This year I get to file taxes three times over. Joy! How did I get into this predicament? I blame a year of glorious traveling :)
1)2009 taxes - Yes, you can all gasp in horror. I am behind my taxes. Shame pf blogger, shame! Well I must defend myself on this one. BF and I really wanted to get this done before we left but our T4's didnt come in time and we left figuring we'd deal with it when we got back. Well we're back and its time to pay the piper.
2)2010 taxes - I only made a small amount before I left for my trip. I think I only worked three weeks or something for the pharmacy to help out. BF doesnt remember working and so is not expecting to have to file. The one plus out of this is that because we didnt make much but did pay for MSP the entire time we were away we will probably be eligible for premium assistance which means we wont pay this year. Thats a big savings of $102/mo as we currently pay the maximum.
3) Oz taxes - Since the Australia tax year ends June 31 we've already filed taxes there once but we will need to file again. Its a pretty painless process that can be done online so I'm not worried about it. I also have a lot of time before I will even get my forms so its not something to stress about. My superannuation however I need to look into applying for asap.
I am really looking forward to getting caught up with taxes and not fearing the dreaded taxman anymore. I love the Beatles song in the post below!
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Friday, March 11, 2011
Friday, November 19, 2010
Super Annuation
During my time in Australia I've been able to admire a lot more than just the scenery. For example the wonderful thing that is the super annuation fund. Think RRSP my Canadian and American friends but... with a big twist.
I have had two jobs in Australia. One picking apples and one doing siphon irrigation work on a chia farm. With my working holiday visa if I work at least 3 months in the harvest industry I qualify for a 2nd year visa. I definitely wanted to do that just in case I decided one year was not enough.
At my first job the supervisor asked us if we had worked before and if we had a super annuation fund already set up. We were clueless as to what this was and said no. On the bottom of each pay stub was a spot for super annuation and a nice little dollar figure next to it. I looked into it and guess what! In Australia employers are required to pay into a retirement account for their employees. A minimum of 9% of their wage. This is ON TOP of what you already make.
Say what? Yes, people its true. Even as backpackers we are paid super annuation on top of wages. This money goes into a our own retirement account that the employer set up.
When we started our second job and they asked for our super annuation details I was ready this time. I gave them the info and marveled at the accruing dollar amount at the bottom of my pay stubs. I thought to myself.. how amazing is this ?!?! I asked my boss about it and they said it was mandatory for them to do and they felt it was a great system to ensure all working individuals a healthy retirement. Wow!
What happens when I leave Australia? Once I leave the country I can claim all that money back and they will send me a cheque or deposit it into my Australian bank account. How sweet is that?
I earned it so I get to keep it. Yahoo!
I did look up the account it's in online once. I noticed the account seems to have a lot of fees but I'm not really worried about it. It feels like a bonus to me to even get the money. If I was staying longer or moving here I would see if I could get this changed but for now I am ok with it.
Pretty impressive if you ask me. It made me think about what other awesome benefits Aussies might be getting....
Any Australians out there like to clarify any of what I've written or add some bragalicious comments?
I have had two jobs in Australia. One picking apples and one doing siphon irrigation work on a chia farm. With my working holiday visa if I work at least 3 months in the harvest industry I qualify for a 2nd year visa. I definitely wanted to do that just in case I decided one year was not enough.
At my first job the supervisor asked us if we had worked before and if we had a super annuation fund already set up. We were clueless as to what this was and said no. On the bottom of each pay stub was a spot for super annuation and a nice little dollar figure next to it. I looked into it and guess what! In Australia employers are required to pay into a retirement account for their employees. A minimum of 9% of their wage. This is ON TOP of what you already make.
Say what? Yes, people its true. Even as backpackers we are paid super annuation on top of wages. This money goes into a our own retirement account that the employer set up.
When we started our second job and they asked for our super annuation details I was ready this time. I gave them the info and marveled at the accruing dollar amount at the bottom of my pay stubs. I thought to myself.. how amazing is this ?!?! I asked my boss about it and they said it was mandatory for them to do and they felt it was a great system to ensure all working individuals a healthy retirement. Wow!
