Originally Posted by iPom

It depends on what package you want, bridie... For us, where hub needs internet access for work and absolutely has to be online, plus that we can take the package with us when we move, Telstra have been absolutely excellent. Horses for courses, really.

Originally Posted by bridie

Personally I'd be looking around at other phone and internet companies anyway, Telstra are a huge rip off. we were getting phone bills over $100 a month, bearing in mind we hardly ever use our phone as we mostly webcam the UK and use our mobiles. There are much better deals out there tailored to particular phone usage (we are on a light scheme).

Originally Posted by bridie

Same here and I agree, find it all pretty simple and easy and not very time consuming at all.

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede

Why don't you just use BPay? Couldn't be simpler!

I had it set up for all my monthly bills, and really miss it now that I'm in the UK - there's no equivalent over here, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by possoms

Here in the UK I always had 2 accounts set up within one bank, salary into one then from there a standing order to cover all bills into the other, all direct debits came out of that one so didnt matter which day they came out.

cant you do something like that there Ann?

Originally Posted by steandleigh

Don't you use direct debit out of your UK bank account ( a set date by your choice every month) like we did for years?

Originally Posted by steandleigh

Eureka moment! - That is what we had in the UK too!

You know exactly where you are month to month with your finances and exactly what you have left over for goodies! Yay!

Originally Posted by annqldau

Although I love Aus it never ceases to amaze me how they are forward thinking one minute and backward the next.

Trying to set my bank account up so all bills come out just after payday here so you are left with only the spare cash that is yours to spend is a nightmare and nigh on impossible.

Telstra for instance will take phone bill monthly by direct debit but broadband has to come of credit card monthly.

The rates can be paid monthly but on a pay two months miss a month basis.

And the latest I can't reduce my mortgage direct debit payment but have instead been advised to cancel it totally and instead set up my own regular payment from my bank account instead to come out to cover it... is that not just the same as having a direct debit.

Do we have a smiley for banging head on table???

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede

Why don't you just use BPay? Couldn't be simpler!

I had it set up for all my monthly bills, and really miss it now that I'm in the UK - there's no equivalent over here, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by moneypen20

I guess it's the same for expats the world over. You tend to prefer the way things were done in your home country because you KNOW how that works.

Originally Posted by blowfly

This system is not as easy as direct debit from your bank account.

Originally Posted by Wol

In the States everyone would sit dwn one day each and every month and write cheques (checks <g>) for all the monthly bills. All those bits of paper.......

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

I've just learnt to balance my chequebook.

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

I've just learnt to balance my chequebook.

Originally Posted by annqldau

Paying it all by cheque... that's even worse...

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

lol at Cresta. Annqldau : the cheque book was a figure of speach. (We only got one a few days ago to pay tradies when Chief can't nip out for cash.)

I have a little spreadsheet which tells me what has gone out and what is due out.

Or the budget tells me how much the diposable income is every month. We go over, we sweat.

We