We have finally been able to talk to the IRS, they still haven't logged in that they have last years taxes let alone this year..although I sent registered mail and they had to sign for it which they did end of jan but neither are logged in as being received yet...my question is if they didn't get last years as covid hit around the same time how do we know if they have it or someone else has it and stolen our identity? I wouldn't know where to look over there for that info...I'm hoping that hasn't happened but seriously they have been no help and we have no clue where last years are...its very frustrating....and no we can't do them online as we live overseas....so any advice would be great!!

Still no freakin house and we are over it...I just want to put everything into storage and just jump in the car and go...can't do that but want to!! so we continue to look 4 houses we have to look this week...we only have 1 week till we have to be out of here

The stress of this has made my illnesses kick into overdrive so I have been having episodes, feel so sick all the time..no energy so our diet hasn't been great as we just don't have energy...so that doesn't help and we have just been using what we have had in the house except the fresh stuff...but then it is coming to an end as our freezer is nearly empty...so will need to go back to weekly menus in a week or so....and my daughter has hurt her knee so we haven't been able to walk...and with my illness I can't walk alone....so haven't been able to destress and get out of the house...so hopefully we can move soon...get a routine and start getting back on track...and I can say I am getting quite bitchy with all the stress and not feeling good...try not to be...but can't just go and destress either...so just have to try and deal with it

Financially we have been eating more takeaway then we ever have probably 4 times a week lately....which is something we never do and it is expensive...so we are trying to cut back on that as well!!

FINGERS CROSSED WE FIND A PLACE THIS WEEK

Well still no house but we found out why we weren't getting them...which is frustrating basically we are being punished for an agents inaction, we have done all we can with housing authorities over here and not much they can do, but we have written a letter to each house that we apply for explaining the situation and hope that helps...I also got an email in today from the State Premier and hosing minister today...didn't expect it  to go that far but hopefully they will check into that person or maybe look at the rules in regards to agents and what they can/can't do.

Fingers crossed that we get one soon, on a positive note it's payday so we will take out grocery & gas money and the rest will go into savings...

So we still don't have a house but looked at 3 yesterday and 1 today...we are offering more money than they are worth...but need a roof over our heads.....we looked at one today it was big enough but it had so many issues...its not clean, can't use the shed and they have dropped the price to $500pw and it so isn't worth it...we decided no..just don't feel good walking around the house...so will let that one go...the other 3 we are still waiting to hear back on. 

On top of that in this house where the landlord doesn't like us we had to call as the front hose tap broke and was flooding so had to turn water off over night and they finally got here 23 hrs later and fixed it...and of course it was over 100 today and we needed water to turn the aircon on...but all fixed now but don't think she will extend us again if we ask.

Ok just got a phone call make that 2 houses we are waiting to hear back on just got rejected for another one but were in the top 4...oh well back to looking 1 more week and we will start to make other plans!!

Had 3 more houses to look at today and 1 tomorrow...so far only rejections...it is getting hard...lucky we were able to get a 2 week extension or we would have to be out of here in 4 days...so tonight we are going to have a discussion on what we will do should we not get a house in the next couple weeks...cause we need a plan!!

Is it hard in the US to get a house...so many people coming back to australia and not enough housing..I have spoken to the housing minister of australia and I stated that if they were going to make it where they were going to bring so many people back then they need to make sure there is enough housing available for everyone...today it was on the news that it was 1 thing they didn't consider when bringing people back home...I am hoping they will figure something out...and soon!! 

I use to have a good stockpile of groceries etc in the freezer and pantry...but we have used a lot of it up so we didn't have to move it...I miss my stockpile...but have decided not to restock other than a few things that we use all the time until we buy in a year or so..then I will start it again....I am finding this hard but know it will happen again...I guess that when you have a chronic illness you ike to have things on hand for when you are not well and can't leave the house etc...or when you have a lot of medical bills you don't have to choose medicine or food etc...but I know we are in much better shape then we are but it also helped greatly through the pandemic so we will see how we go...see if I can do it....do others feel this way?? 

My hubby and I don't celebrate valentines day...I don't believe in it...we do things for each other all the time all year...so don't need a special day along with everyone else...but my hubby has always bought our girls a single rose for valentines day each year since they were born...they are now 27 & 29 and still look forward to them...they remind me each year to make sure he gets them..I think they would be greatly disappointed if he did...but it is something special he has always done with them and I love it...so does anyone else celebrate valentines day with each other or their kids...have a great weekend

We I am over packing, looking for houses etc...so having a day off and just chilling. We have been doing ok with trying to use up the freezer stuff but we have had takeaway more than usual...we just don't have the energy at the end of the day...but we will get there...my daughter and I had our usual friday night movie night at home..that was nice...so going to relax today and get back to it tomorrow...no house yet...but our landlord said we could have another 2 weeks to move with conditions. The conditions we can live with...but it gives us a little more time...have a good feeling about this week...only real expenses this week are boxes and tape and a few groceries...trying to keep them to a minimum till we move.

