½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

yes, it definetively raining in Scotland today.... quite miserable!

there are a few variables to evaluate before answering your question. like: where will you live? north, south, in a city or in a village. What kind of property will be living in. How many people will be living off the same monthly budget. will have a car...will you be shopping a lot???

anyway, your morgage would be of roughly 750 euros, so I think that around 1500 euros in top of that would do the business....

P

paulo,

i would be looking to live in le marche, possibly near Jesi / Rencanati, or in Amandola. living expenses for 2, a small car and / or scooter, eating out one or twice a week, simple grocery shopping weekly.

i'm moving out to enjoy a much simpler life so hopefully this will relate to simpler bills! it is just to give me an idea, obviously there are infinite variables, but anyone currently living out there has a much better idea than i!!

james

James,

I would think about 1500/2000 euros on top of your morgage would be fine....

Good luck!

Paola

Jimmy, speaking as someone who does actually live here, I would reckon on around €800 over your mortgage as being a realistic figure, providing that you are prepared to watch your heating costs and forget about air con. clothes driers and the other essentials of modern living, you really need to adapt to the ½ûÂþÌìÌà way of living, growing some of your own food etc., there is a thread covering costs from way back if you use search on top bar you should be able to find it, if you want to discuss the costs, either PM or e mail me. :)
PS was the income passive or massive :D

Hi James
Try looking at the following websites to give to an idea of living costs.

[url]www.magicalmarche.com[/url] at the top of the page select 'economics' scroll down and you will find a pdf file with lots of comprehensive detail re cost of living.

[url]www.centralitalianhomes.com[/url] select 'running costs' at bottom of page. Their electric costs have the decimal point in the wrong position.

[url]www.expatsinitaly.com[/url] lots of useful info on costs of living and other information about living in Italy.

Stribs

ps sorry to those who have seen this before

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]Jimmy, speaking as someone who does actually live here, I would reckon on around €800 over your mortgage as being a realistic figure, providing that you are prepared to watch your heating costs and forget about air con. clothes driers and the other essentials of modern living, you really need to adapt to the ½ûÂþÌìÌà way of living, growing some of your own food etc., there is a thread covering costs from way back if you use search on top bar you should be able to find it, if you want to discuss the costs, either PM or e mail me. :)
PS was the income passive or massive :D[/QUOTE]

I had a dryer shipped from the States over 14 years ago. Its gas and is the greatest thing i ever did with modern appliances as I could not live with out one of those. It does not hardly cost anything but do not buy one from Italy as they dont work! My husband is a hairdresser so you can imagine the towels i wash and dry. Hanging them outside was impossible as it rains alot and the bugs that go on your laundry. I grow my own basil, parsley, hot peppers and they are all in a pot outside my back door. wish I had a better green thumb!

I live in Marche and can tell you that our electricity for a three bedroom flat (with 3 kw of power max) is around €150 every 2 months. The telephone line rental is about €30 every 2 months.

We spend about €60 a week on food and eating out is on top of that. Gas is minimal and only for cooking. Heating oil for a winter is about €1000 but we have an old boiler so a new one should be more efficient.

The big cost is running 2 cars. I reckon they cost us €400/€450 a month including road tax, insurance an petrol/diesel. One is a Fiat Panda and one a Toyota 4x4.

Hope that helps.

Last week on the news there were reports re the poverty levels in Italy. They referred to the sum of Euro 920 as being the monthly household income they regarded as the 'poverty line'. I don't remember if they stated the number within that household, but at least it gives you an indication re the official train of thought as to how much you need to live on. Remember that most ½ûÂþÌìÌà households do not have mortgages so is not necessarily part of the equation.
Hope this is of some help.
Anne2

[QUOTE=will]mmmm.....very interesting thread for us...think we are right on cusp of being able to afford to scrape by....however its the infrastructure costs that im wary of.....a new boiler may well be more efficient......but you have to pay for it and proper installation.......costs for running cars is one thing....but they are also assets that diminish in value and eventually need replacing (3 friends all had to replace 4x4s in first year as they blew up).....very expensive.....appliances too need replacing........oh yeah nearly forgot and the roof repairs....bit of essential drainage work.....the computer dying....that essential upgrade.....strimmer repaired.....new teeth......and of course whatever new tax for sneezing or whatever may or may not be in the pipeline :) .....but if you guys think this is still covered realistically for a couple for around 1000euro approx per month would be very interested to know, as my cautious nature is not quite convinced. :)[/QUOTE]

Old wood fired inefficient boiler which trundles on for years... don't mix with the sort of person who drives a small / med. sized 4x4 in permanent four wheel drive, they aren't designed for it, budget for appliance replacement, buy buckets and a decent spade, you do NOT NEED the upgrade, so long as you can still log onto this site and the corovignation st. webcam doodad, your life is complete... use the local 15 euro an hour agricultural mechanic, or, buy a scythe call me Gummy pay the taxes pleased to note you're still accounting for 2. Hugs... :p ;)

