Cash Doctors Blog

Easter Weekend: Event Guide

Edda Hamar — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:04:24 +0000

What are you getting up to this long weekend?

With 4 days off you’ve got the perfect opportunity to rest, rejuvenate and recover… or enter a 4-day bender. Whatever you plan on doing, the event guide below offers something for everyone.

Have a happy Easter break!

QLD

Byron Bay Bluesfest
Date: 5th – 9th of April
Tickets: $345 – $375
More info.

Easterfest, Toowoomba
Date: 6th – 8th of April
Tickets: $60 – $120
More info.

Easter in Surfers Paradise
Date: 7th – 8th April
Entry: free
More info.

NSW

The Royal Easter Show
Date: 5th – 18th of April
Tickets: $23 – $36
More info.

Tilba Easter Festival
Date: 7th of April
Entry: $10 donation for adults, $5 for teenagers and pensioners and kids under 13 free.
More info.

BMW Golden Slipper Race Day
Date: 7th of April
General admission: $40
Silver Reserved Seating (incl admission): $65
Gold Reserved Seating (incl admission): $75
More info.

Ulladulla: Blessing of the Fleet
Date: 8th of April
Entry: free
More info.

ACT

National Folk Festival
Date: 5th – 9th of April
Tickets
More info.

Easter activities for the kids
Date: 26th – 10th April
Location: Across the ACT
More info.

Seal performance
Date: 8th of April
Location: Royal Theatre, National Convention Centre
More info.

VIC

Bendigo Easter Festival
Date: 6th -8th of April
More info.

Rock the Vines
Date: 8th of April
Location: Bullers Winery, Rutherglen.
Cost: $75
More info.

Beechworth: Golden Horses Festival
Date: 6th – 8th April
More info.

Tasmania

Easter activities for the kids
Date: March – April
Location: Across Tasmania
More info.

International Mural Fest
Date: 8th – 14th of April
Location: Mural Park, Sheffield
More info.

The Australian Three Peaks Race
Date: 6th – 9th April
Location: Across Tasmania
More info.

SA

Diva at Dusk
Date: 6pm on the 6th April
Cost: $25 (bookings essential)
Where: Sinclair’s Gully
More info.

Oakbank Easter Carnival
Date: 7th – 9th of April
Cost: $30
Where: Oakbank
More info.

Yorke Peninsula Art Exhibition
Date: 5th – 8th of April
Cost: $2.00
Where: Ardrossan
More info.

WA

Fremantle Street Arts Festival
Date: 7th – 9th of April
Cost: $25 (bookings essential)
Where: South Terrace/Market Streets, Fremantle
More info.

York Antique and Collectors Fair

Date: 7th – 9th of April
Cost: $6 (adults)
Where: York Town Hall, York
More info.

Movies Under the Stars in Denmark

Date: 7th April at 6pm
Cost: Adult $15, Child $5
Where: Howard Park & MadFish Denmark Winery
More info.

NT

Easter activities for the kids
Date: March – April
Where: Throughout Northern Territory
More info.

Dundee Easter Family Fishing Competition 2012
Date: 6th – 9th of April
Cost: $20 member, $30 non member, $75 family, $15 individual children
Where: Dundee and Finniss River
More info.

XXXX Timber Creek Tourist Park Easter Fishing Competition
Date: 6th – 8th of April
Where: Timber Creek
More info.

Happy Easter!

Stopping all stations to credit card debt

Edda Hamar — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:08:51 +0000

Ever been bogged down with credit card debt?

So bogged that you can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel?

A debt tunnel so dark, long and windy that light can’t possibly get to you.

You’re not alone.

When you jump on the credit card train, life seems dandy at first. The view is great, the seats are comfortable and the snack trolley serves champagne. Why was everyone warning you about this glorious adventure? The credit card train pulls up at a station and a few cautious folk jump off. You see the most magnificent mountain on the horizon and decide to stay on. As you approach the mountain, you see wild baby goats grazing on it’s peak and a running stream glistening in the sunlight. You’ve always wanted to explore the countryside like this.

