Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

EdInvestor

gallygirl wrote: »

Is there an accepted website to rate check on?
According to FT.com it's currently at €1.09 :j :j :j .

Try https://www.xe.com.

Current rate: 1.0899 - which rounded up is 1.09.

droopsnout

It is always https://www.xe.com that I quote from. I don't understand the surprise or confusion. The rate is changing all the time! It's now 1.08909 - down a tiny fraction on EdInvestor's last price.

donny-gal

For anyone really interested in following the money markets

http://www.moneycorpmarkets.com/chartspage/index.cfm

Instruments changed the currencies, and Time scale can take you back years!

x

droopsnout

Pound approaching 1,10€ as I write.

Happychappy

Nationwide currency exchange on their flex account debit card which is commission free pay out today 6/1/09

1 GBP = 1.07 EUR / 1 EUR = 0.94 GBP

donny-gal

Bureau de Change offering 1.05 atm. Let's hope it keeps recovering.

DG

gfplux

Hello Magictom123
or Tom,
Welcome to the board. I am also a recent newcomer to this board and everyone is very friendly.

I live in Luxembourg and have been here a long time. I actually commuted from here weekly to London, then Munich and finally Perugia in Italy.

You have already been given lots and lots of great advise. Behind all these words of caution are our real concern to help someone like you and to make sure you do not make too many of the "normal" mistakes.

I can only add a few things that are slightly Italy specific but also apply to many other country's.
Red Tape, yes red tape lower case or RED TAPE in capitals. The Italians LOVE their red tape. I was only there in a business environment but the Italians appeared to have a form for everything.
My Wife who is French believes the French have made an art form of red tape but the Italians try harder.

England is a very "free" country with no identity cards. You do not register at the Town Hall when you move. The state does not know too much about it's citizens. There are many rules and regulations that happen in many European Country's that can be quite a surprise to a "Brit." I am now very used to these and in fact find being "registered" quite comforting.

You mention the North of Italy, Why and where. In Perugia I worked with a number of people from Milan who hated living and working with the southerners of Perugia!!!
Good Luck.

Savvy_Sue

droopsnout wrote: »

(In France, the notaire is working more for the government than for either vendor or purchaser, and so is generally accepted by both parties. But you may well wish to appoint your own solicitor. I don't know the situation in Italy). Make sure that you understand fully all contracts you sign.

One of my friends in France seems to spend a fair bit of time representing absentee sellers at exchanges of contracts, and reckons that the notaires are working for themselves rather than any client. :rotfl:

But I would second, third and fourth that suggestion of understanding fully all contracts you sign. None of us would dream of signing a contract in English which we didn't understand, would we? but at least if we did we'd have a fighting chance of understanding it later. Better to spend money on a good translator at an early rather than a later stage.

Merrywidow

Hi everyone - yes I am back - Happy New Year to you all - I am full of cold - feeling rotten - but had a great time. It was quite a shock shopping in Euros. My brother in law ordered a chinese meal to be delivered. 15 euros was the average cost per meal - yikes - my local chinese charges about £4 per meal - there is no way my pension would fit into Dutch life at the moment. Glad I went it was a real eye opener. Then of course there was the cold - oh dear - I had forgotten just how cold it can get over there - but how the Dutch love it - all that water that freezes and they can skate on it. Forcast is minus 15 tonight over there. My suitcase is unopened next to the washing maching but I am off to my own lovely bed which I have missed.

More tomorrow. Looks like you have all been busy posting - will read tomorrow. Night Night - welterusten as they say over there.

PS - a smile to light up your evening. My 3 and a half year old niece didnt want to come to live with me in England because "I am not your child, if you want a child you have to grow one in your tummy!!!!!!".........

donny-gal

:T Windows Side Bar now showing 1.103:T :j :T :j :beer:

Keep it rolling.

Welcome Back MW.

DG