'Getting my affairs in order' for a 4 month work transfer to Australia

Serpent

What type of things do I need to worry about when I move from Canada to Australia for 4 months?

Chances are good I will be leaving in about 2-3 weeks. Some of the things I've identified:

1. Cancel car insurance, buy storage insurance
2. Disconnect car battery, check with mechanic about other long term storage things for car
3. Send cheques to landlord for rent
4. Call credit card companies to let them know where I'll be
5. Redirect mail to family/friends
6. Contact my bank and ask how to access my account in Australia
7. Buy new luggage
8. Call cellphone company and suspend my service

What other types of things should I be looking into?

Darkewolfe

Have you considered just sub-letting your apartment, preferably to a friend? That will take care of several of your problems and also generate a little cash.

Serpent

I'd rather not sublet.

My work is paying for my accomodations in Australia. This is considered a taxable benefit unless I keep a place in Canada.

Darkewolfe

Oh, I thought from the "Send checks to landlord" that you were keeping the apartment.

Serpent

I am keeping the apartment. It's either that or pay oodles of tax.

Plus, I really don't want the hassle of finding a subletter within 2-3 weeks.

DragonPup

Check with your doctor if there are any shots you should get for an extended stay. Also, consider getting copies of your medical records to take with you just in case.

Thanatos

If car insurance in Canada is anything like car insurance in the U.S., you may want to hang onto it to prevent your rates from shooting up when you get back. If you've got a good agent, ask them what they think.

Darkewolfe

Yeah, I made my insurance agent run various scenarios of paying for things until we figured out what was cheapest. Turns out buying a year's worth of apartment insurance alongside my car insurance saved me $20 a year (and got me free apartment insurance). So, that's a good idea.

I would also arrange for a friend to have your key and just pop into your place once a month or something to make sure there weren't any fires/bugs/dead people.

Hypatia

Clean out your fridge
Disconnect all electricity that you can before you leave - do you have arrangements made for paying your utilities while you're gone (if you're leaving stuff like the fridge plugged in)
Clean your apartment/house
Turn off the heat/cooling
Do you have any other monthly bills you need to worry about? (cable, landline phone, netflix, whatever?)

Sometimes it's nice to get one of those timer switches to turn the lights on and off so it doesn't look like your place is abandoned.

PeregrineFalcon

Thanatos wrote: »

If car insurance in Canada is anything like car insurance in the U.S., you may want to hang onto it to prevent your rates from shooting up when you get back. If you've got a good agent, ask them what they think.

Judging by the way he's worded it, and how continuous coverage works up here, he's going to keep his insurance active, but change it so that the car is being "stored" and not "driven." Doesn't cause a gap in coverage, and the difference is "$125/year" vs "$125/month" so that's money in his pocket.

Inkogneetoh

Booby trap the house.

Also, learn to hate Roo's. You'll understand when you get here.

illig

for the car:

-leave it on jackstands (so the tires are off the ground)
-use fuel stabilizer in your gas tank (and make sure to run the car for a couple of miles after you use it to get the stabilized gas all through the gas lines
-i'd also suggest changing your oil right before, and right after you come back

For the house... if you're keeping your apt, just have someone stop by once a week to collect your mail and contact you about any bills, etc... it's a lot more reliable than forwarding your mail somewhere, and it'll also make sure someone inspects the place once in a while for leaks, broken windows, rotting food, crackheads, etc. etc.

i'd also cancel cable/internet, as it'll save you $$ and even give you a good deal when you re-activate in a couple of months

jclast

Sign up for online bill pay and know generally when in the month your bills arrive so that you can pay them without having to rely on either a) your mail being forwarded or b) somebody calling and telling you "hey the utility bill came 6 weeks ago, sorry."

Also, sign up for electronic statements (along with paper if you want those, too). Then just check your email once a day and you won't even have to just know when bills come in the month.

The Black Hunter

What city are you staying in?

Serpent

I'll be in Brisbane.

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep cool in business clothes?

I'm in Vancouver right now and it's about 27C here (80 F) and I'm boiling with my standard work clothes. The average temperature for Brisbane right now is about 27C, and it only gets hotter in Sept/Oct/Nov

Darkewolfe

Seersucker?

DekuStick

I'm not sure about BC but check if you'll run into problems with your Health Card.