Tumbling Interest Rates Cause Hardships For Ex-pats

Interest rates in Turkey have hit yet another all time low and the central bank plans to make further cuts. The overnight borrowing rate is now just 7.25%, this is now the 11th consecutive month interest rates have been cut. Whilst this is very high compared to UK and Europe etc. it is less than half it was just a year ago.

Many ex-pats in Turkey rely on income from bank interest to survive here, in September last year 150,000TL would earn about 2,000TL net interest per month, now it will take almost 340,000TL (£144,000).

Lower inflation should help those suffering from this tight squeeze but whilst the official inflation rate is less than 6%, electricity prices have rose by 60% in the last year with another big hike of up to 21% starting 1st October.

I have noticed new adverts from Brits appearing in the local Voices newspaper recently, offering services like hairdressing, dog minding, gardening, odd jobs and more. Some British ex-pat have been observed working in Akbuk bar(s). Without proper work permits these people are risking heavy fines and possible deportation, even if they are not paid in cash. The Turkish government is getting tougher on illegal workers, deportation could be devastating for ex-pats who own property here.

So if you are thinking about relocating to Turkey, do your sums carefully, one thing is certain in the near future interest rates will continue to fall and the cost of living will continue to rise.

A little bit of Turkeys financial history . . . 5 years ago banks were paying 33% interest and in February 2002 interest rates were over 50%. Those who had the nerve made real money.

Attention Owners of Rental Properties in Akbuk

We are regularly asked for contacts for holiday rentals, if you have a website or page and link to our site, email us with your website/page address and we will add it to the list of properties for rent we send to inquirers.

We now also offer photo links from our website to yours, to see examples visit www.akbukturkey.com/Rentals.html

If you don't have a website yet, we offer an at-cost service from £20 per year, click this link for more information www.akbuk.homestead.com (only available for rentals in the Akbuk area).

Stray Dogs and Restaurants

I have seen this in Akbuk many times; someone sitting in a restaurant throwing food to a stray dog, or walking over a few yards to feed one. So what's wrong with that? What these people don't see are the consequences, the dog now knows if it hangs around that place there will be food and in fact there is because another "animal lover" will do the same, within no time there are several dogs appearing, but now they actually wander into the restaurant and approach tables.

If you think it's only the Brit's that use these restaurants you are wrong, apart from the many Turkish residents and holiday makers, there are many weddings etc which occur here, gatherings of 50-150 family members & friends are not uncommon. Have you seen how some Turks react when a dog comes up to a table where they are eating? They and many of us Brit's don't like it! But thanks to the "animal lovers" we now have this problem. I have seen owners & staff try to shoo these animals away but it has little effect because the animals brain has associated the place with food.

Put yourself in the owners position; these strays are actually loosing you business, Turks & others who want to eat unmolested are no longer coming into your establishment, you have staff to pay, you have rent to pay, you have bills to pay, you have your family to provide for, what can you do? Ask the council to round them up and find them new homes with loving owners ... Yea right. The council cannot even put healthy strays to sleep IT IS AGAINST THE LAW IN TURKEY and all these dogs are healthy because they have been well fed by the so called "animal lovers". The restaurant owner may be left with a simple choice, get rid of them himself or go bust. How can he get rid of this problem? Shoot them ... No that's against the law and someone will see. Take them to a dog pound ... There aren't any in Akbuk and all those places do is neuter & release so they will be back. Or what about the traditional Turkish way, POISON. He ain't gonna get caught, the dog(s) could have died of anything, no ones gonna do an autopsy and my problem is solved. Problem is, have you ever seen an animal die of food poisoning? Not a pretty site and somewhat unpleasant for the animal to say the least.

So next time you throw some scraps to a dog at or near a restaurant, consider the consequences. Might be kinder to put your boot up its butt, then it would associate the restaurant with pain and not go there.

As always I welcome your comments, you don't have to register or supply your email address or blood group etc. just write your comments and click Post. But please take the trouble to add your name or pseudonym,  "Anonymous" comments will be rejected.

Attention Pet Owners in Akbuk

Do you go to Didim to buy your pet food & supplies? 
Would you like to have your items delivered to Akbuk? 

Some friends & I feel there is enough trade available in our town to make it worth while for a cheap supplier to deliver our pets needs to Akbuk, perhaps to a central point where we could collect our supplies without having to go all the way to Didim. To that aim I have started a Web Poll on our Akbuk website. If you live in Akbuk and buy pet food etc, we are asking you to join the poll.

If we get enough votes we will approach one or more leading suppliers in Didim and report back.

Here is the page Latest News
Poll closed 13 September.

Supporters or Freeloaders

With all the new complexes (holiday camps) recently built or under construction in Akbuk, complaints are starting to emerge from new owners about out outsiders using their facilities.

Here is the problem - A new complex is built, naturally owners of individual properties want facilities, bar, restaurant, pool etc. So all is built, but who will run the restaurant/bar? Will they make a profit? The answer is unless there are dozens of people buying food and drinks every day they will not and when the winter comes and owners have deserted the place, what about the patron and his/her family? they still have to eat & pay their bills plus pay the rent & taxes for the business. So without bums on seats the restaurant/bar is going to fold. If not enough owners spend money there how can they increase their income to survive, should they open it up to the general public?

The Memsahib (Marie) and I were recently enjoying a few beers in such an establishment when a British couple arrived, she was moaning & bitching about outsiders using the facilities on site, the phrase she used was "freeloaders". So were we freeloading or helping to support the facilities on their site by spending money? If we spend money we expect to be able to use the pool or we will take our business elsewhere.

But wait ..... "What about the £500 a year I am paying to the site management", I hear you say, "when we signed up for this place they promised us these facilities, no one said outsiders could use them".

What do you think? - Have your say, click the "comments" link and give your opinion. This blog can be read on our website where we have 1,000 visitor a week, your comments could influence site owners.