BorderGirl

Hello I have just joined this forum. I am also a member of another Portugal forum.
I have been looking through alot of the previous threads and all make interesting reading.
I, along with alot of others no doubt, are considering a move to Portugal for a better way of life. It wouldn't be for another five years as my OH retires then, can't afford it before then.
I posed the question on another forum is it a better quality of life in Portugal?
Do you all consider that you all made the right decision, even with all the ups and downs that you have gone through?

Theantikid

I have complete weeks when I believe it was wrong to come out here and then others when I wouldnt swap it for the world.
I miss working properly as am younger than OH who retired, and although I do some work out here the red tape makes it bloody hard and I am thinking now that I wont bother any more.
At the moment I am disliking the heat as I cant get out in the garden due to it being 45 every day.
I passed out in the bathroom a week ago because I stupidly went out.
I think my probs arent necessarily to do with Portugal, but life in general.
I would say that it is not wholly cheaper and things can be far more difficult in some respects and you have no idea the silly things you miss until you get here.
However, everything grows, we live in solitude which I dont want to trade and our cat and dog are so happy that I smile every day.
If you are in doubt about comming then rent out here for six months, and if you are at financial risk dont think it will be esier out here, as it may not be.

BorderGirl

Hi theantikid,

I know what you mean about age difference, my husband is 15 years older than me.
Been very hot here too, I'm on the North Wales/Shropshire border. Got well into 40's in my polytunnel, left the plants to it. Guess you don't need those in Portugal.
Isn't that feeling the same where ever you move to, even in UK? That is something that I think is quite daunting, being somewhere that speaks a different language.

paulbex

if your not thinking of going for five years, then learn the lingo. As everyone says its a huge help.

newintavira

We have our wobbly moments but there would be no amount of money that would drag us back to England. Those wobbly moments are a lot rarer now we have made plenty of friends, both Portuguese and English, and the fact that there are places we can walk into in the local area where people know us makes all the difference.

As someone said on here a few weeks back though, nowhere is paradise and Portugal has its good and bad points like anywhere else.

We are renting which gives us the freedom to move back, or elsewhere, if the need arises - we would recommend this strategy to any new arrivals :-)

B

PubChampion

It certainly is for me. I've been looking for a place offering a better quality of life for a long time and found one here.

It all depends on your own research. If you move to the only place you've visited with no research, it's unlikely to work out well. The right way is tour the country, staying in different places for a few days before making any sort of decision.

There are still a few things that can be said right away:

1. If you need a Portuguese job, don't even think about it.
2. Think of the Algarve and the rest of Portugal as 2 different countries.
3. The interior tends to offer extreme climate - hot summers and freezing winters.

Other things need to be researched personally. I've done it and it paid off handsomely.

Joao

I agree. I would recommend that you rent in different areas and see what suits you best, the Algarve is more 'Brit' orientated if you want that kind of thing, elsewhere the Brits are few and far between. It does help if you don't intend to work to have some other interests to keep you occupied or you could end up (and some do) on the bottle.
I did 10 years there and it had its ups and downs like everywhere, currently I am living in UK, but for how long I don't know, but like pubchampion says, I did my research and have found an area in Uk which suits my needs (and everyones needs are different).
Think carefully over the next 5 years
Joao

MartynCymro

Hi. I replied to you in your 'Best place/region? ' thread.

As I said there, I've lived in Portugal for 17 years and would never dream of going back to the UK to live. But I strongly recommend learning Portuguese, at least enough to get by. You will after all be a guest in their country and can't expect the Portuguese to speak English, although many do - especially the younger ones. People who finished school before the mid 70's have probably never studied English as the educational focus before then was on French as a foreign language.
You have to ask yourselves 1) why do we want to leave the UK and 2) what do we expect of Portugal?

wellinever

hi
for what it worth, I am under pension age and moved to Portugal in 1999
I returned to UK in 2008, where I bought a house.
I hanker to return, cause I do like the Algarve, but there is no way I would buy a property there at the moment.
For one, the pound is too weak against the euro, making, in my opinion, property prices crazy. (remeber back in 2005-2008) the Portuguese developers would pay anything for land to build on, they saw a never ending stream of Brits and Irish buying anything and everything.
So now they have properties that have cost much more becasue of the land price and as usual the Portuguese have no idea what has actually happened to their Brit customers (£/€) and drop in house values in UK.
But they will keep putting them up hoping they find someone to pay.
Of course the other financial issue is that its not yet certain that Portugal will be able to stay in the Euroland !!!!
I would go for long term renting at the mo. There is always someone that knows someone that has an empty villa or apartment for long term rent. Just get out there, keep your UK house, do not become a resident.
Buy a cheap porkie car and relax.

TELL

Never heard of Porkie land , might say something about the previous poster.

The idea of long term renting is a good one as it will give you time to adjust to live in portugal and to decide if it is for you.
Forget about the Euro. its here to stay and exchange rates are what they are. It s like the weather no amount of complaining or comment will change it.

We did our weekly shop in Sainsburys last night and like everyone we are seeing prices rise. Its only a few weeks until we return to Portugal and we know that a compable shop will cost us 20% less. We do not bother with expensive imported brands , ready made foods pre packaged fruits and veg.

We eat better and feel better when back in Portugal.

If you can afford to spend six months then do it. I am sure that you won,t regret it.

jogl

I'm on my way!

Be there soon.

Butt

Some git just left me with 2 damaged panels on back of my car.....so I had better get off the forum, before the GNR can trace, quite who torched half a dozen randomly selected Portuguese.....just because it seemed 'fair'.

Christ I am pi55ed off. 20 years in Eastern Europe.....and this lot are more xenophobic & 3rd World than any Balkan state.

Grrrrrr.....used tyres, matches....

masterbaits

Funny i have only met about 3 wankers in portugal in about 10 years , two english and a spaniard.But then I only have met two english and a spaniard.....

gedscottish

on the subject of "xenophobic"... the only time I expierence this is when the Portuguese migrants come(the ones from France in particular) I think cause they are treated like s#it in France they feel the need to be ignorant a$$holes to foreigners working/living in Portugal.(its my only explanation for it) and August is the worst month for it!

PubChampion

How did you figure out who did the damage? Just curious.