You do realise that you can claim all agents fees, body corpate fees, rates and interest on your loan for your current place if you rent it out though? So in effect, rather than paying tax on the incoming rent, you may instead negatively gear it so you are paying less tax on your other income, thus offsetting some of the higher rent you would be paying for a happier place. You need to do the numbers to see how much worse off you would actually be and even if you would be worse off financially at all by renting somewhere happier and renting your place out instead.
I hate the home we bought - what now??
- Thread starter moutard
- Start date
You do realise that you can claim all agents fees, body corpate fees, rates and interest on your loan for your current place if you rent it out though? So in effect, rather than paying tax on the incoming rent, you may instead negatively gear it so you are paying less tax on your other income, thus offsetting some of the higher rent you would be paying for a happier place. You need to do the numbers to see how much worse off you would actually be and even if you would be worse off financially at all by renting somewhere happier and renting your place out instead.
Stevie
You have worked out what is wrong in your life which is actually great that you can individually identify each area - you are unhappy for many reasons and guess what you can change most of those things don't be a sloth get cracking.
- First off talk to your Mum.
- You can most likely rent out your place (it may cost you a few dollars a week but this will reduce your tax [I note - you don't pay interest yourself].
- The cats will be your main problem when you try to relocate.
- For yourself
- Career - professional
- Family & partner
- Financial
- Health
- Hobbies & interests
Yes you could go and talk to your Doctor but you have worked out what is making you unhappy.
Mums' are wonderful so ring her up for a heart to heart chat or maybe she could come for a visit.
Good Luck (Luck = Labouring under correct knowledge [Player saying]).
Sheryn
OK, at the risk of being harsh, let's see if I've got this straight...
You're 32 and 48, and neither of you have any significant employment skills. You can't either ride a bicycle or drive a car. Despite your limited resume, thanks to a low/no interest loan from your Mum, you're able to purchase your own home on the Gold Coast, whilst only working part-time! Having no children, you have exceedingly few claims on your time, and are able to spend all of your ample leisure time being totally self-indulgent. (And I don't mean that in a bad way; good for you!)
It seems to me that despite having a relatively small set of skills, you have a quality of life which would be the envy of many. Yet you're miserable, and you think it's because of the aesthetics of your current home!
I'm not suggesting that you're ungrateful; I'm merely suggesting that objectively you have an enviable lifestyle, and that limited natural light in your home is unlikely to be the sole reason why this idyllic life would be perceived as miserable.
Have you talked to your doctor yet?
You're 32 and 48, and neither of you have any significant employment skills. You can't either ride a bicycle or drive a car. Despite your limited resume, thanks to a low/no interest loan from your Mum, you're able to purchase your own home on the Gold Coast, whilst only working part-time! Having no children, you have exceedingly few claims on your time, and are able to spend all of your ample leisure time being totally self-indulgent. (And I don't mean that in a bad way; good for you!)
It seems to me that despite having a relatively small set of skills, you have a quality of life which would be the envy of many. Yet you're miserable, and you think it's because of the aesthetics of your current home!
I'm not suggesting that you're ungrateful; I'm merely suggesting that objectively you have an enviable lifestyle, and that limited natural light in your home is unlikely to be the sole reason why this idyllic life would be perceived as miserable.
Have you talked to your doctor yet?
www.blueboard.anu.edu.au
www.beyondblue.org.au
www.depressionet.com.au
www.blackdoginstitute.com.au
www.panda.org.au
Just a few links people may find helpful.
Stevie - I have no idea whether you suffer from depression or not. You may. Depression acts as a filter so you are only able to see the negatives and even if you can see the positives, you cann't 'feel' them or enjoy them for what they are.
If you read through this thread in its entirety, you will realise that the OP was indeed suffering from depression and was since having success with treatment of it. Some depression has genetic and hormonal links others types are situational - there is no 'one size fits all'; there are numerous different triggers for each sufferrer and in some cases no triggers at all.
You may on the otherhand just be an extremely negative person. Either way I think Perp makes some extremely valid points and I think that you should be talking to someone who is actually qualified and able to offer some kind of assistance or advice. No-one here fits that category.
