Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

Savvy_Sue

I've never seen anyone asked for proof of age in here, binnie!

And I was lurking a bit under-age as well.

Also, have you tried going to evening classes over here through the year? I know it's not the same for getting your ear in, but the friends I know who live abroad have all found that formal lessons have been a huge benefit. Even if you don't remember it all, it sort of builds up and comes flooding back when required.

At least that's my experience.

seven-day-weekend

droopsnout wrote: »

One day I'll have enough petrol money to go see all these places in Spain! I live about three hours from the French/Spanish border, and we keep saying we'll go for a holiday to Spain one day, but we can never afford it.

We Brits are like an infestation of ants, aren't we? We get everywhere.

We keep saying the same about Portugal!!:rotfl: :rotfl:

droopsnout

binnie wrote: »

Ah, do you mean the pigeon english? ha ha

Yes - I do love this sort of thing. Not from a mickey-taking perspective, but because somehow it endears the writer to me.

droopsnout

binnie wrote: »

Hi, me again, :beer:

Just realised that I'm in the Silver Surfers over 50's category, am I welcome as I'm just a mere 46 :rotfl:
My husband is going grey though and is 46 too :rotfl: .

Age is irrelevant! Grey is accepted, but only as hair colour. Grey suits, skirts and socks worn with sandals are merely tolerated with looks askance!! lol.

Bright summer holiday colours and smiles of bright fluorescent pink lipstick are encouraged. Polka-dot bikinis almost a necessity.

Especially on the blokes ...

seven-day-weekend

droopsnout wrote: »

Age is irrelevant! Grey is accepted, but only as hair colour. Grey suits, skirts and socks worn with sandals are merely tolerated with looks askance!! lol.

Bright summer holiday colours and smiles of bright fluorescent pink lipstick are encouraged. Polka-dot bikinis almost a necessity.

Especially on the blokes ...

Yesterday I was wearing a bright purple skirt and today I am wearing a bright orange teeshirt.

Have a look at this poem:
http://crystalforest1.homestead.com/wheniamoldishallwearpurple.html

seven-day-weekend

binnie wrote: »

Can anybody help me on the wealth tax issue please. I know it has another name but I can't remember what it's called.
We have onbly paid it twice since we had our apartment and now will owe last years tax.

It only cost us about 27 euros each, but the solicitor cost is 150 euros to sort it for us.

We live in the UK and just have a place in Spain for holidaying in.
I've heard they are scrapping this tax, has anybody else heard this, and are we still liable for last years?

Also is there a way we could do it without a solicitor, and avoid paying the 150 euros fee?

We don't speak Spanish, and only know a few words.
If we lived there, we would try and learn more, but if I do get the gist of things whilst on holiday, I soon forget them when I get home and back to work with english folk.:o

xx

Hi Binnie

If I were you I would get an English-speaking Gestor to do it for you. It IS possible to do it yourself, but you have to be able to speak Spanish at the Hacienda (tax office),

I believe the tax has been abolished, but you may be liable for last year's.

I don't know much more than that myself and we live here :rotfl:

One of the things you will find out about Spain is that laws are always changing and no-one, including the people who are supposed to be enforcing it, ever knows what it is.

Good luck!

Francophile

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Have a look at this poem:
http://crystalforest1.homestead.com/wheniamoldishallwearpurple.html

Loved it :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

droopsnout

Me, too.

Being a boy, I am, of course, looking forward to being able to spit.

Around here, they grow cherries. In the nearby village of Dunes, there is an annual Cherry Festival, including a cherry-stone spitting contest. Last time I was there, the winner's prize was a trip to EuroDisney!

Perhaps my "old age" will permit me to practise!!

sandy2_2

binnie wrote: »

Can anybody help me on the wealth tax issue please. I know it has another name but I can't remember what it's called.
We have onbly paid it twice since we had our apartment and now will owe last years tax.It only cost us about 27 euros each, but the solicitor cost is 150 euros to sort it for us.We live in the UK and just have a place in Spain for holidaying in.
I've heard they are scrapping this tax, has anybody else heard this, and are we still liable for last years?Also is there a way we could do it without a solicitor, and avoid paying the 150 euros fee?

the following is quoted from theviva Almeria site

According to this site:

http://www.elcorreodigital.com/vizcaya/20080418/mas-actualidad/economia/gobierno-elimina-impuesto-patrimonio-200804181319.html

Wealth Tax (Patrimonio) has been abolished and will be back-dated to 1st January this year. Although it does not say so in the news item this, presumably, also applies to non-residents. If not the government would certainly find itself in trouble with the EU as it did over the discrimination between residents and non-residents over Capital Gains Tax.

I assume that the will be a rehashed form 214 to take account of this or maybe it will just be a case of leaving the patrimonio content blank.

It will still have to be paid in the declarations made this year for the financial year of 2007.

donny-gal

Hi again everyone

Back again from my Dutch/Belgium/French travels in our caravan, good time had and much drier weather than here according to things(hardly saw much rain until last Tues/Wed in Calais..

Re the bringing your caravan back from France someone mentioned. If you have a sat nav (ours is Tom Tom) select no toll roads, but fastest route, found us som brilliant roads and costs us "nowt" from the Uk to Spain.

Can you tell me how much diesel is in Spain now please, it was 1.29€ a litre in Calais last week, even in the supermarkets.

Interesting about the Wealth Tax, is that the one they charge you for your property if you don't have a residencia? as they presume you rent it out?

Will be back to comment on some other points, but must get sorted.
DG