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As most of you are aware, you can salary package vehicles and the running costs as part of a salary packaging arrangement. What some of you might not know is that you can salary package a whole range of other items and enjoy the same financial benefits that you would when you salary package a car.

For example, you can salary package a mobile phone or laptop as long as you are using it for primarily work purposes. Once you’ve completed a work related declaration (a form that states the item will be used for primarily work purposes) you can purchase the phone or laptop outright and then salary sacrifice some of your wage to pay for it. There is not limit on how much you can spend on the phone or laptop either, so you can get that MacBook or Samsung Galaxy you might have wanted but thought you couldn’t afford. Your wage will be then be sacrificed from pre-tax dollars (that’s money that hasn’t been taxed yet) so you can enjoy the benefit of the item without having to pay for it with your net salary.

Alternatively if you are on a mobile phone plan with one of the providers you can also salary package your monthly plan as part of the FBT benefits. So long as you complete the work related declaration you can salary sacrifice a portion of you wage that goes to paying for your mobile phone plan. Then come the end of the month when your bill arrives, you just send in a copy and you’ll be reimbursed for the costs.

So if you’re using your mobile phone for work or you’re thinking about purchasing a new laptop or tablet it might be beneficial for you to look at salary packaging it.

So there you go, some information on salary packaging that you might not otherwise have known.

With winter almost upon us, we thought it might be a good idea to give you some tips for how to handle the conditions and avoid a nasty accident.

So here is a list of tips we’ve put together from different sources-

• SLOW DOWN- winter means rain, hail, fog and even ice on the roads so the best way to avoid an accident is to take the foot off the pedal and drive a little slower.

• Give yourself some room- rain and ice can cause the tarmac on the road to be slippery and if you need to break hard you could slide right into someone. Make sure to increase your following distance and allow yourself that extra time in case something happens up ahead.

• Check your lights, wipers & tyres- maximising your visibility is key to avoiding any accidents so make sure you check your wiper blades and replace them if needed. Ensure both your headlights work and that they are bright enough to illuminate the road ahead. And finally check your tyres are pumped and have tread. These are your most important weapon against an accident so ensure they are in good condition

• Make sure you have an emergency kit- it might sound silly but you never know when you could need it. Mobile phone charger, jumper leads, engine oil, jerry can and funnel, torch and a rope. Also ensure your spare tyre is pumped and that you have a jack and cross wrench in case you need to change a flat tyre. A pack of cards could also be handy to pass the time if you’re waiting for assistance.

• Relax- it’s winter, you’re not the only one that’s cold and wants to get home to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones. So take it easy, let that person in front merge, don’t get angry if someone accidently cuts you off and remember to be aware of the other people on the road.

So there you go, some friendly tips for staying safe on the roads this winter

It’s the age old question, up there with ‘the meaning of life’ and ‘Where did I come from’, how do you sell your car. There are plenty of ways to put your car out there, internet sites such as Carsales or Carsguide are good. Online marketplaces like Gumtree and Trading post are also worth it, but your car isn’t just going to sell itself you need to give it some ‘curb appeal’.

First of all you need to find out the market value of your car. There’s no point pricing your car too high as you won’t get any buyers. Alternatively there’s no point pricing it too low either as you’ll just get tyre kickers looking for a bargain. Leading up to posting an online ad, do some research and find out the current market value of your car, once you know it you can price your car accordingly based on any work that needs to be done or how many km’s it’s travelled. Also remember to leave a bit of bargaining room, so you can haggle a little with any potential buyers.

Now it comes time to writing the ad, this is the glue that’s going to hold this together; this is the meat in your car sandwich. Golden rule, don’t lie about your cars conditions, if potential buyers think they’re buying a gem and they turn up and you’re standing there in front a piece of junk your credibility’s shot. Make sure you put in all the plus points, one owner, garaged, low km’s, etc this is the sort of stuff that buyers really want to know, it gives them a good idea of the condition of the car. Be really detailed when describing the make, model and colour and also included any extras the car has fitted. These are especially important as they set your car apart and could tempt a buyer to make an offer.

What good are all those words though without some photos to back them up? Buyers love photos because it gives them an idea of how the car looks, whilst it doesn’t compare to seeing the car in the flesh, it might help someone make up their mind to give you a call. Check out car magazines to get an idea of what angles make a car look good and try them out, can’t hurt can it. Make sure you take your photos against a neutral background so you don’t have any distractions from the car, and try and take as many photos as possible, the more photos you have the more people can see and trust that what you’ve said is true.

The final part is showing your car, arguably the most important part. This is when the potential buyer will get to see first-hand what sort of condition your car is in, how it drives and more importantly whether they like it enough to make you an offer. Consider getting your car detailed before you show it, a professional detail will give your old car a makeover and might take years off its life (not guaranteed but still). Make sure you change the engine oil in case they decide to check the dipstick, also and this is my personal favourite, make sure you top up the wiper fluid. There is nothing worse than taking the car for a test drive and a bug hits the windscreen, and instead of washing it off you’re just moving it across the windscreen. Also consider investing in a vehicle history report, they can be purchased for about $30 and will give you a full history of the vehicle and a certificate as well.

So there you go, a few tips to help you sell that car of yours. Whilst I can’t guarantee that you’ll sell your car if you follow these tips, it might be the difference between someone giving you a call or not. If all else fails you can always just do what this guy did and create an awesome video...