Good luck regardless of whether you have depression or not - for your sake I hope you don't.
www.beyondblue.org.au
www.depressionet.com.au
www.blackdoginstitute.com.au
www.panda.org.au
Just a few links people may find helpful.
Stevie - I have no idea whether you suffer from depression or not. You may. Depression acts as a filter so you are only able to see the negatives and even if you can see the positives, you cann't 'feel' them or enjoy them for what they are.
If you read through this thread in its entirety, you will realise that the OP was indeed suffering from depression and was since having success with treatment of it. Some depression has genetic and hormonal links others types are situational - there is no 'one size fits all'; there are numerous different triggers for each sufferrer and in some cases no triggers at all.
You may on the otherhand just be an extremely negative person. Either way I think Perp makes some extremely valid points and I think that you should be talking to someone who is actually qualified and able to offer some kind of assistance or advice. No-one here fits that category.
Good luck regardless of whether you have depression or not - for your sake I hope you don't.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2007/06/05/1944066.htm
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depression/howtotell/selftesting.cfm
Just a couple of depression quizzes.
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depression/howtotell/selftesting.cfm
Just a couple of depression quizzes.
I feel rather stressed just reading your posts, so it must be hard to feel like you do, all the time.
Whether or not you are depressed, or not, you need to take action..... see a doctor, or move out and rent the place you are in now. If it costs a little more, then perhaps you could find a job you like better, and work longer hours. If you feel great when you are anywhere other than "home" I would think that your "home" is the problem. If you are depressed, I would think that would not change with a change of venue (but I am no expert).
But just doing nothing will get you nowhere. Perhaps you need some medication to feel better in the short term, but be careful and ask lots of questions. You don't want another problem.
Hubby had a great job for about 27 years, which he loved, and which allowed him lots of time with our boys while they grew up. Then it changed considerably, and he was ready to resign.
Instead he went to our doctor, who gave him mild medication (which I really don't think he needed - he was on it for several months). He took long service leave and has since resigned (after going back for two weeks after having a full year off).
It has taken a huge chunk of money out of our lives, but we are happy as pigs in mud. We have worked hard to be in the position of him being able to resign, and he has. At 51, he doesn't plan on "working" again.
If you can rent your place, and find somewhere to rent yourselves that makes you happy, that could be what you need to pursue. With the tax advantages you will gain, it might cost you very little to make the change.
I suppose the hardest bit is finding out if you are "down" BECAUSE of your living arrangements, and whether changing the "scene" would make much of a difference.
But you need to change "something".
Whether or not you are depressed, or not, you need to take action..... see a doctor, or move out and rent the place you are in now. If it costs a little more, then perhaps you could find a job you like better, and work longer hours. If you feel great when you are anywhere other than "home" I would think that your "home" is the problem. If you are depressed, I would think that would not change with a change of venue (but I am no expert).
But just doing nothing will get you nowhere. Perhaps you need some medication to feel better in the short term, but be careful and ask lots of questions. You don't want another problem.
Hubby had a great job for about 27 years, which he loved, and which allowed him lots of time with our boys while they grew up. Then it changed considerably, and he was ready to resign.
Instead he went to our doctor, who gave him mild medication (which I really don't think he needed - he was on it for several months). He took long service leave and has since resigned (after going back for two weeks after having a full year off).
It has taken a huge chunk of money out of our lives, but we are happy as pigs in mud. We have worked hard to be in the position of him being able to resign, and he has. At 51, he doesn't plan on "working" again.
If you can rent your place, and find somewhere to rent yourselves that makes you happy, that could be what you need to pursue. With the tax advantages you will gain, it might cost you very little to make the change.
I suppose the hardest bit is finding out if you are "down" BECAUSE of your living arrangements, and whether changing the "scene" would make much of a difference.
But you need to change "something".
As you are working part time and have access to the internet, why not enrol in a TAFE course to improve your skills? Most have on-line delivery that you can do from home. There is government assistance to people to help with fees.
This will have the benefit of qualifying you for a higher paying job that you may be happier in and also increase your income.
Marg
This will have the benefit of qualifying you for a higher paying job that you may be happier in and also increase your income.
Marg
Hmm. Some very good responses here...
