FREE: OnlineFamily.Norton plugs you into your child's online life

* Shows what your children are doing online.
* Sets age-appropriate 'rules' for every child in your family.
* Helps you talk to your children about safe online behavior.

FREE Subscription
https://onlinefamily.norton.com

Free Ashtray

http://www.notagoodlook.com.au/

FREE popcorn by Telstra

FREE popcorn given by Telstra as a promotion at the North Sydney train station.

I am still wondering what is the relation of popcorn with a Telecomunication company?

Its was given for FREE, so I took one :-)

Note: Telstra is an Australian telecommunications and media company and is the largest provider of both local and long distance telephone services, mobile services, dialup, wireless, DSL and cable internet access in Australia.

Overheard: Free Lucky Undies when you purchase 2 softdrinks

-------------------

Customer went to the counter (COLES) to pay for the 2 soft drinks he bought

* Customer(guy) not leaving the counter even after paying and got his change.
Customer(guy): Where is my undies?

Sales clerk(girl): Excuse me.....
Customer(guy): Where is my undies?

Sales clerk(girl):  Excuse me, what do you mean by undies?

Customer(guy): The underwear that comes with my soft drink.

Sales clerk(girl): Excuse me, did you say underwear?

* Sales clerk not aware about the promo which was recently release on the catalogue.
- who would have think of that you get FREE underwear when buying a soft drinks anyway....

Customer(guy): Yes, the underwear that comes with the softdrinks as mentioned in the catalogue.

* Sales clerk checks the catalogue and ask their team leader where the FREE underwear is stored and took the underwear and gave it to the customer.

Sales clerk(girl): Here you go, sorry as it is a bit weird that softdrinks comes with underwear.

Customer(guy): This is size "small", do you think I am small?

Sales clerk(girl): hmmmm.. how would I know. Ok, let me check for higher sizes.
-------------------

Why would a company provide a promo for a FREE underwear when you buy a softdrink?

Why would you buy a soft drink to get a FREE underwear?

- Curiousity ?!? (I also bought one for my self)

Sydney tour itenerary

*** Sightseeing (free) ***

1. Opera House
- Transportation: train (Circular Quay train station)

http://scratchpadideas.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/place-of-interest-sydney-opera-house/
www.sydneyoperahouse.com

2. Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Transportation: train (Circular Quay train station)

http://scratchpadideas.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/place-of-interest-sydney-harbour-bridge/

Bridge Climb
http://www.bridgeclimb.com

3. Bondi Beach
- Transportation: Train and bus / car

http://scratchpadideas.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/visiting-bondi-beach/

4. Darling Harbour
- Transportation: Train (towhnhall station) / walk to Darling Harbour

May 21-23 (free event)
* Jazz and Blues festival at Darling Haroubr on
http://www.darlingharbour.com

5. Hyde Park / St Mary's Cathedral
http://www.stmaryscathedral.org.au/

6. Manly Beach
- Transportation: ferry from circular quay / car

http://www.manlyaustralia.com.au/

8. Royal Bonatical Garden
- Transportation: Train (St James station) / walk to RBG

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

9. Chinatown / Hay Market
- Transportation: Train (central station)

http://www.paddysmarkets.com.au/

10. Star City Casino
- Transportation: Train (townhall station) / 2kms walk to Star City

http://www.starcity.com.au

11. The Gap / Watsons Bay
- Transportation: ferry (watsons bay marina) / car

http://scratchpadideas.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/place-of-interest-the-gap/

12. Sydney Olympic Park
- Transportation: train (libcombe / xfer to train Sydney olympic park)

www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au

13. Blue Mountains (long driving from CBD)

Museum and Parks (entrance fees)

1. Sydney Tower
- Revolving restaurant
- OzTrek Ride / Skywalk

http://sydneytower.myfun.com.au

2. Sydney Aquarium
- Located in Darling Harbour

http://sydneyaquarium.myfun.com.au/

3. Sydney Wildlife
- Located in Darling Harbour

http://sydneywildlifeworld.myfun.com.au/

4. Maritime Museum
- Located in Darling Harbour

http://www.anmm.gov.au

5. Luna Park
- Transportation: ferry (North sydney)
- free (entrance only)

http://www.lunaparksydney.com/

Related links:

City Rail
http://www.cityrail.info/

MyMulti
http://www.myzone.nsw.gov.au/mymulti.html

MyFerry
http://www.myzone.nsw.gov.au/myferry.html

MyTrain
http://www.myzone.nsw.gov.au/mytrain.html

Family Funday Sunday

For $2.50 per person, your family can enjoy a great value day out anywhere in Greater Sydney with unlimited travel on:
* all CityRail train services
* all regular State Transit and private buses
* all regular Sydney Ferries and Newcastle Ferries services.