What happens when I leave Australia? Once I leave the country I can claim all that money back and they will send me a cheque or deposit it into my Australian bank account. How sweet is that?
I earned it so I get to keep it. Yahoo!
I did look up the account it's in online once. I noticed the account seems to have a lot of fees but I'm not really worried about it. It feels like a bonus to me to even get the money. If I was staying longer or moving here I would see if I could get this changed but for now I am ok with it.
Pretty impressive if you ask me. It made me think about what other awesome benefits Aussies might be getting....
Any Australians out there like to clarify any of what I've written or add some bragalicious comments?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
$250 Deposit to Australia Trip Fund
I realized today that I haven't posted any monthly goals in awhile. I seem to be getting things accomplished though. I'm filling my weekends with fun activities and trying new things. On the financial front I'm just trying to save as much as I can as fast as I can. It seems to be working out okay.
Today I added another $250 to my Australia Trip Fund. It was money I have leftover from my last pay cheque. I left $20 in my account to last me until I get paid again on Friday. I am now at 32% of my goal for that fund. Woohoo!
Today I added another $250 to my Australia Trip Fund. It was money I have leftover from my last pay cheque. I left $20 in my account to last me until I get paid again on Friday. I am now at 32% of my goal for that fund. Woohoo!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
$400 Deposit to Australia Trip Fund
Last week I hit my goal for my Aussi EFund but I still need to stash away some more dough for the actual trip. I set my goal for $3000. Today I managed to save $400 towards this goal bringing me to a total of $700 in that fund which is 23% of my goal.
Monday, July 13, 2009
$5000 Goal Reached!
I am ecstatic to announce the completion of my first savings goal! There was a time when I had a list of debts that I would cross off one at a time. Now I'm crossing off a list of goals to make my future secure. This is the first savings goal I have reached. I have never had $5000 in savings in my entire life and I could not be any prouder of myself.
Australia is one giant step closer!
Australia is one giant step closer!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
82% Freedom in Focus
I received a cheque on Monday for working the election polls on May 12th! $270 smackers to be exact. I deposited it right away but just remembered to set up the xfer today to ING.
This month I have saved $1370 towards the Aussi fund. I'm so excited! Once I hit my goal I'll be applying for my visa. My goal is to save $1500 this month but I'm secretly trying to save $1800. I'm trying really hard so that I'll only have to save $500 next month and then move onto my next PF goal.
Currently I sit at 82% of my goal.
This month I have saved $1370 towards the Aussi fund. I'm so excited! Once I hit my goal I'll be applying for my visa. My goal is to save $1500 this month but I'm secretly trying to save $1800. I'm trying really hard so that I'll only have to save $500 next month and then move onto my next PF goal.
Currently I sit at 82% of my goal.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Purchasing A Van
BF and I have discussed many times that we may want to purchase a van in Australia to live in. It would serve as our portable home for the year. Our own little slice of familiarity as we travel about. Well lately BF has been looking a lot more online at vans that are currently for sale to get an idea of price and narrow down what we are looking for.
For me it was all about the layout of the van. I was attracted to the pop roof and the idea of not having to be hunched over all the time. I would be happy with something like this. I want to be able to feel cozy and not claustrophobic. I want to be able to have all of our things neatly organized.
BF on the other hand has a whole different variety of needs. His mostly have to do with what's under the hood. I have no idea what those things are so I let him decide whats good in that area.
I'm sure we'll find something good once we get there. I need to start savings up for the van now too. BF has a budget in mind but we're still in investigation mode. The best part about the van is we can recoup some money before we come back. As long as its running well and we have a buyer. :) I think its an important investment for us for this trip.
Friday, May 1, 2009
May TCOB
Hello May! I've been waiting for you.
I think May will be a great month. In May I hope to accomplish some really important tasks both financially and personally.