I've done depression quizzes before, and I've never been classed as depressed. The questions asked tend to be quite generic ones and I certainly do not fit the typical depression profile. My "depression" is circumstantial, I am 90% sure of it.
I have a BA in psych, so I do know a little about all of this stuff!
But even so, WHY despite my enviable lifestyle, I am depressed because of these specific circumstances (not being happy where I live), is the question. And yes, I acknowledge my lifestyle IS indeed enviable. I am aware of this, believe me. I live on the Gold Coast. People think everyone who lives here is on a constant holiday, which is definitely NOT true, but it's still a gorgeous lifestyle of course. I work part time. Yes, I pretty much hate my job, but it IS part time so I can get by without being miserable at work ALL day. I have a loving partner, a loving family (although they're not in the same state as me), some friends and 2 beautiful cats. AND a nice place to live that I OWN (well, am paying back but with no interest). Yes, I KNOW I'm very, VERY lucky! This is another reason why I feel guilty for NOT being happy.
I think in terms of the different aspects of my life, it's sort of like...
1. Parents & family happiness - LOVE my parents, haven't really got much other family, and although I have no issues with my parents, they're not HERE in the same state as me, so I always miss them.
2. Friends - have a best friend, also who's not in the same state. We used to talk on the phone everyday for 30-60 minutes but now she's got 2 kids so doesn't have the time. Her partner I also don't like and she monopolises her time (they're a lesbian couple, same as my partner and I). So we email everyday instead. I have several other friends also interstate who I see about twice a year when I visit. I have 2 friends up here who I see every now and then and email regularly. I don't have a lot of regular ACTIVE friend outings, but I certainly don't feel deprived of friendship.
3. Partner - my partner is also my best friend, we've been together over 9 years (living together for 7), and we're happy. No problems, except since we've both not been so happy living here, we sometimes get a bit snippy with each other. But we try not to. We try and be supportive and "together", you know?
4. Job - sucks. I am not unemployable by any means. I can get jobs fairly quickly, but I don't have any actual CAREER skills. I've been a secretary since I was 21, after I finished uni in Melbourne. I type really fast, am efficient, intelligent, etc. It's just that up HERE, the employers (because the businesses tend to be very small) need you to do EVERYTHING. They need a fast typist, a receptionist with at least 5 years experience, an accounts person who knows MYOB like the back of their hand, you need a license, to have some experience with their specific software programs, and THEN even if I did satisfy all of that, the pay is terrible and NOT worth me changing jobs, or the location is REALLY far away and again not worth me changing jobs, etc etc...
I'm self aware enough to know that what I dislike about my current job isn't going to be suddenly rectified by changing to another SIMILAR type of job. Admin, secretarial...if I company-jump, I'd still be doing the same thing, on the same wage, except it may be a worse location (not able to walk to work) or some other lesser perks. At least where I am now I like SOME people who work there, it's familiar, I do part time hours, etc.
I think also if there weren't SO many things I love / want to be doing in my own spare time (making music, etc), it wouldn't feel such a struggle to be at a job I dislike. Some people at my office have even said they don't WANT to take days off because they'd be bored. HAH!!! That's the opposite of me! I'd never be bored! I'd RETIRE now if I possibly could! I'd never run out of things to do! (see, this is another thing - typically depressed people don't have much motivation to do fun or enjoyable things. I still do, despite the unhappines with where I live)
I kind of think any basic TAFE training I could do (which would cost me money I don't have, as well) I'm not sure it'd help me in terms of a new job. It would be skills I don't have any interest in...so I'd be doing even MORE things in a job that I don't want to do! The things I AM actually interested in, they don't translate into a job.
But anyway, that's not what this thread is about! lol
I've done depression quizzes before, and I've never been classed as depressed. The questions asked tend to be quite generic ones and I certainly do not fit the typical depression profile. My "depression" is circumstantial, I am 90% sure of it.
I have a BA in psych, so I do know a little about all of this stuff!
