When someone goes

It’ll either be incredibly saddening or a massive celebration, depending on your relationship. There are, unfortunately, a multitude of things you need to do before they go (aside from have a going away party).

• Make sure no rent is outstanding with your real estate
• Make sure no damage has occurred in their living space
• If there is damage caused by the individual make sure to have a discussion with them about taking some of the bond to cover the damages
• Make sure you have a replacement tenant (if you need/want one)
• Make sure you’ve separated their stuff and your stuff and are agreed that is exactly what it is
• Make sure to give the real estate agent two weeks notice
• Make sure to get into the real estate and sign all appropriate paper work
• Make sure to party hard prior to them leaving
• Make sure to get their contact details in case anything should crop up in regards to before they vacated
• Have any bills in their name signed over to yourself
• Get prepped for the new house mate
• Write out an advert to place online/in the paper for the vacancy
• Make sure you time the new tenant/your increase in rent payments with the departure of the previous one
• Make sure the previous tenant returns all their keys and any copies
• If required, do another condition report
• Get a forwarding number for any callers or visitors to the house
• Clean!

You should find that this list (while extensive) will not leave you unprepared for a new housemate or life without your old housemate. Also be prepared for a house balance shift and personality adjustment. Different housemates have different tendencies and you might move in with one of the house mate types as discussed in previous posts.

Resourcefulness

Get used to being resourceful. In fact, work your tiny little butt off at being resourceful all the way through your entire rental future.

This can range from budget shopping, to actually looking around for a better deal instead of taking the first item you see, to haggling when you actually are purchasing something.

Below are a few tips for the utterly resourceful:

• Budget shop. Check out the Aldi link on the home page, you can find some amazingly cheap items at Aldi that will switch your weekly shopping allocation from 160 dollars down to 90. They’re opening more and more branches in Australia every week. For clothes shopping try DFO (Direct Factory Outlet). You can find some amazingly cheap bargains at these stores.
• Bulk buy. Try Costco. You pay low, low prices because everything is bought in bulk. Everything. If you have the storage space and/or a large freezer as well as a large initial capital behind you in moving out, head to Costco first.
• Search around. You think you’ve found an amazing deal at Dick Smith when you find a Dell laptop for 700 dollars, not realising that the computer store around the corner has the same laptop for 550. You don’t help yourself by not calling around searching for the best deal.
• Wait for EYFS (End year financial sale) This comes around June/July every year with a lot of stores. Be on the look out for any stores.
• Shop at your local market. We live closest to the Preston and the Camberwell markets and there are some amazing deals on everything from fruits to suits. Don’t be afraid to step out of your shopping comfort zone, often you’ll find a much better deal.
• Haggle. Haggle like hell. Don’t walk in and pay the price on the sign. Ask how much you can get off, and when you’ve done that, ask for a further 50. Every dollar you save goes back in your pocket.
• Keep your warranties. There’s nothing worse than taking something home, realising it doesn’t work, trying to take it back and failing because you didn’t keep the warranty.
• Swap meets. These guys cover anything from computers to lingerie. Normally not in the same market for obvious reasons. You can find some great deals at Swap meets, just remember to take your own things too.
• Trading Post. It’s online but I rarely see it in shops anymore. Just be aware that unlike a shop, you won’t get a warranty on the item unless it’s explicitly stated.

These are just a few of many. Get used to trying to find the cheapest thing you can. Don’t rely on the “honesty” of shop keepers to get you a good deal. You have to look for it yourself.

Good luck!

Food Etiquette

It’s best to discuss etiquette before you begin living with someone so you know what is and what is not acceptable in regards to food. Some houses utilise a complete share system (one person shops one week and the food is free reign- one person shops the next and so on and so forth). Other houses utilise the common items and personal items rule (salt, pepper, milk, butter, bread, flour etc. are shared food- dinner items, fruit, vegetables, pizzas, alcohol are personal). Other houses use the all items are personal rule.

