January 22, 2010

Most everyone knows that Australia is a place where the sun just isn’t too friendly, but it almost seems that not enough people take all the talk about sun safety so seriously. If you watch TV, you will have probably seen some pretty graphic and eye-opening commercials about skin cancer in this country, but… did it change anything? Did you choose to put on sunscreen that day or wear a long sleeve shirt and hat to the beach? Are we doing enough?

We care about the health and well-being of our tenants, so we want them to be well-informed of the dangers of the Australian sun. The facts sheet available on the The Department of Health and Ageing’s website is quite the shock, but these facts should be known.

Did you know:

• Australia has the highest skin cancer incidence rate in the world.
• Australians are four times more likely to develop a skin cancer than any other form of cancer.
• Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70.

Now, we don’t want to scare anybody from totally avoiding the beach. The sun can still be enjoyed; there just needs to be more precautions in line.

photo credit: {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}

Tips for proper sun protection: Wear a hat! Long sleeves! Find shade! Good sunglasses! Apply SPF30+ sunscreen! When not in the water at the beach, cover with light clothing. Apply sunscreen regularly, especially if you have been swimming. Avoid the prime sun hours of the day when the sun is the strongest.

January 13, 2010

Go ahead and toss out those old calling cards. Skype makes expensive phone calls to friends and family back home a thing of the past. Actually, it makes paying for phone calls at all out of the question.

If you have ever found yourself in an internet cafe listening to someone with a headset talk to the computer screen, you have more than likely already encountered a Skype call in action, but the real benefit is making one yourself. All it takes is an internet connection and a free Skype account to take advantage of the no-cost Skype-to-Skype calls.

With that being the case, why is it that so many Furnished Property tenants have not yet tried it out? Nearly half of the tenants polled had said they never used Skype and typically relied on email and phone calls to keep in touch.

One Furnished Property tenant from Ireland stated, “I mostly use email, and I ring them once a week. I sometimes use MSN Messenger.”

Skype has been loved by backpackers since 2003, the year it was released, because it helped the budget traveller keep in touch with less impact on their travel funds. Seems like anyone concerned with a few extra dollars here and there, such as working holiday visa holders and international students, should jump at the opportunity to cut out extra costs. However, that does not appear to be happening.

And, it is not the case that they had never heard of Skype before. Of those same tenants polled, all of them knew what Skype was, but half had just not gotten around to trying it out.

“No, I’m a bad backpacker,” a Swedish tenant replied when she was asked if she had ever used Skype before. “I think about Skype, but mostly stay with calls and some emails.”

Here’s how it works:

Install the Skype software on your computer by visiting the website. Create a user name and search for friends already online. When this process has been completed, Skype can be used as an instant messaging program, much like MSN Chat or Yahoo Messenger.

Attach a headset to the computer, or just use your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers, and the program can now be used to make internet phone calls to other Skype users that are also logged on. What this means is if your family and friends back home also install the program and sign on, you can talk as long as you want – FOR FREE!

To take Skype to the next level, you can add in a webcam. That’s right, not only can you talk for free, but you can also see each other in the process. The world won’t feel so small to loved ones on the other side of the world anymore when you can both sit down and have face-to-face chats.

December 7, 2009

The Christmas season is just around the corner, and many of our Furnished Property tenants might not be noticing since there is a lack of winter holidays atmosphere here in the Sydney summer. While Aussies are quite used to hearing strange “White Christmas” type songs when it is a blazing 40 degrees outside, some tenants are caught off guard when December 25th actually rolls around and they realise they haven’t even sent their families a simple holiday card.

Without those cooling weather cues, it can just be hard for working holiday visa holders to get into the Christmas mood. So, for those who haven’t yet realised, it is time to start that gift shopping, especially if planning to send them to family overseas.

I’ve compiled a little help guide here in case anyone living with Furnished Property needs some tips for sending their families some Aussie Christmas cheer!

1) Christmas Cards – Some tenants might be a bit strapped for cash and just can’t afford much more than a card. But, who can really imagine sending a traditional card with snowmen and burning fireplaces when Christmas in Australia is the exact opposite?! So family and friends back home can get a real taste, try sending them Australian Christmas themed cards, such as this one with Santa surfing. Aldi has packs for under $5.

2) Fun Gifts – Sydney shops are filled with heaps of typical souvenirs that loved ones might enjoy back home, but for those looking for a more ecclectic gift, there is always the opportunity to send a real piece of Australian wildlife. Kangaroo scrotum keychain, anyone?

