Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

donny-gal

I think I have to admit that it was me that brought the cold snap to the UK, I cam back on the 23rd Nov. to find snow in Folkestone!. I did try to pack the sun in Spain, but it mst have escaped when we stayed in France for a couple of nights, did Droopsnout find (pinch) it?

BTW Droopsnout did you drop your email off about the 0844 no?

DG

Savvy_Sue

droopsnout wrote: »

And in the meantime, I'd remind you, young lady (!), that it was the wind from the north-west that made us down here have the wettest November for 50 years, with just two days of sunshine recorded by both us and the weather people in Toulouse.

but I haven't heard one of us admitting we took the rain over to you in our hand luggage.Whereas the honest donnygal says

donny-gal wrote: »

I think I have to admit that it was me that brought the cold snap to the UK, I cam back on the 23rd Nov. to find snow in Folkestone!. I did try to pack the sun in Spain, but it mst have escaped when we stayed in France for a couple of nights, did Droopsnout find (pinch) it?

Loved the garlic pictures, by the way, Droopsnout. But they used more than just garlic cloves to build that, didn't they? :rotfl:

seven-day-weekend

droopsnout wrote: »

Sounds brilliant, s-d-w.

Have a fantastic time! Hope you don't spend all weekend making the most of their broadband!! lol

Well here I am again making the most of their broadband!!:rotfl:

We can see the Alhambra out of the bedroom window. The Plaza (square) in front of us is thronging with tourists. There is a really good bar which serves brilliant tapas and has a waiter with a HUGE personality. It is loud, raucous and noisy, but that is good - it means it is full of Spaniards enjoying themselves (like only the Spanish know how).

In contrast, the garden at the back of the house is a haven of tranquility.

We have just returned from a visit to central Granada and visited the Catedral and a Moorish market - but I must admit I prefer this old quarter.

Oh yes! We have had a text from the people who have gone to our house and they LOVE it! Phew, that's a relief. Still, they wanted a rustic cottage in the midle of nowhere and we wanted the city and some culture. So we are all happy.

Anyway I'm rambling.....too much vino tinto at Kiki's Bar!!!!:o

See you later.

donny-gal

Sounds like I need to get my head around swopping, and see if they fancy a week at the coast! Sounds ideal.
DG

droopsnout

donny-gal wrote: »

I did try to pack the sun in Spain, but it mst have escaped when we stayed in France for a couple of nights, did Droopsnout find (pinch) it?

No, Miss, it weren't me! I never touched it!! lol

donny-gal wrote: »

BTW Droopsnout did you drop your email off about the 0844 no?

Yes, I did email about the 0844 number, but not on 1 December as I got side-tracked picking up Mrs Snout from the airport after she went back to the UK for a funeral. It was 5 December when I contacted them, so no response yet, as it was over the weekend.

droopsnout

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Loved the garlic pictures, by the way, Droopsnout. But they used more than just garlic cloves to build that, didn't they? :rotfl:

Probably a bit of flour and water. Not sure what the rules allow, but everything visible is made of the parts of the garlic plant.

I have pictures of a load of other models and scenes, too, but wouldn't want to bore you with them all!! Besides, the main purpose was to get the thread back on to its normal friendly level.

S-d-w, hope you've got back home safely. I must say that your list of visits includes pretty well everything I'd love to go down there for. It's high on my list of priorities, but, unfortunately, unless the exchange rate improves significantly, I can't see us being able to make such trips.

seven-day-weekend

Hi Droopsnout , yes we are back, had a great time.

Torrential rain in Granada this morning and arrived back in our village to find it sitting in a cloud.

The people from Granada want to do another exchange in the spring - brilliant!:j

Our neighbours have looked after them and LOVED their twin four-year-old blonde little boys (who can speak English, French and Spanish:eek:). The boys have played outside with Manuel, our neighbours' grandson. The family have been up to La Ragua ( a pass through the Sierra Nevada) and seen some deep snow and gone sledging.

A good time had by all, including our neighbours!

seven-day-weekend

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

One thing I do know droopsnout, is that when my husband had his last IB50 (the questionnaire) to fill in, they sent it here to Spain and it was bilingual. The bit the Dr had to fill in was bilingual.. I rang and asked if he had to have a medical, where would he have it? and they told me Malaga, with an English-speaking Doctor.
:money: .

.

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.

donny-gal

7DW - there was a discussion on the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show today with examples of where they thought people on IB could work, work could be sent to them at home that they could do.

Where we are very able bodied folk are struggling for work, and if there was work to do at home most StayAtHomeMums would be fighting for it.

You may want to hear what is said on the Listen Again facility, I thought that one woman was talking from her sit upon!
DG

droopsnout

Hi, everyone.

I have been through this form-filling experience three times here.

The first time, they were happy for the GP doc only to fill in the form.

The second time, I had to go for a medical at the health authority's county HQ. The chap I saw liked the English and I was able to charm him and hand him copies of all my notes so that his report wrote itself. I had been extremely tense about it - ridiculously so, considering they don't actually pay me anything! (They cover my stamp). But his friendly attitude put me at my ease.

The third time, which was earlier this year, they had the GP's report, then wrote to say I had to go through the medical again. But nothing came of that, and I later had a letter saying that they would continue to pay my stamp.

I'm not worrying about it, as their contributions will add hardly anything to my State pension payments now. However, they're keeping me in the French system very simply. If they say I no longer qualify, then I believe I would continue to come under the French system through the residency qualification (five continuous years).

S-d-w, is your husband worried about losing his IB monthly income, or is he concerned for his pension entitlement later? I was wondering if he's applied for a pension forecast, which, IIRC, includes info about what his pension payment would be both if he continues to pay his stamp (or DWP do) and if he doesn't. If he is worrying about his State pension, this may set his mind at rest.

D-g, I agree entirely. I'd snap anybody's hand off for paid work I could do from home - along with a few million others, I suggest. So, yes, just where are they going to magic up all these jobs from?