But even so, WHY despite my enviable lifestyle, I am depressed because of these specific circumstances (not being happy where I live), is the question. And yes, I acknowledge my lifestyle IS indeed enviable. I am aware of this, believe me. I live on the Gold Coast. People think everyone who lives here is on a constant holiday, which is definitely NOT true, but it's still a gorgeous lifestyle of course. I work part time. Yes, I pretty much hate my job, but it IS part time so I can get by without being miserable at work ALL day. I have a loving partner, a loving family (although they're not in the same state as me), some friends and 2 beautiful cats. AND a nice place to live that I OWN (well, am paying back but with no interest). Yes, I KNOW I'm very, VERY lucky! This is another reason why I feel guilty for NOT being happy.
I think in terms of the different aspects of my life, it's sort of like...
1. Parents & family happiness - LOVE my parents, haven't really got much other family, and although I have no issues with my parents, they're not HERE in the same state as me, so I always miss them.
2. Friends - have a best friend, also who's not in the same state. We used to talk on the phone everyday for 30-60 minutes but now she's got 2 kids so doesn't have the time. Her partner I also don't like and she monopolises her time (they're a lesbian couple, same as my partner and I). So we email everyday instead. I have several other friends also interstate who I see about twice a year when I visit. I have 2 friends up here who I see every now and then and email regularly. I don't have a lot of regular ACTIVE friend outings, but I certainly don't feel deprived of friendship.
3. Partner - my partner is also my best friend, we've been together over 9 years (living together for 7), and we're happy. No problems, except since we've both not been so happy living here, we sometimes get a bit snippy with each other. But we try not to. We try and be supportive and "together", you know?
4. Job - sucks. I am not unemployable by any means. I can get jobs fairly quickly, but I don't have any actual CAREER skills. I've been a secretary since I was 21, after I finished uni in Melbourne. I type really fast, am efficient, intelligent, etc. It's just that up HERE, the employers (because the businesses tend to be very small) need you to do EVERYTHING. They need a fast typist, a receptionist with at least 5 years experience, an accounts person who knows MYOB like the back of their hand, you need a license, to have some experience with their specific software programs, and THEN even if I did satisfy all of that, the pay is terrible and NOT worth me changing jobs, or the location is REALLY far away and again not worth me changing jobs, etc etc...
I'm self aware enough to know that what I dislike about my current job isn't going to be suddenly rectified by changing to another SIMILAR type of job. Admin, secretarial...if I company-jump, I'd still be doing the same thing, on the same wage, except it may be a worse location (not able to walk to work) or some other lesser perks. At least where I am now I like SOME people who work there, it's familiar, I do part time hours, etc.
I think also if there weren't SO many things I love / want to be doing in my own spare time (making music, etc), it wouldn't feel such a struggle to be at a job I dislike. Some people at my office have even said they don't WANT to take days off because they'd be bored. HAH!!! That's the opposite of me! I'd never be bored! I'd RETIRE now if I possibly could! I'd never run out of things to do! (see, this is another thing - typically depressed people don't have much motivation to do fun or enjoyable things. I still do, despite the unhappines with where I live)
I kind of think any basic TAFE training I could do (which would cost me money I don't have, as well) I'm not sure it'd help me in terms of a new job. It would be skills I don't have any interest in...so I'd be doing even MORE things in a job that I don't want to do! The things I AM actually interested in, they don't translate into a job.
But anyway, that's not what this thread is about! lol
I had a part time job a few years ago I really didn't like. It was fine before I went part time, after I went part time they gave me crap to do and I couldn't convince the higher-ups to give me interesting work - or at the very least, more work. I was probably depressed back then, stuck in a rut, quietly chewing my fingernails off and very underweight. And VERY not happy. I suppose you could call it a midlife crisis or something, I was almost 30 at the time.
I quit, moved, started doing fun things, gained weight, got happy, and am now puttering around with several small income sources instead of one big one. And I currently have what is quite possibly the cutest baby in the entire universe, so I spend an awful lot of each day being basked in cutons (they're like photons but babies emit them) instead of doing useful stuff
Life is good.
I quit, moved, started doing fun things, gained weight, got happy, and am now puttering around with several small income sources instead of one big one. And I currently have what is quite possibly the cutest baby in the entire universe, so I spend an awful lot of each day being basked in cutons (they're like photons but babies emit them) instead of doing useful stuff
Life is good.That's so good...I love hearing about people who are happy with their lives!!!
I've tried a few "independent" income ideas...none have really worked out though.
