After saying goodbye to that last instructor, I went back to the second female instructor I'd tried before. She's Australian, and she gave me an assessment. Then, she was super blunt: "Your driving skill is bad, you might need a couple of months." Honestly, hearing that made me crumble... ...

I really regret not making this decision sooner. I should have switched instructors back around the 4th or 5th lesson. I always tend to be too considerate of other people's feelings. Why do I always worry about others' feelings? If it's not a good fit, it's not a good fit – no need to make...

Lesson 6: Back to Basics This lesson, my instructor spent a whole 30 minutes just talking. Honestly, he was going over stuff I already knew, like turning too late or not straightening the wheel fast enough. When your basic skills aren't there, hearing it a thousand times won't help; you just...

Buying a second-hand car without much car knowledge can be daunting, but here’s how our experience went and some tips we learned. Where We Looked:We started with Facebook Marketplace, but there were too many scams to sort through. Next, we tried Google Maps to look for local dealers, but it was...

In my last update, I mentioned trying out six instructors and finally picking one who seemed professional and friendly. At first, I had high hopes, but... Lesson 2: Hitting the Main Roads for the First Time My hands were sweating on the steering wheel. One moment I'd forget to brake, the...

Seriously, if you pick the wrong driving instructor, you're just throwing money and time down the drain. Let me share my experience switching instructors – maybe it'll help you avoid some pitfalls! Instructor #1: The L Lady Ms. L instructor I mentioned in my first note was super slow to reply....

My first driving instructor Ms. L was introduced by a casual friend. It's $55 for 45 minutes. At first, she taught me all the car operations: what lights are for, wipers, different kinds of brakes... so many terms I didn't know, and I was pretty confused. Then we just started driving. Turning...

Next up in our suburban hunt is Preston, located about 9 kilometers northeast of the CBD. Let's dig into the details to see if it could be a good fit for our family. Rental Prices Rent here for a three-bedroom house ranges from $520 to $600 per week. The houses are pretty average, nothing...

Our next stop on this family-friendly exploration journey is Point Cook, located about 22 kilometers southwest of the CBD. This suburb has been popping up in my searches, so I wanted to take a closer look. Rental Prices Let’s start with rent—I found that three-bedroom houses here range between...

Next up on our family’s Melbourne suburb exploration is Rosanna, located around 12 kilometers northeast of the CBD. We’re continuing our search for the right suburb, and Rosanna has some interesting features worth diving into. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far. Rental Prices Let’s talk numbers...

Next on our list of potential Melbourne suburbs is South Morang. It's about 20 kilometers northeast of the CBD. We’re exploring different areas to see what could be a good fit for our family, and South Morang seems to be worth a closer look—though there are definitely some mixed signals! ...

When we moved to Australia, like a lot of families, we had dreams of making it big—finding some stability, giving our kids a happy life, and maybe even getting one of those high-paying jobs that everyone talks about. You know, the ones that show up in articles like Australia’s Highest-Paid Jobs...

As a family of four, we’ve come to realize that managing a household on a budget doesn’t just happen—it’s something we plan for and work at every day. Living in Melbourne’s western suburbs offers some financial breathing room compared to being closer to the city, but it still comes with its costs...

When we first moved into our rental home, it wasn’t like we had a ton of extra cash to furnish it. We knew we needed to find affordable furniture to make the space feel like ours, but we also didn’t want to sacrifice quality. We’re not the type of family to splurge on designer pieces, but we do...

As part of our journey to find the perfect suburb in Melbourne, we’ve been diving deep into different areas, exploring the pros and cons of each. We’re not living in Blackburn (yet!), but it’s definitely on our radar. However, like many places in Melbourne, we’ve found that the housing market...

Looking for a place to live when you’ve got kids means more than just finding the right house. It’s about finding a safe, affordable home and making sure it’s in a good school zone. Trust me, as a number-minded person, I’ve spent hours figuring out how to balance both. Here’s how I’ve been...

Looking for a rental house in Australia can feel like a full-time job—especially if you're new to the country or just trying to find a home that fits your family's needs. As a family of four, we aren't rich, but we prioritize safety, a cozy home, and the happiness of our kids. My husband works...

When we first moved to Melbourne, figuring out where to live was one of our biggest challenges. As a family with young kids, we wanted to make sure we picked a safe suburb. That's when we stumbled upon the RedSuburbs Crime Map, and honestly, it made a world of difference. Let me walk you through...

Living in Melbourne has been quite a journey for our little family. My husband works hard, and while we’re not rolling in money, we make sure to focus on what really matters—a safe home. When we moved here, one of the biggest things I worried about was safety, especially for our two kids. So, I...

If you’re preparing to rent a place in Melbourne, crime rates are one of the first things to consider. For families like mine, choosing a safe area is crucial. While we aren’t looking for luxury, we definitely want a peaceful, secure home for our kids, where we can enjoy the simple things in life...