Want to work from home? Here’s a warts and all reality check!

This is a contribution by Dana Flannery, who successfully established a work from home career in 2009. Her work from home venture grew into Talk About Creative a successful digital agency, with over thirty contractors, most of whom work from home.

I work from home. I have our spare room set up as an office and I spend my days in there, pounding away on my computer. Living the dream right? A cousin was looking for a work from home job and called me to pick my brain. This is what she was after:
“I want to find a job where I’m paid the industry standard to work part time out of my house so I can spend quality time with my young kids and still make enough to cover the mortgage.”

Sounds realistic right? Could be. Could be that everything falls lovingly into place and everyone lives happily ever after. In my experience (and I’m playing devil’s advocate and being a bit pessimistic here) this isn’t a realistic expectation. This is a warts and all view of why this is unrealistic. Warts. I am including ALL the warts.

Problem 1: I want a job

This woman wanted a job. She didn’t want to be a contractor. She didn’t want to freelance. She wanted a job. Job security. Paid holidays. Sick leave. While the world is slowly heading in the direction of remote workforces, it’s not there yet. Finding an employer who will hire a stranger to work from home is near impossible.

For one, it’s a pain in the butt having work from home employees. It’s inconvenient. For 99% of businesses, that means that there’s nothing in it for them having you at home. If you were already employed, you might be able to negotiate flexible working for return to work but otherwise why would they give this high trust, high demand option to “the new girl”? Just about every woman in their office wants this option. Don’t you think they’d get “first dibs”?

Problem 2: Paid the industry standard

Not too much to ask is it? Generally, if an employer is actively seeking a work at home employee, it’s because they’re a start-up, or they are expanding into a new territory. If it’s the first, they probably won’t have much money. If it’s the second, your first work at home job will likely be to find office space to go work from! So say you do find a well-paid job you’d love through a site like Lifestyle Careers or School Hours, you can bet thousands of other people will be applying for that sucker too! You’ll need a kickass resume.

Problem 3: Spend quality time with my young kids

When you work from home, young kids see you as “being home”. They want you to play with playdough and do finger painting and have a Frozen concert in the lounge room. They don’t understand that you’re “working from home”. “Not now, mummy’s working” is a hard thing for a kid to accept and you’ll say it, a lot. Your boss will want to know that this work from home arrangement still gets him/her access to your time and that you’re not slacking off.

“Not now, Mummy’s working” becomes the sentence you say most to your little one. Suddenly your mummy guilt goes through the roof. If you’re out in the office all day, your young kids don’t lay the guilt on, you get the privilege of doing that to yourself. It’s not right. It’s not simple. It just is. Working from home doesn’t mean an end to mummy guilt. Not one little bit. If you work from home, you need childcare.

Problem 4: Still make enough to cover the mortgage

So you’re in a lucky situation. You have a partner who earns some cash. The bills are mostly covered, you just need a bit extra to live happily ever after. Contribute to the mortgage and pay for enough day care to get the job done. About $600 a week? That’s not much to ask is it?

Let’s say you’re going to do admin from home. The award rate, pro rata for permanent part time will be between $25 and $30 per hour depending on your experience. Let’s call it $30. So that’s 20 hours per week. But, that’s $600 in hand, so you’ll have to factor in about $3600 tax a year. Another 3 hours give or take a week for tax. So you’re doing 23 hours per week. Easy right, that’s like three days. You can totally do it! Those three days will be three days of childcare expenditure. That’s about $240 in most capital cities and the more you earn, the less you get back from the government on that. So, of your 23 hours a week, 8 will go straight to the childcare centre. Eek. Maybe you could work nights and weekends to save on childcare? That quality of life you were seeking isn’t looking so high quality is it?

When kids get sick (and lordy, how often these little blighters are sick!) you’re going to be the one that it falls on to care for them. You work from home – to everyone else, that means you have oodles of time on your hands. To you, a sick kid means paying for childcare you can’t use, while working your heart out to stay on top of workload. If you can’t manage all the balls you have in the air, you could find yourself unemployed and unable to make that mortgage.

Yes, I know, I’m a big old pessimist

Maybe I’m just jealous of women who get dream jobs that don’t have the stress I have! That’s entirely possible! Back to my cousin, I explained some of the challenges she would face and she seemed a bit annoyed that I wouldn’t just hire her and be done with it. I told her that most women in her situation set themselves up as a contractor/freelancer/consultant and go from there. I suggested that she get herself an ABN (that sounds hard) and register a business (oh, really, I wouldn’t even know where to start) to get some contract work.

