Author Topic: Ex-pats finance  (Read 21958 times)

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Offline Eggy

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2007, 02:37:55 PM »
Harold
Maybe,just maybe you could open a deposit account in Corfu now and send over a little sum every 5/6 Months, or when you think you have a good exchange rate. I'm not a financial advisor but that could make a little sense especially the way the cost of living is going up.
( Not sure if you'd have to complete a yearly Tax return with them every year though. - about e50 to say all your money has come from England and hasn't been earned "Under the table". )
Regards
Negg

Offline mumsy2

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2007, 04:30:46 AM »
Hi

Thank you all for your help.  There seem to be a lot of options.  If I hear of anything else from elsewhere I will let you know.  I think we will just up-sticks and go, leave the house with the estate agents and keep our fingers crossed.  Had some bad news today though.  We didn't want to leave until our son got another job after being made redundant.  He got a job in London last July as a Senior Web developer. A great job and he loved it,  Today the company said they were folding and he is made redundant again. Got another 7 months lease on a basement flat in Richmond as well you can imagine how much that costs!.   Still I think we will still carry on with our plans.  I don't know! 67 and still being a parent, it never stops!
Thanks again,  Marie

Offline Smiffypink

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2007, 10:29:30 AM »
Oh im really sorry to hear that, i hope he finds another job really quickly!



Offline Joe

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2007, 09:05:48 PM »
Ooops, after speaking to my Mum today it appears I got my wires crossed a little. When moving to Greece she had no problem at all getting a Greek Bank account (you need one to tax your car for starters) and has had once since she moved out there, the problem she had was with her pension and getting it payed into her account.

If it was payed into her English account it cost her fees to get at it, up to £7 a time so she asked if it could be payed directly into her Greek account, unfortunately she was told that there was no electronic method setup between UK pensions and Greek Bank accounts therefore it could only be paid into an English account, however there is the option to be paid be cheque. My mum now gets her pension by sterling cheque and this is paid directly into her Greek account, its very fast, she has had no problems and is saving about twenty pounds a month doing it this way.

Hope this information helps

Joe

Offline mumsy2

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2007, 08:13:01 PM »
Thanks Joe,

 That is a very interesting option.  Does your Mum find it advantageous to have you living in the UK?
Our son will still be here.  Like you he will keep popping over. 

Offline Joe

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #20 on: March 20, 2007, 02:05:28 PM »
It has helped with me being in the UK, I still pick up some of her mail, keep her in potato cakes and help with the Bank Account. It also came in very useful when she had to renew her Driving licence, to keep her UK one she needed a UK address and fortunately could use mine, otherwise she would have had to apply for a Greek licence and taken a Greek test, not something she would have looked forward to.


Offline mumsy2

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #21 on: March 20, 2007, 02:08:25 PM »
Maybe I could help out there my husband loves potato cakes, I make them sometimes when I feel in the mood.  I'm more likely to be in the mood when I'm not here.

Offline Joe

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #22 on: March 20, 2007, 02:27:56 PM »
She's always been a 'Warburtons' fanatic, but homemade ones do sound nice!

Offline eve

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #23 on: May 01, 2007, 09:36:16 PM »
we too have gone to nationwide for all the reasons stated, our megre pension is paid into halifax then paid into nationwide, as we are only planning to rent for quite a while it just seemed to be a easy way but do we need to get a greek will, we think not as we will not be property owners. why is life so complicated?

Offline Eggy

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #24 on: May 02, 2007, 01:36:24 PM »
We've just opened a Nationwide for the same reasons. You will need to find out though if you're required to complete a yearly tax return when staying on the Island long term.
All these rules & regs are like a bowl of spaghetti to me.
Negg

Offline mumsy2

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2007, 02:13:39 PM »
Hi Eve

As regards the Greek will, it is something that has been concerning us.  We heard that Greek law passes everything on to the children, but have not had this confirmed. Also we want to take out power of attorney for each other.  Imagine being left alone, and not quite up to scratch in a foreign country.  I would be happy knowing that if such an occasion arose, my children would be there to take over.  Again, I don't know whether the Greeks would recognise a British Power of attorney, or even a British Will.  You are right, life is complicated.  I received some answers to this on the forum for Greek Law, if you haven't already looked there.  Marie

Offline eve

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2007, 06:24:47 PM »
thanks, Joe & mumsy, firstly what are potato cakes? secondly, Joe we were wondering about our driving licence, now we know. thirdly, I have a friend who maybe able to advise about the will thing she is ill at moment so giving her time to get better, I did pose the question some weeks ago and she said she would try to find out. Main thing is to have an up to date British one, sometimes tomorrow never comes. Will keep you posted if I get an update.

Offline Joe

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #27 on: May 03, 2007, 02:18:21 PM »
Potato cakes are food of the gods, well perhaps overselling a little but click on this link and scroll to bottom and you can see a picture.

They are small pancake sized amounts of light fluffy potato baked in an oven so they go crispy, mmmm. Perfect with beans and cheese, but you can also go 'posh' and make a Steak Rossini consisting of a tower of Potato cake, Pate and Fillet.....time for lunch :)

Offline eve

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #28 on: May 03, 2007, 02:44:33 PM »
Thanks, now I know, they do sound scrummy, might look out for a recipe.

Offline Joe

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Re: Ex-pats finance
« Reply #29 on: May 03, 2007, 03:01:02 PM »
They really should be Warburtons though, all the others never seem to be as good.


 

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