A crackle in the intercom interrupts your exploring eyes, “We will shortly be entering inside a world-famous tunnel. It takes approximately 3 years to travel through it and some never come out. Brace yourself.” Before you can digest what the train driver has just said, you’re inside the dark tunnel. The lights start to flicker, a funny smell creeps into the cabin and the train speeds up. Eventually it’s completely dark and the champagne now tastes like Passion Pop.

“OUCH!”, you’ve just been catapulted into the person sitting opposite you. The train has stopped. “Dear passengers, you are now in the Tunnel of Debt. We will be coming around to collect payments once a month. The only way out is by foot. With no light, this is a very difficult journey. We recommend making yourself at home on the train and paying the minimum monthly payments. The snack trolley will be coming around shortly and has an excellent selection of beans and 2-minute noodles.”

A few surprising facts about credit card debt:

The average credit card debt per consumer is $3,333 as at Nov, 2011.
15 million credit cards in circulation in Australia as at Nov, 2011 (there are just over 22 million living in Australia).
The Reserve Bank of Australia “figures show mortgage, credit card and personal loan debts now stand at $1.2 trillion, up 71 per cent from just five years ago and equating to $56,000 for every man, woman and child in the country” (Source: Sydney Morning Herald, December 2009).

The warning signs: Are you on the best train ride of your life?

Are you leading a carefree-spending life? Be careful when introducing a credit card into your wallet. There are some great benefits like interest free periods, having the ability to buy things 24/7 and collecting reward points – but it all comes with temptation to spend money you don’t have. Beware of the warning signs. If you recognise any of the following, it might be time to jump off at the next stop:

Excessive, out of control or unnecessary purchases
Making a purchase gives you a rush
You hide or throw away your receipts
You purchase and take back items out of guilt
You go over your budget with an “I’ll sort it out later” attitude
Your spending habits are impairing your close relationships
You shop when you’re in a bad mood to make you feel better
You own things you’ve never used or worn
You don’t keep track of your spending… do you know what your balance is right now?

Have you already entered the debt tunnel?

Here are signs that you need to get off that debt train or get a move on out of the tunnel:
Do you rely solely on credit?
Do you only make minimum repayments?
Do you hide your credit card bill from your spouse?
Never have cash in your wallet?
Do you have more than two ‘branded’ or store credit cards?
When your cards max out, instead of paying it off, you open a new account…

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, it might be a good time to get a move on out of that debt tunnel.

How do I get to the end of the tunnel, asap?

There are a number of ways that improve your situation. If you’re completely reliant on your credit card, there are ways to wean yourself off it. Here are 10 ways to help you get back on track:

Use cash. Using cash forces you to be more aware of how much you’re spending as you have to frequently withdraw the money.
Freeze your cards… in a glass of water in the freezer. If you suffer from ‘impulse splurges’, this is a good way to break that habit. It will give you the time you need to think through each purchase.
Create a budget. Draw up a plan, set your goals and only spend what you have set aside for ‘spending’. There are a number of free resources online.
Track your expenses. Write down everything you spend so you are keeping a constant eye on it.
Make a shopping list before you go out – and stick to it. Challenge yourself to only buy what is on the list.
Get rid of all your cards, except for one – for emergencies. Consolidate your debt and reduce your cards to just one.
Leave your wallet at home once a week. Try and foresee each opportunity that may require you to spend money and plan for it. Take a packed lunch and ride your bike to work.
Find a go-to activity when you get the urge to shop. Go for a walk or a run, call a friend, do something crafty, bake a cake etc.
Cut your expenses. Buy in bulk, cook and freeze meals, reduce transportation costs, find a cheaper alternative for everything. See if you can reduce your phone plan, refinance your mortgage, find a cheaper hairdresser, cancel your Foxtel bill, stop paying for parking and stop buying drinks when you’re out and about (pack a water-bottle).
Look for another stream of income. Can you mow lawns on a Saturday? Babysit on a Friday night? Sell something at the markets? Teach English?

