Anyone who is anyone in the Australian fitness industry will know that Melbourne was the host of the 2014 FILEX Convention and Australian Fitness & Health Expo on the weekend.

Usually held in Sydney, due to venue renovations Melbourne was the lucky host for 2014…what an amazing opportunity to show the rest of the country our love of health and fitness?

The moment I walked into the Melbourne Exhibition Building, I was in awe.  The people, the colour and the noise was simply sensational!

But the highlight of the weekend would have to be the “Les Mills Super Saturday”!  The what?  Every three months new moves and new music are launched for the Les Mills programs (think Body Pump and Body Step among others).  “Super Saturday” was the chance for certified instructors to preview what’s coming up in Quarter 2.

If you’ve ever been to a group fitness class, you’ll know that with a lot of participants, the energy in the room rises…well imagine being in a room of hundreds of instructors as the participants, and the leading instructors up on stage – the only word to describe it is “electric”!

I’m certainly coming away from that weekend with a mountain of motivation!

What’s your motivation when it comes to health and fitness?

Regards

We all know that exercise is good for us!  Don’t worry, I’m not about to preach a new formula to you that you “just have to try”!  For me it’s about balance…

If you’ve read Who Is The Tax Chic  you’ll know I am a fitness instructor.  Part of my weekly routine includes instructing both Body Step and Body Pump classes at my local gym.

In any given week I might also include a run or two (ok a jog, I mean a shuffle…I think you get the idea), a TRX class, stair climbing when I’m in training for an event and some hiking (truth be told I’ve only been hiking once…but it gave me a good excuse to go shopping for new shoes…so I’m in!).

All of this of course, depends on what else is going on in my life at the time!  I am a master organiser who simple cannot live without my diary…(and I much rather have a full one than an empty one) so scheduling exercise is a must for me!

Having said that, if I miss a session, I try to be understanding with myself and move my focus to the rest of the week…I do this because I know I have to look after myself in a way that allows me to function in all areas of my life – so sometimes the exercise has to be forgone in order for me to attain balance…

What about you?  Is your exercise scheduled or random?  I’d love to know…

Regards

As in Tax File Number Declaration (or TFN Declaration).

A TFN Declaration is a form used to provide your Tax File Number (TFN) to your employer (or other payer as required) so they know how much tax to withhold from payments they make to you.

A separate TFN Declaration must be completed for each new employer you have, as such you should complete a new TFN Declaration when you start work for the first time or when you change jobs.

The most common question I get asked about this form relates to Item 8: Do you want to claim the tax-free threshold from this payer?

To give a definitive answer to this question, I would need to discuss your personal circumstances with you…however the fine print on the form tells us “Only claim the tax-free threshold from one payer at a time, unless your total income from all sources for the financial year will be less than the tax-free threshold”

A sample of the form can be found here (please note this is an external link).

Remember, if you need help completing these forms, you can contact our partner LMB Consulting.

Regards

No question about it, the calculator is a necessary tool in the life of an Accountant.  In fact, I’ve been known to carry one around in my handbag…please don’t tell anyone, they’ll really think I’m strange!

It probably comes as no surprise that I’m very particular about the calculator I use…and after years of trial and error, I’ve finally found “the one”.

Its a good size (not too big, not too small), so it fits my hand perfectly and I can reach all the buttons by simply moving my fingers and keeping my hand still (which allows me to add a series of numbers without even looking -this is me showing off!).  The buttons are firm enough, but don’t require a pounding to work and the screen in large enough to be a clear display – everything a good Accountant needs in a calculator.

But it’s not just Accountant’s who need good tools of trade – if you are working in an office or business environment where a calculator is required – I encourage you to find the one that works for you.  There really is nothing worse than getting frustrated because the buttons don’t press or you can’t read the display!

Now if I could just find a stapler that doesn’t keep jamming…??!!

Tell me, what’s your favourite piece of office stationery?

Regards