1) Save $1500 to Austraila Fund. I can't believe even believe that I can write that but I'm really going to go for it this month. In May I have three pay days, I will work the elections and I will get a tax return back. I would like to save $1800 which would bring me to total of $4500 and is 90% of my goal but I'm unsure of how my vacation pay will effect me so I'll stick with $1500. If I do reach $1800 I would be able to save the last $500 in June and apply for my visa a month before I expected to. :) It will be a tight squeeze though. We'll see...
2) Bring a Lunch to Work 3 Days a Week.
3) Have Entire Upper Floor of House Organized. I'm getting closer on this one. I think this goal should be attainable if I use my time at home wisely to get things done. There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be sorted through, clothes that need to go to charity and a lot of my jewellry making supplies. I need to start purging for the trip.
4) Get Price Estimates for Storage Unit. We will be getting rid of a lot of stuff. If its not collapsible or irreplaceable its going. Some stuff though we do want to hold on to and so we need to be getting some prices on what storage units are worth these days. BF has some larger items like a kayak, motorcycle and truck. He'll need to get a realistic idea on the cost of keeping these items in storage for a year before he makes any decisions. The only thing I really want to keep in our new bed frame which is collapsible.
5) Visit a Dear Friend on the Mainland. My friend Nathaniel often comes to the Island for visits. I try to visit him as well because I love spending time with him but I always find it hard to get a totally free weekend to head over to Vancouver. No more excuses, I am setting aside time just to go see him this month!
6) Work the Election Polls on May 12th! Yay, this makes me very happy. Not just because of the extra dough but because I feel like I'm contributing to the process.
7) Plant Garden - We've hit the right time to xfer all of our babies outside. We've also got to get the other seeds planted for things such as radishes and corn. Mmm, I can't wait until harvest time.
8) Investigate RSP Option at Work - I need to find out whether I qualify for a match contribution or not. Every time I ask I get a different answer. I'm ready now to fill out the paperwork and get started. Might as well get what I can before I leave.
I've decided to reward myself when I complete all my goals for the month. This month the reward will be this:
It came highly recommended by a friend who did this same type of trip a year ago. She swears by it and it has great reviews. I think it would be well worth the investment so thats why I chose it for my goal reward.
I think May will be a great month. In May I hope to accomplish some really important tasks both financially and personally.
1) Save $1500 to Austraila Fund. I can't believe even believe that I can write that but I'm really going to go for it this month. In May I have three pay days, I will work the elections and I will get a tax return back. I would like to save $1800 which would bring me to total of $4500 and is 90% of my goal but I'm unsure of how my vacation pay will effect me so I'll stick with $1500. If I do reach $1800 I would be able to save the last $500 in June and apply for my visa a month before I expected to. :) It will be a tight squeeze though. We'll see...
2) Bring a Lunch to Work 3 Days a Week.
3) Have Entire Upper Floor of House Organized. I'm getting closer on this one. I think this goal should be attainable if I use my time at home wisely to get things done. There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be sorted through, clothes that need to go to charity and a lot of my jewellry making supplies. I need to start purging for the trip.
4) Get Price Estimates for Storage Unit. We will be getting rid of a lot of stuff. If its not collapsible or irreplaceable its going. Some stuff though we do want to hold on to and so we need to be getting some prices on what storage units are worth these days. BF has some larger items like a kayak, motorcycle and truck. He'll need to get a realistic idea on the cost of keeping these items in storage for a year before he makes any decisions. The only thing I really want to keep in our new bed frame which is collapsible.
5) Visit a Dear Friend on the Mainland. My friend Nathaniel often comes to the Island for visits. I try to visit him as well because I love spending time with him but I always find it hard to get a totally free weekend to head over to Vancouver. No more excuses, I am setting aside time just to go see him this month!
6) Work the Election Polls on May 12th! Yay, this makes me very happy. Not just because of the extra dough but because I feel like I'm contributing to the process.
7) Plant Garden - We've hit the right time to xfer all of our babies outside. We've also got to get the other seeds planted for things such as radishes and corn. Mmm, I can't wait until harvest time.
