Schmutzer Primate Center

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Located inside Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia). The right place to see and learn more about Primate.

The Weekend in Black and White

Common Household Budget Problems

 While things like rent, mortgage, groceries, insurance and utility bills are regular things on our household budget, there are some things that we simply sometimes forget about! If you’re in the process of putting together a budget for your household or if you’ve got a budget but you are still mystified as to where your money is really going, here are some things you may want to include: 

Household Repairs

We often don’t think about it, but often things around the home can malfunction or break – especially in older homes. You might end up with an overflowing dishwasher or a broken window. It’s important to set aside money in your budget for unforeseeable repairs, especially if you’re not rolling in cash. If you decide to sell your home, a conveyancer may request that you fix or upgrade certain appliances or fixtures before settlement, so it’s good to have extra cash for this too. 

Clothes

Clothes are a necessity for everyday living, but they’re often left out of our household budgets. When you consider work clothes, shirts, pants, jeans, skirts, dresses and shoes you begin to understand how buying clothes can significantly impact your finances. Make sure you budget for clothing and expenses, especially if you’ve got kids.

Transport and Petrol Costs   

Spending money on petrol each week? Or paying for a weekly bus or train ticket? Don’t forget to factor transport costs into your household budget, too. This may even reveal better ways of spending – could you spend $30 on the train each week, instead of $80 on petrol?

Car Repairs

On top of your car loan, registration and insurance, you should also set aside a bit of money for any car repairs. Car repairs are usually quite costly, ranging in the hundreds or even thousands. Having to fork out this amount of cash can be daunting. Ensure you save for car repairs to keep you out of any sticky money situations.

Family Activities

If you’ve got kids, taking them on family outings can sometimes be expensive. It can cost up to $100 to take a family of four to the movies or even out to dinner. If you enjoy family activities, it’s a good idea to budget for them, so the expenses don’t eat away at your spending money.

Tax Return Costs

We hate tax time! But if you get your tax return or other finances done by an accountant, you’ll also need to pay for their services. Budgeting your tax return fees into your yearly budget means a little more peace of mind when it comes to tax time.

School Expenses

You’re probably great at saving money for school fees, school supplies, books and uniforms at the start of the year, but have you taken into account any ongoing school expenses? Are there numerous excursions or school camps coming up that you’ll need to pay for? What about fees for school photos? Make sure you find out about and include all of your child’s yearly school expenses.

Christmas and Birthdays

Christmas and birthdays are usually a fun time of year, but if you find yourself drowning in “present debt” every time they come around, it might help to budget better. Could you save $50 a month, for instance, as a Christmas or birthday fund? This will keep you prepared when it comes to present-buying and means that you won’t blow out your budget during the Christmas and birthday months.

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Working with Dangerous Chemicals at Home

There is no doubt that working with chemicals can be a dangerous practice but preparation and understanding can help you to avoid any harm to humans. Chemicals are a useful part of a handyman’s arsenal and several will be found in most UTE tool boxes. They come in many forms and can be used as anything from vapours to lubricants so it is important to understand their dangers and how to manage them:

● Know your emergency procedure. If anything should go wrong then you need to be prepared. Learn how to clean up spills safely, where you can escape to, and also where the safety supplies are.
● Understand the chemical. Before using it, do research on what the chemical does and how it will behave. Be sure to learn the risks and how to deal with emergencies because you will not be able to read the label when it is too late.
● Wear appropriate clothing for the job at hand. Having the correct clothing is as important as having the correct hand tools for a job and this is especially true with regards to chemical safety. Wear the appropriate goggles, face masks and overalls to keep yourself free from injury.
● Be prepared to clean any chemicals off safely. You should be prepared with access to a shower or neutralising agent where appropriate. Be prepared to properly clean yourself and to dispose of clothing where appropriate.
● Do not leave contaminants lying around. Any rags or clothes exposed to chemicals need to be disposed of rapidly to avoid accidental exposure.
● Never take food into a chemically active working area. Chemicals can easily get onto your food if they are in the same environment. Anything that you ingest should be kept well away from any potential exposure to chemicals.
● Wash thoroughly before eating after using chemicals. Even wearing the same clothes when eating your food poses a risk to your health so it is better to wash thoroughly and shower where necessary.
● Ensure there is proper ventilation in any area where chemicals are being used. Even if chemicals are not in vapour form they will likely release toxic chemicals into the air. Note that it is also possible for the area you are working on to release toxic gases when the chemical is used on its surface. Avoid inhaling these chemicals with the use of proper ventilation and a quality face mask.
● Use a buddy system to ensure that there is always a way to contact emergency services. If anything goes wrong it is vital that there is someone to seek assistance so never work with chemicals alone.
● Clean any spills immediately. It is important to keep every work area as clean as possible. Leaving a spill means that it may be spread around or may damage the surface. Avoid this by cleaning up quickly and safely.● Ensure that chemical storage is adequate. Some chemicals will ignite if exposed to high temperatures and many may even explode. Be sure to store chemicals in the correct way so that you can avoid any catastrophic accidents.

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Creating Your Party Supply Checklist

No matter how big or small the party, it can be very stressful to prepare for it. There are so many small details to remember and the needs of so many people to think about that you really do need to plan everything down to the last detail so that your party goes off without a hitch. For party-planning success, the key is to be organised and start early. The following tips will help to make sure that you have all the important things on your party-supply checklist.

Food and Drink

Having food and drinks that everyone will like is probably the biggest challenge to party planning, but is also the most important. You should start planning the menu well in advance, and then separate each element into what you can make ahead of time and what you will have to make on the day of the party. Remember that you will need appetisers, salads, a main dish, a few side dishes, dessert and finger foods just in case people get hungry again later. Drinks are much easier because they can be purchased well before the day of the event and kept in storage. You should have a good supply of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, liquor and spirits, as well as a few good mixers. Don’t forget to get a good supply of non-alcoholic drinks such as soda, juice, water and sparkling water. For the evening, prepare an assortment of coffee and tea.

Serving Supplies

Almost as important as the food itself, the right serving supplies are absolutely necessary for a successful party. If you are organising a very large event, you may want to consider hiring a caterer, or at least some catering equipment to make your life easier. To serve the food, you will need serving bowls, platters, ladles, trays and bread baskets, and for people to eat the food, you need a good supply of plates, bowls and cutlery. For drinks, you will need a variety of cups, mugs, pitchers, a coffee maker, cream and sugar holders, stirrers, straws, beer mugs, wine glasses, champagne glasses and tumblers.

Decorations

The decorations for your party will vary depending on what kind of party you are throwing. Birthday parties will need balloons, ribbons, a banner and a piñata, while fancy dinner parties will need decanters, flowers, candles and fancy linen and tablecloths.

Miscellaneous

There are always some extras that are necessary for making your party perfect, and they largely depend on what kind of party you are throwing. Your local party hire store can help you out with extra furniture, such as tables, chairs, a bar or a marquee, which is especially useful if you’re planning something outdoors. Other items to consider during your planning include invitations, thank-you cards, party favours, coolers, music, lights and any supplies you will need for party games.

Throwing a party doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you are organised, start planning early, and make a detailed checklist. Then you are all ready to throw the best party ever!

Home Renovations: 5 People that Make It Happen

So you’ve caught those Better Homes and Gardens mags when you were shopping at Woolies and started eying off a kitchen. Then you took a second glance at some new timber flooring as you passed the flooring store. Then your youngest asked for their own room. And it was all over, the fall into renovation began!

Renovating is a great way to keep your location, your neighbourhood and the things you love about your home, but get the room, the makeover and the update you require. Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s a lot of work, and if you decide to do some of it yourself, it’s a lot more work. And stress. And drama. But if you do insist on cutting dollar corners and adhering to your budget by cutting corners on professionals, there are five people you should not overlook, as they truly are what will make or break this project!