You may feel like there’s no hope or that you don’t even know where to start. Draw up a plan, set yourself 3 goals and get ready to put in the hard yards. You have to trust that there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you keep moving forward, you’ll see it as you approach that last few bends.

Australia Day 2012 – what’s on?

Greg Ellis — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:19:52 +0000

It’s time to celebrate!

Have you made plans for Australia Day? If you managed to get Friday off work, you’re in for a mighty long weekend!

FYI: Australia Day is on Thursday the 26th of January.

It’s the one day where you can get away with applying a yellow and green zinc combo to your face, wear more merchandise than clothing and feel immense amounts of patriotism when your friends spend the entire day in an inflatable pool.

To kick start your Australia Day spirit, I’ve collected 24 facts that will trigger a few patriotic butterflies in your stomach.

You know you’re Australian when…

You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.
You can translate: “Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas”.
You understand that “excuse me” can sound rude, while “scuse me” is always polite.
You still don’t get why the “Labor” in “Australian Labor Party” is not spelt with a “u”.
You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionery known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.
You know that thongs are not underwear and you wear them all year round , hot or cold, rain or shine.
You know what togs are and you wear them all year round, even when you’re not going for a swim.
You think “Woolloomooloo” is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.
When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs – just in case you’re trying to sneak in fruit.
You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second.
You know what a goon bag is and you know it can double up as a pillow.
You pronounce Melbourne as “Mel-bin”.
Your right arm is darker than your left from driving in the sun.
You know everyone working at Whistler.
You went to Canberra to see the war memorial as a school excursion.
When it rains – it pours.
You remember 30c cones from McDonalds and used to buy them every day driving home from school.
You would never ever dream of drinking Fosters.
You see a cop car and flash your lights to warn others.
You sleep with Aeroguard on.
An eight-hour trip to go camping for the weekend isn’t out of the question or excessive.
Public holidays. Say no more.
You feel obliged to spread salty black stuff that looks like congealed motor oil on bread and actually grow to like it.
You say ‘no worries’ quite often, whether you realise it or not.

Australia Day Events – what’s on in your state?

QLD

Australia Day Festival

Time: 10am
What to expect: South Bank will come alive with colour, sound and movement as some of Queensland’s most talented performers and community groups entertain audiences throughout the day. Be there to enjoy live music, a vibrant stage program and creative, hands-on activities.
Venue: The Parklands, South Bank
Cost: Free
More info

AusSounds Concert

Time: 5pm – 7:30pm
What to expect: A live outdoor concert along the banks of the Brisbane River followed by a spectacular fireworks display.
Venue: The Parklands, South Bank
Cost: Free
More info

Cazalys Cairns, Great Aussie Meat Pie Challenge

Time: 12pm – 5pm
What to expect: Aussie meat pie challenge with $1000 prize money, live bands, live broadcast with Baz & Pacey from SE FM, kids activities, jumping castle, face painting and flip the clown.
Venue: Cazalys, Cairns
Cost: Free
More info

NSW

Darling Harbour Australia Day Spectacular and Fireworks

Time: 7pm – 9pm
What to expect: Addresses from the NSW Premier and the Governor, boat parades, a Water Police rescue, a breathtaking symphony of light, sound, music and fireworks.
Venue: Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour
Cost: Free
More info

Sydney Ports Jazz on the Water Concert

Time: 3pm – 9pm
What to expect: Pack a picnic, bring your mates and enjoy refreshments and a licensed bar from 3.00pm onwards. Winners of the Best Dressed Vessels competition will be announced during the event.
Venue: Pirrama Point Park and Johnstons Bay
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Big Breakfast at Dee Why

Time: 7am – 11am
What to expect: Big Breakfast including bacon/sausage and egg rolls, pancakes with maple syrup/lemon and sugar. Your local Manly thong throwing competition. Rides and activities (gold coin donation). Official ceremonies and flag raising 9am. Live music on stage. Kids’ activities.
Venue: Ted Jackson Reserve, Dee Why Beach
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Festa

