Unlikely things Aussie millionaire and finder.com co-founder Fred Schebesta will claim on his tax

HE WAS a millionaire at age 30. And he didn’t get there without knowing more than a few savvy ways to save a buck.

HE WAS a millionaire at age 30. And he didn’t get there without knowing more than a few savvy ways to save a buck.

The co-founder of financial comparison site finder.com, Fred Schebesta, now 33, has revealed the 10 unlikely things he will claim on his tax this financial year.

1. Eagle statues

A reward for eagle-eyed staff.

The eagle is an important symbol in Mr Schebesta’s business. It features in his company logo and signifies a trait he looks for in his employees. The statues are given to staff members who pay particular attention to detail. “It shows that they have an eagle eye,” he said.

2. Tents and sleeping bags

Keen tech-heads line up for new iPhone 5 at the Apple Store in George St, Sydney.

Being a place where Australians turn to when they need to compare devices, Mr Schebesta says it is vital that finder.com are the first to get their hands on new products. His staff bought tents and sleeping bags and camped outside Sydney’s Apple Store in George St when the iPhone 5 was released and, yes, they were at the front of what became a long line when it opened. “You see some pretty unusual characters around there at night,” Mr Schebesta laughed.

3. Handbags

The iBag smart handbags.

In its never-ending quest to compare products and help people find better, finder.com bought handbags in the research and design process of its iBag. The product aims to help consumers stay on top of their credit card bills by alerting the owner when they enter shopping danger zones, such as being within the vicinity of a Westfield shopping centre.

4. A ninja sword

A ninja sword reward.

Yes, a ninja sword. The weapon hangs in the finder.com office and was bought as a company medal to reward the staff’s good work.

5. A bagpipe player

Want to get attention? Hire a bagpipe player.

Mr Schebesta is a sought-after speaker and he decided to punctuate a speech he made on the topic of “Cutting through the noise” by literally cutting through the noise. He walked onto the stage with a real-life bagpipe player. “The whole audience was speechless,” Mr Schebesta said. “It exemplified the talk and everyone remembered it.”

6. Energy drinks

Red Bull gives staff wings.

Finder.com hosts 24-hour “hack-a-thons” every 60 days and what’s the best fuel for an all-nighter? Red Bull, of course. Mr Schebesta said the drinks were helpful for an extra jolt, but there was a limit. “I can take three and then I’m not really communicative after that,” he joked.

7. Apps

Do you use apps for work purposes?

Mr Schebesta plans to claim apps that his company downloaded from the iTunes store. He said finder.com downloaded them for research into which apps had the best usability. If you too have downloaded an app or two that you use for work purposes, you could be well within your rights to claim it against your income.

8. Camouflage gear and military helmets

Army gear in the office.

Mr Schebesta was tight-lipped about exactly what these items were for because he said they were integral to an upcoming project the business was working on that is yet to be announced.

9. Pixel art

Pixel art is all the rage.

Finder.com has bought these crude pieces of digital art for the office. “We basically bought them so we could study them and create infographics,” Mr Schebesta said.

10. Post-It notes

Finder.com has turned Post-It notes into signage.

Blue Post-It notes are all over the finder.com offices, and hundreds of them have been used on windows to create signage (see photo above).

Co-founder of comparison website finder.com.au, Fred Schebesta. Picture: Jeff Camden

Mr Schebesta acknowledged that some of these deductions probably couldn’t be replicated by the average taxpayer, but there were lessons for other people preparing their tax returns.

“The first thing to recognise is you shouldn’t go out and try and get a tax deduction by spending money,” he said. “It’s better to save it than spend it.”

He recommended small business owners investigate what tax breaks were available for research and development.

He also urged taxpayers visit the Australian Tax Office site to see what particular deductions were available for their professions.

“You would be surprised what you can claim based on what work you do,” he said.

“You can look at basics like a lot of the expenses or things that are tax deductible, you probably don’t realise how much you are using it for work purposes.”

He cited cars, mobile phones and work dress as all examples of things that could be claimed.

“Take your credit card line by line and just question, ‘Do I use it for work or not?’,” Mr Schebesta said.