annual electricity consumption of a household.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?

Before any solar credit rebates are taken into consideration, a one kilowatt system used to set you back around $10,000 and a 2kW system about $20,000. When the rebates were introduced, the same systems, fully installed, cost around $6,000 for a 1kW and $12,000 for a 2kW system and this depended on where you lived and value of the solar credits at that time. Now, however, prices have fallen significantly as more attention is directed towards solar panels. A 1kW system may cost less than $3,000, and many energy companies are also providing interest-free repayment deals.

What’s The Financial Benefit?

To make money, your system will need to be hooked up to a feed-in tariff scheme. Each state has a different scheme and price per kWh. This is the tricky part. Queensland, South Australia and Victoria have net feed-in tariffs meaning that home owners will only get paid for the electricity they export to the grid minus the power they consume during the time of production. So if you’re a stay-at-home parent, work from home, are a pensioner, or use a lot of electricity for other reasons, you will be at a disadvantage. The other states and territories, including N.S.W., have a gross feed-in-tariff. Every kWh that is produced is sent to the electricity grid at the time of production and your payment is based on that.

Things to Consider Before Installing a PV Solar Panel System

Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your total upfront cost for the panels and installation?
• Are you within the income means test threshold to be eligible for a rebate?
• Is your roof  facing north to catch direct sunlight?
• Do you live in a state that offers gross or net metering?
• What system size can you afford?

Taking into consideration that electricity prices are more than likely to rise in the future, the installation of solar PV panels may be a viable option for individuals living in those states with a gross feed-in tariff, but less so for those with a net feed-in tariff.

Here are 6 ways to save towards your home deposit:

1. Clear your credit card debt

If you are in debt, you have less money to channel towards a home fund. The first step to take is to clear your credit card debt which will free up your cash towards saving for a home deposit. Pay your debt bit by bit but consistently to eventually free yourself from it. Minimise or stay away from the use of your credit card to avoid getting sucked into a spiraling debt trap.

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2.  Save some of each paycheck

Once cleared of credit card debt, the most effective way to save is by transferring some of your pay to a special savings account. Let the money sit in the account and accumulate interest over time until your target amount is met.

3.  Increase your savings

It makes sense to accumulate your savings in a high interest savings account with low fees to boost your savings. Ensure that the money in that account is not withdrawn for a period of time to get the most out of your savings.

4.    Stay away from using credit

Credit cards may incur high interest payments and other fees if you are not organised with your repayments. If you have a soft spot for credit cards, put them away in a place where they are not easily retrievable, such as in a locked drawer orfrozen into a block of ice in your freezer. Choose to pay by cash instead of the card when you shop for everyday items.

5. Trim away the frills

Tightening your budget is an effective strategy for saving towards your first home deposit. Trimming luxuries such as entertainment, magazine subscriptions and purchasing collectibles can help you save a few thousands of dollars a year. You need to first jot down all the treats you have spent on in the previous year to get an idea of what needs to be eliminated in the current year. An example of some luxury spending that might be cut down chould look like this:

• Magazine subscription – $49.90
• Lunching out – $520
• Coffee – $130
• Entertainment – $480

Based on your luxury spending figures, you can add up the amount you could save by cutting down on treats.

6. Take up freelancing

By working a few extra hours in the evenings and in the weekends a week, you can channel extra money to your savings account on a monthly basis. Think of a skill you have that you can offer to others such as freelance writing, website design, teaching English to foreigners and data entry. The amount of money you earn will, of course, depends on the number of hours you are willing to put in after your usual work hours.

By following the above-mentioned tips conscientiously, accumulating sufficient cash for your home deposit will soon be within your reach. Be patient and persistent in achieving your goal and you will realise that through determination and consistency in stashing away cash over a period of time, your dreams in owing your first home will be a reality.