Time: 11am – 4pm
What to expect: Kids carnival rides, pony rides, animal farm, face painting, BBQ, entertainment, meet & Greet ‘Blinky Bill’ and food stalls.
Venue: Club Marconi
Cost: Free
More info

ACT

Australia Celebrates Live

Time: 7pm – 10pm (25th of January)
What to expect: Australian Of The Year Awards announced, then at 8:00pm the Australia Celebrates Live Concert begins. This year’s lineup including Sneaky Sound System.
Venue: Federation Mall, Canberra
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Carillon Recital

Time: 12:30pm – 1:10pm
What to expect: Enjoy a musical celebration of Australia Day at the National Carillon. Bring a picnic and enjoy Australia Day on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.
Venue: National Carillon
Cost: Free
More info

Chief Minister’s Regatta

Time: 2pm – 8pm
What to expect: This is one of the largest regattas held in Canberra with over 100 boats taking place
Venue: Canberra Yacht Club, Lake Burley Griffin
Cost: Free
More info

Off the Walls: Art from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Agencies 1967-2005

Time: 9am – 5pm
What to expect: This exhibition takes you into the world of indigenous art, and the politics and history of a time of great change.
Venue: National Museum of Australia, Acton Peninsula
Cost: Free
More info

VIC

7th Annual Havaianas Challenge

Time: 7am – 7pm
What to expect: Be a part of a sand-sational day of flip-flopping around in the water, lapping up the beautiful Australian sunshine. Last year’s champions in WA are ready to defend their title and fight for consecutive victory.
Venue: Torquay Beach and Australian beaches nationwide
Cost: $30 ($20 online)
More info

RACV Big Brekkie

Time: 8am – 10am
What to expect: Enjoy food from a diversity of cultures, while being entertained by acclaimed singer and songwriter Richard Franklin and the Charcoal Club.
Venue: Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne
Cost: free
More info

Australia Day Big Breakfast

Time: 9am
What to expect: The Laverton Community Choir will perform a selection of Australian songs. Councilor Bob Fairclough will present the local “Citizen of the year” awards including a special Junior Citizen award.
Venue: Laverton Point Cook
Cost: free
More info

Australia Day Eve Comedy Debate

Time: 8pm – 9pm
What to expect: Start off Australia Day celebrations with some madness and irreverence from Des Dowling, Heath Franklin, Hannah Gadsby, Hung Le, Aleisha McCormack and Terri Psiakis.
Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square
Cost: free
More info

SA

Australia Day in the City

Time: 6pm – 10pm
What to expect: Fireworks, concert & parade.
Venue: Elder Park
Cost: Free
More info

Wombat Australia Day

Time: 2pm – 5pm
What to expect: Award winning book ‘Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt’ will be launched on the day and the City Jazzmen will be playing along with a charity BBQ from Rotary Edge.
Venue: Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide
Cost: Free
More info

Campbelltown Australia Day Celebrations

Time: 10am
What to expect: A free family fun day with food, face painting, children’s activities, sit back and enjoy the Campbelltown city band, also the presentation of Campbelltown’s citizen of the year and young citizen of the year.
Venue: Campbelltown Council Office Green
Cost: Free
More info

WA

Australia Day Lunch

Time: 12pm – 2:30pm
What to expect: Australia Post will announce its Legends Series of Stamps which will feature living legends from the four football codes – Rugby, Australian Rules, Rugby League and Soccer and His Excellency The Governor of Western Australia will make his inaugural Australia Day Address.
Venue: Government House Ballroom
Cost: $125 for a seat
More info

Fellowship of First Fleeters Swan River Chapter

Time: 11am
What to expect: Family Picnic to be held
Venue: Charles Paterson Park, Burswood
Cost: Free
More info

Freemantle’s Australia Day Celebrations

Time: 4pm – 8pm
What to expect: A free sausage sizzle and entertainment including Captain Cleanup, face painting, art markets and giant bubbles.
Venue: Freemantle Esplanade Reserve
Cost: Free
More info