3) Thoughtful Gifts – Since our tenants are primarily working travellers or international students, families back home will be missing their presence at holiday events. What mother wouldn’t love to receive a framed photo of their child as a present? To accomplish this task, tenants can find a particularly nice photo of themselves in Australia, upload it to a local (based in their family’s area) photo printing shop, and have it sent out in time for the holidays.

Postage

When choosing to send a package from Australia to home, allow sufficient time for shipping. It is the holiday season, afterall, and it is always nice to be punctual with gifts. Besides this, there are a couple other things to be aware of:

1) Customs – Be as honest as possible with the customs declaration form. Otherwise, the item could be delayed, or not make it at all.

2) Know What You Can Send – It is a good idea to investigate if there might be any restrictions on any items being shipped. There are different regulations for different countries.

Hopefully, this gives the temporary Australia resident, working holiday visa holder, international student, or any other Furnished Property tenant a little bit of guidance when it comes to preparing for the fast approaching holidays.

November 11, 2009

Pay for a couple of entrance fees, a few beers, a round of drinks, a greasy late night snack and a taxi fare, and your night out in Sydney has probably cost you close to next week’s rent!

It’s not easy making a budget night out for Sydney flatshare tenants. You all know the drill – You head out with good intentions, reminding yourself that you will only have a few before calling it a night. You say “hi” to some friends and decide to have just one more because everyone is having such a great time. One more turns into a few and before you know it, it’s 3 am and you’re stumbling into bed a lot less richer.

Believe it or not, there are ways that you can combat this vicious cycle. Just by making a few small changes to your routine, nights out in Sydney can be more budget friendly. Here’s how:

1. Have a few drinks at home. Drinks are usually much cheaper at the store than they are at the pub or club. Start your night off at home so you will hopefully spend less when you finally head out.

   *Please be aware that alcohol is not to be consumed in Furnished Property guest houses. You may have to find a cheap, local pub to get you started.

2. Go out later. If you are the type of person who loves to stay out all night, then try to start your adventures at a later hour, thus lessening the amount of time actually spent at the club buying expensive drinks.
3. Alternate with soft drinks. What makes drinking so expensive? That’s right… the alcohol. Space out the fun by mixing in a couple of soft drinks here and there. Trust me, your body and your wallet will thank you.



4. Avoid buying rounds of drinks. Rounds of drinks can cost a lot depending on the amount of people in the group, and who knows if everyone will still be around to get their shout when the time actually comes. Make it clear early on that you will be buying and drinking at your own pace so you don’t feel obligated later on.
5. Gather a group for the taxi. If you think you’ll be taking a taxi home, then try your best to fill it up in order to spread the cost over as many people as possible. Try looking into night rides if and when the opportunity arises.
6. Drink what’s on special. It may not be your favourite, but it may very well save you some cash by imbibing the discount drink of the evening. Even if it only saves you an extra few dollars per drink, it will seem like much more when it starts adding up!
7. Keep your tolerance low. Avoid alcohol during the week in an attempt to keep your alcohol tolerance low. If your body becomes used to a certain level of alcohol, you will start to feel like you need more in order to have the same effect, thus raising the cost of your nights out.



8. Make alternative nights out. Over time, the pizzazz of the same old every weekend activities can fade. Try to regain that sparkle and shine by giving it a break for a bit. Maybe a night of bowling, a low-key visit to the movie theatre, or even inviting a few friends to your home every once in a while can help you maintain your budget, and make going out on the town exciting again.
9. Take only the money you want to spend. Of course, there is always the tempting ATM around to magically dispense cash at the push of a button, so even this option can easily fail. While leaving the ATM card at home is also an idea, it may actually be good in cases of emergencies. Either way, perhaps the extra step of having to search out a machine when low cash flow emerges will better deter overspending.
10. Avoid club-hopping. Cover charges alone can make a huge impact on the cost of a night out. Pick a place and stick around for a bit if you can in order to spread the cost out over a larger amount of time.

And just when you thought the list would never end, I will impart yet another piece of hopefully enjoyable information upon your laps. For those looking for the best drinking deals during the week, be sure to take a look at Sydney Happy Hour for a mapped out view of the best locales to get your drink on from Monday to Friday.

Hopefully this guide can be of assistance to our budget Sydney flatshare tenants, as well as anyone needing to cut back their weekly night out spending habits. Cheers!

