The recent, horrifying revelation that 20,000 Australian households had their electricity cut off for failure to pay bills should have set off a lot of alarm bells in the industry. This is an ugly number, but it exposes the realities of the effects of the price rises. Comparing electricity prices before and after, it means those rises were the killers. It also exposes a serious flaw in the provision of basic services to the disadvantaged. Clearly, the costs of services [...]
Continue Reading →The truth about electricity prices and Australian business overheads
The simple fact is that business costs are direct outlays. There’s no avoiding them, and most businesses like to have stable cost bases. Electricity, in particular, being an essential, can be a very high cost indeed. Bigger businesses pay big money for their electricity, even on wholesale rates. The effect of the extra costs is to hit the business bottom line. Overheads eat up business capital, preventing new business initiatives and adding to their costs. Any big spike in overheads [...]
Continue Reading →The Effectiveness of Solar Panels
Solar panels are an attractive option for reducing the bills in your home, but it is difficult to know how effective they will actually be. Solar panels are now very effective, help to protect the environment, and can even make you money. Here we consider why solar panels could be the right addition to your home. Reducing utility bills Utility bills have been increasing steadily for a number of years and they can be a very significant burden on the [...]
Continue Reading →Making a Wedding Plan Checklist
When you get married there will be a huge amount of people coming, and there will be a lot going on. Getting a wedding organised is one of the biggest challenges you will face in your life, and it is certainly not possible without a checklist. A checklist will ensure that you have not forgotten anything on the big day, and will make sure that you are not left with a hole in your ceremony. Here we consider [...]
Continue Reading →Reducing Winter Power Costs
Even though most Australians think of summer as the depressingly costly electricity bill season, many forget that winter can be just as expensive. Winter power bills are often very high because many families rely on electric heating. Today’s higher electricity prices mean that winter electricity bills can even be higher than those in the summer. Alternatives to electric heat The best way to reduce winter heating costs is to look for a cheaper source of heating. Natural gas heaters have [...]
Continue Reading →The Costs of Hot Water
Believe it or not, hot water could be the reason why your electricity bills are so high. Hot water heating is often the biggest drain of electricity in your home. A person that likes to take a lot of hot baths or showers would save a lot of money by switching to a cheaper electricity provider. Why hot water can be so expensive An electric hot water heater is the most expensive way to heat water. Unfortunately, electric hot water [...]
Continue Reading →Flower Motifs for Your Wedding Invitations
Weddings need flowers, and so might your wedding invitation. To make your wedding invitations unique, it is worth thinking about how you can make them stand out individually.Using flowers as a motif is a good way to express the ideas of new life and happiness through your invitations. Here we consider how flower motifs can be used for your wedding invitations. Infinite possibilities There are infinite possibilities for you to integrate flowers into your wedding invitation motif, [...]
Continue Reading →Creating a Flexible Budget at Home
When you own a home and have a family to support it is important that you make every effort to get your budgeting in order. You will need a flexible fund because otherwise unexpected costs can quickly creep up on you and leave you in financial difficulty. A flexible budget means careful planning and a savings fund. Here we consider how you can make your financial planning suited for a home and a family. Flexibility is key Flexibility is key [...]
Continue Reading →Optimising Your Office Desk
The office desk is the focal point of your workspace, so rethinking how everything is laid out can improve productivity, efficiency, and even health. Keeping a minimalistic layout might not only improve productivity, it can reduce mental clutter and keep you more organised throughout the day. Here are some tips for rearranging your desktop items and minimise clutter. Desktop Basics Phone System Other than your computer and keyboard, you will probably have a phone on your desk. Your office phone [...]
Continue Reading →Moving into Your Investment Property
There are many reasons why you may wish to move into one of your investment properties, and the good news is that this will be one of the easiest moves of your life. As you already own the property you will simply have to wait for the tenancy agreement to run out and then you will be able to move in, set yourself up, and enjoy your new(ish) home. Here we consider moving into your own investment property. [...]
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