Australia Automotive / Driving Links

Government Departments

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• Road and Traffic Authority road rules and regulations in NSW

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au

• myRTA Online Services

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/myrta/

• Book your driver licence test

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/myrta/mytest/index.html

• Practice RTA Hazard Perception Test

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/tests/hazardperceptiontest/buildyourskills

• Australian Driver Trainers Association (NSW) Ltd

- The representative body of professional driving instructors
http://www.adta.com.au

• Australian Automobile Association

http://www.aaa.asn.au

Buying a Car

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• Autochic

- Women's driving website
http://www.autochic.com.au

• Drive

- Second hand and new cars
http://www.drive.com.au

• CarSales

- Second hand and new cars
http://www.carsales.com.au

• Cars Guide

http://www.carsguide.com.au

• Trading Post

http://www.tradingpost.com.au

Prices and valuations

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• Red Book

- Provides pricing and identification data
http://www.redbook.com.au

• Tips for car buyers

http://www.revs.nsw.gov.au

• Yellow pages

http://www.yellowpages.com.au

Green slips
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• Compare green slips

http://www.maa.nsw.gov.au

Visit your bank and check if you can get a better rate on your savingsaccount

Visit your bank and check if you can get a better rate on your savings account.

If you do not monitor your current savings account interest rate, then you might be left behind with a lower interest rate.

I went to one of my bank branch and tell them that I am not happy with the current interest rate of my savings account (2.75%) compare to the newly advertise promoton for newly open account which is about 4.40%.

I told them that if I do not get a better interest rate, I will be force to move my savings account to somewhere else which provides a higher interest rate.

I was hoping that they will just change the details of my interest rate but said that they cannot do that. (a bit surprised).

Asked for options they can give:

They told me that I should close my current savings account and open a new one to get the current insterest rate of 4.40%. Ok, I agree if that is how I can get a better interest rate.

So I agree to close my account and transfer it to a new savings account with new account number to get the higher interest rate.

Still, I do not understand their purpose of doing such process. It takes more process and a bit of discomfort as they have to give you a new account number.

Process involve:
1. Open a new savings account
2. Transfer all my money from old to new savings account
3. Close old savings account
4. Provide customer a new account number

- If ever you are using this account for auto debit transactions, this would cause a lot of pain to change account number.

I told them that why not just change my interest rate. That way, it will proably take only one step (change interest rate) and then I keep same account number.

Now, I know that I have to keep track of the interest rates of my bank account and what are their new offers.

First Kangaroo I've seen in the wild

This is the photo of the first live kangaroo I've seen in the wild and as close as possible. It is about 4ft tall and 20 meters away from where I was standing.

This is photo was taken at the backyard of Snowtels Caravan Park, Cooma NSW where we stay for the night before going to Mt Selwyn Snowfields the next day.

Taking the Australian Citizenship Test

Processed experienced in taking the Australian Citizenship Test :  (Immi Sydney Central)

1. Arrive 30mins before the test
2. Go to the reception (left side when you enter the main door pm the 4th floor) and advice that you are book for a citizenship test.
3. Receptionist will tell you to come back or wait for awhile while she prints out the booking slip (queue number that includes your Appointment Id #).
4. Once you got your queue number wait until your number appear on the screen or when your number is called.
5. Go to the counter assigned (about 8 counters in City Immi).
6. Present the documents and identification.
7. Immi officer will take a photo.
8. They will inform you if you are already eligible or not.
9. If you are elgiible they will ask you if you want to apply for citizenship after you pass the test.
10. In our case we are not yet eligible (2 yrs required), immi officer will offer how you will apply for citizenship. I choose online application. The officer ask you to fill up the the proof of identity if you are going to apply with in 6 months and they will sign as your character reference on the spot.

Note: If you are going yo apply for citizenship after 6 months, you have to submit the character reference form.

11. Once everything is verified, you will be ask to go to the testing room and present your appointmnet slip.
12. Immi oficer will verify your appointment ID number, will assign you a computer and give you briefing on the test.
13. Once you finish the test, you will see immediately if you pass or fail and inform the immi officer.
14. Immi officer will print out the result of your test whether you pass or fail.
15. If you fail, immi officer will look at the test result and decide if you will be allowed to retake the test.

Note: They may allow one retake else you have to book for another schedule

16. If you pass, you can now go home or go back to the immi officer if you have further question.

Cheapest Hair Salon / haircut

The cheapest men haircut I found round Hurstville NSW is $5.00

Men haircut is about $5 along Diment way corner Forest Road.
Just across Hurstville train station, about 3-5 mins walk. You wont miss their shop as there are signs about $5 haicut.

Women's hair cut is about $8.

Pros:
- Cheapest haircut I can find in Sydney.
- Very convinient if you live around Hurstville area.

Cons:
- May find some difficulty in communicating on what kind of hairstyle you want to look like if you do not speak chinese as most if not all are Chinese hairstylist. (from expereince)
- Haircut for men took only about 5 mins (that quick) to finish.

Bottom line: You get what you paid for

Grocery Price watch - July 2009

Here are some list of grocery items for the month of July to give an idea of how each item cost.

Amount	Items	Store
$ 7.00	tiger prawns / .5kg @ 13.99/kg	haymarket
$ 6.40	tilapia 5.99/kg	haymarket
$ 0.79	shang hai boy .79ea	chinese shop
$ 0.20	chillies long .020kg @ 9.99/kg	chinese shop
$ 1.49	tomatoes 1kg	Aldi
$ 2.39	smartbuy cage eggs 600g	Coles
$ 1.50	coles bread roll 6pack	Coles
$ 0.59	sb coles pasta 500g	Coles
$ 0.78	choko .260kg @ 2.99/kg	chinese shop
$ 0.67	snow peas .075kg @ 8.99/kg	chinese shop
$ 0.64	mung beans .215kg @ 2.99/kg	chinese shop
$ 9.22	breast fillet 1.154kg @ 7.99/kg	Joes Meat
$ 5.00	streets blue ribbon 2L ice cream	Coles
$ 0.98	garlic 4pack	Coles
$ 35.98	Kaset Jasmine rice 17.99/10kg x 2	Coles
$ 0.90	couliflower	Coles
$ 0.39	carrots .197kg @ 1.98/kg	Coles

Cost of living in Sydney, Australia

Idea about cost of living in Sydney, Australia

Assumption:
- the amount provided are calculated assumptions

Monthly Budget: $2000.00



Cost / Desription Details

$300.00/wk   - Rent:  1 bedroom unit
- Rental fees are paid weekly
- Refer to domain.com.au or realestate.com.au to get an idea on how much is the rent in the area

$50.00/wk    - Food: groceries
- take away expenses or dining out in a restaurant is not inlcuded

$150/pq      - Electricity bill:
- Bills are usually paid quarterly
- No water bill if you are renting in a unit as water usage was usually covered by the landlord

$140/mo      - Train fare: Flexipass / good for 30 days
- cheaper to buy momthly train ticket than daily or weekly.
- distance covered is about 30kms

Computation:

300/wk x 52 wks =  15600.00 / 12 months = $1300/month (rent)
50/wk x 52wks = 2600 / 12 months = 216.00/month (groceries)
150/pq x 4 = 600 / 12 months = 50/month (electricity bill)
140/mo (transportation)

1300 + 216.16 + 50 + 140 + 300 (for miscellaneous expenses) = $2006.00

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Total monthly budget = $2000.00 (roughly)
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