Italy on a Shoe String - Living ‘La Bella Vita’ Inexpensively

[Beckett's]

Originally Posted by Heidihi58

Well it's meant to be a speciality of Tuscany so I've agreed to try it....

Chestnuts are around in abundance now too, free if you know where to look. I had some boiled in water flavoured with fennel seeds...interesting. I have been given a recipe for a Chocolate cake made with cooked chestnuts instead of flour, so again, when I have made it I'll post the recipe if it's ok...although I'm told it is really "yummy".

Please let us have the recipe!!!!!!
I have a great easy recipe for chestnuts with chocolate and rum. totally packed with lovely calories. swap you.

[david.it48]

Originally Posted by anne2

Also a slow cooker. I don't know if you can buy them here, ours came from the UK and chugs away quite happily so no problems with the electrical side of things.
If you are resident and the house has been fitted with a 'telelettura' electricity meter you may be eligible for one of the cheap overnight electricity offers, there are certain restrictions, all details are given on the ENEL website and you can set up a tariff on-line.

Regards
Anne2

Hi Anne2 I tried to gain info on tarifs etc on enel. Managed to sign up but could not finnd my way some pages were in english but to no avail can you help?


regards david

[david.it48]

Originally Posted by liketheroman

The tax on an Italian creditcard is almost 1%. If you use your UK one of course the foreign fee is 2.75% (but try the UK Post Office - they do a fee free one)

However I do agree that Posta Italia prepay is good value (but you do pay to top it up) and is tax free.

Hi regarding fee, my wife`s uncle pays our bills by cash. Are you saying there is a charge for paying a bill like this ?


regards david

[Technically Blonde]

Get a bike and leave the car at home - save petrol costs, help the environment, get fit, get knackered and sleep better at night

Alternative energy - we started on liquigas - now have termocamino for central heating and solar panels for hot water. Termo camino also provides hot water if the solar panels don't give enough in winter. Liquigas bills now a fraction of what they were and helping the environment too!

Eurospin - great for cheap basics and cheap but good wine. Also local cantenas for wine, 5 euros for 5 litres of Primitivo for example.

No land line, look for deals on mobile phone internet connection. Wind has one where you pay 20 euros a month for virtually unlimited use of internet. There is an overall data transfer limit but I'm a reasonably heavy user and never met it.

Grow your own ............. nothing better than going out to pick fresh fruit and veg just as you need it.

[stefanaccio]

Learn the Italian phrase "mangiare a sbaffo...". Then do it.

Casale - Villa House Home Apartment Rental near Teramo in Abruzzo Italy

[Michael O]

We made sage and onion stuffing last night with freash sage from the garden and left over bread that was on its third day and I was asked to make it again today so it must have been good. There are loads of recipes in cookbooks and its not difficult to make.

[Technically Blonde]

what a great idea, I shall certainly be trying that one!

[anne2]

Originally Posted by david.it48

Hi Anne2 I tried to gain info on tarifs etc on enel. Managed to sign up but could not finnd my way some pages were in english but to no avail can you help?


regards david

Sorry for the delay in replying - missed your post.

Unfortunately as of the 1-7-2007 (I think) ENEL have changed the tariffs and the cheap overnighters are no longer available. They gave some bizarre explanation re competition laws and the fact that you are now no longer obliged to have ENEL provide your electricity. They have started an advertising campaign on tv and in the press - as yet I have not got around to reading the fine print of the new options, but they will no doubt have the details on the website. One tariff fixes the rate for 2 years and there is something about Biorario - I need to investigate the terms and conditions.

[Violetta]

Originally Posted by Technically Blonde

No land line, look for deals on mobile phone internet connection. Wind has one where you pay 20 euros a month for virtually unlimited use of internet. There is an overall data transfer limit but I'm a reasonably heavy user and never met it..

How does this work exactly though? Will I have to change my mobile service provider to Wind, ie take out at new account and, at the same time, say I would like to sign up for their Internet service?

And then what happens, I link my mobile to my laptop? I fear a problem as only Telecom Italia has a good mobile signal in my house but would that be an issue?

Would be really grateful for some guidance here please for I'm pretty dim on this subject (as you can all very clearly see!).

Thanks. V

[Technically Blonde]

Wind is just an example of the sort of deals available. Check TIM and Vodafone as well.
You need a good signal for whichever provider you go with. You don't need to change your mobile service provider - just buy a SIM card for whichever provider you go with and make sure there is sufficient credit on it to pay the internet service charge for the first month.

You also need a mobile phone that is at least GSM compatible - software is usually bundled with the mobile phone. This software must be installed on the PC you intend to use for mobile phone internet connection.

Most providers let you sign up online or via SMS - with WIND you can do it either way. Once you have signed up you connect the mobile to the PC (having installed the software) and you should be prompted to create a connection.

After that you just need to make sure you have enough credit on the SIM to pay the monthly fee.