Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

Merrywidow

Snow looks lovely Droopsnout - here its glorious weather, sunshine and high temperatures but my BIL has warned me that it will be minus 6C in Amsterdam in the coming week. The Dutch will be pleased as it could be the start of the 15 centimeters of ice that they need to run the 11 city ice race. Only happens once in a blue moon but when it does the Dutch go wild.

LesD

Merrywidow wrote: »

Hi LesD - Bags to do in Schiphol - the departure area is ginormous with rows and rows of shops full of interesting stuff, loads of cafe's, bars, resturants. Schiphol is really a showcase. International trains stop underneath, trams run into town from above, buses start and stop from outside next to a large open air square. Pity you are locked in, there will be great stalls outside selling Dutch new year goodies. Sort of current donuts (olebollen) and apple turnovers (apple flappen) yummie. My brother in law will be picking me up and I will grab some yummies en route to his car - can't wait.

Your trip to Virginia sounds lovely. How come you are routed thru A'dam - are you on KLM - great airline. Have a good one. Happy New Year

KLM it is. Got what was a good deal from Birmingham to Washington via AMS. Anything to avoid Heathrow!!!

They're routed us early though (that's why there is 5 hours stopover!). They say to avoid risk of fog delays!!!!!

Merrywidow

Oh dear - do they know something we don't? I am on a BA flight direct mid afternoon. Get into A'dam at 17.15. Fingers crossed for both of us.

BTW - when I came back from Tenerife last Tuesday we were late into Gatwick because of fog, plane landed at 8.30 and the bags came off at 10.30 !!!!!!!!!!! To say there was a near riot in the baggage hall was the understatement of the year. They called the heavy gang with those impressive black guns, but the men ganged up on them and they looked quite scared. The lot of rubbish they put out as reasons was ****. Thank goodness my taxi driver was still waiting - he DID NOT look pleased. Cost me lots of extra hush money. Was I ever glad to get home. Airports - BAH

gfplux

More disinformation than information.
Don't believe what you read in your Newspaper.
What qualifications do journalists have for the type of story they write about. Do they ever check facts, do they do any research outside of the press release they are sent.
The following are surely financial story's that damage Spain and France.
The Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/dec/27/egypt-turkey-tr...
The Daily Mail - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1101943/Sun-loving-B...
The Times - Predictions!!! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5314276....

All these "journalists" lump Turkey and Egypt TOGETHER as outside the Euro zone suggesting their currency's have not strengthened against the pound!!!!!
Just some facts researched by me (not a journalist)on Saturday 27th December.
Last 12 months December 27th 2007 against 2008
Pound Sterling against USA dollar loss of 25.5%
Pound Sterling against EURO loss of 23.5%
Pound Sterling against Turkish Lira loss of 4.9%
Waite for it!!!!!
Pound Sterling against Egyptian Pound LOSS OF 24.7%

When researching your holiday destination do your research they say, well who or what can we believe.

LesD

gfplux wrote: »

More disinformation than information.
Don't believe what you read in your Newspaper.

Hee hee, and I'm still not sure about the 'credit crunch'! Let alone 'global warming'! :huh: :huh: :huh:

donny-gal

Please don't set me off on one of my "rants" journalists who think they can decide how we do everything, and not reporting the truth, i.e. Trevor McDonald doing a report on health care in Spain, spoke to someone in Torrevieja, and then showed a tiny clinic in Javea, when a brand new state of the art Spanish NHS hospital had just been built in Torre due to the demands of the aging ex-pats. The hospital obviously was not mentioned as it did not paint a nasty picture!

Off in the 'van until New Year so catch you all then, have a good one all.
DG

suzytoshoes

has anyone tried other countrys to live other than spain? like Canada etc
Suzy

Merrywidow

Suzy- does Holland count? lived there for 30 years.

droopsnout

Thought it might be interesting to compare prices of some of our regular buys. Here's a list of some items bought recently.

Three prices are given. First is the price paid here in euros. Second is that price converted to sterling at tonight's rate of exchange (£1=1,03€; 1€=97p). Third is the price of same or nearest product in Tesco.

I'm really sorry, but this site doesn't allow columns, and extra spaces are stripped out, so I can't even get rough columns using the space bar. It makes for difficult reading!

Schweppes Indian Tonic 1,58€ £1.53 £1,35
Fresh pasteurised milk, 1 litre 1,00€ £0.97 £0.77
Alta Rica coffee 100g 4,75€ £4.61 £3.98
Leg of lamb (per kilo) 6,49€ £6.30 £7.99
Tassimo Petit Dejeuner T-discs 3,35€ £3.25 £3.28
100 Own-brand tea-bags 3,37€ £3.27 £2.00
500g Own-brand corn flakes 1,35€ £1.31 £0.80
1kg own-brand sugar 0,89€ £0.86 £0.84
1 doz free range eggs, medium 2,49€ £2.42 £2.58
500ml Own-brand wash-up lqud 1,17€ £1.13 £0.78
1kg Own-brand Plain Flour 0,73€ £0.71 £0.43
1kg Own-brand SR Flour 0,77€ £0.75 £0.50
1½ litre Own-brand Orange Juice 0,89€ £0.86 £1.34
70cl Own-brand gin 6,99€ £6.78 £7.68
250g Own-brand butter 0,89€ £0.86 £0.94
500g Premium brand spread 2,20€ £2.13 £1.42
250g Own-brand salted peanuts 0,55€ £0.53 £0.52

Totals 39,46€ £38.27 £37.20

So on this trolley, Tesco works out at around a pound cheaper. It is interesting to note that if we do the euro-to-pound conversion at a rate of 1€=67p, the trolley would have cost £26.44 just a few months ago: around £12 cheaper!!

(Purchases were made in Intermarche, Geant and Lidl)

seven-day-weekend

Well droopsnout, my husband informs me this morning that the £-Euro is now 0.96:eek::eek:

Don't have much else to say really. Going to try to hang on here till June when we are going to the UK anyway (Ferry Crossing thankfully paid for - one way), and then decide whether to come back or not. Will see if I can get some work.

I do know that I will be able to get a job as a lollipop lady (did it for over ten years previously) and there are always vacancies, but it's only a few hours a week (maximum of 10) - however they do recruit up to age 70.

Will also try exam invigilation and mystery shopping.

Happy New Year anyway!