The Early Bird......

In our household, I'm always the one to book holidays, early. I always arrive at airports hours before our flight departs, and I'm always first in the line. As we are buying an apartment in a Swiss ski resort, we can stay there as regular tourists, whilst we await a permit from the Canton. Unless of course, someone else has made a booking whilst we debated my early booking habit. Which is exactly what has happened. I need to raise my game if I want to stay in our place.

The English Habit

It's a national pastime to talk about the weather. One set of parents moved to Spain late last year, where they initially stayed in our place. They liked the house, but the weather 2 hours south of Barcelona was too wet and too cold, they told me, and so they moved south as soon as the furniture arrived. Now resident in southern Valencia, our regular phone conversations are filled with tales of how it's too hot, and how they hate the heat there.

Why do they do that?

Spanish Banks that is. They make a charge for me leaving my money with them. They earn money from that, which they keep for themselves. Then, when I set up a Direct debit for a utility bill, each month, they send me a letter telling me that they have sent the payment. They charge me for that too. I should have opened a Bank.

The Big Game Plan....

It's good to plan ahead. In this instance, years ahead, take on extra borrowing and try and fund an idyllic retirement by having a place on the Med, and a place in a Swiss alpine village. Lots of "if's" and "buts", though most of it comes down to money..As usual.