Over the years we’ve cut back on a lot of things, one of them being going to the pictures. Before reducing our spending to concentrate on the mortgage we would to go to see a film at least once, often twice a month and at £15 a film, it can eat into your budget.  So now we rent DVD’s. Our current subscription is 3 movies a month at £5.99.

At first I thought this might be a big ask but as the year progresses we’re doing well……….taking two seven hour flights really helped

Favourites in bold

1. Larry Crowne
2. The Switch
3. Sarah’s Key
4. Last Night
5. One Day
6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
7. The Break Up
8. I Don’t Know How She Does It
9. Loves Kitchen
10. The Ides of March….the start of what I like to call ‘The Gosling Period’
11. Crazy Stupid Love
12. The Notebook
13. 2012
14. Forget Me Not
15. Contagion
16. Never Let Me Go
17. The Debt
18. Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol
19. New Years Day
20. The Vow
21. Contraband
22. 50/50

22 down, 30 to go!

Do you watch a lot of films? Do you go to the movies or watch them another way?

(Photo credit)

2012 Goals: Watch 52 Films is a post from: Move to Portugal

Writing yesterday’s post was just what I needed to get back into focus mode and so I’m back to starting the week with a simple to do list.  Having a to do list is my best way to function.  I could have a list containing 5  jobs or 40 jobs, it wouldn’t matter, if it’s written down, I’m okay.

This week’s simple to do:

• Chase up ISA account funds transfer
• Menu plan the rest of May
• Organise New York photos
• Clean all upstairs windows
• Post RSVP for wedding
• Buy Mum’s birthday gift and post
• Buy birthday cards x 3
• Post sold book
• Finish reading Julie and Julia
• Take clothing to charity shop
• Book airport parking
• Mend daughters blouse
• Sweep yard

If I can complete everything this week I’ll be one happy bunny!

(photo credit)

Monday Miscellany is a post from: Move to Portugal

I hate to admit it but since returning from our holiday I’ve been in a real slump……but now it’s time to lift myself out of it.  It’s time to refocus on my dreams.

I doubt that I’ll ever complete everything on my life list, but more than anything I hope that the Portugal one becomes a reality.

Completed in bold

Travel:

1. Visit Paris
2. Spend at least one month in Manhattan
3. Tour New England
4. Take Amtrak from Seattle to San Francisco (2015)
5. Visit Rome (June 2012)
6. Visit Vienna (2013)
7. Tour California
8. Visit Brighton
9. Visit Vancouver
10. Visit Washington DC
11. Visit Boston
12. Spend at least one month living in London
13. Visit St Petersburg
14. Visit Vegas
15. Visit Toronto

Financial:

1. Be mortgage free (2015)
2. Be debt free
3. Be Financially Independent by 2025 (and both able to retire)
4. Achieve Financial Freedom by 2020
5. Make a living online
6. Teach my kids enough so that they remain debt free (working on it!)
7. Have six figures in the bank

Personal:

1. Live in a foreign country – Portugal (2016)
2. Weigh 140lbs 150lbs
3. Holiday on a beach front property
4. Live near a beach
5. Speak fluent Portuguese
6. Design a house
7. Eat a 100% vegetarian diet for 1 month (June 2012)
8. Have a house good enough to holiday swap
9. Go to a Broadway play
10. Go to a West End play
11. Be a landlord
12. Sponsor one/two/three children
13. Take a cookery course
14. Attend the Super Bowl
15. Get a tattoo
16. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
17. See the NY Jets play (2013)
18. Attend a baseball game (Yankees)
19. Take hubby on a surprise trip
20. Have breakfast at Balthazar NY

Places to visit:

1. Design Museum, London
2. Design Museum, Lisbon
3. The MOMA, NY
4. The MET, NY
5. The Guggenheim, NY
6. Coney Island, NY
7. The Space Needle, Seattle
8. The Grand Canyon
9. A Vegas casino
10. Niagara Falls, NY

Do you have a life list? if so, do you use it as a source of inspiration?

Life List Updated is a post from: Move to Portugal

The following is a guest post;

Travel insurance should be taken out prior to any trip. Direct travel insurance is designed to cover a variety of areas which can often be specialized depending upon the trip and what you will be doing while away. There are three basic types of travel insurance: these are single trip, annual multi trip and gap year. Single trip is as the name implies for one trip. Annual multi trip is a good value for those who travel more than one time in a calendar year. The third type is gap year which is for trips that have a longer duration. For instance, a trip that will last up to one year would be covered.

One aspect of travel insurance will cover trip cancellation and interruption. Many travelers worry about making reservations and paying for flights up front. Sometimes the unthinkable happens and they simply cannot go on their trip. They do not want their money to be lost. However with travel insurance this doesn’t need to happen.
With cancellation coverage, if for some reason you must cancel your trip before you leave you will be reimbursed. Reimbursement is made for prepaid expenses that are non-refundable – keep in mind that you must have a legitimate reason for cancellation; just any reason will not do. Valid reasons include things such as sickness, injury or death on your part, a family member or your traveling companion. Sometimes weather can affect conditions. Hurricane damaged areas can be reasons for cancellation. Perhaps you are laid off your job or find out you must work. Jury duty is another valid reason for cancellation. There may be other reasons covered by travel insurance. There are just the basic ones.

Trip interruption coverage covers you when on a trip for the same reason. Trip interruption is when you’ve already left on the trip, but for some reason must cut it short.

Levels of Coverage for Travel Insurance is a post from: Move to Portugal

I’ve written a long list of household jobs that I want to complete before the summer is out and I’m starting with the freezer – as you can see it’s badly in need of defrosting!

My list includes spring cleaning and household maintenance items, and if we complete everything on the list it will put us on top of our household again – something we’re a little behind on. I feel a lot happier when the house is clean and all the small issues are sorted out, so I’m eager to get started.

I’m not sure why we’ve procrastinated on things so much – perhaps it’s down to the miserable weather – but the sooner everything is done, frugally of course, the better. I’m reminded of Step 3 in the ‘Think before you spend’  check list from Your Money or Your Life: Take care of what you have – it’s a good step to live by.

Do you have a maintenance summer to do list? 

Summer To Do is a post from: Move to Portugal