I'd love to be an online counsellor. NOT face to face, JUST online. I'm better in writing than in person in this sort of thing, and have been told by everyone I've ever counselled online that I'd be excellent at it. But you cannot be an online counsellor because (a) there aren't really many proper paying jobs out there for JUST online counsellors. It's more a small portion of a face to face counsellor's overall work, and (b) you need to be a registered psych to do ANY form of counselling at an actual company, not just independent. I do have a BA in psych, but I didn't go on to do honours or post-grad stuff. Didn't have the top marks required to do so, and nowadays I can in NO WAY afford to do any of that, even if I COULD do well enough to actually gain the qualification.
I tried doing one of those STUPID "turn key" get rich quick schemes years ago. SO did not work! LOL Learnt my lesson.
I'm now dabbling in some other stuff that I won't discuss here. Hmm.
I think in terms of my job, it'd be easier if EITHER I didn't hate it OR I earnt enough to not be financially stressed 100% of the time!
I've tried a few "independent" income ideas...none have really worked out though.
I'd love to be an online counsellor. NOT face to face, JUST online. I'm better in writing than in person in this sort of thing, and have been told by everyone I've ever counselled online that I'd be excellent at it. But you cannot be an online counsellor because (a) there aren't really many proper paying jobs out there for JUST online counsellors. It's more a small portion of a face to face counsellor's overall work, and (b) you need to be a registered psych to do ANY form of counselling at an actual company, not just independent. I do have a BA in psych, but I didn't go on to do honours or post-grad stuff. Didn't have the top marks required to do so, and nowadays I can in NO WAY afford to do any of that, even if I COULD do well enough to actually gain the qualification.
I tried doing one of those STUPID "turn key" get rich quick schemes years ago. SO did not work! LOL Learnt my lesson.
I'm now dabbling in some other stuff that I won't discuss here. Hmm.
I think in terms of my job, it'd be easier if EITHER I didn't hate it OR I earnt enough to not be financially stressed 100% of the time!
I have a grad dip in psych, same general thing - you do the compulsary 1st year subjects in the summer break, then do all the core 2nd and 3rd year subjects during the year, so it is a very condensed version of a psych BA. Its interesting but you're right, it only goes somewhere if you do the postgrad program.
You can do a lot of courses distance learning style now that might help your case, and they aren't expensive. One I'd like to do when I'm less attached to the baby is some sort of financial counselling course (a proper day job would be nice), but have yet to work out which one you're supposed to get. I haven't looked very hard though lol .. did notice there were all sorts of courses available though.
There's also Lifeline, which does phone counselling. You could set up a website with 'help' type info, put ads on the static pages for some income and put a 'live chat' app if you just want to help people, but it is very hard to get lots of traffic to a website to make that kind of idea worthwhile unless you get some serious publicity.
You can do a lot of courses distance learning style now that might help your case, and they aren't expensive. One I'd like to do when I'm less attached to the baby is some sort of financial counselling course (a proper day job would be nice), but have yet to work out which one you're supposed to get. I haven't looked very hard though lol .. did notice there were all sorts of courses available though.
There's also Lifeline, which does phone counselling. You could set up a website with 'help' type info, put ads on the static pages for some income and put a 'live chat' app if you just want to help people, but it is very hard to get lots of traffic to a website to make that kind of idea worthwhile unless you get some serious publicity.
you need to move back to melbourne.
Lifeline, as far as I am aware, rely on volunteer counsellors. I had a couple of friends in uni who volunteered with lifeline - it was a great way of getting work experience for their psych degrees. They possibly have some paid positions, but the phone counsellors generally aren't - possibly the supervisors are. Of course if you tried contacting enough organisations and asking about employment oppertunities you are likely to find something, or at least find someone who can give you a good idea of where you should be looking.
What he said...
Stevie Sloth, I moved to the GC for 3 years from Melbourne and at first couldn't wait to get there, thought how great it would be with the beach, weather, various other aspects of the place but after about 6 months realised how much I didn't want to be there and couldn't wait to get back to Melbourne, for many of the same reasons you listed (Family and friends being the main ones).
I couldn't really move back straight away as I had landed a good job continuing my apprenticeship so had to stick it out for 3 years, which I did, then the day I was able to threw everything in the car and drove back to Melbourne. And I've never looked back.