Restrictions
* The travelling group must be related and include at least one child and one adult
* A child is classified as anyone under 16 years of age and school students aged 16, 17 and 18 attending NSW or ACT schools, holding a current 202 NSW or ACT concession card or equivalent valid private bus school travel pass
* Children under four travel free with a Family Funday Sunday ticket holding adult
* Tickets for PrePay Only bus services can be purchased in advance from Sydney Buses ticket outlets
* Some services are excluded: trams, monorail, Sydney, Bondi and Blue Mountains Explorer buses, special event buses.

http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/which/funday

TIPS:
- Get travel booklet at the airport (contains discount vouchers)
- Use daytripper ticket if you plan to travel by public transport(train/bus/ferry) for the entire day.

How to save on Train Fare (MyZone)

The new MyZone train fare technically increase to most number of people than those who were able to save if you are going to analize the changes closely.

Before MyZone:
I pay $139.00 - monthly ticket (28 days)

With MyZone:
I pay $148.00 - monthly ticket (28 days)

Increase by $9.00 monthly expenses.

Here is a tip to save for your train fare if you don't want to buy quarterly or annually.

* Buy single trip when going to work and buy weekly train when going home (after 3 pm).
- Buying weekly train ticket after 3pm covers your train faire going back home and the ticket officially starts the next day.

Example:

Travel from Oatley to Chatswood:

***
MyTrain    Adult
Single    $4.60   <--------
Return    $9.20
Weekly    $37.00  <--------

***
MyTrain            Adult
Monthly (28 days)    $148.00
Quarterly (90 days)    $407.00
Yearly (365 days)    $1,628.00

No savings made when buying monthly (28 days) ticket: $37.00/weekly x 4weeks = $148

MyTrain            Adult
Monthly (28 days)    $148.00     <--------
Quarterly (90 days)    $407.00
Yearly (365 days)    $1,628.00

Note: you have to pay some admin fees if you lost your weekly/quarterly/monthly ticket that is why quarterly and annually is not advisable to use.

Technically, train ticket is used when going to work (5 days a week)

$37.00 / 5 days = $7.40 per working day is the total cost of a return trip.

* If I buy single trip on Monday(19-Apr) going to work: $ 4.60
* Then I will buy weekly train ticket when I go home (after 3 pm): $37.00
Note: Weekly tickets bought after 3pm can be used on the same day and the official start date will be the next day.

- I can use the weekly ticket going home (19-Apr) and the official validity of the ticket is from 20-26Apr (7 days).

Total cost for 6 working days: (19-26Apr / Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Mon) / exclusing Sat and Sun
$4.60 single + $37 weekly train fare = $41.60 (cost of train fare for 6 working days)

$41.60 / 6 working days = $6.93 per day.

There are about 20 working days in 28 days.
$ 6.93 per day x 20 days = $138.60 train fare for 20 working days.

Comparison per working day :
$ 7.40 per day - If you are going to buy weekly train ticket
$ 6.93 per day - If you are going to buy single + weekly train ticket
------------
$ 0.47 savings per day.

Comparison per Month (28 days):
$148.00    - buying monthly (28 days) train ticket
$138.60 - buying single + weekly train ticket (28 days)
---------
$ 9.40 savings per month

Compare my fare from previous and new MyZone ticketing system:

http://www.myzone.nsw.gov.au/fare_comparison.html#myTrainFare

Fare calculator:

http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/fare_calculator.htm

Something new: You can transfer your phone number from one serviceprovider to another

Here in Australia, it is possible to transfer your phone number from one service provider to another. This way, you can keep your phone number with you even if you decide to change providers. 

Usually, there is are no additional charge involve in porting your existing mobile number to another service provider. You can even change the ownership of the phone number (some providers charge a fee for change of ownership).

Virgin mobile will charge $25 if you want to request for change of ownership.  Optus does not charge for the change of ownership. I heard that Telstra does not charge as well.

From experience it only took a few hours for the transfer from one service provider to another to complete and it took less than a day for the change of ownership to complete .

Some providers provide phones that are lock to their services and charge fees to unlock the phone. Some has policies that you need to consume a certain amount before they can unlock the phone for free or you need to stay with them for a certain period of time.

Virgin mobile provides unlocked phones. You can use other SIM on their phone.