Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

droopsnout

Same happens here. One interesting difference here in France is that if for some reason you cannot vote on the day and select a proxy, it is the proxy who decides how to cast the vote, not you. In the UK (where I have never done this) I understand it is the custom to ask the proxy voter to follow your wishes when voting on your behalf. (http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/how_do_i_vote/voting_by_proxy.aspx).

We should be involved with our local representatives, as you say, and I wish we could vote in all elections. I wish, too, that I could pay my income tax to the country where I live.

gatita

Apparently the PP(Partido Popular) party has won a landslide vote..............a little like here they are sick to death of the PSOE party (labour ) and are desperate for radical change.

seven-day-weekend

droopsnout wrote: »

Same happens here. One interesting difference here in France is that if for some reason you cannot vote on the day and select a proxy, it is the proxy who decides how to cast the vote, not you. In the UK (where I have never done this) I understand it is the custom to ask the proxy voter to follow your wishes when voting on your behalf. (http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/how_do_i_vote/voting_by_proxy.aspx).

We should be involved with our local representatives, as you say, and I wish we could vote in all elections. I wish, too, that I could pay my income tax to the country where I live.

Yes, that is correct. Our son is our proxy and always asks us how we wish to vote (however I suppose that there is nothing to stop him actually putting his own preference once he gets into the polling booth. In effect, he has three votes!).

Don't care where I pay my income tax (although at the moment I am a non-taxpayer anyway). Actually the system works to our advantage because we can get tax allowances in both countries. For example, my husband's Teachers' Pension and other Government pensions have to be taxed in the UK, so carries a UK tax allowance. Any other income has to be taxed in Spain, and he also has a personal tax allowance in Spain.

As it happens, he has no income that is taxable in Spain, but if he did he would pay less overall tax than having it all taxed in the same country.

My income is not enough to pay any tax anywhere.

seven-day-weekend

gatita wrote: »

Apparently the PP(Partido Popular) party has won a landslide vote..............a little like here they are sick to death of the PSOE party (labour ) and are desperate for radical change.

Not a surprise nationally, but I would like our Doctor (PSOE) to win here.

seven-day-weekend

Here is the result for our Administrative District of Alpujarra de la Sierra:

http://resultados.elpais.com/elecciones/2011/municipales/01/18/904.html

Looks like we have bucked the trend!

And our Dr is the Mayor again.:beer:

Socialists first with over 50%, Nationalists a close second, Conservatives are hardly on the radar.

(Below is the result in English)

Summary scrutiny Alpujarra de la Sierra counted: 100%
Total Council Members: 9
Votes counted: 752 82.19%
Abstaining: 163 17.81%
Invalid votes: 10 1.33%
Blank votes: 10 1.35%
Votes for parties in Alpujarra de la Sierra councilors Party Votes
PSOE de Andaluc!a 5374 50.4%
And EP-4309 41.64%
PP 0 49 6.6%

droopsnout

Our village has nine councillors, I think. Last time round we voted for them from a range of 16 candidates. But none of them (as far as I know) is a member of a political party. I find that refreshing, as the only reason they have to become a councillor is to serve the village (unless you count the one free meal a year they have, together with a couple of their employees and anyone who has worked on a voluntary basis for the council).

We have had the same mayor since we moved here (8+ years ago), although he hasn't come top of the polls. Once the nine councillors meet for the first time, the elect a mayor amongst themselves. No-one else wants the job!

hartcjhart

Mojacar had a landslide victory for the PP giving the mayoress a bigger majority than last time

seven-day-weekend

After several years of being told different things, we have finally correctly registered our presence on the tax system in Spain.

We need to be present as resident for tax purposes on the system as otherwise we will have to pay masses of Capital gains Tax when we sell our house.

First of all we were told by a gestor that as we had no income that is liable to tax in Spain, that we need not register.

Then we were told that unless we were registered, when we sold we would have to pay CGT.

Then we were told we were registered.......but had a non-resident bank account so could not get the Certificate....
....then we changed the bank Account and got a letter from the Bank saying we now had a Residents' Account.....
....told the Hacienda.....
.... but they said we had to send in a tax return anyway to get the Certificate.

Then we tried to register/submit tax return and didn't seem to be able to.

Anyway, today our marvellous Abogado (lawyer) Carlos has submitted our NIL tax return and we will get the appropriate piece of paper in a week (hopefully). :j:beer:If it does not arrive I will ask Carlos to chase it up.

I think I have mentioned Carlos before, he has helped us a lot.

Every Expat who does not know the ropes needs a Carlos.

UPDATE on June 2nd: Certificates (one each) have arrived!!!:T:beer:

Twig

Hi, I don't post on here very often but I was wondering if I could pick your brains !

We live in Spain and I shop in Mercadona, unfortunately needs must and I have to find a cheaper supermarket. We have both Aldi and Lidl close by and I know people seem to swear by then in England but I don't know if they are any cheaper here.

Which of the two do you recon is better and is there anything that you definately would recommend buying there and anything that you wouldn't.

Thanks

droopsnout

Lidl in France and the UK are quite similar, though the UK version carries more branded goods. The French Aldi is not really very good, we find, and certainly not as interesting as the UK stores.

We use Lidl in France pretty well every week. We have learnt which products we like and have become regular buys, and which we have found poor to revolting! Rarely go to Aldi.

You can, of course, subscribe to their weekly email newsletters at their respective sites.

But there's only one thing to do: get in there and try them!