Starbucks, Trainers and Cottages - Ohhh My!

VeronicaMars

Tell me everyone has saw the goonies – tell me it is so…

Awwww supersaver1000 and Maryland – you guys made me smile. A big cheesy one too!

Gosh – I have gone AWOL from MSE land – how did I survive? Managed to do a couple of blog updates, I’m a good blogger They have not been great, though... MUST TRY HARDER.

http://www.lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/

Nothing creative, unfortunately. Life has been too crazy the last week. It looks like Mr Mars and I are finally moving abroad!!! 2 months time we go. Although I wanted this for sooooo long - I am peeing my panties!!!

Moving to a country where cost of living is higher, we are getting paid less and we know no-one – sounds brilliant, eh? Ever have those moments when you think – what the DUCK are we thinking?!?!

Not too bad though, Mr Mars brother stays not too far away. So we will have 1 friend. 1 single friend. Better start being nice to people (only kidding - I'm a bundle of kindness).

So in light of me moving to the other side of the world and no knowing anyone… …. here are the things concerning me:

· All my DIY projects have been escalated by 1,000mph. That table I wanted to paint? I either paint it now or it does not come with us…those coasters…paint them or they are gone. That bag a jelly beans - eat them or they are gone. :rotfl:

· Also what to do about the credit cards. I’m thinking I will shift the money to a separate account and then just set upstanding orders from there? This is probably a valid concern, actually :money:

· What to take? We get an allowance to move (through Mr Mars work) but that can also be put towards rent. But I have read on forums that we should take absolutely everything as everything is double the price but half the quality over there.

· The toiletries – man I need to get through these toiletries!

· Christmas – how am I going to ship all the presents back? The cost :eek:

At least I have got my priorities right, eh, eh? NOT!

xoxo

VeronicaMars

Ohh. My. GAWD.

Do you know how much documentation is involved when moving abroad? DO YOU? It is horrific. The costs are mounting up already. £290 for a medical! :eek: £90 for x-rays!! :eek: £5 for passport photos!!! :eek: I’ve demanded that Mr Mars keeps all receipts relating to the move, even POSTAGE, so we can tally up the total cost. And cry over it with a glass of wine in a country where we have no home and don’t know anyone, but we have a 30 month visa. Can’t wait. :beer:

I’m so unorganised as well. It is painful. That’s it – I’m not going – too much paperwork. I’m opting out Mr Mars!



Todays to do list:

• Change pin numbers (new cards from name change)
• Do phone insurance covering letters
• Do immigration documents x 2
• Opticians (got a cancellation this morning)

This weekend I have a baby shower – but really really REALLY want to start getting paperwork sorted – might not seem big - but I’m the kind of person who keeps bank statements and payslips going back to 2006. I don’t want to bin them – cos I am a hoarder, remember?

I also do not have a gift for the baby shower – it is my sister in laws - but I am planning to buy them two gifts and the bigger gift isthe only one I can purchase early and I do not want to give her that at the baby shower. As then my actual gift when the baby is born will look naff? Following? The other gift is the Frame my Name thing – love them. Getting that when the baby is actually born and I know its name and details etc.

But been thinking…this is when things get dangerous… I am going to compile the paperwork into bundles this Saturday night post babyshower (ROCK ON) and then SCAN them in work and send them to my email address. BOOM!!! :beer:

I will still have ALL my documents; however they will be paper free. Tah Dah! :j I surprise myself sometimes, I really do.

Catch is – I need to make sure they are organised, otherwise I Will just have a paper free version of the mess that currently resides in my house! Doh!


Right I’m off out to change my pin numbers…

xoxo

VeronicaMars

• [STRIKE]Change pin numbers[/STRIKE][STRIKE] (new cards from name change)[/STRIKE]
  
• [STRIKE]Do phone insurance covering letters[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Do immigration documents x 2[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Opticians[/STRIKE] [STRIKE](got a cancellation this morning)[/STRIKE]

:T to me! I almost never get through to do lists...AND i managed to do it after working v.late and having a crazy day at work!

Tomorrows to do list:

• Change contact lenses for new prescription
• Complete other mobile phone insurance form
• Post mobile phone off
• Post immigration docs (getting receipts)
• Follow up on legal letters x 2
• Get copy of sight test and prescription
• Check pin number on one card
• Phone about magazine subscription to see if can be moved to ipad/online
• Go to print shop to enquire about thank you cards for wedding

Night all

http://www.lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/

xoxo

VeronicaMars

Working my way through the list...

