Ways To Cool Down Your House And Save Using The Air Con - Cigno Loans Australia

Ways To Cool Down Your House And Save Using The Air Con

The temperature in Australia can easily hit 30°C during the long summers. Thanks to air conditioning, you can retreat to a cool home.

There’s a downside, though. As your AC unit works hard to quench the heat, your electric bill could spike.

Now, there are simple and effective ways to cool down your home without using your AC much.

Turn the AC off at night

You can keep your air conditioning on during the day and off at night. Take advantage as the evening air is naturally cooler.

Just open the windows or doors and let the gentle breeze cool things down. You can still enjoy some nocturnal energy savings and comfort.

Set the thermostats

When it comes to reducing your AC bill and energy consumption, every degree matters.

Setting your thermostat between 22°C and 24°C is one of the most energy-efficient ways to save. An AC unit set 1 degree warmer can cut costs by up to 10%. You’re saving on your energy bill for every degree of cooling you can do without.

Note: Do not set the thermostat less than 8 degrees below the outdoor temperature.

Consider a thermostat with a built-in timer to maximise your energy bill reduction. This way, the hours of operation are automatically set for maximum energy efficiency.

Get shady

Whenever you can get shade, take it for it will make your home stay cooler. You can’t turn down the sun, but you can turn down the heat with some shade.

Keep curtains, blinds, drapes, and awnings drawn and closed to get shady. For windows facing the sun, have a light-coloured backings for curtains and blinds as they also deflect heat.

Tinted windows can also stop some of the sun’s heat from coming in.

Turn off heat-emitting appliances

Your home appliances — television, lamp, oven, stove, etc. — emit heat, forcing your AC unit to work harder. If not in use, unplug or turn them off.

Make a salad or any meal that doesn’t require cooking at all, or try to cook outside, perfect for summer.

Keep costs down with AC maintenance

To maintain maximum efficiency, keep your AC unit regularly maintained, and make sure the filter is cleaned or replaced. A dirty filter means higher energy costs as your AC works harder.

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Easy loans in Australia

There will come a time when you need quick access to funds when your budget won’t suffice.

Easy loans from Cigno can help you with your urgent needs by borrowing a small amount.

Cigno offers a 24/7 online platform, so you can apply anywhere, anytime. You can have the cash within hours — even on weekends!

The easy loans that Cigno helps you to apply for are designed to be easily understood. All costs are displayed in advance, with no hidden fees.

Note: You should only ever borrow as little as you need and look to pay it back as quickly as you can.

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Ways To Save This Christmas - Cigno Loans Australia

Ways To Save This Christmas

The Christmas season usually leaves you spent, both physically and financially. Instead, you should be relaxing with family and friends during the holiday, not battling the crowd and breaking the bank.

Simplify things this year with these quick and easy tips to help you save and enjoy the holiday season.

Pre-Christmas clean up

“One person’s trash is another’s treasure.”

Take time to sort out things around the house — clothes, books, furniture, and jewellery. Clear out stuff you no longer need so you could sell them online or when you hold a garage sale.

You can earn a few extra dollars and make someone else’s Christmas extra special.

List them down

Make a list of the things you need in preparation for the festive season to help you plan and keep track of your spending — the best way to avoid going over your Christmas budget.

List down those you’re gonna give gifts to, the actual items you’ll get them, and the amount you’ll be spending individually.

List down the food and drinks you’ll need. Buy them in advance, especially those that can be frozen or have a long shelf life. Don’t forget to also list down how much you can spend on them.

There are also ways to save on holiday travel costs, whether flying or driving:

  • List all your costs like flights, accommodation, petrol, travel insurance, and airport transfers.
  • Figure out which day is cheapest to fill up on petrol if you’re driving.
  • Shop around for deals early on to avoid paying a premium for peak season increases or last-minute bookings.

Personalise wrapping and cards

Avoid pricey Christmas wrapping by buying string and brown paper or plain coloured paper to wrap the presents.

Personalise your Christmas cards so the receiver will have a hard time throwing them away. Most people throw away their cards once they’ve opened the gifts, which is a waste of money on cards.

Smart shopping

Do a web search for discounts or coupons before you start your Christmas shopping online. There are sales sections on retailers’ websites of what they offer.

Instead of just going to one retailer’s website, search somewhere else online. You might find them cheaper.

Make sure to include any shipping costs when comparing prices, or look for items with free shipping. The cost of items can blow out once you add shipping.

For tips on how to pick an online shopping scam, check out the ACCC’s SCAMwatch website.

Limit the temptation to overspend:

  • Pre-pay — Check for option to pick up in-store if you buy online. Skip lines, save on freight. and there will be less chance to impulse buy.
  • Shop at odd hours — Go when it’s less crowded so you won’t have to jostle for space and you can choose the items carefully.
  • Shop on a limited time — Get in, do it, and get out.

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If you need cash today for an urgent or unexpected expense, Cigno Loans can help with easy loans.

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Get The Most Back From Your Tax Return - Cigno Loans

Get The Most Back From Your Tax Return!

You’re entitled to claim deductions for some expenses when completing your tax return — most of which are work-related expenses.

 

Deductions you can claim

Work-related expenses

To claim a work-related deduction, you must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed. It must relate to earning your income and proven with a record.

You can only claim a deduction for the work-related portion if the expense was for both work and private purposes.

Note: Employees can claim work-related expenses in the financial year they are incurred.

You may be able to claim a deduction for expenses that directly relate to your work, including:

  • clothing, laundry, and dry-cleaning expenses — a uniform needs to be unique and distinctive to legitimately claim it’s cost.
  • home office expenses — costs could include your phone, computer, or other electronic devices, and running costs (e.g. internet service).
  • self-education expenses — the study should be related to your current job — claim expenses such as course fees, student union fees, textbooks, professional journals, and stationery.
  • tools, equipment and other assets — protective gear, sunglasses, hats, office equipment, safety equipment, and technical instruments.
  • vehicle and travel expenses — if you work in different locations or you use your car for work.

Other deductions

  • ATO interest (calculation and reporting)
  • interest charged by the ATO — imposed interest includes general interest charge (GIC), shortfall interest charge (SIC), and late payment interest.
  • cost of managing tax affairs — includes buying tax reference material, tax return preparation courses, lodging your tax return through a registered tax agent, etc.
  • gifts and donations — to organisations that are endorsed by the ATO as deductible gift recipients.
  • interest, dividend, and other investment income deductions
  • personal super contributions — if made during the year to a complying super fund or a retirement savings account (RSA).
  • undeducted purchase price (UPP) of a foreign pension or annuity — the UPP is the amount you contributed towards the purchase price of your pension or annuity – your personal contributions.

See Occupation and industry specific guides to find out more about income, allowances, and deductions you can claim for work-related expenses.

 

Managing your deductions

Keep your tax organised with the ATO app’s myDeductions tool.

Use myDeductions to keep records of your work, general expenses, income, and deductions to make lodging your tax return faster and easier.

Download the ATO app then select the myDeductions icon.

myDeductions tool - ATO app

Google Play App Store

Upload your completed records to the ATO from the myDeductions tool and pre-fill your myTax return. You can share your records directly (via email) if you use a registered tax agent.

 

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Easy loans in Australia

If you need cash today for an urgent or unexpected expense, Cigno Loans can help with easy loans.

Cigno believes in a fair go and considers all applications — whether you’re working or on Centrelink!

Cigno offers a 24/7 online platform so you can apply anytime, anywhere, even on weekends!