Hi Louise.

Wow. You really did do well to get so far. I love to hear stories like this because it just reassures me that it it is possible. You're right though about getting into the market at the right time. Properties are much more expensive than they were only a couple of years ago. By the calculators that I've used which are outlined in all the books I've been reading we could only borrow up to $195000 (that is with a deposit which we don't yet have). What we have to do is get saving and find a property in that price range. My daughter has only two years of highschool yet and does not want to move away. My husband just has a new job which is his dream job and will eventually earn him more money. If we move to a place where the properties are cheaper we have to uproot everything. We have to decide whether to buy an investment place elsewhere and hold onto it and sell later to buy what we want or move. STill, it's not going to happen overnight. We've got a lot of work to do yet.

I did look into the loss of family payments. When you work more hours you earn more money meaning you lose more family benefits which also means the CCB percentage increases and you're paying more for childcare. To work more hours somewhere through the day would mean working just to pay the childcare fees and we might in fact be a step backwards. I'll try to find something at night. I'm already feeling overwhelmed because life is already incredibly hectic!!!

I am not prepared to push the issue of the block of land yet with my sister. She has plans to see it sometime soon (she lives less than an hour away). Once she feels able to tell me the location of it (she is not exactly sure either yet) I will take a look myself.

I have been looking carefully at our expenditures and am working on developing a strict budget but don't know how much room to move there is. We already live very carefully. I have an automatic deduction set up to an ING account and have had for some time. Problem is though each time an unexpected bill comes I have to draw on it.

I'm looking into perhaps buying shares as a savings plan in the short term but not sure if this is the way to go either. I have invested in many books (all bought second hand) and am reading up a storm. But as you know, with kids there's very little time left in each day after going to work to do anything too productive. My son is an extremely demanding three year old and can't cope with me doing anything that doesn't revolve around him! He is very cute though. It just means I can't do much with him around that requires concentration. While I'm doing that he's usually doing something dangerous that is likely to cause a permanent injury such as building a ladder using the cushions off the lounge which topples over and means he conks his head on something hard …you get the picture…. Ah kids!

I have plans to eventually talk to a financial planner (still in progress of finding the right one, hence my request for advice from Pendo) to help steer us in the right direction and give us something to get started on.

My teenage daughter seems to have some unexpected school expense each and every day. Sporting events, excursions, book hire, camps, new school shoes, bus tickets, stationery…each time I think I've made progress we seem to take a step backwards. It's very hard to budget for all those things that you are not expecting. The schools rarely give you an expenses list at the beginning of the year. Then the kids get sick and need a doctor – more money. Then they need medication – more money. Then they break something like the car door handle which means no one can get into the car – more money…but that's life and I wouldn't want it without them.

Anyway I'll keep you posted on my progress. So far this week though (fingers crossed) I think we've managed to save around $100 dollars by being conscious of exactly every cent we spend.

Hi Pendo
You offered to help me with a list of financial planners/advisors in my area. Can you provide me with your email address?

Thank you

Hi Okkamooie

We haven't yet discussed what to do with the land. I have no idea of the details of it and my sister claims not to have either. It's always one of those touchy subjects with the family and when I bring it up they all change the subject as if the mere fact of discussing would have my father turning in his grave as we might be considered "greedy" or something. I tell them he left it to us because he wanted us to have something so it can't be considered greedy.

They all have their own homes and unfortunately I am the only one who doesn't. It will have to be discussed soon and I'll make the suggestions that we sell or build on it to rent. Apparently it's a block between two or three others who use it to store their dumped cars etc on. I have no proof of that as I have never seen it and apparently neither have my siblings. They all say no one would buy it when they can use it for free!

This is such a heavy but interesting journey for me to be on right now and I am planning on documenting my experiences in a blog as I have never read anything that sets out in detail someone's distinct struggle with acquiring a property, IP or otherwise for the first time.

I have about one million books by my bed all waiting for me to read! I am currently reading Anita Bell's "Your Success in Five Years or Less" which is case studies of those who have done it. Some of them very low income earners etc. Of course there's still a lot left unsaid but at least it has given me hope that it is possible.

I have not much time unfortunately so entering into an agreement with another is not really an option right now. I do have a fantastic business idea which I believe would be successful (don't we all) but don't know where to start with that either. Ho hum. More research.

Thank you all so much for your advice and interest in my situation and for sharing your stories with me. I'm very glad I stumbled across this site.

I am determined to make it work and whether it means buying an IP first (I now know the lingo) or not I'm not sure. I have been to one lender to see how much we may be able to borrow and while I wasn't laughed at I didn't come away from the experience feeling any more confident. The amount we could have borrowed would not have been enough to buy even much of a mobile home. I guess one has to start somewhere though.

I'm going to look for the books suggested and also the websites.

When I said earlier that the property my father left was "invaluable" what I really meant is that it isn't, apparently, worth much at all. But since none of us know exactly where it is the real value is yet to be determined.

I have plans to see a financial planner to see if they can offer any help and will watch this sit with interest.

Strangely I was in a better financial situation when I was a sole parent with my first child. I had less income on paper but also less expense. I was also able to access all kinds of things that low income earners (ie those on a pension) can. I worked and studied while I was a sole parent but only part time. Homes were cheaper then too but I was too scared to take the plunge when I was a single person with a child to support.

Now it almost feels like I've left it too late. I have a teenager and a three year old and as anyone with children knows, life is busy. Finding time to research, go to work, and spend time with the family and take care of a household is trying but not impossible.

Thanks too to Chooka for your advice on getting paid a finders fee. I'll look into that!

I do have one question right now.

My father died four years ago. He owned a small but invaluable property (and also another property that he sold on vendor finance) that he had left to his five children. We've been wrangling with his solicitor to transfer the estate to my sister as executor. This is just happening now.  There are small regular payments for the vendor finance property being made to the solicitor. The story behind the sale of this property is a long one and I won't go into that right now.

Apparently the small property is in the name of the solicitor and to transfer it to us would incur some expenses. I'm not sure what or how much though. I'm not even sure (and neither is my sister) of all the details of the whole estate as we are still not in possession of all the details)

If the property was to be transferred to his children, in their names, what would it mean for me? Would I still be eligible for the first home buyers grant? I'm even ignorant to how all this works. Is it better to leave it with the solicitor who perhaps holds a trust fund or something.

Any clues for me who is clueless?