They are often accused of wanting it all now, so how can members of Generation Y save a deposit for their first home?

"If you are a first-home buyer and you are really serious about what you want to achieve financially, it’s best to take a really

good look and do a personal audit on what your incoming and outgoing costs look like," Montgomery says.

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Whether you’re planning an extension or renovation, there are many things you can do to make your home more energy efficient. Optimising the use of natural energy sources is the goal and there is a host of simple design changes you can implement that will make your home more comfortable, reduce your energy bills and minimise greenhouse pollution.

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4 Boston Road Bundoora SOLD for $504,500

553 Grimshaw Street Bundoora SOLD for $681,000

3 Velvet Avenue Bundoora SOLD for $616,000

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THE EPA has launched an iPhone app to help people dob in litterbugs.

The free app, Report Litter, allows users to report littering as it happens.

Environment Minister Ryan Smith said the app offered a speedy way to report litterbugs.

“There’s nothing worse than seeing fast food wrappers or cigarette butts thrown from a car window and feeling frustrated at not having the opportunity to report it,” Mr Smith said.

“The good thing is now we have made it easier to stop littering by reporting the litterer to EPA instantly.

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A little bit of effort will keep your pool sparkling through winter and save you time and money when the warm weather arrives.

IF you own a pool, now is the time to think about preparing it to survive the cold weather so it is ready for use when the temperature finally rises again.

“Just like your car needs regular servicing, so too does your swimming pool and winter is the best time to do this,” pool and spa specialist Swimart’s Victorian manager Michael Griffiths said.

Mr Griffiths said while many pool owners considered clear water to equal clean water, it was not always the case.

A number of maintenance steps would go a long way towards protecting the pool in winter. These include:

-Balance the pool’s pH level to between 7.2 and 7.6 and add treatment, if necessary, to correct the level.

-Brush the walls and floor and thoroughly vacuum the pool, including the skimmer and lint baskets.

-Keep the pool’s filter clean, as any grease or oil deposits will harden over winter and make the filter harder to clean in the warmer months, not to mention reducing its overall efficiency.

-Use an appropriate shock treatment regularly and an algaecide that’s appropriate for the pool.

-Keep the pool’s chlorine levels at a constant 2-3 parts per million (ppm) throughout winter and maintain the pool’s pH and total alkalinity levels.

-Cover with a good quality blanket to prevent water loss and debris entering the pool.

-Stick to a maintenance schedule even though it’s cold and the pool is not being used.

Mr Griffiths said a little effort during winter could save time and money, and the household would have a pool ready to be used when the weather warmed up.

Source: http://whittlesea-leader.whereilive.com.au/property/story/implement-winter-care/

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Bundoora Probus Club president Neil Johnson displays the club sash.

A GROUP of retired and semi-retired people have been sharing their interests, thoughts and friendship once a month for the past 20 years.

The Probus Club of Bundoora, which started in 1991, will mark the occasion with a special meeting at Watsonia RSL on February 9.

President Neil Johnson, who joined the club in 2004 after hearing about it while climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, said the club would have its normal meeting followed by a celebration.

Mr Johnson said the club started with 30 members and reached a peak of about 110 people a few years later.

He said the meetings and events gave members, aged from 60 to their mid-80s, a chance to share fellowship, friendship and activities.

“We are not a service club but purely a social club,” he said. “We get speakers relevant to our age group and they range from things such as Guide Dogs Victoria to Myki, the CFA and television personalities.”

Mr Johnson said the Rotary-sponsored club held a number of events, which included dinners, daily outings, extended four-day tours, walks and a morning tea for female members.

The club’s 20-year anniversary meeting will be held at Watsonia RSL on February 9 at 9.30am-3.30pm.

Details: 9434 4117 or 9432 0612.

Source: http://whittlesea-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/20-years-of-friendship-…

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Lachlan Holmes learns about safe driving.

PARADE College students gave up a day of their school holidays to learn the basics in safe driving in a pre-driver education course.

About 20 year 10 boys practised their new manual car-handling skills and gained some valuable driving experience under the guidance of Metropolitan Traffic Education Centre experts in Bayswater North.

Parade Fathers committee president Leo Delinac said recent road safety campaigns and media coverage surrounding hoon driving were the main reasons behind the program.

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