View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Sheikh Inal Ovar
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:00 am Post subject: Moving to Italy |
|
|
I'd be grateful for any comments you may have on the feasibility of the following ..
We're looking to settle in Italy in a few years time .. if everything goes to plan - but knowing the Gulf, where we are now and where we have been for quite some time, that's an important 'if' ..
.. to help me work out exactly how much longer we need to stay here, I'd be grateful if you could tell me how far you think Eu 2,500 per month would take a married couple with no kids who desired a modest but by no means shoe-string existence ..
That would be Eu 2,500/month (post tax) after health insurance and with us having our own home, hopefully in a small town around the Umbria/Toscana/Le Marche border area ... and with us having our own car ..
I'm assuming it would be enough to -
Eat out once or twice a week
Potter around in the car to make 2-3 trips a week to places of interest and beauty
Maintain a car and a home
Cover all bills (water, heating, phone, internet etc ..)
Buy the type of groceries that normal people buy
Drink plenty of vino (nostrano)
Have a 3-4 day holiday (in country) each month
Leave a little for some personal spending on books etc ..
I'm also assuming that should the need arise I could easily find 8-10 hours a week at a langauge school in the nearest city to bring in another Eu 500-600 each month ...
We would aim to have a substantial pot of funds for any extraordinary expenses, but I'd like to hear if you think our assumptions are realistic or not
Many thanks |
|
Back to top |
|
|
austeacher
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 91 Location: London
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
Stay where you are, don't go to Italy.
Go to France. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sheikh Inal Ovar
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
austeacher wrote: |
Stay where you are, don't go to Italy.
Go to France. |
Thanks for that .. you might notice though that you are giving contradictory advice ..
Now run along please .. and let someone with something useful to say get a word in |
|
Back to top |
|
|
austeacher
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 91 Location: London
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
You are a real no brainer. It was intended to be contradictory. You obviously don't know what irony is. As if I care wether you go to Italy or France. DUH! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sheikh Inal Ovar
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yes .. you're absolutely right
Now run along please .. and let someone with something useful to say get a word in |
|
Back to top |
|
|
iain
Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 15 Location: northern italy
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
For a couple with no kids to support you will manage fine on the budget you mention: a lot of Italian families scrape by on around half. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
A lot depends on whether or not you need to pay rent or a mortgage, or a car loan. If the sum you mention is completely tax-free, with no other major outgoings, it should be fine. But a couple of things to bear in mind:
- language schools don't pay a great deal, and the work isn't all going to be in one block. You may have two hours here, three hours there, and with travelling times you'll be looking at spending a disproportionate amount of your time to earn not very much. If you could clear say �15ph and worked ten hours a week, you could earn �600pm. But this would need to be "in nero".
- don't underestimate the cost of living in Italy. Car insurance for the first year will be expensive as you can't transfer your no-claims. Count on at least �1000 depending on how big / small the car is. Hotels are expensive too, so a three-day stay each month will set you back at least �150 before you factor in petrol etc. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SueH
Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
You should be fine but any extra you can save in the Gulf would be a good idea as I'd second TiR's comments.
Even after 3 years NCB on my insurance it's a great deal more than I paid in the UK - and only for 3rd party (not even fire and theft!) unlike my comp before.
I get by OK but haven't yet really taken advantage of being in Italy yet, although I have sailed round it and got lots of local skiing in. As I get more work I hope to do so. Getting direct work with local state schools would be a better idea on the hourly rate although perhaps less flexible in terms of timetable, but the ones I do were quite amenable in when I did my hours.
You would be in a good position as you'd only have to adjust your budget by cutting out the occasional meal out or a short trip away. If you are going to be buying a house make sure it's fuel efficient as that is another high expense here, and finally... do budget to spend a reasonable amount on your bottle of wine! Cheap Italian wine can be OK but it helps to spend a little bit more. Fair enough I live in an area where the local wine is expensive (and I'm still exploring it:-) ) but as I get older I find it a necessary development. I'm wondering what the Cono Sur Gewurztraminer will be like which I bought for �2.89 on the way back from skiing today, but I normally spend more. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: |
I'm wondering what the Cono Sur Gewurztraminer will be like which I bought for �2.89 on the way back from skiing today |
Um, cat's p***? (Joke..) I generally spend about �5 on a bottle of wine - more if I'm feeling rich - but you get some really good wines in an enoteca (as I'm sure the Sheikh knows.) And I hope he also knows that Marche is fantastic for wine. Forget the tired old Chianti (for which you need to pay a fortune for anything half-way decent) but Marche provides real value for money. Definitely an up-and-coming region. Also the same regarding house prices, and in my obviously biased opinion, a great region sandwiched as it is between mountains and the sea. Just make sure you're not right on the fault line. All these aftershocks are freaking me out.
I agree with Sue that state teaching is the most lucrative, but you need to make your contacts to get an in. I do a lot of state teaching, but it's all between October and April / May. Italian kids are challenging, but probably just as much as kids in the Gulf.
Anyway, let me know if you need any other Marche info. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sheikh Inal Ovar
Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School
|
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yes .. thank you all very much for the info ..
Enjoy your coffee in the piazza .. without such pleasures, our petro-dollars are hard earned |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SueH
Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy
|
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yeah, sorry about that, you can see where our priorities lie. Look on it as an apperitivo, something to look forward to as you slog your time out in the Gulf discussing who makes the best siddiqi, or whatever it's called. You'll appreciate it that much more when you do arrive. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|