Im going to be working in Dublin a few days each week

Thompo17

Not sure what other section to put this in.

Just wondering could people advise me on various tips as I will we moving down to Dublin (during the week) to work for a while.

• Could anyone advise me tips such as cheapest place to buy Euros?

• I'm particularly concerned about my mobile phone usuage. Im currently on a contract and I very rarely go outside the contract (ie I don't exceed my allowance/free mins &texts each month). However my mobile will now consist of 'foreign'/international calls etc I assume, any advice? should I just cancel my contract?

• Tolls road, how much? and can you buy a pass etc?

• My car insurance? It will be based prob 4 nights a week in Dublin and 3 nights a week in N.Ireland, which address should I put the insurance down to? and is there much difference in the premium?

All other tips, most welcome :j

peterdoherty

Thompo17 wrote: »

Not sure what other section to put this in.

I'm particularly concerned about my mobile phone usuage. Im currently on a contract and I very rarely go outside the contract (ie I don't exceed my allowance/free mins &texts each month). However my mobile will now consist of 'foreign'/international calls etc I assume, any advice? should I just cancel my contract?

prib best to get a meteor payg for use when across the border

Bigcammy

You can get a pre-pay pass for the toll, it is fixed to the inside of your windscreen near the rear view mirror. It's automatically topped up from your credit card when funds are low, around €10 I think.

Bigcammy

Forgot to add the website for more info http://www.eazypass.ie/?sec=rates

happymummy24-7

sorry no tips........jusy wanted to wish you luck!!!

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

There's a thread on here somewhere about mobiles. I think 3 are good as they have a 'like home' service which means that as long as you choose the 3 network then your roaming calls come out of your minutes, ie no extra cost.
I've found that you have to keep checking that you're on the right network though as it changes to the strongest signal quite easily on some phones.

lowdenclear

My fiancé lives in Dublin and I'm in Belfast, so I would travel up and down quite regularly -- I agree that the Eazy Pass is great! I don't really know about the phone or car insurance, though...

[Deleted User]

You on expenses? I know some nice expensive restaurants to spend company money I spent 6 months working 3 days a week in Dublin, flying back and forth from London

thetope

Try and open a nationwide account, then you can use your nationwide debit and (if you want one) credit card with no loading on the exchange rate and no fees at cash machines for with drawing euro with the debit card. i would be lost without mine. (this goes for worldwide not just ireland so it's definitely a good thing to have)

wrt to the phones, i used to have a (UK) O2 pay as you go sim, for £1.99 a month bolt on texting and phoning in ireland was the same rate in ireland as if you were at home in the UK, and it was free to receive calls (as it would be in the UK but not normally when roaming). i don't know if they still have the same bolt on, but it's worth investigating.

Re car insurance, hmm that's a tricky one. i would be inclined to keep your address as NI but state that you use it in rep of ireland for business. problem is, a lot of insurance companies will only let you drive in ROI for a max of 30 days a year. some ppl in my work work on building sites in ireland and spend the week on site but have just decided to wing it on the 30 days thing hoping that if they ever crash, the insurance company would never find out they'd spent more than 30 days there. it's fraud, but they couldn't find a way around it without paying something silly like 4k in car insurance

aidz1

the toll is €1.80. if you are only going to be in dublin short term i wouldnt bother getting the easypass for the car, just pay each time.

mobile wise, i'd just get a sim card in the south. costs about €10. that way, people can contact you without you being charged.

ignore the insurance. dont devulge more than you need to.

the BdC at teh border crossings normally have decent rates with no commision. alternatively just pay by credit card mostly.

lowdenclear

aidz1 wrote: »

the toll is €1.80. if you are only going to be in dublin short term i wouldnt bother getting the easypass for the car, just pay each time.

mobile wise, i'd just get a sim card in the south. costs about €10. that way, people can contact you without you being charged.

ignore the insurance. dont devulge more than you need to.

the BdC at teh border crossings normally have decent rates with no commision. alternatively just pay by credit card mostly.

O2.ie have pay as you go sims for free at the minute, though you need an address in the south to get them sent to... I just ordered one yesterday.

I still would recommend the EazyPass though, even if it is just short term. It's so much handier and even a little bit quicker. I have got caught out a couple of times realising I had no euros and have had to come off at Dundalk or somewhere and find a banklink... With this you don't have to worry about it, plus the EazyPass lane tends to be a lot faster than the normal lanes. It also works on the M50 as well, if you need to go on it.