Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

seven-day-weekend

Oh dear, things are bad in Mojacar then ....I hope we don't grt any fires on our mountains, just behind our village.

droopsnout

slopemaster wrote: »

You don't have Mistral over there do you?

Hi, slopemaster, and welcome from me. Bit late because I'm away from home as you may have gathered. Now on our third location, where the kindly owner has arranged a connection for me. Just in time before my inboxes are full and emails returned undeliverable, I expect.

Anyway, no we don't have the Mistral over here. Main wind is the Vent d'autan, which belts up from the Med. It's warm and violent, and I don't like it smashing my window box geraniums! We also get short, sharp squalls from time to time. I got drenched in one on my veggie patch the other week. Very violent gusts, with soaking rain in huge drops.

Weather here on the Atlantic coast (and just did Lourdes) is quite changeable at the mo. Nice now, though.

grownup1

slopemaster wrote: »

Another moneysaving Q for anyone in France:
Does anyone know of a carte bleue which don't have an annual fee?
We pay something outrageous, nearly 50€ I think
Thanks

PS note € sign!

Now that you've found the € I can just copy and paste it!

Try http://www.ingdirect.fr/ for a free €0 current account with free gold mastercard (this is a new service that I haven't tried yet but ing have been much better value for savings than high street banks in France).

Also, if you haven't discovered Total France forums yet I'd recommend them for detailed discussion of French moneysaving
http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/index.php

I live in Vienne near Poitiers by the way (but working in Cambridge at this moment).

seven-day-weekend

Hello grownup and welcome to the discussion, hope you stay around!

droopsnout

Yep. Welcome from me, too. Nice to have an addition to the French contingent! Nice tip about ING. I'm with Cr!dit Agricole and have no complaints other than the outrageous charges for bank cards, so the ING offer is tempting. Not sure I can face the hassle of changing all the debits and credits, though. You know, "if it ain't broke ..." sort of thing, and rocking the boat, etc.

slopemaster

Hi droopsnout and all
38 degrees and south wind today aahgh I hate south wind
Hope you people with the Spanish houses are OK

Hi grownup1 and thanks for the useful links.
I am definately ready to ditch SocGen as they boggered up a large transfer last year so we lost a load of interest, and now they are charging me to receive small transfers, and havent deigned to answer my letter when I wrote to them.
We actually used to have savings accounts with ING France,but I didn't know they now do current accounts. Definately worth a look, thamks

slopemaster

grownup1 wrote: »

Try http://www.ingdirect.fr/ for a free €0 current account with free gold mastercard

Hi just in case my research is of use to anyone else...
ING wouldnt give us a credit card on a declared joint income of 2000€, only a debit card.
But I found (and was provisionally accepted for) a Visa credit card from Oney, part of Auchan - choice of no annual fee, or 35€ fee and 1% cashback.

PS Cooler here today, thank goodness...

droopsnout

slopemaster wrote: »

Hi just in case my research is of use to anyone else...

Thanks for the info, slopemaster.

I've just spent 14 days as a sort of friend/escort/guide/interpreter/Mr Fixit in SW France (Carcassonne, Lourdes, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and back here at home) with quite variable weather, though no rain. Weather here at home was best - till we had a sudden squall which put an end to a wonderful barbecue.

Village fête yesterday, too, and weather was cooler for that. Today it's warming up again.

More guests (family) arrive tomorrow, and it's going to be a busy week with other appointments/activities, too.

Merrywidow

Welcome back Droopsnout - its been lonely without you. My brother in law and his wife have just returned from northern Italy. Hitting 40 oC all the way and they were really cheesed off. Why of why can't summer be middle of the road temperatures. Its either burning hot or bucketing down. Off to Holland next week, hope to have some sun at last.

donny-gal

:DTell me about it sat in the 'van in Cheltenham and it has done nothing but rain since last night:mad::mad:. Even spend £10 on my 3 dongle due to the rain!!:rolleyes:

Have a good time in Holland MW hope you find some sun. Think we are considering 2 weeks in our UK house:eek::eek::o;)

Travellers bought a piece of greenbelt close to us, and moved their 'vans on without planning permission, necessary paperwork served by the council but it takes time, they have to have time to appeal!! Since then a 'van opposite us "disappeared" overnight, caught but due to police chase and "off-roading" a mess, culprits from the same "family". Other attempted break ins of cars/home too. A co-incidence of course.

Not sure how much longer we will last without a "sunshine break".
DG