• [STRIKE]Change contact lenses for new prescription[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Complete other mobile phone insurance form[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Post mobile phone off[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Post immigration docs (getting receipts[/STRIKE])
• Follow up on legal letters x 2
• Get copy of sight test and prescription
• [STRIKE]Check pin number on one card[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Phone about magazine subscription to see if can be moved to ipad/online[/STRIKE]
• Go to print shop to enquire about thank you cards for wedding

alioops78

Love the Goonies, great on a Sunday afternoon when it's yucky weather outside

Wow exciting news, by other side of the world I'm guessing Australia?? If so which part as I grew up in Western Australia.

If you're moving for hubby's work then would they not reimburse you for all costs associated with the move?

Best thing to do for gifts would be to either send money to a family member here via paypal, 10% charge so not too much depending on the amount, or to just order the items online and have them delivered. That's what I do with my parents, sister and nieces and nephew in Oz. I send money for the kids to my Sister for their birthdays and if it's actual physical gifts for anyone I find a shop located in OZ to order online and get delivered straight to them.

:eek: two months, I'm not sure that I would be able to sort out a full house and get packed up in that time plus see everyone that needs seeing. Good luck to you.

VeronicaMars

Hey alipoops!

Close but no cigar It’s New Zealand! I hear Oz is only 3 hours on a plane so I plan to pop over.

Thank you so so so much for your advice! I am glad I can order gifts here in UK and just get them delivered. With UK Delivery and a funky pigeon it will be like I have never moved!

Mr Mars approached his work about the move, so anything the cover will be out of the kindness of their hearts! :heartsmil Lets hope they do!!!

I was going to try and keep a UK bank account open and then just transfer cash to that and send a cheque (I love sending a cheque – I feel so grown up and formal) – know of any issues regarding that?

Two months –it is terrifying. :eek: This is why I am AWOL from here. Sooooooooooooooo much to do, soooooooooooo little time. I’m exhausted and we have weeks of this left.

What’s Veronica Mars been up to? :think:

Well, I had a baby shower on Saturday – much fun was had. With unlimited Prosecco it was always going to be fun! Must have cost the girls that organised it a small fortune – glad it was not me. They bought unlimited Prosecco :beer:, a big fancy cake:bdaycake:(that was pink and blue inside), decorations and favours. Details and pictures on the blog this morning:

http://lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/baby-shower-fun.html

Then Mr Mars and I went out and had dinner and a vino or two with a wedding voucher. So all in my Saturday out cost me £5 (tip for meal). Time for the Happy dance! :j

Mr Mars andI both had a DIY filled Sunday. Mr Mars re-vamped some Ray-ban sunglasses of his :cool: – they turned out absolutely brilliant. £4.99 and he has a new pair of Ray Bans– details on the blog:

http://lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/mr-mars-does-diy-re-vamped-ray-ban.html

I have also got on the DIY band wagon - I re-juvenated some old coasters – turned out pretty awesome, if I do say so. Got to finish them so they are not going up on blog just yet!

Money wise - our savings have taken a huge hit with all the moving expenses - but hopefully we will get some of it back! Fingers crossed! :money:

xoxo

Mummy+2

Oh wow big new! Hope everything goes smoothly for you

alioops78

VeronicaMars wrote: »

Hey alipoops!

:rotfl: alipoops thanks for some reason I keep getting called that on these forums :rotfl:.

Close but no cigar It’s New Zealand! I hear Oz is only 3 hours on a plane so I plan to pop over.

Can't help with New Zealand as it's not somewhere I know a lot about other than they have a weird accent where saying Six sounds like Sex, Fish and Chips is Fush and Chups, it will be interesting for you deciphering what they're saying and probably the other way round too.

The 3 hour flight will get you to the east coast so Queensland, Sydney, etc but for a change of pace Western Australia is the way to go but probably a 10 hour flight from New Zealand. I've always wanted to travel through New Zealand as it looks amazing.

Thank you so so so much for your advice! I am glad I can order gifts here in UK and just get them delivered. With UK Delivery and a funky pigeon it will be like I have never moved!

Don't order yourself anything from Amazon though as I've heard that they charge astronomical postage costs to New Zealand and Oz. In fact my friend in Oz gets any Amazon orders sent to me and then pays me the postage to send it to her.

Mr Mars approached his work about the move, so anything the cover will be out of the kindness of their hearts! :heartsmil Lets hope they do!!!

Fingers crossed for you that they do cover some of the expenses and I always go by the adage that if you don't ask you don't get

I was going to try and keep a UK bank account open and then just transfer cash to that and send a cheque (I love sending a cheque – I feel so grown up and formal) – know of any issues regarding that?