Indian Ocean Sky Show

Time: 8pm – 10pm
What to expect: A skyshow extravaganza
Venue: Bathers Bay
Cost: Free
More info

TAS

Australia Day Breakfast on the Bellerive Boardwalk

Time: 8:30am – 12pm
What to expect: A delicious budget breakfast provided by the Lions Club of Clarence accompanied by great musical entertainment by reggae outfit, Trumps.
Venue: Bellerive Boardwalk
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Fiesta

Time: 4pm – 8pm
What to expect: An evening of live music, Australia Day Awards, new citizens, dance and family entertainment at the new Bluff Precinct.
Venue: Mersey Bluff, Devonport
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Picnic by the Leven

Time: 4pm – 8pm
What to expect: A family picnic at Anzac Park, Ulverstone, on the banks of the Leven River, incorporating the official ceremony followed by family activities and live entertainment.
Venue: Anzac Park, Ulverstone
Cost: Free
More info

NT

Pine Creek Australia Day Traditional

Time: 12pm – 5pm
What to expect: An afternoon of fun and games including flag raising, national anthem, sausage and lamb chop sizzle, kids games, Australiana Quiz and light family entertainment.
Venue: Miners Park, Main Tce
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day at Howard Springs Reserve

Time: 12pm – 4pm
What to expect: Free family day including Cricket, pie eating, boule, speed scrabble, corn hole – lots of prizes – free food and soft drink.
Venue: Howard Springs Reserve
Cost: Free
More info

OzFusion

Time: 4pm – 8pm
What to expect: An exciting blend of multicultural performances and activities in the cool of the Cypriot Club.
Venue: Cyprus Community Centre
Cost: Free
More info

Australia Day Fun Walk/Run at the Esplanade

Time: 7am – 12pm
What to expect: A healthy way to start the day with a 2km or 4.5km walk or run.
Venue: Esplanade, Darwin
Cost: Free
More info

Want to do your own thing? Activity ideas…

Thong throwing
Sack races
Sao, lamington or meat pie eating competition
Sausage sizzle
Pavlova making competition
Egg and spoon race

More ideas

Interested in Australian of the Year awards? Click here.

Don’t forget to tune into the Triple J Hottest 100!

17 Easy Eco-Resolutions for the New Year

Edda Hamar — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:53:31 +0000

Happy New Year!

It’s finally time to lose 10kgs, cut down on smoking/drinking and get out of debt.

Or is that what you did last year?

Don’t worry, those three things are at the top 90% of new year’s resolution lists. I did some research and found that 55% of Australian Adults are considered overweight or obese, 19% of Australian adults still smoke and each Australian is in debt to the value of around US$56,000 (this includes good and bad debt). What is good and bad debt? Find out here.

Another discovery I made was that:

75% of people stick to their resolutions past the first week
71% past the second week
63% past the first month
46% past the first 6 months

(Reference)

Then, I stumbled across something that I’ve never included in my own new year’s resolutions.

Eco-resolutions.

This year I’ll be adding ‘eco-resolutions’ – to do my bit for the planet. I’ve put together 17 easy ways to make your life a little greener. I encourage you to pick 3-5 off my list and put them into action in 2012.

1. Eco-friendly household cleaners

E.g. Earth Choice – they have a great ad, too.

2. Don’t use the dryer – hang out your washing.

Dryers produce approximately 159kg of CO2 in a year – that’s three times that of your washing machine.

3. Use your car less.

Ride your bike or take public transport to work. It’s great exercise, saves money and… environmentally friendly!

4. Eat less meat.

Cows produce 14% of the world’s greenhouse gasses.

5. Install solar panelling on your house.

You might even want to consider buying a rain water tank.

6. Energy efficient light bulbs.

They only use 20% of the energy that standard light bulbs use.

7. Green food/drink.

Visit your local bottle shop and see if they have Cascade Green. It’s a 100% carbon offset brew.