Don't think you must stay there just because you've already moved there, if you're truly unhappy then go back to Melbourne and rent out the place on the GC.
G.
My mother started in social work before moving to aged care assessment and she did a stint at Lifeline when she was a fresh graduate. It is quite well-regarded experience. And you get to help people too
Yeah, Lifeline is all volunteers. You don't need any prior experience or qualifications.
I've tried the free e-counselling website thing, a few times over the years. It is hard to get traffic...it's also a bit hard to put in HOURS and HOURS of counselling people and getting no money back from it (I did get a few responses and "counselling sessions")...I do enjoy it, but it's difficult to spend that amount of time focused entirely on someone else's problems and not get paid for it!! You sort of wonder how to go about GETTING paid eventually...
(a) No proper paying companies will ever employ you unless you have the proper post grad qualifications, no matter how much practical experience you've got on Lifeline, or free online counselling, etc
(b) If you continue to offer your services for free online, that's all well and good, but how do you ever make any money?
(c) If you start out for free to get clients and traffic, and THEN switch to a paying service, you will lose people I think. There are billions of free services out there.
Anyway...move back to Melbourne?
I've of course considered this. I have ALWAYS loved the Gold Coast, ever since I was 2 years old, and always wanted to move here. I still do love it here. It's not that I don't love it...it'd just be easier if certain things were different.
On a purely emotional level, I feel like if I moved back, I'd have "failed" and also that I'd have spent about $50,000 in total since leaving Melbourne that I would've had still sitting in my bank had I never moved away, which makes me feel guilty and stupid. Like I made the wrong decision, which I don't really FEEL that I did. And I also feel that if I moved back, that I'd have totally closed the door on ever living up here again...which scares me because I DO love it.
On a purely financial level, I have looked at properties in Melbourne, for rent and for sale, and hello? We can't afford what we want HERE...how the HELL would we ever be able to afford anything down THERE!?!? Our budget is $320,000. We need 2 bedrooms. This does not exist in the areas we want.
I would not be happy living in a box, either up here or in Melbourne!
I've tried the free e-counselling website thing, a few times over the years. It is hard to get traffic...it's also a bit hard to put in HOURS and HOURS of counselling people and getting no money back from it (I did get a few responses and "counselling sessions")...I do enjoy it, but it's difficult to spend that amount of time focused entirely on someone else's problems and not get paid for it!! You sort of wonder how to go about GETTING paid eventually...
(a) No proper paying companies will ever employ you unless you have the proper post grad qualifications, no matter how much practical experience you've got on Lifeline, or free online counselling, etc
(b) If you continue to offer your services for free online, that's all well and good, but how do you ever make any money?
(c) If you start out for free to get clients and traffic, and THEN switch to a paying service, you will lose people I think. There are billions of free services out there.
Anyway...move back to Melbourne?
I've of course considered this. I have ALWAYS loved the Gold Coast, ever since I was 2 years old, and always wanted to move here. I still do love it here. It's not that I don't love it...it'd just be easier if certain things were different.
On a purely emotional level, I feel like if I moved back, I'd have "failed" and also that I'd have spent about $50,000 in total since leaving Melbourne that I would've had still sitting in my bank had I never moved away, which makes me feel guilty and stupid. Like I made the wrong decision, which I don't really FEEL that I did. And I also feel that if I moved back, that I'd have totally closed the door on ever living up here again...which scares me because I DO love it.
On a purely financial level, I have looked at properties in Melbourne, for rent and for sale, and hello? We can't afford what we want HERE...how the HELL would we ever be able to afford anything down THERE!?!? Our budget is $320,000. We need 2 bedrooms. This does not exist in the areas we want.
I would not be happy living in a box, either up here or in Melbourne!
Not to make light of depression.
Funny medical promotion for a handbook of psychiatric drugs. Done as a Parody of Modern Major General from Pirates of Penzance.
http://vimeo.com/4654235
Always brings a smile to my face.
Funny medical promotion for a handbook of psychiatric drugs. Done as a Parody of Modern Major General from Pirates of Penzance.
http://vimeo.com/4654235
Always brings a smile to my face.