There will be a charge for transferring money between bank accounts and we have found that paypal is the cheaper way of doing it. For example my parents have paid for the car seat and isofix base which came to £200, the 10% paypal cost was cheaper than them transferring me the money from their bank account to mine and also there is a cost when cashing cheques in a foreign currency. No I don't work for paypal either it's just the easiest way to get money around the globe. An international bank transfer can cost approx $40 each time plus there might be a charge at the UK bank too.

I generally send the kids $30.00 which is an extra $0.30 added on, when it's converted it's approx £15-17.00.

Two months –it is terrifying. :eek: This is why I am AWOL from here. Sooooooooooooooo much to do, soooooooooooo little time. I’m exhausted and we have weeks of this left.

I hear you, we need to get the house sorted by the end of October and just sorting out one kitchen cupboard on Saturday knackered me, and nipping in to town and going out for lunch had me napping for 5 hours although I can use the fact I'm pregnant as my excuse lol.

What’s Veronica Mars been up to? :think:

Well, I had a baby shower on Saturday – much fun was had. With unlimited Prosecco it was always going to be fun! Must have cost the girls that organised it a small fortune – glad it was not me. They bought unlimited Prosecco :beer:, a big fancy cake:bdaycake:(that was pink and blue inside), decorations and favours. Details and pictures on the blog this morning:

http://lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/baby-shower-fun.html

Wow that looks amazing, what great friends to have arranged all of that.

Then Mr Mars and I went out and had dinner and a vino or two with a wedding voucher. So all in my Saturday out cost me £5 (tip for meal). Time for the Happy dance! :j

Mr Mars andI both had a DIY filled Sunday. Mr Mars re-vamped some Ray-ban sunglasses of his :cool: – they turned out absolutely brilliant. £4.99 and he has a new pair of Ray Bans– details on the blog:

http://lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/mr-mars-does-diy-re-vamped-ray-ban.html

I have also got on the DIY band wagon - I re-juvenated some old coasters – turned out pretty awesome, if I do say so. Got to finish them so they are not going up on blog just yet!

Money wise - our savings have taken a huge hit with all the moving expenses - but hopefully we will get some of it back! Fingers crossed! :money:

xoxo

Sounds like you had a great weekend, and well done on the DIYing to both of you.

VeronicaMars

Hey Hey (as enthusiastically as I can manage),

"I generally send the kids $30.00 which is an extra $0.30added on, when it's converted it's approx £15-17.00."

AliOOPS:D Sorry Is $0.30 of $30 not 1% instead of 10%? Which would be $3? I like the sound of the 1% MUCH better

Things are still CRAZY at the minute, which has inevitably meant I am Ill. Thinking about taking a couple of days off work sick, but think once you have handed in your notice, to then be sick, is really cheeky? Really think I need a few days more than a Saturday and a Sunday to get myself sorted. Exhausted, feeling crap andfeeling sorry for myself. Sniff…sob…sniff again….

BUT re-vamped my coaster. Small steps - ha! http://www.lifeatthelodgehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/diy-re-juvenated-coasters.html

Gosh alioops the only thing I can imagine make this worse would be pregnant – how DO you do it?!?! :T

Mr Mars and I are tearing through our savings at the minute. Medical & visa costs, but also because I have been told everything is more expensive I have started going crazy with buying things. Really trying to rein this mind-set in as I have noticed a chunk of our savings have gone.

I also had £155.70 unaccounted for on my credit card – took that from the savings to start afresh.

It reminds me of when we were planning the wedding. I just couldn’t compute things properly and was spending money like a mad woman. Doing it again. Need to stop this.

Ic an buy stuff when I am over there. Relax Veronica – you are not moving to the end of the world for heaven’s sake.

Things I would like to buy before I go:

• A new pair of running trainers;
• Some vest tops (day wear);
• Some face moisturiser;
• Somedry shampoo; and
• A road bike

I want a bike as the public transport is supposed to be not great – so looking to do a lot of commuting on a bike! From research that is one thing that is defo cheaper.

What you were saying, I have also thought that if I want anything I will get it sent home then get my sister or mum just to send me a large box of stuff over and get them to reimburse the cost!

Considering closing our credit cards before we go. I know what I said about Interest, but Ithink I am so unorganised that I will end up for us in more trouble. The BOS one 0% runs out In September so I am thinking for the sake of one month’s interest I should really just clear that one before I go. Think it would benice to move abroad officially debt free.

Credit card balances:

• BOS- £2,100 (after July min payments)
• Tesco- £1,850 (after July min payments)

Total Balance to be left in Bank Accounts - £3,950

xoxo

VeronicaMars

Well.... it was inevitable...I'm sick.

Off work today. I feel like crap but feel like I need to get so much done!

xoxo