Will you earn more in New Zealand?

It’s the 64,000 (New Zealand) dollar question, will moving to New Zealand make you better off? It’s easy to look at basic pay comparisons, but ascertaining real purchasing power is a little more complicated. So we have crunched the numbers to see if you will earn more in New Zealand, or less.
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Buying a holiday home in Apulia

You can buy a holiday home in Apulia that offers the best of all worlds. A country home, yet close enough for easy trips to the beach and charming historic towns. Apulia has well over 500 miles of golden beaches and breath-taking cliffs, lapped by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, the Strait of Òtranto and the Gulf of Taranto. Just the names are enough to evoke the sound of the sea and the aroma of suntan lotion! This peninsula feels like an island but has the benefits of being part of the mainland.
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Car ownership and driving in Portugal

Driving in Portugal, some other British drivers will tell you, is not for the faint of heart. A saying you often hear in Portugal is that the locals never hurry unless they’re behind the wheel of a car. In our experience, however, it’s fine once you’re used to it! This article covers everything from the legal practicalities of taking your own car there, to taking the Portuguese driving test.
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Latest news from Italy

Hello from Italy, where a healthy tourism industry has boosted the rental market and Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup exit has given him time to do a spot of house-hunting in Turin.
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Living in the Spanish countryside

With a population of around 46.4 million and an area almost twice the size of Great Britain, Spain really does feel less crowded. However, most of the population is concentrated on the Costas and in major cities, leaving much of the rural interior almost uninhabited. Country houses and fincas within easy reach of the sea and large towns are always sought after and can command high prices. Smaller properties in villages will be much cheaper as will urbanisation’s in the hills behind coastal towns.
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Sport in France

With the Football World Cup now at the knockout stage, and as I write this both France and England still strong contenders for the title, it is hard to ignore football fever here in France. Almost every bar, café and  restaurant shows the matches and the French are a fiercely patriotic nation. Everywhere you look these days you see the French flag and signs of “Allez les bleus!”.
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Understanding the Canadian Tax System

If you’re planning to relocate to Canada, you’ll want an understanding of the Canadian tax system to ensure you are compliant with local tax laws. In Canada, taxes are set by the federal and provincial government and are collected by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA). The types of taxes you may need to be aware of as an expat or retiree in Canada are income tax, government sales tax (GST), provincial sales tax (PST), and property transfer tax (PTT) if you are buying real estate in Canada.
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How to make friends in the USA

Making friends in the USA will take some work. While striking up conversation is easy (especially when Americans hear a British accent) making real connections involves a touch more work. We understand the prospect of having to recreate your friendship circle can be daunting. Especially when you’re retiring to a place or moving with a young family and are concerned about not having a support network. It’s natural to be nervous.
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