8) Investigate RSP Option at Work - I need to find out whether I qualify for a match contribution or not. Every time I ask I get a different answer. I'm ready now to fill out the paperwork and get started. Might as well get what I can before I leave.
I've decided to reward myself when I complete all my goals for the month. This month the reward will be this:
It came highly recommended by a friend who did this same type of trip a year ago. She swears by it and it has great reviews. I think it would be well worth the investment so thats why I chose it for my goal reward.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Working Holiday Visa
I'm starting to gather more info for the trip to Australia. I am so excited. It's making it all seem more real to me. I used the Australian Visa Wizard and it brought me to the right conclusion as to which visa we should be applying for. BF and I will apply for a Working Holiday Visa. It's perfect for us!
We meet all the requirements for the visa which include:
We meet all the requirements for the visa which include:
- You must be from one of 19 Working Holiday eligible countries and regions.
- You must be aged 18-30 at the time of applying.
- You must not have accompanying children (either at the time of applying or when you hold the visa).
- If you have completed three months specified work in regional Australia on your first Working Holiday visa, you may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.
- You can study for up to four months.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday Blues
The weekend is over and the new work week is here. Booo! I am not a big fan of Mondays at all.
This weekend was great.
Friday night BF insisted we go over to my sisters to see her new place. My sister seemed really happy to have us over and I always love seeing the kids. Their new house is really awesome and they got a great deal on it. I'm very happy for her.
Saturday we helped my Grandpa move into the new house. It was an all day task. There was my grandpa, my uncle, my mom, BF and me. I was disappointed nobody else showed up to help seeing as I have so many cousins and family. It really pissed me off a lot. My uncle told me that insurance would pay for two movers and so BF would be paid for the day but BF refused to take any money and told my Grandpa to use the money to buy lunch for everyone that helped. Aww. He and my uncle had to do all the heavy lifting on their own but they managed.
Sunday I laid in bed all day. I mean ALL day. BF surprised me by going out in the evening to get groceries. He bought me all my favorite fruits and even brought home dinner. He came upstairs to bed and served the food right to me. Then he secretly put a movie into the DVD player and turned it on. It was Pineapple Express! I've been dying to see this movie since it came out in theaters and I finally got to see it.
Things have been going really good lately. We've been watching our spending big time. Every little purchase is weighed against saving for the trip. Today though I'm going to spend a bit of money because a coworker is coming back from eloping and I want to buy her some flowers to mark the occasion. I'm so excited for her!
Well... I must make breakfast and get ready for work now. I hope everyone enjoys the first day back at work this week! :)
This weekend was great.
Friday night BF insisted we go over to my sisters to see her new place. My sister seemed really happy to have us over and I always love seeing the kids. Their new house is really awesome and they got a great deal on it. I'm very happy for her.
Saturday we helped my Grandpa move into the new house. It was an all day task. There was my grandpa, my uncle, my mom, BF and me. I was disappointed nobody else showed up to help seeing as I have so many cousins and family. It really pissed me off a lot. My uncle told me that insurance would pay for two movers and so BF would be paid for the day but BF refused to take any money and told my Grandpa to use the money to buy lunch for everyone that helped. Aww. He and my uncle had to do all the heavy lifting on their own but they managed.
Sunday I laid in bed all day. I mean ALL day. BF surprised me by going out in the evening to get groceries. He bought me all my favorite fruits and even brought home dinner. He came upstairs to bed and served the food right to me. Then he secretly put a movie into the DVD player and turned it on. It was Pineapple Express! I've been dying to see this movie since it came out in theaters and I finally got to see it.
Things have been going really good lately. We've been watching our spending big time. Every little purchase is weighed against saving for the trip. Today though I'm going to spend a bit of money because a coworker is coming back from eloping and I want to buy her some flowers to mark the occasion. I'm so excited for her!