She was right of course. If it sounds too hard to get an ABN (literally one form) then running a freelance business isn’t right for her. Working from home in your own business is hard. It’s lots of unbillable hours, and learning TONS of new skills (some are painful to learn too – hello GST) and making sales. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it is a viable way to work from home, make good money and live happily (but tired) ever after.

Some of the same problems apply, childcare is still a necessary evil, but if you can choose your own hours, you can plan your week to fit to childcare – and therefore do it all more efficiently. You might be able to squeeze your working week into two days of childcare instead of three if you commit to doing emails and admin in the evenings. Your work week will be as long or longer as it would with an employer but your time can be managed to best suit you, not the boss.

The biggest benefit to running your own work at home business is one that you might not expect. Working with young children is HARD – for full time working mothers, full time working fathers, part time working single mums, parents who study – young kids are just hard in general! When you run a work from home business though, the hard work hurts less because it pays off directly into your bank account. It’s not working your heart out to make your boss rich. It’s working your heart out to make your family comfortable.
That’s worth its weight in gold.

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5 Foodie Ways to Get the Kids Through Witching Hour

Guest post by Simone Emery from Play with Food.

My favourite tool to have in my parenting arsenal is a good afternoon tea. A good afternoon tea sets the kids up for a decent window of opportunity to be productive without the “I’m bored” and “I’m hungry” complaints during the witching hour*.

*Actually, let’s be honest it should read hours. Next to afternoon tea is having something ready to occupy the youngsters. (Unless homework is in the picture for you and that is causing a whole lot of other “fun” at your place.)

Here are 5 foodie ideas to get through the afternoon that don’t require too much preparation. You should have most of the ingredients / resources on hand.

Play with food

1. Vegie Painting

Using some vegetables, try painting (or drawing around) them onto paper. You can make an edible paint by mixing a teaspoon of yoghurt with a drop of food colouring. Vegetables that make good brushes include asparagus, broccoli, rosemary stalks and carrot tops. Or you can cut a potato into two and make circle / oval stamps.

2. Grouping and Counting with Vegie Scraps

This is great if you have potato / carrot / sweet potato or the outer leaves of a leek available. Have the children tear them into pieces and then line them up in order from smallest to biggest. Or put them in groups of similar size pieces. Then they can tally up the number of pieces they have sorted out.

3. Mystery Sensory Challenge

In a shoe box, place some dry rolled oats and some small mystery fruits and vegetables for the children to find and determine what they are just by feeling them. This works well for small items like apricots, plums, cherries, beans, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes. You could use shredded paper, dry rice or dry pasta to surround the mystery foods too.

4. Bubble Painting

In a small beach bucket over a messy mat or outside, place some detergent, food colouring and water. Put some paper over the bucket and poke a straw through it. The child then has to blow OUT to make bubbles that will reach up and colour the paper.

5. Food Sculptures

A great way to use their imagination and also to make some use of your scraps again too. With toothpicks, get them to try and make things like a car, digger, castle or dog out of food items. This can be simply done on a placemat on the floor beside you while you are making dinner.

Simone, from Play with Food, has plenty of tips to help you master your family mealtimes, especially with fussy eaters. She always aims to delight the taste buds and imagination of children with food.

How do you incorporate food into play? Tell me in the comments. 

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How To Leave A Domestic Violence Relationship

Escaping an abusive relationship is hard, particularly if children are involved. It is however essential for both you and your children!

Deciding to leave a violent relationship is difficult and not a decision that is easy to make. You want to leave but there are many obstacles that make this choice seem near impossible.
The most common hurdle is fear, for you and your child’s safety! You are scared about taking the next steps and the ramifications that may follow; this is completely understandable given your current situation. This is why knowing how to leave a domestic violence relationship safely is crucial.

Must do’s for a safe escape

You have reached the point where you cannot take the abuse anymore but don’t know what to do next. This step by step guide will help you take the first of many steps to your reclaiming independence.

1. Seek legal advice

Before you do anything, seek legal advice. They will be able to tell you exactly what you need to do in order to protect yourself. This is particularly important if children are involved. It isn’t uncommon for the abuser to use your children as leverage to get you to return. If you take the advised steps from your legal team and/or local police, you will not have this concern. They will also be able to put you in touch with emergency accommodation and DV groups. For Legal Aid advice click here for further information.

