What fabulous news for first home buyers, a whopping $21,000 towards deposit, expenses or even new furniture if you buy a brand new home before June 2009. So if you’re ready to take the plunge and sign up for what is likely to be the biggest commitment you’ve ever made, now, more than ever, seems to be the perfect time to get into the property market as a first home buyer. Even though your friends and family will be full of advice, as with any major decision in our lives, it’s always good to take their experiences and opinions on board, however your own research will give you peace of mind and assurance, before you sign up for the big purchase and possibly sign your life away to the mortgage company.Generally, most first home buyers already have an idea on the location and the type of home they want, so now it’s just a matter of finding out whether you can afford what you want to buy. Almost all the major banks and other lenders offer special packages with reduced application fees and lower interest specifically for First Home Buyers. With the help of some comprehensive search engines, shopping around not only for a home loan, but a property is almost as easy as 1 – 2 – 3, so jump on the internet and let your fingers do all the work for you. It’s important to remember that the bank can’t lend you all the money to buy your first home. As a first home buyer, at least a small part of your deposit will have to come from your own savings or alternatively a gift from your relatives. Once you find the right home loan, apply for a pre-approval. This can be done either online or in person. A pre-approval is the bank’s preliminary approval subject to an acceptable property. You will need to provide a completed application form along with requirements such as your identification, income evidence and savings (gift) verification. Once the bank is satisfied that you’re an acceptable first home buyer, they will issue a pre-approval and you can start shopping around for your first home.So when and how do I apply for a First Home Owner Grant? The First Home Owner Grant is only available to Australian residents and citizens, so before you apply you should contact your state revenue office, alternatively visit their respective website for more information. If you satisfy all the first home buyer criteria and conditions, there are two ways you can apply for your first home owner grant. If you apply for your first home owner grant via your bank, you’re likely to receive the grant at settlement, so on the day you officially become a home owner. If you apply for the grant directly with the state revenue office, the grant is not likely to come through until after the settlement. The best way is to keep in regular contact with the lending manager of your chosen bank. Remember, they help first home buyers every day and are the best source of information and guidance, so don’t be afraid to call them if you have a question, after all, they’re here to help you.
Blessings Of Modern Telecommunication Industry To Businesses
Telecom industry has come a long way since its humble inception and now it is able to serve users all across the world with some great communication services. Individuals and businesses are greatly facilitated in carrying daily activities as well as running businesses with the help of these varied internet services including Metro Ethernet, DSL Satellite.Major metropolises of the world mostly rely on Fast Ethernet and upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet. Ethernet Internet is fast and efficient. It can connect to offices and also provide internal online services. These internet services are provided by Ethernet over Fiber, using optic fiber lines and Ethernet over Copper, using twisted copper wire technologies.DSL and Satellite Internet services can help businesses looking for cheaper online options. They can also connect regional offices and provide VOIP (voice over IP phone) services. This will save a company lot of money by putting their phone service on the Internet, because it is easier to maintain a service like this.Businesses looking for exclusive services like to choose from options like T1 Line, T3 Line and Point to Point Lines. These lines are used for transporting phone and regular data. There is increased security and speed because the lines are not shared.VPN and VPLS private networks can be provided to cities having handsome populations in adjacent remote areas. These private networks can connect businesses with offices in remote areas. Businesses can save money on bandwidth fees by having their own networks. Security is also increased as they do not have to share connections. More data can be transferred at a faster speed. This service is ideal for larger companies like banks that need more security and transfer a great deal of data.There are businesses that prefer Metro Ethernet. This service is ideal for cities as it can connect a substantial number of offices to the Internet and also connect companies to their nearby locations. Larger companies can upgrade to MPLS, as they will get faster and more reliable service.All these services are appropriate for various industries and businesses. The ones that are chosen by customers will be dictated by their needs. Ethernet is available for those needing high-speed Internet access and cheaper forms of online services are available to those who are on a tight budget.Whether they are a start-up businesses on a small budget or giant companies needing multiple telecommunication services; there are plenty of business options, thanks to rapidly evolving telecom industry.
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.