Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Hi,I am new to this site and was just after some advice, please. And I have searched for posts re moving, but I wanted advice re our personal situation, I apologise in advance if it seems " just another one of those" posts.

My husband and I are looking at moving to Spain. We have visited many times (my grandparents had a place in Torre Blanca), and I have a family member in Alhaurin de la Torre. We would be moving with our 5yr old son, and 1 year old daughter. I have wanted to move there from being 17, but I met my husband and we married and had children instead! We have sold our house and are currently renting in the UK, we would rent in Spain too. We aren't looking for an easy luxurious life, just basic but in Spain!

I work from home (a few hours a day, but always potential for more hours), my husband is a self employed heating engineer. We would be considering me working more hours, and my husband helping at home more and looking at work casually (not a requirement straight away). We have savings which would cover us for at least a year also.

The reasons we want to move there -
- the family rich lifestyle, I love strolling through the park in Benalmadena (can't remember it's name!), On a weekend and seeing all the families.
- the festivals
- I'm not going to lie, the weather!!
- I prefer their views re breastfeeding and child upbringing (okay odd point, I know, but breastfeeding rate in UK is 1%!!!, And there is constant battles between formula vs breastfeeding which drives me insane).
- I am not exactly happy with the schools system here, they are so restricted due to the government, there are so many rules and guidelines to follow that I feel the children are being pushed too hard. My son is happy at school, but they have basically said by next year he NEEDS to be up on par with everyone else , there is no resources to help him a lot more.
- the constant propaganda re people on benefits, it seems people just want to talk about this all the time.
- the public transport is so much better. The trains are out of this world compared to the grubby, stuffy compact trains in the UK. It makes any commute miserable.
- I find the cost of living cheaper in Spain (food shopping wise), if you buy local produce (which we would/do)


Cons
- the economy, how bad is it?
- maybe the schools aren't much better. Do we chose a bilingual or Spanish state school?!
- fitting in, for us and our children.

We love Mijas Pueblo, Benalmadena pueblo, Los Pacos (although not sure we would live there?). Also I imagine Mijas is very busy with tourists in the height of summer. Any insight into these areas? Pros and cons.

Where do I even start ay looking to move? I.e. the legal requirements? What would happen re paying tax, at the moment I don't earn enough in the UK to pay tax, and I would be just below the threshold once I have upped my hours. How does this work with Spanish legislations / healthcare / social security etc.

I will be so grateful for any advice/tips/info.

Thank you

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

So your son is struggling in the British school system and you think forcing him to learn a new language while trying to keep up with his Spanish peers, will help? :confused:

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Sorry perhaps that came across wrong. He is 5, and in reception (1st yr). He isn't struggling, but is slightly behind with his reading. He is fine in all other aspects. It is the attitude of the schools I don't like, they are so pushy and too worried about the government than the pupils . We (my husband and I), are of course helping with his reading in all ways that we can, but unfortunately you can't be good at everything!

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

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

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thank you, Rosemary.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Your biggest problem is being able to afford to live there, the unemployment rate in Spain is something like 20% and there is no unemployment, job seekers allowance etc there unless you have paid into the system first. You would need to get a properly contracted job to allow you to get into the Spanish Health system, casual work will not fly unless you become self employed, and if that you will have to find some €250 a month working as autonomo (self employed) this has to be paid whether you earn anything or not, otherwise it means private health insurance for you all.
Personally, unless you or your husband is fluent in Spanish your chances of earning a living wage are very low unless either one of you have such specialised skills that you can get a job. Wail, also till after the referendum, if it's for 'leave' then it will, probably, become that much harder.

Sorry to sound so negative, but that's just how it is, so unless you move over with enough cash to live on for at least 6 months while you try and find a job, then I would stay in the UK.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thank you. You do not sound negative, truthful I would say. I wanted proper advice and not just "follow your dreams" type "advice" .

We would have enough money to last us a year without my income. Obviously when I up the hours, our savings would last longer as we would just use a little bit each month as additional spends.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

"I have a family member in Alhaurin de la Torre."


What is their advice?

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

To do it and move there, but he owns a large finca with a lot of land, and only really needs casual work here and there to get by.

I think we are going to come out in August again and have a see.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

I can't speak for everywhere, but from where I am:

Yes, the weather is better.

Lifestyle varies, depending on where you settle and how much money you have. The two are related. If you can acclimate to a different culture and embrace it, you will find that you can live a much better, more comfortable lifestyle for a lot less cost. And the Spanish are incredibly friendly and warm, and not the least bit judgemental. Although it is subtly a markedly different culture, and you can't expect to live the same British lifestyle inside the system here. It just doesn't work. (unless of course, you choose to live in a strictly British enclave, which, aside from the weather, mostly negates almost all other advantages).

Public transport is excellent here. Infrastructure is very good too, albeit virtually all utilities are more expensive.

Schools - an international school will cost you a fortune, and leave your children largely uni-lingual. Being multilingual will only benefit them in later life. A 5 year old is a language sponge, and will pick it up in no time at all. Public schools here are quite good, and the general culture is much less "adversarial" - for lack of a better term. Family values are still very strong here. The values of right and wrong are also still strong.

Economy - Jobs - not easy, if at all. Bring your money with you. This cannot be understated. Don't expect to get a job, especially if you aren't fluent in Spanish (or German, here at least, there is a measurable demand for German-speaking labour).