8. Organise your documents electronically.

That way you don’t have to keep printing them. Australians use 1.7 million tonnes of printing and writing paper each year – that’s equivalent to tens of millions of trees. ‘Dropbox’ is an online portal where you can store your documents and access them wherever you have Internet access.

9. Remember your reusable bag.

Did you know that 100,000 marine creatures die from plastic bag entanglement every year? And they are only the ones we find.

10. Reduce the amount of packaging you use.

Reusable containers are all the craze in 2012!

11. Don’t buy water.

Refill a water bottle at home. Did you know 373 million water bottles end up in waste every year in Australia?

12. Unplug electrical appliances when you’re not using them.

And flick the switch off.

13. Buy local.

Check out your nearby farmer’s markets.

14. Organise a community clean up day.

15. Take shorter showers.

Use this shower calculator to figure out how much water you’re using: Calculator. Also consider shower pooling:

16. Grow your own fruit and vegetables.

17. Choose sustainable brands

Comet Skateboards, Holloway Eyewear, No Formula, Good Concepts

All the best for 2012!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

Greg Ellis — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:39:00 +0000

The team at Cash Doctors send their best wishes…

Greg and Sean taking the sleigh for a test ride.

For opening hours and clearance times over the holiday period, click here.

Cash Doctors Christmas Party 2011

Greg Ellis — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:21:29 +0000

A great start to the silly season.

The Cash Doctors Christmas party was a night to remember. We all had a ball. It started off with a game of celebrity heads followed by Sean and I going head to head in a few challenges organised by the staff. Like any good party, Santa even made a brief visit.

A big congratulations needs to go to the all the ‘Employee of The Year’ award winners – we ended up having 11 recipients because it was too hard to pick only 6.

The bar in customer service has certainly been raised.

Here are a few snaps from the night…

Michelle and Tash

Greg, Nicole & Johan

Johan & Kerri

Mel & Santa

Santa and Tim

Tim & Greg

May, Edda & Bec

Larissa, Luke & Sammi

Sean, Phil & Greg

Tips to get you through the silly season

Greg Ellis — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:53:16 +0000

Christmas shopping.

One for auntie Mary, two for me.
One for Sarah, four for me.
One for mum, one for me.

Sound familiar?

It’s easy to splurge on yourself when browsing the aisles for presents – especially if you’re a sucker for “ah it’s Christmas, I deserve a treat”.

We’ve done some research and discovered a number of interesting statistics on this year’s expected Christmas spending trends.

Christmas is much more expensive than I remembered!

To help you resist the urge to splurge, we’ve also put together 5 essential tips to get you through the silly season.

Have a merry Christmas!

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Cash Doctors turns 6 this month…

Greg Ellis — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:05:16 +0000

On January 25th, 1981, I also turned 6. It was a particularly exciting day as it was also my first day of grade 1. Mum tucked my shirt into my new navy pants, put an apple in my cardboard port and walked me right up to the classroom door. The time had come to make the transition from pre-school to the big kids world of primary school.

2011 has been a similar time for Cash Doctors.

We’ve transitioned into a stronger, more sophisticated organisation. Our team has grown in numbers and talent – and we’re finally getting recognised for it!

Placing 74th on the BRW ‘Fast 100’ list felt really good.

The highlight for me was launching the new mobile phone browser. It’s always the most fun releasing new product innovations and anything that makes things faster, easier and more convenient for our members. That’s what it’s all about, after all.

The other highlight has been moving into this big open modern office space. It’s ready for the fast growth we’re having and it’s shaping up really nicely. We’ve got new furniture, painted artwork on the walls, decorated with a bunch of pot plants – people are really starting to feel at home.

Much like I had a lot in front of me as I waddled off to grade 1 with my burgundy port – there’s still a lot in front of me as I write this.

2012 is going to be massive. More and more people are finding out about what we do and they seem to really like it. We’ll be launching a new mobile phone application in January. In the first quarter of 2012 we’re releasing something that will make applying and payment way faster for people getting their first advance from us. I’ll keep it top secret for now though. It’s got me pretty excited!