2. DVO

Get a Domestic Violence Order (commonly known as DVO). While this may aggravate the situation, it is essential. This allows police to keep an eye out and it will also help you should you be required to go to court. For more information on how to obtain a DVO click here.

3. Where will you go?

This is the question that scares most victims into staying. You may have been alienated from your family and friends and feel you have no one to lean on. This is a time of need and you don’t have to do it alone. If you have a good friend or family close by; stay with them until you can sort out alternative accommodation.

If you are living away from relatives; contact your local Salvation Army or other emergency accommodation provider. The Salvos help more than 2000 women escape violent relationships each year by providing them with refuge accommodation and on-going support. The Salvation Army details can be found here: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/find-help/domestic-violence/.

4. Have a plan

Victims of domestic violence do not always have the luxury of having time to plan when and how they will leave. If you can, make a plan of where you will go and how you will respond to your partner’s calls and persistence.
If you feel your life is in imminent danger, get out now! Don’t leave it until it is too late.

5. Money

• If possible, start saving little bits of money when you can. This is easier said than done as most abusers know where every dollar is being spent. This is another way they maintain control and make it difficult for you to leave. For those fleeing and saving isn’t possible, the government offers crisis payments to those who are planning to or have left violent relationships. See more information here.

• Open up a bank account in your name only, with another bank you don’t use together. This eliminates any chance of your partner getting your personal details, including address or money.

• Call your bank and put a hold on all home loan redraws. While this is not something you would think of doing in the moment of leaving, it is smart for long term.

6. Privacy and safety

• Cancel your childcare and change schools if possible. This is to ensure your partner does not come and take the children out of school as a way to regain control.

• Change passwords and privacy settings on everything!

Far too many people suffer from domestic violence and the number of sufferers is only rising. The stats shown below from the Australian Bureau of Statistics are just terrifying.

Fleeing a domestic violence relationship takes strength, bravery and patience. This is why good support is essential. Please remember that regardless what you are told; it is not your fault and you are not to blame!

For support and domestic violence helplines see the numbers below.

If your life in immediate danger call – 000

National Domestic Violence (24 hours): 1800 737 732
Lifeline: 131 114
• QLD – Domestic Violence Telephone Service – 1800 811 811
• NSW – Domestic Violence Line – 1800 65 64 63
• VIC – safe steps Family Violence Response Centre – 1800 015 188
• ACT – Domestic Violence Crisis Service – 02 6280 0900
• SA – Domestic Violence Helpline – 1300 782 200
• WA – Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline – 1800007 339 & Crisis Care – 1800 199 00808
• NT – Domestic Violence Crisis Line – 1800 019 116
• TAS – Family Violence Counselling and Support Service – 1800 608 122 or Family Violence Response & Referral – 1800 633 937

For more helplines visit http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/finding-help.

*Disclaimer: I am not qualified to advise you on what to do or give legal assistance in your situation, I can only comment on my own personal experience and those close to me. Please call one of the helplines or seek legal advice before taking action.

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The cold snap that hit New South Wales saw the onset of freezing weather, icy roads and snow in areas including Barrington Tops, Bombala, Orange, Tenterfield and Walcha. Having never seen, felt or experienced the beauty of snow before Mr C made sure we were not going to miss out.

Barrington Tops Snow

The alarms went off at an unpleasant 4am and saw everyone rugged up and piled into the car. The journey from our part of the Hunter Valley to the Barrington Tops took approx. two and a half hours. Before we had even hit the mountain, we could see snow covering the grass, trees and rocks.

While I begrudgingly got my arse out of bed at that ridiculous hour of the morning, once we saw the snow it was so worth it! If we had left it much later we would not have been able to enjoy the day as the road conditions deteriorated quickly and the gates get closed.

We made our way up the slippery Barrington Tops nice and early. This is where we were greeted by overly excited and keen campers who had stayed the night in hopes to catch the first glimpse of snow for the season. It was absolutely beautiful!

With frozen noses, toes and fingers, we all embraced the white fluff and took advantage of our surroundings by taking part in many snowball fights. We trekked around the area and took in the amazing scenery. An abundance of photos were taken so we could remember our first family snow adventure for years to come.

