Autumn is the perfect time to hold a garage sale, and The Parkes Phoenix is here to help. With the kids settled back into school there’s time to sort through all that stuff that has accumulated over the year. Outgrown toys and bikes, upgraded appliances, un- needed furniture and random bric-a-brac clutters up the house. So take the oppor- tunity to streamline while the year is still young.

Garage sales are an easy way to trans- form trash into treasure. For the seller, it’s a great way to convert clutter into cash. For

the bargain hunters, it’s a treasure trove of hidden gems. Garage sales have other benefits too. Selling unwanted items eases the burden on the environment, allowing people to reuse and recycle goods, keeping them out of landfill.

What to do? First collect all the unwant- ed items from your house, and figure out a price. A general guide is to ask 25 to 35% of what it cost new. Clothes generally sell for about 5 to 10% of the original cost. Place any free items towards the back, so buyers see your priced items first. Make sure you have enough change and plastic bags to give to buyers.

The most important step in planning is to advertise. Handmade signs and flyers can be distributed around town, but a more ef- ficient way is to advertise in the Phoenix Trash & Treasure Trails, letting our more than 2, 000 readers know where to bag a bargain. You can advertise garage sales, or just a few items.

For more information or a quote contact Sylvie Maloney on 0490 517 590 or email sales@parkesphoenix.com.au

A new service connects local jobseekers and employers without any stress. Jobs In The Central West is a convenient and simple way to advertise staff vacancies, or find that perfect position.

Looking for a work is often stressful and demanding. Completing applications and preparing for interviews can certainly take its toll.

On the employer’s side of the equation, hiring is also a source of work-place stress, especially if a position is vacant. The busi- ness has to carry the additional workload until the position is filled, and navigate the pitfalls of the hiring process – all on top of the day to day running of the business. Larger companies have dedicated HR depart- ments, and others might opt to use a recruitment agency. But many smaller businesses simply find it easier to deal with the process themselves, saving both money and time. Attracting suitable applicants is the biggest challenge for local businesses.

Jobs In The Central West takes a lot of the stress out of the process. This new ser- vice operates on Facebook thus allowing employers to reach more people via social media. With 15 million Facebook users in Australia, it really is the tool of choice for easy advertising.

There are already nearly 1,500 likes on the page, with the numbers climbing every week. Jobseekers can instantly see posi- tions vacant ads in their feed, or even be tagged by a mate. What’s more, it’s local – so there’s no trawling through national ads.

Jobseekers can “like” the page, and in- stantly see locally advertised jobs. Advertis- ers get a great package, and a one-stop, cost effective solution.

For more information contact sarah.may- nard@inxcess.com.au or call 6344 1846.

Now that the income tax year is more than half over, tax time will soon be upon us. What better time to get organised and manage your finances.

There are many tools that you can use to manage your finances. In the age of smartphones and tablets there are also many apps that you can use.

The mydeductions tool in the ATO app is useful for sole traders and individual tax- payers. If you are an individual taxpayer you can take photographs of your receipts, and record your work-related expenses, includ- ing work-related motor vehicle trips. Sole traders can record both their income and expenses in the app. You can then share your records into a spreadsheet and email to your tax agent.

If you are using business accounting software in the cloud such as xero, MYOB, Reckon or essentials, you can download your app and issue invoices to your custom- ers from your smartphone or tablet. Some of these accounting apps will let you take a photograph of a receipt and upload it to your accounting package. Having your cus- tomers information at your fingertips can be invaluable.

If you are serious about saving money there are a number of budgeting apps that can help you keep track of your expenses. The Best Budget app lets you create in- come and expense budgets and track your progress. You might be surprised to find out how much you are actually spending when you start keeping records, every cup of cof- fee counts.

Remember if you use an app – just make sure you back-up your device.

By Samantha Bennett

The annual National Servicemen’s Day Memorial Service was held in Newman Park, Orange on Sunday.

Members of 23 Platoon and comrades of Parkes National Serviceman Dougie Pow- ter and Lismore National Serviceman Glen Bartholomew, travelled to Orange to pay their respects and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the deaths of their two fallen mates in Vietnam in 1967.

Both Dougie and Glen did basic training in 23 Platoon, E Company, 1 Recruit Training Battalion, Kapooka from 29th September 1965 to 16th December 1965.

At the 2006 National Servicemen’s Day Memorial Service in Orange, 23 Platoon laid a plaque commemorating their two comrades’ sacrifice in Vietnam. Members of 23 Platoon has attended every National Servicemen’s Day Memorial Service in Or- ange since.

On 29th September, 23 Platoon will com- memorate 50 years since the end of their two-year National Service Commitment.

By Terry Knowles

Travel can be a life changing experience, and this was certainly the case for Beth Thomas; the ruined village of Oradour-sur- Glane in the heart of France and its incom- prehensible war-time history ultimately in- spired her first novel.

“The story kept coming back to me. It was like the voices from the past wanted the story to be told,” Beth said.

Beth is an education consultant and tutor, and although she has been teaching essay- level writing, this was her first attempt at creative writing since the short stories she wrote in teachers’ college.

“The story was already there, it was a matter of sitting down and putting it on paper. It was like turning on a tap – once I sat down and started, it all just came flowing out.”

Beth spent two years writing, which also involved extensive research into both his- tory and French culture.

“I had masses and masses of notes and research. I would find facts I hadn’t known before, and they just slotted into the story perfectly,” she said. “It took a lot of research to really gain an understanding of another culture.”

Completing a manuscript is a triumph in itself, but many would suggest that finding a publisher is equally arduous. Prolific authors Stephen King and JK Rowling openly discuss their many rejections.

In contrast Beth’s first correspondence from a publisher was an acceptance letter – a remarkable achievement for a debut novel and testament to her talent.

“When I first wrote it I didn’t care if I was published. Once it was written I thought I’d see what would happen, and I sent it to a few publishers.”

Six weeks later she had a book deal. “I’m still overwhelmed myself,” she said.

The book will be launched locally at The Little Theatre on Bogan Street at 4:00pm

on 11th March.

By Raen Fraser