Well as many of you know we have been looking for a rental for the last 7 weeks...looking at the advertisements, some of the exemptions for tenants is just ridiculous, some of these are

can't use the sheds on the property

can't use the jets in the bath

can't use the alarm on the house

can't use the speakers in the house (wired in)

can only use half of the shed

can't use the deck outside

these are just a few we have seen this week...they are not for tenant use...so do you guys have that in the US or do they rent out the entire property?? I have never seen this before now (since the pandemic started) so don't know why it is like that now...just curious if this happens in aust or other countries as well

Well we will be moving in the next 10 days not sure where yet but if we don't have a house then it will be to put our stuff into storage...we will pack up the house but we will use movers to pack/unoack our stuff, we have friends that will help us do the outdoor stuff,  and we will transport our tvs/computers etc in the cars with us...I am hoping to do the cleaning and yard work myself have been trying to start it now to get a head start on it so less to do later...next couple of days will mow the yards and start raking again, we had major rain and winds which setroyed all our hard work so have to do it again...so hopefully won't cost more than $2000 for our moving expenses...wish we were healthier to do it ourselves but we aren't so have to have others to do it....we will have stuff to pack so and some to take to storage as well (yes we already have 1 storage container)...but by the weekend hopefully will have a lot done, we still have a few houses to look at as well as well as appointments...so it has been hard to deal with mentally with my illness but trying to keep on top of it so I don't end up in hospital...going to stay positive and fingers crossed things work out!!

So it's only tuesday and we have already had 4 house rejections this week and have a couple more to look at this week...we are down to 10 days before we have to have to be out of here, so if we don't get a house it looks like we would have to put things into storage and see if we can get a furnished rental until we get a house...it is so frustrating...have written to our local councilwoman and asked them what is the govt going to do about the housing situation in SA...if they are going to allow all these people back into our country they have to make sure there is housing for them....buying a house is the same...they tack on $20,000 plus fees on top of the deposit which makes it hard for people to save to buy a house...it is so hard over here...sounds weird but I wish our rules were a bit more lax like the US has...would make life much easier for us!!

The weather here we had rain and wind for 4 days so basically all the yard work I had done now has to be redone and I don't really have the time or energy for that...packing and stresing about a house is doing a number on me and my illness....so hopefully it will settle soon and we can get settled and start my health journey again...but so far so good no hospital visits..fingers crossed it stays that way

Today was payday for us...here I was thinking that we were behind in savings...which we were...but I have paid all bills for the month, except groceries/gas...and have been able to add $650 to savings this pay...so we now more in savings than I thought we would have for the month...and still 1 more payday later in the month..so feeling good about that. I do know we will use some of it to move but not all of it, we haven't touched our ice acct..that is gaining a little as our roundup goes into that account..we have no debt...and our rent money for this month will just sit in the bank (I put it away at beginning of month) until we get another house....so it is all looking pretty good for now...hope it stays this way for the rest of the year.

Did have another unexpected medical bill for $60 that I will have to pay...but it is important so will have it done...these new docs are expensive so I hope I get some answers....

On a positive note my daughter should find out later this month when she can get pregnant...she is super excited!!

Okay so anyone have winning lotto numbers I need one so I can have a deposit for a house...i think it's the only way we will be able to live anywhere!!

So more rejections today on the rental front...we have been looking even 30 mins out of the city...can go any further due to to many doctors appts that we go to each week between the 3 of us....not sure what is happening or why we keep getting rejected as we are great tenants, never been late with a payment...take great care of the home...so we are just baffled!!

Well if nothing else we will put everything into storage and find somewhere to live with our pets till we get a house....so frustrated right now

The rental market is bad right now...so bad...we have applied for over 30 houses and have either been rejected or not heard back from them...the reasons being is that we have had so many people return from overseas (and continue to weekly) since covid got bad, people who have morg and have lost their jobs, will go and rent a house and then rent out their houses so others can pay their morg and they get help with rent (this annoys me to no end) people who got hurt or frustrated by the pandemic are selling up their houses...but no-one can afford to buy...they have raised rents...most houses we have looked at are at least $500pw...and yet we still can't get anything....so frustrating...but going to remain positive...we will find something then we will save and buy our own place in 12-24 months...then no more moving ever!!!

Other than that things are going along smoothly...still have lots to pack...running out of places for boxes...am going to start cleaning what I can (as in the house walls etc) and try to keep myself busy....my daughter has hardly packed...she has a hard time with it...gets to stressed...so will help her get it done and then she can just do all her papers and hopefully by then we will have a house and can move.

Only have groceries and gas to pay for this month, so the first lot will be taken out on thursday, we haven't been doing a lot of shopping only bread/milk and fresh fruit/vegies as we have been trying to keep things to a minimum and use up the freezer stuff...so have been saving money there but still keep it so when we do move we can menu plan and also do a bit of a shop to get a feww things back in stock that we use.

The weather here has been weird..had a few days that were over 100 and someone started a bushfire...but the next day it rained so that helped contain it and stop it spreading so fast as everything was wet...but it has been nice wether ever since...like spring weather...which is weird this time of year...not that I am complaining...but just wondering if it means we will have a cold winter....whats nice is that we have hardly used our ac this summer...so saving on our elec bill