With more snow expected later this week, there will be crowds making their way up to see. For safety reasons it should only be accessed by four wheel drive vehicles. If you would like more information on the Barrington Tops, see the Barrington Tops National Park website. If you are interested in camping at the Barrington Tops make sure you print out my essentials camping checklist (<<<< can be found at the link) so you don’t forget anything!

What do you like to do in Winter? Have you been to the snow?

Share your snow and Winter stories in the comments below!

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Few things elicit a sense of horror as much as the thought of leaving your child with a group of strangers. Though childcare centres are professionally-trained groups of strangers, this can still be a daunting task. If you’re not sure where to start, below are a few suggestions for what to look for when choosing a childcare centre for your family.

1. Professional Cleaners

It doesn’t matter how hygienic and attentive the childcare staff may be. At the end of the day, children are small yet potent germ-machines, and even the most diligent childcare worker cannot watch every activity of every child in the centre. If they take the health of their young charges seriously, they should have professional, specialist cleaners like AMC Commercial Cleaning at the premises on a regular basis. And don’t feel embarrassed to ask about this – just remember that if your child gets sick, you probably will too.

2. A Garden

Children love gardening. Strange, but true. They enjoy nothing more than helping to plant, water, weed, and laze around the pretty flowers. If your childcare centre doesn’t have a garden, your child won’t be encouraged to appreciate nature or spend time outside. They are also cheap to set up and maintain, and they give children an opportunity to learn a new skill before they are too busy discovering smartphones and video games. If there’s no garden, but you can’t go past this centre, you could always ask to set one up – they’d probably love the help and you’ll enjoy getting involved (though, obviously, this depends on whether you have the time or the desire!).

3. A Dedicated Nap Place

One of the most important aspects of a childcare centre is its ability to provide restful naps for your children. Make sure that you can see the nap space and that it is an area without too many distractions and stimulation. The last thing you want is for your overtired and grumpy child to come home from childcare and wreak havoc at your home. Childcare is about giving them new experiences, building social awareness, and exhausting them so they are more placid at night time.

4. A Library

This may seem overenthusiastic – your child probably isn’t digging into classic or contemporary novels quite yet, right? But having an age-appropriate library is one of the most invaluable things you can provide for your child’s early learning and stimulation. Your childcare centre should have children’s books available and on display. Encouraging your child to pick up a book instead of pining for digital mediums can help to build an early framework for educational interest and engagement.

Of course, this list is by no means comprehensive; there are countless other invaluable things that every childcare centre should have. Important safety features, play equipment, and adequate staffing cannot be ignored when you choose your family’s childcare centre. But the above list contains just a few examples to show how a childcare centre can set themselves apart while caring for your young family members.

This is an S2 POST.

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Today marks 5 years of marriage and 5th wedding anniversary for Mr C and myself. 5 whole years. We have actually been together for 12 years; I was 15 when we first decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend and it feels like a lifetime ago. (That makes me 27 years old now for those who are currently doing the maths.) I say it feels like a lifetime ago because so much has happened in those 12 years. We have moved nine times including an interstate move where we knew absolutely no one, had 3 feral beautiful children (still have them somewhere actually), we built a house and somewhere along the way we got married.

Today we are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary in style, the exact same way we have for the past 3 (maybe even 4) years. I will be at home with the kids and he will be at work. Doesn’t get much more romantic than that. To me it isn’t overly important to make a huge deal and go out for a lavish dinner on this one day as we always make time for one another, enjoy coffee dates a few times a week and show affection daily. We hold hands when we walk, we hug just because we want to, we never leave one another without a kiss and telling the other we love them. As a couple we have come together in the hard times and relished in the good, we have tolerated and grown to accept each annoying trait, learnt to love that flaw that makes them unique and appreciate how lucky we really are to have one another.

Mr C is caring, thoughtful and would go to the end of the world for me. He can be grouchy and a complete pain in the arse but he gives as good as he gets. He loves me completely, all of me and I, all of him. One of my absolute favourite things about Mr C is that he looks at me with lust, still after all these years. After having 3 kids and my body changing completely. He loves all of me. I am incredibly lucky to have him as my husband and this is the reason why going out for dinner on this one particular day isn’t important. We have everyday to love each other.

 Happy 5th wedding anniversary babe.

I love you more than you will ever know.

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Unfortunately, Australia has a warm climate that provides perfect conditions for many household pests. Many people are unaware of the number of different pests that may be lurking in their homes. Although it is an unsettling thought, just because you don’t see the signs of a pest infestation, does not mean they are not there. So here are some of the most common pests found in Australian homes.

