Author Topic: My retirement blog.  (Read 420519 times)

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #225 on: August 16, 2016, 10:22:58 am »
Forgot to post my source so you can see the rest of the top 10 too: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-great-places-in-the-world-to-retire-if-youre-not-rich-2016-08-10

During my research Belize was on the top of my list and I only dropped it for Portugal because our kids are in the UK.
By the way, that pic of the Algarve is Faro, the capital of the Algarve and that is not an actual beach as such but  a lagoon. One has to go by boat to get to the sea.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Patrick

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #226 on: August 16, 2016, 01:04:59 pm »
If money is your only concern, apparently Crete is the cheapest, where a retired couple spends just 1060 euro a month:
http://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/country-hub/greece/crete.html


Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #227 on: August 16, 2016, 02:23:44 pm »
If money is your only concern, apparently Crete is the cheapest, where a retired couple spends just 1060 euro a month:
http://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/country-hub/greece/crete.html

We average around € 670 pm and that includes medical aid for the 2 of us and we are not on a budget.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #228 on: August 24, 2016, 12:44:41 pm »
How cool is this? Our supermarket cashier explained to me why they ask for your tax number. Reason is this;
All major supermarkets, stores and chemists tills are linked to the tax office in Lisbon. If your tax number is on the slip then the amount gets added to your personal tax page and 35% of the purchase is tax deductible to a max of €250 pa.
Now, spouses have a choice to be taxed together or separately so we can alternate our tax numbers when purchasing and we will have a yearly tax deduction of €500.00 for groceries and medication.
No need to even keep the till slips or declare the amount as the amount goes through automatically. :TU:
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #229 on: November 22, 2016, 11:27:46 pm »
I have not posted here for some time but I have a reason for that. My wife is having medical issues and despite the rigorous tests done on the most sophisticated instruments available, they cannot find anything wrong.

She has trouble walking and gets dizzy. She has lost so much weight and has little control over her legs that are too weak.

I just tucked her into her bed and she started crying as she knows her time is limited. This broke me down. I love her so much.
We were supposed to go to the UK next month to see our first grandchild but I cannot see it happening.

So sad. I am a mans man and and only cry when my horse dies but this is my wife.

 
« Last Edit: November 22, 2016, 11:29:22 pm by Orca »
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

gcr

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #230 on: November 23, 2016, 12:41:52 am »
Orca - all strength to you and your wife, and, may she recover shortly. Must be very distressing to your whole family - Graham
Not everything that counts, can be counted, and, not everything that can be counted counts - Albert Einstein

jaDEB

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #231 on: November 23, 2016, 07:21:28 am »
Yes, I hope the best for you and your wife. May things work out and everything is ok. "little praying hands"
jaDEB

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Patrick

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #232 on: November 23, 2016, 10:50:28 am »
Thoughts are with you and your wife Orca. I hope the doctors figure it out soon and that it's easily resolved.

Moonraker

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #233 on: November 23, 2016, 11:53:12 am »
Sincerest sympathies from me. Never give up hope, she will recover. Cast your net wide for more medical opinions.

Mr_Dividend

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #234 on: November 23, 2016, 01:54:42 pm »
sorry to hear that - thoughts are with you.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #235 on: November 24, 2016, 05:32:11 pm »
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. She had more tests done today and we will get the results the 1'st week of December.
Seems it may be MS or MD.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

yozzi

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #236 on: November 24, 2016, 08:41:28 pm »
Strength be with you Orca, best wishes to you both and be positive

erwintwr

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #237 on: November 25, 2016, 03:52:01 pm »
such a life changing event - which we dont want to wish on our worst enemies :(

strength there for you and your wife. Its better if you spend time with children/grandchildren.

dividendtycoon

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #238 on: November 25, 2016, 04:48:27 pm »
I hope the tests lead to some certainty and hopefully a solution to her problems. Wish you and your wife well in this difficult time.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #239 on: January 09, 2017, 08:26:18 pm »
Well, we managed to get to the UK and back over the holidays despite me having concerns about my wife's ability to get into the bus to get to the airport and then getting into the plane.
The ever so friendly airport staff put her into a wheelchair and wheelied her to the assistance section from where we were the first to enter the plane via a special lift. So cool.

We arrived in the UK after a 2 hour flight and had to wait for all to disembark via the stairs before we were taken down with the lift.

The ever so unfriendly UK customs staff as always snubbed my wife off for not having a visa but we were expecting this. They called their supervisor who told us that the UK was not a member of the Schengen free movement agreement so my wife would need a visa.
When I told her that we are not using the Schengen system but the EU regulation on free movement of a spouse of a EEU member state citizen (me) and my wife has a bio metric Portuguese Residency card, she quickly signed her entry card and shuffled off without a word. :LHST:

The word got out here that customs and immigration has been briefed to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to enter the UK. So I was expecting it. What is so funny is that when we departed, we were hassled to a degree that I thought they wanted to deport my wife back to Portugal although we were on our way there.

I have more to say but this is getting longer than an attention span can take.



 
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.