The new Cash Doctors card will also happen in 2012, along with some rewards for members who use our product responsibly.

We’re also about to welcome a few new management recruits to Cash Doctors in the coming months.

It’s all happening. Hopefully in a year’s time we can graduate into the high-school world – where we can make an even bigger difference.

Thanks for helping us getting to where we are today – and telling us where we need to improve and change. We’re always trying to improve our service to make it more convenient for you.

All the best for the holiday season.

Cheers,

Greg

Battle of the Christmas Cakes

Greg Ellis — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:01:58 +0000

I’m in the bakery section of the supermarket. Shopping for Christmas food can be overwhelming. What do you need and what don’t you need? Out of what you do need, which brand is the best? Will your guests know if you buy the cheapest brand?

Then there’s the Christmas cake… it’s a tradition but does anyone really like it?

I reach out, grab a Christmas fruit cake and pop it in the trolley… because it’s Christmas and that’s what you should buy.

“Have you tried this one?”, says the check-out lady, who looks like she’s eaten a few cakes in her time.
“No… I’m not a huge fan of Christmas cake”, I reply.
She leans over the conveyor belt, “it’s dreadful, I’d go with the one in the red box”.

Stunned, I hand over my credit card.

The next day I went back and bought 3 different Christmas cakes. I was going to get to the bottom of this cake business.

I set up my experiment at the office…

Aim: Determine which Christmas cake tastes the best.

Hypothesis: I predict that the most expensive cake will taste the best.

Method

My four purchases were going head to head. The original purchase, Coles home brand, had some tough competition.

Time to get ready for battle.

I laid each competitor out on the table. To ensure there were no biases I gave them an undercover name; Brand W, Brand X, Brand Y and Brand Z. Some already smelled of defeat but they still lined up, ready for dissection.

Brand W thought he had the advantage. Covered in a thick layer of sweet white icing, tongues were in for a treat.

Brand X, the underdog, was relying in his moist nature to win votes.

Brand Y had worked on creating balance between cake and icing – ready for whoever came her way.

Brand Z was initially a little unsure of where her strengths lay, but eventually realised that tradition was what she brought to the table.

Next, I sliced each cake into small, bite-sized pieces. While they were at varying levels of crumbliness, I found Brand X to be the most moist and hardest to work with. Brand Y was tough to cut through but presented well.

As they sat patiently on their plates, their aromas started to fill the room. It was pleasant.

Cake Specs

Brand W: Mr. Kipling
Description: “Rich and juicy fruit cake topped with a soft almond layer and delicate white icing. A classic treat.”
Ingredients: 15% almond topping, 26% white icing (no % for fruit available).
Calories per 50g serve: 186
Cost per kg: $16.00
Net: 235 grams (a lot of packaging though)

Brand X: Coles – Dark Fruit Cake
Description: “A dark cake filled with sultanas, citrus peel and glace cherries.”
Ingredients: 45% mixed fruit
Calories per 50g serve: 195
Cost per kg: $5.00
Net: 800 grams

Brand Y: Ernest Adams – Double Iced Christmas Cake
Description: “Original recipe packed full of fruit and topped with a layer of almond-flavoured icing and a layer of soft white icing.”
Ingredients: 37% mixed fruit
Calories per 50g serve: 195
Cost per kg: $12
Net: 1kg

Brand Z: Big Sister – Rich Fruit Cake
Description: “Prepared with the finest quality ingredients from our original, special recipe.”
Ingredients: 36% fruit
Calories per 50g serve: 192
Cost per kg: $14.29
Net: 700 grams

A sample of Cash Doctors employees (15 participants) came to put the cakes to the test. Who will conquer the Christmas cake battle?

The participants ranked each cake 1-4 (1 = best tasting and 4 = worst tasting).

Results

Before long the cakes were exhausted. They put everything they had into peoples’ mouths and had nothing more to give. Who won the battle? In reverse order….