Cockroaches

Like flies, cockroaches can carry many diseases and germs on and in their bodies due to the fact they spend a lot of time in rubbish piles, compost heaps, and dirt. If they are carrying these germs and then walk over food preparation benches, food, cutlery, or cooking equipment, in the home, they can pass theses germs on to humans. These germs can cause illnesses such as: salmonellosis, shigellosis, gastroenteritis and hepatitis A.

Flies

Flies are particularly common during the summer when their population sizes increase. There are five common fly types in Australia: houseflies, bushflies and blowflies. Flies are attracted by a variety of different things including: dirty benches and tables, food scraps, septic tanks, lawn clippings, animal faeces and general waste. All flies carry a variety of diseases on their hairy bodies and legs and in their stomachs, from landing on these unhygienic sources. If flies then come into contact with food or food utensils these germs are transferred to the food and can infect humans with: salmonellosis, shigellosis, trachoma, hepatitis A and gastroenteritis. Their eggs and larvae (maggots) can also infest your outdoor garbage bins.

Termites

Termites, or white ants, are common pests in Australia. Termites feed on timber and other wood sources including timber frames and wooden beams that support your house, as well as wooden skirting boards and architraves. Termites infiltrate the wood and eat the wood from the inside out. Once they have infiltrated the wood they multiply quickly and begin to compromise the structural integrity of your home. If left too long they can be incredibly difficult to irradiate and cause serious structural damage to your home.

Rats and Mice

Rodents are very common in both rural and urban homes as they are scavengers that can thrive in open fields or in urban landscapes. They are incredibly adaptable and will find food, water and shelter anywhere they can. In Australia there are three main rodent species: the ground rat, the roof rat (or climbing rat) and the house mouse. In winter when it is colder rodents seek refuge within your home in cracks, pipes, ventilation ducts, attics and basements. Rodents are attracted to un-sealed or open food sources within pantries and cupboards, as well as crumbs left around food preparation areas. They are often attracted to fruit and nut bearing tress and bushes that grow in gardens. Rodents are also the carriers of many diseases and bacteria that are detrimental to humans.

Whether you have seen signs of a pest infestation or you want a pest evaluation of your home for peace of mind, contact Trusted Pest Management Australia.

By Grace Patterson

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored guest post.

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Summer is an exciting time for kids. It means running around outside under the sprinkler, building sandcastles at the beach with friends and cooling off with a refreshing ice cream. Keep your child’s summer untainted by sunburn by following these few safety tips.

Protect their skin

Sunburnt skin ruins summer fun. Teach your child early on how to be sun smart; then they can enjoy the benefits of a healthy Vitamin D dose and not suffer the associated pain of itchy, peeling and painful burnt skin. The first step is to engrain habits early. Make a routine, do each task in the same order every time. Sunscreen should be SPF 30+ and be applied at least 20 minutes before going outside and reapplied every 2 hours thereafter. Get your child used to wearing sunglasses from an early age and make it fun by purchasing bright colours, or let them choose their special pair. Lead by example and wear a broad brimmed hat. Retail stores stock a range of stylish items; you don’t have to look like a daggy parent to be sun safe. Again, let your child have some input in the hat purchasing process (within reason). Spending a little more on the spider man hat is well worth the extra 10 dollars if they are excited to wear it. Shelling out a little more money now may mean saving them from skin cancers later.

Responsible fun in the sun

It’s easy to play in the sun safely if you know how. Being in the sun at the wrong time can be the difference between a great summer play day and vomit inducing heatstroke. Dehydration can cause a myriad of problems. Prepare your children and have them drink plenty of water before they go out in the sun. Ensure they take periodic breaks to rehydrate and snack on water based fruit. If your child happens to get dehydrated during the day, make hydration fun and give them electrolyte ice blocks. No amount of diligent water consumption will keep your child hydrated if their essential salts are depleted. Limit time outside between the hours of 11am and 4pm or have your children play in the shade during this period. Don’t be fooled by cloudy skies, the majority of UV rays cut through cloud cover and your child could still end up with burnt skin. Get your kids in the habit of applying an after sun moisturiser such as aloe vera to keep their skin soft and hydrated. Grown your own plant for a fun holiday project.

