Author Topic: My retirement blog.  (Read 400703 times)

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #90 on: December 03, 2014, 06:15:01 pm »
Finally got through all the red tape today after a 6 month struggle. It was well worth the effort though.
Now we can relax for 5 years then my wife can get permanent residency.

I am happy to report that we have lived off my investments for 6 months and the portfolio has grown by 5%. This is more than I expected in the current market plus the fact that we had to buy carpets, bedding, cutlary, crockery etc. We also had visitors for 2 weeks and had to do the holiday thing and that was rather expensive.

My wife has been keeping tabs on our spending (living expenses) and have consistently spent R4 000.00 less here pm than we did in Cape Town. Our rental is more expensive here but then this apartment is much more modern to the extent that one expects to see a hotel reception area when stepping out the elevator at the bottom. All the hallways and passages are marble and dark wood. Seems the whole of Portugal is built on marble and granite to the extent that to save money, rather use marble blocks than expensive bricks to build.Even the streets are lined with marble blocks.


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

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #91 on: December 10, 2014, 02:11:33 pm »
Well, Christmas is once again upon us. This is pretty evident when visiting the city center here in Viana. The Portuguese take Christmas very seriously.
Last week, hordes of trucks pulled into town and set up camp in a park. In a matter of days, they transformed the center into a scene from a fairy tale book.
The narrow cobbled streets are now lined with xmas decorations and xmas trees with sparkling lights and long red carpets laid down. Overhanging arches with big stars light up at night making the streets look like unbelievably colourful tunnels.
Speakers playing xmas carols (in english) from a centeral point have been placed 15 meters apart throughout the city center making window shopping such a pleasure. The shops were still open at 11pm when we left.
This is the first time since childhood that I have experienced a real xmas feeling.
Nothing gets packed away at night and in the morning, all is still there.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Patrick

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #92 on: December 10, 2014, 06:05:30 pm »
Sounds amazing  :TU:

Nios

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #93 on: December 10, 2014, 06:58:49 pm »
Finally got through all the red tape today after a 6 month struggle. It was well worth the effort though.
Now we can relax for 5 years then my wife can get permanent residency.

I am happy to report that we have lived off my investments for 6 months and the portfolio has grown by 5%. This is more than I expected in the current market plus the fact that we had to buy carpets, bedding, cutlary, crockery etc. We also had visitors for 2 weeks and had to do the holiday thing and that was rather expensive.

My wife has been keeping tabs on our spending (living expenses) and have consistently spent R4 000.00 less here pm than we did in Cape Town. Our rental is more expensive here but then this apartment is much more modern to the extent that one expects to see a hotel reception area when stepping out the elevator at the bottom. All the hallways and passages are marble and dark wood. Seems the whole of Portugal is built on marble and granite to the extent that to save money, rather use marble blocks than expensive bricks to build.Even the streets are lined with marble blocks.

Indeed does sound amazing Orca.

I'm keen to understand how you went about getting through all the red tape and finally having FNB unfreeze your accounts...

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #94 on: December 10, 2014, 10:38:11 pm »
Not quite so Nios. I had trouble getting my account blocked. You can only transfer money overseas via a blocked ZAR account for SARB to record how much money is coming in and going out of SA.
Once you have officially emigrated via SARS and SARB, all your assets and bank accounts will be controlled by a bank that has authority by SARB to do so.
If on a plain holiday, you can just swipe your card with no problem but once officially emigrated, your account is frozen and you cannot swipe or do any internet banking. You have to email the bank to transfer money.

Emigration procedure will be a whole new blog.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2014, 10:53:57 pm by Orca »
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

mike1000

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #95 on: December 19, 2014, 07:45:47 am »
Hi I can't find a thread for my question so I hope you don't mind me asking it here.

Does anyone know of a website that lists all the Sectors and then the relevant industries and then the companies in these industries and then all relevant info such as P/E and ROE ect....

Something like this http://biz.yahoo.com/p/s_conamed.html[/b]

Hope someone can help me. Just started a few days ago and doing research on stock trading. Been reading Stock Investing For Dummies. My first book.

Moonraker

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #96 on: December 19, 2014, 09:09:45 am »
Hi I can't find a thread for my question so I hope you don't mind me asking it here.

Does anyone know of a website that lists all the Sectors and then the relevant industries and then the companies in these industries and then all relevant info such as P/E and ROE ect....

Something like this http://biz.yahoo.com/p/s_conamed.html[/b]

Hope someone can help me. Just started a few days ago and doing research on stock trading. Been reading Stock Investing For Dummies. My first book.

Special secret  ;)  https://itradedata.co.za/index/i_sector.htm

mike1000

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #97 on: December 19, 2014, 12:35:06 pm »

Special secret  ;)  https://itradedata.co.za/index/i_sector.htm
[/quote]

Thanks alot!! Just what I was looking for.

erwintwr

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #98 on: January 24, 2015, 10:21:43 pm »
......
Emigration procedure will be a whole new blog.

following this thread shows that you had quite a few challenges. guess drawing a good buffer amount as cash is about the best option, just incase a few months of delays/red tape is encountered.

any other tips Orca?


Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #99 on: January 26, 2015, 12:23:07 am »
Here is my new home town. I was surprised that there were braai areas with grids and all up there. The pine forest has plenty pine cones for fire so we will go for a braai sometime soon. There is a venicular train to take you to the top. Went for a walk in the forest but saw a wild boar and made a quick exit.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2015, 12:30:33 am by Orca »
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #100 on: January 26, 2015, 01:00:37 am »
This was on xmas day in the city center. So cool as xmas songs were played throughout the city.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #101 on: January 26, 2015, 01:05:02 am »
Here is another pic. Temperature that night on xmas was 10°c
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #102 on: January 26, 2015, 01:12:32 am »
This was very cool. Tingling flashing lights from all the trees.
I started here with nothing and still have most of it left.

Patrick

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #103 on: February 24, 2015, 01:00:00 pm »
Not sure if this has been asked before, but have you told us how you got into Portugal? Do you somehow have a European passport, or did you apply somehow?

Orca

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Re: My retirement blog.
« Reply #104 on: February 24, 2015, 06:28:36 pm »
For me it was simple as I have a Finnish passport but was more difficult for my wife as she has a SA passport. I had to exercise my EU Treaty Rights that state that your non EU spouse can travel and live with you in any EU member country except the UK. UK negotiated different border control laws for non EU spouses.


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