How to; e-Tax

I HATE Tax Time.

I love Tax RETURN Time, it's just the getting it that's the hassle.

No matter how prepared I think I am, I am always left scratching my head, swearing a lot and looking for that tiny piece of paper I wrote the password on...

Get your Group Certificate(s) - Can't submit your tax without these.

Our corporate accountant is super awesome and I had mine in my hot little hands at 12pm on July 1st.

Otherwise, they have to be in the post to you by the 14th of July to avoid a fine.

You will probably need to borrow someones computer [And Internet]. If you didn't see me get all rant-y on Twitter then be aware that ATO haven't gotten with the times and e-Tax is only available for Windows. BOO! 

Before you even begin, find your Notice of Assessment. This little thing is the bane of my existence EVERY year. I can never find it. But you will need it to confirm your identity to have some of the sections auto-complete. Once you enter this info, you will be given a password WRITE THIS DOWN! or else you can't lodge your return :(

Then, collect up all those other bits you will need Medicare Card, Bank Statement, Statement of Interest accrual , Health Insurance Statement and your HECS/HELP Statement etc. If you don't have hardcopies, you can pretty much find all you need to by logging into the separate accounts online, I had to get my Health Insurance info because my Health Insurer is slack and failed to send out the statements yet [Yep NIB, I am glaring at you]

Remember when you donated to your co-workers-landlords-sisters' fun run thing? Kept the receipt? That's a tax deduction baby! and pretty much the only receipts I remember to keep.

Find a nice, quiet, undisturbed place with some refreshments [I go with tea, vodka is tempting but you don't want to mess this up] and some tunes. I am old school, back in the HSC days I studied listening to Enya, keeps me calm, tax returns are the same. Stops me blasting the ATO and NIB on twitter... oh wait...

And begin...

I'm not an accountant so I REALLY can't tell you how to complete your return, plus every situation is different, I am single, no dependants*, single income etc.

If I wasn't so impatient I would take mine to an accountant, I am too scared to claim deductions on anything - even though I can - I just want my moolah straight away.

If you do choose to complete it yourself, it's not that hard, a few questions are in gibberish, but they will quickly point you in the right direction.

But I can tell you that when it's all over and done, it's quickly forgotten when you realise that in 14-21 days you can go shoe shopping...

*Oliver is totally a dependant, unfortunately the ATO don't consider him a deduction, blah!

All images are from Google

For information, head over to www.ato.gov.au

Coconut Hot Chocolate

If you follow me on twitter you know how much I love (and crave) these:

Coconut Hot Chocolate from Max Brenner.

Homemade Lip Scrub

Winter is a bitch on skin, and lips in particular, here is an EASY and CHEAP alternative to expensive lip scrubs. And every bit helps when on a budget.

Warm 1 teaspoon of honey in the microwave for a few seconds.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of an edible oil [Olive, Sunflower, Avacado]

Add 2 teapsoons of white sugar

Stir in 1 drop of lemon juice

You can add essential oil to this if you like, I love peppermint so I always add peppermint to mine.

Because you have made this at home, you know there are no nasties.

Store it in an empty lipgloss pot and it will last a few weeks.

[I bought a pack of two from Priceline and it only cost $4.50 & came with a baby spatula]

Use a small amount in small circular motions on your lips - wipe off excess with a damp cotton pad and use your favourite hydrating balm to keep your lips in a state of perfect pout.

I exfoliate my lips once a week unless they are hideously chapped and I exfolitate every second night.

Too much is never a good thing.

Edit: If you dislike honey, substitute it with a teaspoon of paw paw ointment or vaseline. Not completely homemade but still good. Just make sure you add your fav essential oil or extra lemon with these subs.

How to store your Nail Polish

I have recently become addicted to purchasing, and using, nail polish.

But,

I never really cared about how I "care" for my polishes.

They are usually thrown haphazardly into a drawer.

No thought to shelf life or temperature.

I was such a noob.

But it's not something you really think about.

Image from Google.

So, here are the top ten things you should consider when you store your polishes:

1. Keep your polish bottles the right way up.

Letting them lay on their side or even upside down makes it harder to mix the pigment.

2. Keep them cool.

Some people keep them in the fridge, but my roommate would kill me because as a man he would probably use them as a sandwich condiment.

There is no need to do this as long as they kept in a cool, dark place - out of direct sunlight.

This reduces evaporation, caking and settlement.

3. Roll the bottle, don't shake it.

Contrary to popular belief, shaking adds bubbles.

Roll the bottle to keep the polish smooth

4. Close the lid TIGHTLY after application.

This pretty much sums it up.

5. Forgot to close the lid properly?

Formula thickened up?

DO NOT add nail polish remover, this will get you through another coat but won't last the long haul.

Try Seche Vite Restore - a few drops will return your slightly gluggy lacquer back into its regular consistency [No thinning, YAY!]

6. Ever have your favourite colour seal itself shut?

Make sure there is no polish around the "thread" of the bottle. I use a cotton pad to do a quick wipe after each polish. You can dab a little Vaseline around the thread of the bottle to prevent the polish from drying there.

7. You don't have to spend a fortune to store them.

Priceline sells Nail Polish stands made out of acrylic for $12 and it holds 26 polishes.

Otherwise, be innovative.

Small baskets or even cutlery holders work perfectly well!

If you have a huge collection [and the space] you can buy ex-salon stands relatively cheap from eBay

8. Its tempting, but don't keep them in the bathroom.

The humidity and extreme changes in temperatures effects the formula.

9. When painting your nails, try doing it in a room or space without a fan/heater/breeze.

These can add bubbles :)

10. A bottle of polish is only good for 1-2 years.

Following these rules may stretch out that fav limited edition for a little while longer.

But after 2 years, toss it. 

The formula starts to get lumpy and goo-ey and no amount of Restore will help you.

Got any hidden tips on prolonging the life of your favourite shade? 

Add them to the comments and I will pop them up.