Living in Crete :: How to Find Best Local Gasoline Prices

Life in #Crete - Find Local Gas Station Prices 

As part of Living on Crete we know we are paying the most expensive gasoline prices in #Greece to fill up our cars.

To help our main Brits in Crete web site become more informational on day to day life in Crete we had added a tool that helps you find the best price of gasoline at local filling stations across the island of Crete in all four prefectures of Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lasithi.

The breakdowns shown can refer to high octane, standard 95, diesel etc.

Mainly targeting those who understand Greek, the map based geo web pages have enough content in English to be easily understood.

This is a work in progress by the originators of this project. At the time of writing not all stations are covered yet, in Crete, but most are. More are being added all the time.

This tool has listed the gas filling stations in the mainland areas of Greece for some time and recently has been extended to cover Crete.

We are giving this a trial publication. If you find it is a useful tool and it reflects accurately the situation at gas stations across Crete we will keep it.

Life in #Crete - Find the Best Local Gas Station Prices 

Please comment as to whether the tool is useful.

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New UK Ambassador to #Greece Installed

IMG_9634, a photo by UK in Greece (British Embassy, Athens) on Flickr.

The new British Ambassador to Athens, Mr John Kittmer (left) presented his credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic on February 5, 2013.

More details are at: http://www.britsincrete.net/faq/latest-news-and-views

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Changes in #NS&I Premium Bonds from #AprilFoolsDay

Changes in #NS&I Premium Bonds from #AprilFoolsDay.  Now, change is good, but I like to cling to some of the old traditions as an #expat when I am back in #Britain.  So when I hear of such events while living in #Crete, it seems another little something has died back home.

Let me explain. Since I was a child -- ooh that is a long time ago -- I have been able to pop into a local post office when I get a bit of spare cash, fill in the form and buy National Savings Premium Bonds or when young with pocket money, birthday or Christmas gift money from my dad. But alas from April 1, 2013 this is going to be no longer possible. So ends a long tradition, and something I shall miss.

NS&I is on an efficiency drive, saving money or worse still is the Premium Bond service going to be outsourced? Who knows. Anyway, to be specific,  I received an e-mail from NS&I which simply stated that the service of collecting NS&I Cash ISA withdrawal payments in cash, and  buying Premium Bonds in cash over the counter across Britain will come to an end on April Fools Day.

All is not lost for Premium Bonds though, they still will be able to be bought over a post office counter, while payment will have to be made by cheque or debit card. Moreover, all the usual promotional leaflets/brochures will disappear and your being advised to actually "have to ask" for them from a counter clerk! (NS&I saving on printing costs?)

In the e-mail announcement of January 23,  the NS&I looks to be pushing online purchases of the Premium bonds and products they offer from www.nsandi.com, or make your transaction through the UK customer care team at (+44) (0)500 007 007 -- get that "007".  Be careful those calls, especially by mobile phone are almost certainly not going to be free!

Have I been lucky with winnings? Over the years, I think I am ahead in value of the investment in Premium Bonds with two payouts over the years.

These changes are all in the name of progress at #NS&I from #AprilFoolsDay.

 
Do you still visit your post office to get premium bonds with cash or is it just me as one of the last of the ex-pats who sticks to traditions when back home in UK?

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New Year's Resolution To Save Money:: Can You

The fact we are Brits living in Crete or anywhere else in Greece doesn't diminish the fact we are still Brits and likely to have made a New Year Resolution on New Year's Eve. If your resolution was how to save money in 2013 then this blog may just have the unexpected answer. A recent survey by Blinkbox.com showed that some 77 per cent of Brits waste money every month on subscriptions. That means, on average we waste GBP14.00 a month on unused or partially unused subscriptions and memberships if the survey has its facts correct. It seems 15 per cent of us 'couldn't be bothered' to cancel unwanted subscriptions. A further 13 percent didn't because we are unsure if we are getting enough from subscriptions. A same percentage didn't because they simply forgot they had a subscription. 

Half of Brits take out subscriptions. Some 60 per cent of those are by the 18-24 year olds. They subscribe to at least one Movie/TV online subscription. The real question: Is an online subscription worthwhile for the 30 per cent of those who only watch two movies a month? The vast majority of those surveyed said they were willing to consider a "pay-as-you-go" service if they could see more of the latest movies released.

Ben Ayers from blinkbox offers a great money saving tip: "If you're about to take out a subscription service in the hope that it will help save you money in 2013, you might fail to keep to your resolution. Ditch the subscription, pay for what you want when you want it and make 2013 the year you bucked the trend."

During the survey, the following online services were mentioned: LoveFilm, Netflix, Now TV and Sky Movies.  They were cited in a question:  "Do you subscribe to any of these services?"

Blinkbox.com carried out the New Year Resolutions survey among 2000 British respondents between December 19-24, 2012. The results were published on January 14, 2013.

After reading this do you think you should review your subscriptions? Then, how about your New Year Resolution for saving money in 2014?

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UK Pension Reform White Paper :: Brit Expats

UK Pension Reform White Paper :: Brit Expats

UK Pension Reform White Paper. For British ex-pats Living in Crete and yet to retire, the significant related news on 14 January 2013 was the publishing by the London government of the White Paper setting out listing the reforms for the future UK state pension. In simple terms what the new pension will provide is the weekly payment of around £144, plus any inflation rises between now and that start date. Currently, the full state pension amount is £107.45 and this can be increased to £142.70, if someone is able to claim Pension Credit.

The first question that comes to mind: In reality what will the new single tier pension mean?

Answer: The reform takes effect from 2017 at the earliest. That is when the basic and additional pensions are merged for people reaching pensionable age at that time or after. It does not apply to those already retired who will remain on their current arrangements with the Pensions Service/HM Customs and Excise.

Next Question: Who truly benefits?

Answer: The single-tier State Pension will benefit people with low lifetime earnings and those who have time out of the labour market due to unemployment, caring, or disability. The single tier of around £144 would therefore be higher than they could expect under the current system. The self-employed, who currently only build up entitlement to the basic pension, could also receive a higher State Pension. The intention of changes is for them to be cost-neutral, so while some people gain others will receive less than they would have done had the current system continued – although there is protection for entitlements already built up. Broadly speaking, the London Government expect the groups who will receive less under the new system to include:

• higher earners
• people with less than the minimum number of contributions needed to qualify for any State Pension
• and some people who may be affected by the abolition of the savings credit as part of Pension Credit

Question: What else should we know?

Following the Pensions Act 2011, women’s State Pension age will reach 65 by November 2018 and then State Pension age for both men and women will increase to 66 by October 2020.

One guarantee being offered if the White Paper is adopted into legislation is that the new Pension's administration framework will give a minimum of 10 years' notice of any rise in State Pension age for individuals affected. 

Compared to currently I can see one advantage for British expats living out mainland UK under the new scheme,  at least they get the whole pension as stipulated whereas now we just get the basic pension if we have declared we live in Crete or wherever but cannot claim Pension Credit. I guess all things will even out in 2017 when I quite expect that we will have inflation in the system that will eat away at the pension regardless of it being index linked.  Pension payments always unfairly trail the real cost of inflation on our wallets.

BritsinCrete Source: UK Pension Reform White Paper - Partly taken  from the AgeUK summary (previously known as Age Concern)

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/pensions/what-the-new-state-pension-reforms-mean-for-you/?utm_source=YEU_EN_16012013&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=PensionReformGuide&itc=0&ito=4945&itv=1024079439466

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