To varying degrees- They all work. Some more effectively than others.

All items are shared- With this method it’s a free for all. Any food you want, you had better eat quick because you can’t claim dibs in a free for all environment. You also run into the problem of selfish housemates. If on your week you go out and really stock the entire place, the next the housemate (instead of throwing you some cash for your massive effort) might just buy a small shopping load and claim that the house didn’t really need that much food. This has the foundations of a massive argument.

Some share, some personal- This is probably the best method in my experience. Milk, pepper, bread, salt, flour, butter etc are all shared as it makes no sense to have three pepper shakers, three open cartons of milk, three containers of butter etc. Not only will you be able to fit minimal items into your fridge/pantry, you’ll find you waste double the amount of food. With this method you still get your personal self bought items such as pizzas or doughnuts, but you’re still contributing to the house.

All personal- Probably best to try to avoid this method. You’ll triple up on anything and everything in the house and wars will break out when a personal item is used. It’s just a scary situation- Avoid at all costs. It’s for selfish uncooperative houses.

It’s definitely best to find out what kind of house you’re moving in too.

In any case, always share so that when you need something you won’t feel bad for asking. Always ask before taking, and always ensure that everyone around you is as happy as you can make them without over stepping your limits. A full bellied house hold is a happy house hold!

Wrap it up

If you live on a budget, wraps are for you!

Me and my partner adore these little buggers. You can make hot ones or cold ones, both are equally delicious. For the colder version use lunch meat like ham or chicken and lose the fried tomato/radish/spinach and simply run with lettuce, tomato, cheese, carrot.

Hot Chicken Wraps (Use beef or pork or lamb if you want)
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 1/2 an hour
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Note: You can get all the below ingredients at Aldi for about 20 dollars.

Ingredients

1 Lettuce (I prefer Cos, if not- Iceberg)
10 Tomatoes (Cherry)
Spinach (Handful)
Carrot (1 or 2)
Sundried Tomato Pesto (Leggos is great)
Sundried Tomato Wraps (4)
Radish (1)
Red/Spanish onion (1 or a 1/2)
Garlic (2 cloves)
Mushroom (A handful or two)
Olive Oil (3 shakes)
Salt+Pepper (2 pinches)
Cheese (processed, tasty or parmesan)
Ranch Sauce
Mixed Herbs (Herbs of your choice- We love ones with Garlic)
Chicken Strips or Chicken Tenders

• First preheat the oven to 180°c (or whatever your chicken states).
• Slice the mushrooms, garlic, cherry tomatoes and radish and place it in a slightly oiled pan along with a handful of spinach.
• Slice the lettuce and red onion
• Peel the carrot skin off, then peel wafer thin strips off the carrot
• Add the lettuce, red onion and carrot to a bowl and mix it all together
• Enter the chicken into the oven
• 10 minutes after beginning the chicken, start frying off the vegetables in the pan while carefully adding touches of herbs
• While frying (keeping a close eye on it) heat the wraps for 15 seconds in the microwave on high.
• Spread the pesto (Sundried tomato or basil is fine), over the area where your wrap contents will be.
• Place the lettuce/onion/carrot mix as a bed on the wrap.
• When the chicken is ready, take out of the oven and place on the bed of lettuce etc.
• Place the fried off vegetables on top of the chicken
• Top with your choice of cheese (Processed melts deliciously, tasty or parmesan is delicious however)
• Sprinkle with salt and/or pepper
• Sprinkle with a shake of mm
• Top with Ranch sauce (any sauce is fine- I prefer ranch)
• You can heat again in the microwave if you prefer hot wraps as oppossed to warm (the wrap and chicken will cool a little while you are topping).

This recipe is cheap, is extremely fast to cook and tastes amazing when all the flavours come together. The mixed herbs in with the spinach and tomato really add to their flavour. Feel free to add less herbs though if you want to just taste the flavour of the vegetables.