Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

louise3965

Its like that in Scarborough, we watch the holidaymakers and their kids slowly turning blue. Its not suntan lotion they need most of the year, its goose grease for the cold! Thats why I dream about the sunshine of Spain!

seven-day-weekend

Change of plan! We are travelling up to northern Spain tomorrow instead of Sunday - taking it in two legs and staying overnight in Formule1 hotels in Madrid and Barakaldo (Bilbao).

Rushing to get everything ready now!

droopsnout

Have a good trip, s-d-w!

HappyinSpain

Just seen an advert in The Leader (Costa Blanca/Calida local paper) for solar powered air con. Seems such a good idea, although a bit clumsy looking, costs appear to be about double that of standard electrical units. Wondered whether anyone has any experience of this use of solar power?

sjcollett

Hve just found this site via moneywise for transferring money abroad. i can't believe i can send money for 50p - and a decent exchange rate! anybody used them/ know anything about them? looks too good to be true to me (although i note it takes 2-3 days to send money). would save me a packet in sending cash to spain so any input on this site would be fab. thanks

http://www.sendmoneyhome.org/transfer-money-with-moneybookers/

donny-gal

Thanka sjc - I use Halifax UK to our Halifax Spain account free, interest rate not bad, but not as good as if I just draw €'s out with my NW card when in Spain and just pay it in.

HIS - Yes we saw the same article yesterday, makes sense, seems a school has done it and really reduced their electric bill, but that could be advertise speak!

Out here for 7 weeks or so, enjoying the sun and the pool.
DG

gfplux

At the moment the Sun is everywhere.
Here in Luxembourg it is 31C today. We had lunch on the patio but have come inside to cool down.
Thankfully we have kept the shutters closed.

droopsnout

Max today here: 36.6C. 36.1 as I write.

Must be even hotter than that for our friends in Spain. D-G?

donny-gal

Actually it is very pleasant here 27C forecast obviously in the shade temp, and a lovely breeze. Rather than back in the UK where some parts are not good, some are very good, but no breeze, plus the houses here are made for the hot weather.
DG

droopsnout

As it's gone quiet on here, I thought I'd post a few words.

First of all, it's still hot here! The other day, the shade temp actually went over 40.

Which brings me to HappyinSpain's item on solar-powered aircon. Has anyone any further info, because I think this could possibly be a real boon. (Why does no-one ever actually SAY "boon"? You only ever come across it as a written word!)

Also wondering how D-G is getting on in Spain.

And what is s-d-w up to in the sunny West Midlands?

As for us, we are "on holiday". That is, I have no more language lessons at the moment, till the school year starts, and it is making a huge difference to my frame of mind and state of relaxation! So the veggie patch is getting some attention after running almost wild for a time, and with luck I should bring it back to order quite soon. Harvested all the onions today, and the crops of beetroot, green beans, runner beans, courgettes and tomatoes are helping reduce the shopping bill. One sour note: the brassicas don't seem to be doing at all well. Potatoes, carrots and parsnips to come, but their present state of growth remains an underground mystery! Cherry crop finished back in June, but I think the starlings had more than we did. Awaiting a few plums, mirabelles, etc.

So ... What is everyone else up to?