Well... I must make breakfast and get ready for work now. I hope everyone enjoys the first day back at work this week! :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Best Long Weekend Ever
BF and I returned last night from the best long weekend ever! Everything we did turned out great and the weather was amazing. It was so nice to get away for awhile and have some fun. We splurged a little but it was well worth it. I'll post a few pics soon of the amazing expedition backpack BF bought me while we were there as a late birthday gift for our trip next year to Australia. It's beautiful.
Today I've felt under the weather though. I had one of those "off" days at work where everything goes wrong. I felt clumsy, stupid and irritated, lol! To top it all of we were hosting a flu clinic so there were a million people. *sigh
I have an interview tomorrow morning at the hospital working in the kitchen. I have always toyed with the idea of opening another restaurant or maybe a catering company. I love getting in the kitchen. I'm not really a general public dealing with sort of person. So I've decided to go and see what is offered. I think its a full time casual position with a wage that is $2.33/hr more than where I am now.
An interview is just that and nothing more. I would have to think any decisions over very carefully before making a move. I'm not fond of my job now but its not horrific. Just annoying and stressful. I am mostly interested in job security right now. I need full time and I need great pay. One year to go people!!
Today I've felt under the weather though. I had one of those "off" days at work where everything goes wrong. I felt clumsy, stupid and irritated, lol! To top it all of we were hosting a flu clinic so there were a million people. *sigh
I have an interview tomorrow morning at the hospital working in the kitchen. I have always toyed with the idea of opening another restaurant or maybe a catering company. I love getting in the kitchen. I'm not really a general public dealing with sort of person. So I've decided to go and see what is offered. I think its a full time casual position with a wage that is $2.33/hr more than where I am now.
An interview is just that and nothing more. I would have to think any decisions over very carefully before making a move. I'm not fond of my job now but its not horrific. Just annoying and stressful. I am mostly interested in job security right now. I need full time and I need great pay. One year to go people!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Australia
Last weekend BF and I were laying around and I demanded we talk about Australia. BF is a really laid back kind of guy. He's not a planner. I on the other hand plan everything. So I told him I need to know when he's planning on us going because I can't prepare myself without knowing an approximate date. Boy oh boy was I surprised to hear his answer.
October 2009. Eeek! I thought it was more like January 2010. Uh oh! I freaked out. I told him its kind of hard for me to reach all the goals I have by then and that its too early. He was really calm and told me that as long as I have all my debt paid off and a little saved not to worry about anything because he'll take care of it. Hmm... I don't want to rely on somebody else so I'm going to have to save as much as I can in the next year as possible. I want to get my retirement savings in the works before going on this trip.
Since my birthday is next month I'm asking BF to only buy me things related to the trip. I've asked him for a light weight backpack to carry all my worldly possessions and a head lamp. I know the backpack will be very costly so that's why I'm asking for it for my birthday instead of having to save up for it myself. Anything I can acquire through my birthday and xmas towards the trip will definitely help out a lot.
I believe I will have at least $500 in my Australia fund by the end of the year. Next year I'll need to save about $500/mo for 9 months to make my goal of $5000 for the trip. Wow! That's a lot of moolah!!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Worried about my 2008 goals :(
This morning it kicked me in face. I haven't been thinking about my 2008 goals. Well thats not really true I think about that sort of thing all the time. I guess I just haven't noticed how fast this year has gone by. It's the end of August already and it appears I will only be able to complete one of two goals.
My two biggest goals for 2008 were to:
A) Start my retirement savings
B) Pay off my student loan debt
I just cannot afford to do both on this wage. This year has been so rocky financially. It's got me already worried about saving enough for Australia, retirement and other things next year. I feel pretty behind and I need to take action quick!
I really wanted to get a secured credit card in the next few months because you have to have it one full year before they return your deposit and viola you have a credit card again. The reason this is important to me is I want to have it for an emergency during our year long trip. Not as back up money but in case I need to book a flight or something that requires the use of a CC. I just don't have the $500 to do it right now.