1. The council
Some people, if they think they can get away with it, will skip the local council, in order to avoid fees and charges they just don’t want to pay. Well, while they may seem ridiculous on occasion and a waste of money, they are necessary, and it really isn’t worth the risk. The council is the first group of people that will make your renos happen, or have them pulled up short!

2. Builder
Seriously, don’t skimp on the builder and think you can do it yourself. If you love your home and want to make it beautiful and even more fitting for you and your family for coming years, this is one guy you definitely need. As well as helping you with plans and letting you know what’s realistic, they understand the entire process, can give you realistic expectations, and if you keep communication lines open and be specific, will be able to fit your budget.

3. Electrician
Strangely, electrical services is another job people think they can do themselves, but be realistic, electricity is a health hazard, so do it right. Negotiate the best price with your chosen tradie, and watch how they complete the job quickly and efficiently – much more efficient than you stumbling around in the dark roof wondering which wire goes where.

4. Plumber
Has your toilet ever overflowed onto the bathroom floor? Want it to? If not, don’t bypass the professional plumber. Like the electrician, they are qualified for a reason, and will ensure everything is done correctly at the start, so you don’t have problems with your new renos, later.

5. Cabinet maker
Finally, if you’re going to put in a new kitchen especially if it’s not a kit kitchen – but even if it is, get a cabinet maker to do it. These guys are pedantic about fitting things in flush, not a millimetre out. Would you even notice if your kicks, benches tops or cupboards were a mil out? No? Well your plates will as they slide off and onto the floor!

At the end of the day, you can save a few bucks, but probably spend them later on fix its, or you can invest a little extra now, and get it right. While you may want to do your driveway yourself, or your garden, don’t overlook professionals when it comes to electricians in Sydney, plumbers, cabinet makers and builders.
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Safety around the Home – Common Accidents to Look Out For

Accidents often occur around the home and they usually can be easily avoided. Children are particularly vulnerable and if you have small children it is important to child-proof your house. You can be alerted against more serious accidents, such as house fires, if you have the proper alarm systems, such as smoke alarms. With other types of accidents it is merely a case of being vigilant and having a good look around your home to see what is potentially dangerous.

Slipping
If you have tiles or timber floor boards throughout your home you need to watch out for these surfaces becoming slippery when wet. When wet it is easy to slip and fall over and quite easily break a bone. Children, who often run through the house, are especially prone to slipping over. This is also the case if you have tiles outside, particularly around a pool. If you are going to have tiles outside choose those with a non-slip texture, like sand stone. Pay careful consideration to what you choose if you are going to be laying them around a pool area. Mop up any spills inside as soon as possible and put down a bathmat in the bathroom to soak up any water so you can avoid having a slippery floor.

Drowning
Unfortunately many drowning deaths occur in family homes, most of these being children. If you have a swimming pool you run the risk of a drowning occurring, but very young children can also quite easily drown in a small amount of water in the pool. Children should never be left unsupervised while they are in or around water, which includes both swimming pools and when they are in the bath. It is important that they are not left alone and that someone is always watching them.

Stairs
Stairs can be dangerous and can be a problem for older people and very young children. Be careful that there are no toys are other items left where someone can trip and fall down the stairs. You need to have a hand rail and if you have young children you should put a child-proof gate at the top of the stairs and at the bottom.

Poisons
Many household items can be potential poisons. Laundry detergent, dish washing tablets, medications and other household cleaners are all dangerous if consumed. If you have young children all chemicals, household cleaners and medications should be put up in cupboards that are well out of reach or they should be locked away.

Burns
Anyone where you need to watch small children. As well as being burnt on heaters or because of open fire places, children can also be burned by hot water. Hot drinks should always be put well out of reach of young children and you should set the temperature on your hot water system to a cooler temperature. You should not have boiling hot water coming out of your taps. You need to have proper guards for heaters and also a fire guard for any open fire place.

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