Swim safely

Swimming in the backyard pool provides hours of entertainment and forms irreplaceable childhood memories. However, extra precautions need to be taken when spending sunny days in the pool. Sunscreen washes off in water, therefore more frequent applications are necessary. Body parts submerged in water are still susceptible to the sun. Check the pH level of your pool and have your children wear protective goggles to ward off all-too-common eye injuries sustained from pool chemicals. Invest in a pool cover, such as those at Fabric Solutions, to minimise evaporation, thus, reducing the need to use extra chemicals.

Implementing a sun safety routine will make it second nature for your little ones. Summer time will be a breeze and they will thank you later in life when they don’t have to go under the laser.

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Put children in a swimming pool and you can be assured that they will have the greatest time and will create their own fun! Always make sure they are properly attired with swim shirts, sun hats, sunscreen and swim goggles. The same goes for any adults who are swimming in the pool; they should set a good example.

Image Credit

Pool Noodles

How cheap are pool noodles? You will certainly get your money’s worth with this purchase! Besides using them to hang onto or sit on, six pool noodles can be tied together to make a raft. Let the kids use their imagination to create other pool noodle creations and see how much fun they have.

Beach balls or rubber duckies

Start at one end of the pool. All players are given a beach ball or rubber duckie that they must push to the other end of the pool. However, no hands, feet or mouth can be used. The winner is the player who gets to the other end first, without cheating!

Marco Polo

No pool fun would be complete without the old favourite Marco Polo, which has been around for generations. One person is ‘it’. With their eyes closed, they must try to tag any of the other swimmers in the pool. If tagged, that person becomes ‘it’. Players must keep quiet so the ‘it’ person does not know where they are. However, the ‘it’ person can call out ‘Marco’ to which all players must respond with ‘Polo’. This gives the ‘it’ player a hint as to the others whereabouts. This game will have players shrieking with delight!

Image Credit

Pool volleyball or basketball
These games will keep the older kids entertained. You can purchase pool specific volleyball or basketball games or let the kids create their own with a ball, large bucket placed at the end of the pool or a line rigged up across the pool. The water makes the body lightweight, so these games are ideal for extra ball leverage.

What’s the time Mr Shark/Mr Crocodile?

The same concept as What’s the time Mr Wolf. Children group at one end of the pool, with the exception of Mr Shark, who has his/her back to the group. The group repeatedly asks “What’s the time Mr Shark?”. Mr Shark will say random times, until he pounces around with “Dinner Time!” Whoever he catches for dinner is out. The game then carries on until all players are eaten for dinner.

Image Credit

Pool games are a great source of fun for children of all ages. The only problem you may have is getting them out of the pool! Entice them with some refreshments to allow them to have a little time to rest and recharge. For health and safety reasons, always make sure your swimming pool is kept in optimum condition. Alliance Pool Stores can take care of all your pool needs. Throw in some pool toys like inflatable rings or sea creatures to give the kids a chance to just have some fun without any organised games. Pool games are also a great way for young ones to improve their water skills and confidence.

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I don’t know one person who doesn’t love to fire up the BBQ on a summers afternoon while watching the kids play in the blow up pool or while enjoying a few drinks with friends (the adults not the kids). We are big on barbecuing in our house and why wouldn’t you be? It’s faster to cook, there are less dishes and it gets everyone outside; so when I was emailed asking if I would like to review the Outdoor Chef – Leon I had to say yes! We used Leon for the first time on Christmas Day to glaze our ham and it did a great job. It heated up fast and maintained the temperature required without any effort. I love that you can use it to cook many things; it has a guide on the front of the bbq to let you know what setting and which way the cone should go for whatever food it is that you wish to cook. It comes with an open grill so unfortunately you can’t cook eggs or onion on it without purchasing a flat plate or putting a fry pan on the grill however it is great for cooking up a few snags, bacon or even thick pieces of steak.

Our Christmas ham (thanks to my father in law)

The only thing I could fault with Leon was that when the wind blew the gas blew out but that could have been easily rectified by us moving the bbq to a better location out of the weather elements. This modern and stylish BBQ features an enamelled finish, single burner, hinged lid with a thermometer and has wheels for easy mobility. Leon is a great size in terms of how much space it takes up; this gas kettle bbq is small but packs a punch, is easy for one person to put it together in under an hour and as it is readily available at your local Bunnings for $299 it’s perfect for the upcoming Australia Day celebrations!

Outdoor Chef Leon – $299 from Bunnings

Disclaimer: I received the Outdoor Chef Leon to review for the purpose of this post. All opinions are my own. 

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