im not sure how to make a new post as im new.....me my partner and our 3 sons really want to move to spain. im worried about renting a house, jobs and schools. Can anyone advise me the best way to do this please as I havent the first clue on this sort of thing.

Need more info, ages, circumstances,etc
Briefly:
Very difficult to find work in Spain
Depending on your ages, private schooling may be better. Even state schools involve expenses for books etc.
Moving to Spain can be very disruptive for children of a certain age, schooling wise.
To be a resident you need to satisfy certain criteria, income of 600 euros per month each, and/ or 6000 euros in the bank
You also should have enough money to last a year, as back up.
Proof of health cover- you will be covered by Spanish NHS if you register as autonomo
If not working you will need private health cover,and after being resident for 1 year you can pay into the Spanish health system at 60 euros per month each
You will have to pay income tax in Spain on your worldwide income.
I don't think you will still get child benefit from UK, if you move to Spain, but check with DWP.
Plenty of info on all these topics , using the search function on this forum.
Lots of other sites and forums for ex pats, just Google
Good luck!

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Thank you for replying Neptuno
My boys are aged 3 6 and 11. They dont speak spanish but i would happily put them in a spanish speaking school as iv researched and its been done alot and the kids pick it up really quickly.I would not worry about my boys as they are extremly clever for their age. i am a nearly qualified hairdresser and my partner has nearly done his welding course so we will both have qualifications but not sure if they will be any use out there?

Hi Rosemary Thank you

The trouble is there is such high unemployment out here, you would have very little chance of getting work.
Harsh, but true
I'm sure others on here will give you the benefit of their experiences.
The two younger ones should be fine in state school, the older one might find it a bit harder to settle in.
Renting is a good idea, and quite cheap
The main thing is research

The job part is the main thing I worry about.To be fair I am not fussy when it comes to work.Id be willing to do most things ie cleaning, bar work etc.So I was hoping that would make it abit easier to get a job......cleaning hotels or working in resturants or something. I am trying to research but I just dont know the right places to look if that makes sense lol

With all due respect, it sounds like you may well end up not experiencing the same Spain you dream of.

Spain is a great place to have money. If you don't have any, your chances in the UK are far better.

There is so much unemployment and thousands of Spanish people are after these sorts of jobs.
I know it sounds negative, but that's how it is now
If you came out and failed to find work, Would you and your partner be able to support yourselves financially?
There are no benefits to fall back on, as in the UK

if we came over and started a business.......even a small business to start with like opened a salon? would we then stand a chance?

Hi, and welcome to BE.

I've moved your posts in to a new thread of your own. For future reference you just press the blue 'new thread' button in the forum you wish to post in.

HTH, good luck with your potential move.

There are a lot of costs setting up a business, and you have to pay autonomo every much , no matter how little you make.
I think it's about 250 euros per month, though there is an an introductory scheme at 50 euros per min th for a year.

Unless you have a skill that others don't have, or can fulfil a need that others can't, then it will be very hard to make a go of it .
There are so many salons in Spain.
It's a huge risk to take with 3 children, and you could end up homeless, unless as I said, you have enough money to back you up for a year or more if it goes pear shaped.

Pop over to Spain on holiday
Walk through the town you choose to holiday in, and then count up the number of hair salons that you see. You'll probably answer your own question.

Spain is nice place to live if you don't have to work

Ok, well...

yes, you stand a chance .. but the odds are rather stacked against you.

Hair salon: I can't speak for everywhere, but there is one on nearly every street corner here. Some survive, most don't.

The ones that survive seem to be those strategically placed in high-traffic areas where there is less competition from established hairdressers (rare). Also, your operational costs are key (rent, utilities, taxes, etc.) - as you may well experience long periods of time without much business. Keep your costs low. You still have to pay those costs, even if you make no money.

Again, not speaking for everywhere, but in my neighbourhood, it is critical to be fluent in Spanish. If you were to target English-speaking customers only, your customer base would be whittled to about zero.

Unless of course, you set up in an expat area, in which case, your costs will be double if not triple (everything tends to be more expensive in expat areas). And because you aren't the first hairdresser to set up shop in an expat area, you will have lots of competition, so it's important to distinguish yourself from all the rest in some way.

Neptuno and Mitz are right. If you are hell-bent and willing to take this huge risk, don't just move here. Take numerous holidays in lots of different areas - ask around, and learn more about it. There is no "safety" net. If you fail, you fail. End of story.

Everyone has a chance, but we all need to be realistic. Spain is a huge country, so every town/city is different and why do you want to move to Spain? Most people move away from their home to be financially better off, but if you don't have a job & no business plan, what can you expect? Even a job doesn't always guarantee you the life you imagine. It would be just like the UK, only that you don't speak the language, have lower salaries, less benefits and longer working days. Spain can be a great country and there are plenty of people who have a good life. You say you'd be willing to do most things ie cleaning, bar work etc. which is a good start, but would you do that in the UK?