Money (and other things I like)

I'm getting quite used to the idea of going to Samoa for a year to do my internship, although I will definitely do the USMLE.  One thing, though, well two things that are kind of the same thing - finances.  The money I need to finish my clinical rotation, and the financial set-up I need at home to go and earn <not enough to pay my mortgage back home>. 

So anyway, it always feels awkward talking about money but it's a really important subject.  I think the whole GFC drew a spotlight onto our spending habits.  It's now becoming cool to be frugal.  I'm not cool.

For me saving money has always fallen in the same heap as dieting - good intentions, great plans, but doesn't last very long and only serves to make me feel (more) like a failure. 

I'm setting myself some goals - and I think they are more "real" if I put them here on my blog so here goes;

• Pay off my mortgage and any other remaining debts by the time I'm 40

Ok, so it was really only one goal.

I'd also like a sustainable house.  I'm kinda in the process of making it happen right now.  My current house is in my township and I want to go more rural onto acreage.  That's where I want to live sustainable and off-the-grid.  I can't buy the land yet until I get my first doctor job in Australia.  But I can plan/save/research for ideas.

• geothermal heating/cooling

My dearest friend Dr Donald Payne PhD is a director Direct Energy where they are really leading the way with this technology in Australia.  In a basic nutshell, you drill into the ground where the temperature remains relatively constant all year round, then the air you use to heat/cool your home is cycled through the underground pipes where they adjust to the underground temperature (for example 22oC in Summer) and then you use this air which you only have to cool by 2oC to cool your home for thus using much less energy.

• wind turbines

Harnessing wind for residential power is one of the best ways to generate energy in areas that don't have great sun all year round but are not in built-up areas; like where I live/want to live.  This things go nuts on what might seem like a still day down at ground level, but up there (20m) it's windy!

• solar power and hot water heating

I think this category almost speaks for itself.  I like the almost "passive" use of coiled black pipes on your roof to get some initial warmth, and then using a solar hot water system.  I have solar power on my current home but I do not store the excess power in batteries at the moment because I cannot afford them. 

Some others are;

• self-composting toilet
• vegetable garden
• rainwater tanks
• bore water
• grey-water/black-water systems
• other energy saving devices (I have some already) including the remote switches to turn off standby mode on appliances
• top-opening fridge

Well, that is all I have off the top of my head for now.