I have 4 months left until the end of the year. I'm not going to be able to pay off my debt by the time of my birthday in October but I'm still hoping to finish it off by the end of the year!! So its going to be about $500 a month. Wow, its going to be more than a squeeze on my income. I think I'm not going to have an option regarding looking for a new job and maybe possibly a second job for a few shifts a week. :(
My two biggest goals for 2008 were to:
A) Start my retirement savings
B) Pay off my student loan debt
I just cannot afford to do both on this wage. This year has been so rocky financially. It's got me already worried about saving enough for Australia, retirement and other things next year. I feel pretty behind and I need to take action quick!
I really wanted to get a secured credit card in the next few months because you have to have it one full year before they return your deposit and viola you have a credit card again. The reason this is important to me is I want to have it for an emergency during our year long trip. Not as back up money but in case I need to book a flight or something that requires the use of a CC. I just don't have the $500 to do it right now.
I have 4 months left until the end of the year. I'm not going to be able to pay off my debt by the time of my birthday in October but I'm still hoping to finish it off by the end of the year!! So its going to be about $500 a month. Wow, its going to be more than a squeeze on my income. I think I'm not going to have an option regarding looking for a new job and maybe possibly a second job for a few shifts a week. :(
Thursday, March 13, 2008
LIke a smack in the face
Wow. Sitting here reading some new to me blogs and I stumble across a blog where a woman is writing about a trip she wants to take and the travel costs associated with it. I was floored at the numbers she casually threw out there for travel costs. I realized that I need to get more in focused if I want to make this trip a reality. We always talked about this trip since we've been together and we've been slowly getting into the process of being prepared.
The problem is that we haven't made the goal specific enough yet. We don't have an exact time frame or guesstimate for our departure. We don't have any kind of general game plan for locations while we are there (back up plan). We don't have costs laid out yet. We don't have contact information for reliable van purchase or rental. We need new gear and I need to invest in the proper type of clothing for the lifestyle. We need to find out about one year work visas. We have a lot to get in order! No wonder I've been so lofty about getting things done. The impact has not hit me yet.
I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself. The problem is I'm a planner. I mean a BIG time planner. I plan all the social activities for friends. I throw the parties, organize the games, food and people. I like to know who's going to be there, when and what I need to organize for them. It's nuts. I organize the family functions, holiday meals and birthday parties. This year I threw a surprise birthday party to show my guy all the new friends he had made since moving to this province.
My guys is like.. ok who really cares, we'll just deal with things as they happen. Everything will work out for the best kind of attitude.
Can you see where we might bump heads on a few issues? Its drives me insane!! Still, he's the only one who can make me go from crazy to giddy with just one smile.
If I want to be prepared for this trip in a way that makes me feel secure I can't wait for him. I need to do it for me.
Ring Ring!
Hello?
Good morning ma'am. This is your wake up call.
Thank you.
The problem is that we haven't made the goal specific enough yet. We don't have an exact time frame or guesstimate for our departure. We don't have any kind of general game plan for locations while we are there (back up plan). We don't have costs laid out yet. We don't have contact information for reliable van purchase or rental. We need new gear and I need to invest in the proper type of clothing for the lifestyle. We need to find out about one year work visas. We have a lot to get in order! No wonder I've been so lofty about getting things done. The impact has not hit me yet.
I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself. The problem is I'm a planner. I mean a BIG time planner. I plan all the social activities for friends. I throw the parties, organize the games, food and people. I like to know who's going to be there, when and what I need to organize for them. It's nuts. I organize the family functions, holiday meals and birthday parties. This year I threw a surprise birthday party to show my guy all the new friends he had made since moving to this province.
My guys is like.. ok who really cares, we'll just deal with things as they happen. Everything will work out for the best kind of attitude.
Can you see where we might bump heads on a few issues? Its drives me insane!! Still, he's the only one who can make me go from crazy to giddy with just one smile.
If I want to be prepared for this trip in a way that makes me feel secure I can't wait for him. I need to do it for me.
Ring Ring!
Hello?
Good morning ma'am. This is your wake up call.
Thank you.
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