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All too often expats prove easy targets for financial fraud. They stand out in the crowd and are often much wealthier than locals. A perfect example is a recent spate of fraud cases in Thailand, where numerous wealthy expats have lost thousands of dollars to financial criminals. The Phuket Gazette reported the expats were targeted by […]
Pounds sterling are currently hovering at about EUR 1.20–the best rate they’ve seen since the summer of 2010 (and before that, December 2008). This has created some property bargains. Because of the favorable rates, French property can now be had for 10% less. According to data from Offshoreonline.org (which helps source euro mortgages for UK buyers) […]
Saudi Arabia has turned heads recently with a proposed cap on expat money transfers. Expats send the majority of their money out of the country, which officials say hurts the non-oil economy and keeps local unemployment high. The proposed transfer limit has sparked heated discussion not only among expats, but also Saudi businessmen and officials. […]
Despite the euro crisis, your expat pounds (or euros, or yen) will go furthest in the US or countries with currencies pegged to the dollar, such as Hong Kong. Of the 50 most expensive cities identified by ECA International’s most recent cost of living survey, only one was located in the United States. New York […]
Expats paid in euros are slowly but surely bleeding value as the common currency falls. Similarly, those living in troubled economies like Italy and Greece may want to protect themselves against the possibility of a euro exit and currency devaluation. One way is to park money in accounts denominated in safer currencies like British pounds […]
Expats send an extraordinary amount of money out of Saudi Arabia each year–the equivalent of USD 7.1 billion in the second quarter of 2010 alone. As a result, the country may try to limit the amount of money expats can send home. Take data from a recent kippreport.com survey. It found 74% of expats in […]
Greek locals aren’t the only ones suffering the harsh reality of the debt crisis. Expats are under increasing pressure as companies eliminate assignments and strikes disrupt businesses linked to tourism. But in every crisis there is opportunity, and Greece is no exception. Stuart Orchard, owner of XpatAthens.com, tells us how more reasonable property prices could […]
The age of fiscal austerity and sovereign debt crises has further sullied UK expats’ opinions of life at home. So much so that many don’t plan to go back. Ever. Over 800,000 Brits canceled plans to return to the UK in 2011, according to a report from Lloyds TSB International. On top of that, a full […]
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