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To stem the influx of migrants, UK has removed the right of its citizens to bring in foreign spouses by legislation.
What normally happens is that once these foreign spouses are settled in the UK, they "import" their extended family members into the UK as their "dependants". (You will know what countries I am talking about)

Getting married in the UK will only get your marriage registered in the UK and you should have done so from SA already without needing to travel there.
I strongly advise you to get an Apostilled Marriage Certificate from Home Affairs and get your marriage registered in the UK if you have not done so already.

You would need an Apostilled Marriage Certificate anyway if you intend to live anywhere in the EU plus your marriage must be registered in your home EU state as well.

This marriage certificate will also allow your wife to get a free visa and she gets to jump the queue of casual tourists and the process is expedited.

 

As I stated earlier, we have come down from R12k pm to R10k as we have learned what to buy and where to buy.
I have always wondered why our food goes off so quickly compared to when we were in SA. The reason is this.
The Porras don't like preservatives and genetically modified foods and due to public pressure, these foods are rarely found here and if so, they are avoided. (Perhaps this is why women do not have cellulite here ??)

We now buy fruit and veggies every second day in small quantities and stock up on stuff we can freeze like meat and fish when it is going cheap.

Prices of meat and fish can differ 50% from day to day and from different supermarkets having specials.
As example, our local market is having a special on pork loin chops with fat removed as always at R21.00 per kg and chicken leg quarters at R19.00 per kg.
We also have a discount card that gives us a further 5% off the price that we can accumulate as points or use immediately.
I would love to know what you guys are paying for lean pork chops and chicken leg quarters now. Anyone?

Hey Orca, why not invest in Portuguese stocks ? I think you will do well.

Here are a few to check out:-

Altri (Chemicals)), NOS (Media) or Jerónimo Martins (Retail) all up 30%+

Stock Market as a whole up 10% this year.
GDP growth estimated at 1,6% for 2015
'Cheap' money from ECB should benefit stocks

Oh man, sorry to hear about that - but she will get better, time is a great healer.
Hope you didn't have to go to Lisbon for treatment. When we lived in Loule, near Faro in the Argave, medical service was very poor and a fractured bone meant a trip to Lisbon.
(But that was way back in 1992).

Apparently people who retire early have some common characteristics according to Warren Ingram - Moneyweb article:

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mymoney/moneyweb-financial-planning/want-to-retire-early/

Financial freedom or early retirement takes a lot of sacrifice and hard work –  but it is possible for anybody.

Wow. I never really considered early retirement but after reading your post it might just be something I do one day. Except for the worrying about dying young and getting married thing I am pretty much set on the other three. Not like I am not interested in getting married but to do that I first have to get into a relationship and those don't come cheap o.O So difficult to get a girl who just don't mind chilling at home. They always want to do stuff and stuff cost a lot of money.

But anyway as for point 3 I am definitely happy with what I have. I have never understood my generations need to always have to have the newest smartphone and the need to buy new clothes every bloody month. Been using the same phone for 3 years now and not planning on replacing it for another 2. Can't even remember the last time I bought new clothes. Definitely happy with what I got and it goes a long way to helping me save 55% of my salary every month. And also by not shopping the whole time I can say I am completely and utterly debt free. Except for the R1000 I owe on my credit card. Had no choice there. Been trying forever but the interweb just won't accept my cash. Only credit cards which are luckily always paid of the next month.

With point 4 my dad has definitely paid a big part in the way I deal with money. He was always a frugal man, not because we were poor, but because that is how my grandparents raised him. I remember growing up and always seeing my friends get the newest computer or wearing the coolest brand name clothing. I always envied them so much cause I didn't have that. My dad would never pay that kinda money. But with hindsight I am really thankful. Compared with my friends I am a helluva lot better of financially. They just don't know how to save because they always go out blasting through their income. Why? Because that is how they were raised. Their parents always gave them what they wanted and now that they are older they still expect life to work that way. No saving or being patient and waiting to buy something when you can afford it. I must have it now because that is how I always got things.

Point 5...and I am really chuffed with myself about this point, but I sure do love my budget. Apart from the 55% of my salary I already save I save another I save another 10% just for medical emergencies and unseen future costs. It my rainy day savings. And as soon as I use a red cent out of that money it gets replaced immediately. When you wrote this point it was like looking into a mirror.

So gotta say thanx for making that post. Been having a rough couple of months and reading your post made me realise I could maybe one retire early and go live in Portugal like Orca. That is something that never even crossed my mind as I did not consider that a possibility. Sure lifted my spirits reading your post and realising it is doable. 

Apart from the 55% of my salary I already save I save another I save another 10% just for medical emergencies and unseen future costs. It my rainy day savings. And as soon as I use a red cent out of that money it gets replaced immediately. When you wrote this point it was like looking into a mirror.

So gotta say thanx for making that post. Been having a rough couple of months and reading your post made me realise I could maybe one retire early and go live in Portugal like Orca. That is something that never even crossed my mind as I did not consider that a possibility. Sure lifted my spirits reading your post and realising it is doable. 

If you're saving 55% of your salary (well done btw, very impressive) you'll only need to work for 14.9 years! If you included the emergency savings to take it to 65%, it would only take you 10.9 years to get there. How old are you now?

Portugal has a lot going for it, Orca did his research well. Good climate, low living costs, very favourable tax if you retire there, and if Orca is to be believed, very good looking women too.

Please note I do agree with u all saving for retirement. But please also remember (I do not feel like writing - thus gonna make it short) that saving and not enjoying life and you go to the big gates at say 50, it happens. I have seen it happen, and still think about how he deserved to enjoy his retirement, but never had the opportunity 

Hope she's up and running again very soon O.     Stiletto's and cobbled streets never mix, only place where I wear flats is Monte Casino for that very reason.