October 6, 2009

September 9, 2009

Would you consider yourself a Twitter-lover or a Twitter-hater? For most, its either one side or the other in this vicious battle between being productive and being worthless. Twitter is constantly being bad-mouthed on the news, TV and in the paper, but those people, I feel, just don’t understand all the great advantages there are to putting out your daily Tweets. So, to help them understand this little misunderstood tool a bit better, I have put together a list of ways you can use Twitter!

photo credit: respres

Communicate with Friends: Think of Twitter as a big chatroom, where you can only see the updates (Tweets) on your home screen of the people you follow. And, the people that follow you will see your updates on their home screen. You can choose to single people out by using the @ symbol before their name in order to create conversations. It’s easy to see what people are up to, where they’re heading tonight, etc. without having to wade through all the other junk that might be on Facebook.

Communicate with Businesses: If you have a business, or work for a business, that needs to find other companies to work with on a project or other dealing, Twitter can be an easy place to turn to. Search for companies and put out Tweets to see what happens!

Get Jobs: You would be surprised how many people are using Twitter to find jobs! Companies will often put vacancies up through a Tweet, so if there is a company you would like to work for – start following them now! Also, many individuals are showcasing their skills and networking capabilities on Twitter to attract work. For example, a freelance journalist might put out a Tweet that they are travelling to Mongolia and looking for a writing assignment. If a company is looking for writers, they might do a search on Twitter and find this journalist!

Get Apartments: Just today I ran a search for “Sydney apartment” to find a number of individuals looking for places in the city. I quickly sent them a message to let them know of our services, which could really help them out! Think about how handy this could be when returning home after your stay in Sydney. You could use Twitter to help find shared accommodation, guest houses, apartments and flatmates!

Get News: Many Twitter-ers use Twitter to relay interesting information and news stories on various subjects. If you like to keep up with great travel bloggers or travel companies, you can follow them to see what stories they are tweeting about. Since Tweets are so short (140 characters or less), it is extremely easy to skim through loads of content before having to click on a single item. It’s a very easy way to get targeted search results.

Get Discounts: Some shops and other businesses put discount codes and sale notices up on Twitter. Get to the deals before everyone else does!

Get Your Funny Tweets: You might find yourself cracking up at the funny little things that Twitter-ers Tweet about. Here’s a list of actual Tweets:

• Everytime I get a nice check for something my mom hits me up for money. I think she got my phone tapped and crib wired.
• Free advice: Never wear flip-flops around a busy urinal.
• Good morning sunshine! Please don’t give me skin cancer!
• Got a pizza in the oven. NOT a euphemism for being a pregnant Italian.
• Looking to purchase a gun, nothing too fancy or complicated, just a simple point and shoot gun.
• What nobody tells you is that, with a little chlorine, your bath water can last all summer.
• No level-headed person ever wore a flattop.
• I forgot how Brokeback Mountain ended, the gay guy turned out to be a cowboy right?

There are plenty of other reasons to use Twitter, but I think I’ll let you figure them out on your own. So, if you’re not on Twitter already, go on and make an account. It’s free and fun, and you can always follow us – @FurnishedPrprty. Be sure to send us a Tweet to let us know you are a Furnished Property tenant!

September 2, 2009

Do you panic at the thought of being without your good friend, Google, by your side? Are you a compulsive email checker, YouTube fanatic, or download addict?

If you suffer from any of these aflictions, then you might be a person who just can’t live without internet!

photo credit: juanpol

When living in a shared accommodation, or guest house, with Furnished Property, internet access may be taken care of with a house computer or wireless throughout. On the other hand, for those living in residential apartments, internet might be the responsibility of the tenants – and in Australia, it is not such a cost-effective goal to achieve.

Many Internet Service Providers around Sydney supply plans meant for 12 or 24 months, and if you want month-by-month coverage, you might have to combine that with the cost of a home phone and a set-up fee. Depending on the type of housing you are living in, and the number of people you are sharing it with, this cost could start to add a bit to your monthly bills = less fun money in Sydney.

Luckily, there is another way. When I arrived in Sydney, I didn’t really know these existed, but it appears that mobile broadband is a booming business here. What you do is buy a modem that looks like a little memory stick and a SIM card that’s tied to a mobile phone number. And, just like the pay-as-you-go mobile phone plans, you recharge your data package each month or year.

photo credit: William Hook

The top companies to choose from are: Three, Optus, Telstra and Vodafone.

They actually work quite well and do everything from Skyping your family back home to downloading music. Best of all, its ready to go with you wherever you’re heading around Sydney! So, if you fancy typing some emails in the park, at the beach or on your apartment’s balcony, the usb modems give you the flexibility to do just that!