Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

seven-day-weekend

Jean, if it is me you wish to speak to, I have sent you a pm (private message).

seven-day-weekend

Did I mention to any of you that I had applied for a temporary job in the UK? Well anyway, it doesn't look as though I am going to be called for interview as it said in the ad they would be on October 1 and I have heard nothing . I must admit, I thought I would get as far as the interview, but there you go.

Anyway, it means we can now go back to Spain for a few months, so will look to booking the ferry in the next couple of weeks. They are quite cheap towards the end of October so that looks like a definite maybe.

Francophile

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Did I mention to any of you that I had applied for a temporary job in the UK? Well anyway, it doesn't look as though I am going to be called for interview as it said in the ad they would be on October 1 and I have heard nothing . I must admit, I thought I would get as far as the interview, but there you go.

Anyway, it means we can now go back to Spain for a few months, so will look to booking the ferry in the next couple of weeks. They are quite cheap towards the end of October so that looks like a definite maybe.

Well going to Spain beats working in my book. My DH was hoping to get a package in 2011 and leave work ( he'll be 59 then ). They are now talking about 2014. We're fiding this news quite depressing as our plans of retiring to France for 6 months of the year are getting further away. I just don't want to work anymore and neither does DH but with one of our children at uni and 2 still at home we can't afford not to.

Savvy_Sue

7DW, it may be worth phoning to check that nothing's gone astray, and you may want to ask for feedback as well.

seven-day-weekend

Savvy Sue, I did ring yesterday ; The person I was ringing had left an ansafone message saying they were busy and to leave a message and phone number which is what I did. I gave my name and phone number and asked if they could let me know if I had been called for interview. They did not get back to me. We decided (hubby and I) that although the money would be nice we are not that bothered so I didn't chase it up any further.

I do know my application was received as I submitted it online and it showed as 'submitted' on the website.

Thanks for caring!

seven-day-weekend

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Just an update about my husband's Incapacity Benefit, to say that after filling in his IB50 in August, my husband has today heard that he IS going to be called for a medical, but that 'it may take quite a while as it 's waiting for the Spanish authorities'.

So presumably it will be as they say, with an English speaking Dr.

My husband is already worrying about it....

Keep you all posted.

After waiting fourteen months from initially filling in his IB50 questionnaire,and six months after his medical, my husband has heard today that his IB will continue. :T

Well that's a load off, to quote Jack Nicholson in 'As Good As It Gets'.

droopsnout

So pleased everything has gone well in that department, s-d-w.

seven-day-weekend

Ferry is now booked! Portsmouth-Bilbao on 28th October sailing at 2000, we will arrive in Santurtzi (Bilbao ferry port) at 0800 on Friday 30th and will be back in Yegen by around 2200 on the same day . Looking forward to seeing my little white house!!

droopsnout

Bet you can't wait! Fraid we have booked the cheapest sailings we could find for our trip in December-January. Would love to do Bilbao again.

seven-day-weekend

For some reason it was cheapest on the 28th! £190 but we paid an extra £15 for an outside cabin, so £205.

We have costed it up, what with extra fuel, accommodation and tolls (expensive in France!), it is not actually much more expensive, if any, for us at this price than if we drove through France and took the Calais ferry.

Even our trip over in June at £280 wasn't a lot more expensive, and far less stressful, so we were happy to pay.

I do save up for it all through the year. I have saved £80 in £2 coins since I have been here so that will go towards paying the credit card bill when it comes. The outward journey I had saved over 200 euros in two-euro coins. So it offsets it a bit!

We will be coming back again next June, so don't have as long to save the next lot, but I will have my State Pension by then so will have a bit more money anyway.