In 4th place we had Brand X: Coles Dark Fruit Cake. This little guy wasn’t well received. Many participants screwed their faces up in disgust and others simply couldn’t finish their mouthful. Poor guy.

In 3rd place was Ernest Adams’ Double Iced Christmas Cake. Unfortunately he didn’t present any unique strengths – the icing wasn’t as good as Brand W and the cake wasn’t as good as Brand Z.

Managing to pip Ernest at the line was Big Sister’s ‘Rich Fruit Cake’. She put in a good fight.

And the winner was…

Mr. Kipling! He took the cake for being the tastiest.

Score board:

Brand	Score (out of 4)
Brand W: Mr. Kipling	1.93
Brand X: Coles	2.8
Brand Y: Ernest Adams	2.67
Brand Z: Big Sister	2.6

Conclusion

The final score-count shows a clear winner: Mr. Kipling with a score of 1.93. Following the winner in second place is Big Sister with a score of 2.6. Closely in third is Ernest Adams with 2.67 and finally Coles comes in 4th with a score of 2.8.

When taking into account the feedback of participants I believe these results are not an accurate reflection of the best tasting cake. A lot of participants commented that they are not great fans of Christmas cake and a few were “only in it for the icing”.

Although I believe my sample was an accurate reflection of society (not everyone likes Christmas cake), for the purpose of selecting the best tasting cake, my participants were not ideal. Mr. Kipling’s cake was icing-heavy and I believe this is the cause of it’s winning position. My test was to determine which cake tastes the best to people who actually enjoy Christmas cake.

The most expensive cake, Ernest Adams’ ‘Double Iced Christmas Cake’, came in third – therefore disproving my hypothesis.

Recommendation

Considering the winner, Mr. Kipling, was 41% icing according to the ingredients on the back (it looked more like 60% when it came out of the packet), I will have to disqualify this cake as a Christmas cake candidate. A true Christmas cake lover would think nothing of a cake with such a high icing to cake ratio. If you are catering to children, I would recommend this cake. It costs just $3.75 but you only receive 6 slices (about a quarter of what you receive in the tradition square cake) which brings it approximately $16/kg.

If you’re looking for an honest Christmas cake, Big Sister’s ‘Rich Fruit Cake’ has proved itself as not only an affordable option ($10) but also great tasting.

The Ernest Adams cake was the most expensive at $12 and was just 0.07 points off the Big Sister cake. If you are looking for a great tasting cake with icing – Ernest Adams is the one for you. There is a thin layer of almond icing underneath the traditional white icing. This cake also has a trace of cinnamon flavour – for a little Christmas ‘spice’.

For a Christmas cake on a budget, Coles ‘Dark Fruit Cake’ is the one ($4). Sadly, it didn’t impress many. The finance department commented that ‘this one is disgusting’. There were though 4 participants that rated it as their number 1 preference so I think it comes down to individual tastes. The Woolworth’s brand Christmas cake has not come out yet but it may be worth comparing their price when it comes out.

My biggest recommendation is to make it yourself. You can marinate your fruit in brandy, add some dark chocolate and why not try some goji berries? It’s your cake, make it to suit your taste buds.

Best of luck!

We’re on the BRW Fast 100 list!

Greg Ellis — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:50:44 +0000

Last night BRW held their annual Fast 100 cocktail party. Sean and I suited up and flew down to Melbourne. What a night.

BRW is a business magazine that publishes valuable news and commentary on the economy, investments and business. They publish a ‘Fast 100’ list every year comprised of the 100 fastest growing companies in Australia. Our position in the list was announced last night.

It was fun to rock up on the red carpet and celebrate nearly 6 years of hard work. We met a lot of cool people and drank some good champagne.

After a few speeches they announced the order of the list. We just wanted to come better than 100 (haha). We were announced as number 74 or the list.

Not bad.

The funny thing is, I feel like we’re just getting started. We’ve got some pretty exciting things rolling out in the next couple of years. Buckle up!

Here are some shots from around the office – with our new magazine.