[QUOTE=will]mmmm.....very interesting thread for us...think we are right on cusp of being able to afford to scrape by....however its the infrastructure costs that im wary of.....a new boiler may well be more efficient......but you have to pay for it and proper installation.......costs for running cars is one thing....but they are also assets that diminish in value and eventually need replacing (3 friends all had to replace 4x4s in first year as they blew up).....very expensive.....appliances too need replacing........oh yeah nearly forgot and the roof repairs....bit of essential drainage work.....the computer dying....that essential upgrade.....strimmer repaired.....new teeth......and of course whatever new tax for sneezing or whatever may or may not be in the pipeline :) .....but if you guys think this is still covered realistically for a couple for around 1000euro approx per month would be very interested to know, as my cautious nature is not quite convinced. :)[/QUOTE]

All these things are going to happen wherever you decide to live, remember that when working out your finances! From experience we feel that we are enjoying a good quality of life here for less expense than in the UK.
It is really up to you and your personal feelings but go on take the plunge and follow your dream. Life is too short not to give it a go. Good luck with your venture.

We've got no mortgage and our hoping 1600 euro a month will be (more than) sufficient for two people (Puglia, just south of Brindisi). We will be growing a lot of veggies and salad stuff, eating at home etc. And of course as we won't be working, no need for work clothes, commuting costs etc .....

[QUOTE=Technically Blonde]We've got no mortgage and our hoping 1600 euro a month will be (more than) sufficient for two people (Puglia, just south of Brindisi). We will be growing a lot of veggies and salad stuff, eating at home etc. And of course as we won't be working, no need for work clothes, commuting costs etc .....[/QUOTE]
OMG... the cost of living in Puglia can be horrendous, the constant parties, the webcam outfits the constant rain and or insect plagues, errrm, errrm... ;)

[QUOTE=will]you better be right Gummy or there will be trouble:).....yes 2! (only joking about 1 BTW!!).....does this include puppy up keep?[/QUOTE]

Puppies somewhat of a delicate subject at moment, err, Trin came into season just before my mate arrived a couple of weeks ago, I didn't notice, while he was here we were leaving Neo in the house with trin, errrrrmm returned to find them romantically linked :o , sooooo, anybody want any whippet lurchers around Christmas time.....
Fancy joking about singledom, shame on you... :)

Have any of you on here heard of machine that you can heat your home and hot water, leave it on all day long. I do not have any idea in English what they are called but here the one machine you have to throw in sanzo and the other pellits. Its a great way to save on gas and electricity. Could cost from 3000 euro to 5k depending on how big of a one you need..we have the one where you throw in the sanzo once a day but that is because the pellitt machine came out over a year ago.

Do you know where we can find more information about the machine you are describing?

[QUOTE=Technically Blonde]Do you know where we can find more information about the machine you are describing?[/QUOTE]
They're all over the place, brilliant way of heating, clean too, work like a woodburner, but "sealed system" so burn economically, have hopper feed for pellets, they originated in Scandanavia many years back, have very sophisticated controls for the pellet feed and air input, pellets quite expensive, but clean to store and use, and you use less for similar heat than wood, most large Brico. stores have them in stock.
Ohhh, I must be weakening....[url]http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1995_October_November/Pellet_Stoves_Wood_Energy_For_All[/url]

[url]http://hearth.com/what/pelletstoves.html[/url]
If you google pellet burning stoves it takes 0.08 sec. to get 727 hits... :)

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]Ohhh, I must be weakening....[url]http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1995_October_November/Pellet_Stoves_Wood_Energy_For_All[/url]

[url]http://hearth.com/what/pelletstoves.html[/url]
If you google pellet burning stoves it takes 0.08 sec. to get 727 hits... :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks :) will check this out

George is that something that you will be using to warm the puppies by? :D Keep the little puppies dogs all nice and warm during winter :p

Hugs, Peggy

[QUOTE=Sweetpeg]George is that something that you will be using to warm the puppies by? :D Keep the little puppies dogs all nice and warm during winter :p

Hugs, Peggy[/QUOTE]

LOL, it's the other way around Peggy, the dogs run about 6° warmer than me, so, if they allow me onto "their" sofa, I can get a lovely snuggle :)
BTW, November is about the stupidest time to allow puppies to be born, as they do come into the world at the coldest months, BUT, for Lurchers, this gives them a pretty long time to learn to hunt before they start in earnest, trin wouldn't normally have come into season before January, that's why I wasn't watching for it :( hey Ho... will be using a black light heat lamp for the pups. and hopefully they will be living near my little woodburner.

.........so you're pregnant......!! :D ...hope the expectant mother is well and she has at least 10 bringing your total to 17....when do you move in to the outbuilding ????? If you run out of names let us know and we will help !!! :)

[QUOTE=alex and lyn].........so you're pregnant......!! :D ...hope the expectant mother is well and she has at least 10 bringing your total to 17....when do you move in to the outbuilding ????? If you run out of names let us know and we will help !!! :)[/QUOTE]

I will send your 4 to you as soon as they are ready.... Know enough names for them but most unsuitable for an English speaking audience :eek:

[QUOTE=Technically Blonde]Do you know where we can find more information about the machine you are describing?[/QUOTE]
I have a pellet stove and it has reduced my gass bill (GPL) from E1900 per year to E300 with about another E300 for the pellets. My machine is from [url]www.extraflame.com[/url]

thanks, that sounds great. we will definitely investigage