Having said that, at least around me, I see remarkably few signs of hardship. In fact, virtually everything seems to be improving every year. In all aspects.

Good luck with it all.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Yes and where you are it's basically comparing Jersey to Bridlington:lol:.
Mallorca also has the highest foreign population in Spain and most people came with plenty of cash.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Yes, that's true, just as I recommended - bring your money with you.

Mallorca does have amongst the lowest unemployment rates though. Although it's primarily in the travel and tourism space, along with maritime services - which is where many of the jobs for "foreigners" are, including Brits.

But it's hardly the highest foreign population, I'd point out the costas, et al... where virtually everyone also brings their money with them.

The tangible difference is more likely that the "foreign" population of Mallorca is far less British than European, in fact, just a small fraction of the foreign population is British.

That fact alone might actually discourage any thoughts of wanna-be Brits considering Mallorca as their new "home in the sun". It's just not very "British" here, and most of the few British expats we know here inevitably find that somewhat discomforting. I also believe I eluded to that in my previous post.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Hi,
As an ex reception, year 1,2,4,5 and 6 teacher of many years my heart goes out to your son. I've witnessed many a "poor reader" in reception become a fully competent reader later on in their school life.
Some boys can be a little behind their peers in reading because that is not where their interest lies and you really shouldn't worry. Once/and if he finds it worth his time to read for interest or info he will and will do it just as well as others. The biggest problem with the British ed system is that children are pushed too hard and too fast and well before they are intellectually ready for the type of learning that is foisted on them.
Off my hobby horse now. Good luck :fingerscrossed:

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Well, according to stats (2014) the Balearics had the highest percentage of foreigners, so Malllorca is up there.


The Balearics has also been named the region with the highest percentage of registered foreign residents in Spain, with 18.3 per cent of the population listed as foreign on January 1 this year, according to the National Institute of Statistics.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Maybe that's true, but with a population of about 750K, that might be easy to achieve.

Nonetheless, the same things apply throughout Spain. If you aren't highly skilled and don't fluently speak Spanish, then bring the money with you.

And if you have enough to sustain yourself, then your choice of where and how to live will have significant impact on your overall quality of life. If you are fortunate enough to possess somewhat unlimited funds, then you can live well just about anywhere. Including the UK.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

:focus:

The OP was not asking about Mallorca so please do not spar with each other about it.

To the OP. I agree with Pica. My grandson was very delayed with his reading until an inspired teacher offered him and a few others the opportunity to read a particular book that he thought might encourage an interest. It did so I bought him the full set which he read very quickly and moved on to another set of books immediately. When something interests them they seem to blossom.

Rosemary

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Sorry Rosemary, I was only offering a perspective from my side. But I was trying to stay on topic, despite the encouragement to wander off in a sparring match...

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thank you for giving the OP an insight into what it is like in Mallorca because it is always good to have information about various areas.

Rosemary

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thank you. And thanks for the advice re reading, it does seem to be lack of concentration/intrest that is the issue! He seems okay when reading words I've written, but with a book he struggles.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

And sorry for wandering off, but it was more in relation to the comment "few signs of hardship"


Just thought it's not a great comparison, but always good to get to know different parts of Spain.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Sounds like he may also have a little internal panic when faced with a book so even more important to find something that would interest him enough to get over his fears. May be worth buying some second hand books and cutting them down into pages so that he only sees one page at a time, less traumatic, more manageable. Good luck.

Rosemary

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

If he can read words that you have written, but struggles with a book, could it be the size of the text. Is his eye sight ok. I myself had this problem when I was very young. Children don't realize that they have a problem as they think it's just the norm. Just a thought.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

I didn't think of that, perhaps so! I'll try with some different font sizes/styles. Thanks for the idea.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Hi there
My eldest son was not interested in reading at all in primary school :-( - he was a nightmare - we used to take things away as punishment but it didnt work he just did without lol - we talked to school who were not very forth coming with any useful advice at the time so took it upon ourselves to try and sort out - he was interested in trucks and wagons so we took a subscription out on a truck and wagon magazine for him - it worked - he started to want to learn to read as he was interested in it - is there anything that interests your lad and maybe do something similar - a computer magazine maybe like minecraft or something - car magazines - anything at all that takes his fancy - fingers crossed you can engage the little monkey in something - big hugs xxxxx

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Farbeit from me to make light of educational problems, as a retired schoolteacher I know them only too well, but I do think that income and employment are more important. There is always the option of some private tuition on a temporary basis to " boost" his literature/ language skills, when you are established. Things do seem to be picking up, even here in inland Andalucia, which has suffered badly from the crisis. Good luck. P.S Comic Sans script is thought to be the best for children with reading difficulties.
Pete.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thanks for the great ideas. I took him to a book shop and let him pick a couple of books, fingers crossed he will be a little more interested in those.

Are tutors easy to come by in Spain?

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Hi,
Firstly do not worry about your son's reading. He will do it in his own time, my daughter was the same and now is 7 and way above her age group for reading.
Also do not worry about your son learning Spanish. I took 6 children to Spain to live for 4 1/2 years, none of them could speak the language. My 3, 4 and 5 yr old were fluent within 6 months of being in school.
I do recommend your son attending a Spanish school for him to be able to integrate into the Spanish way of life much more quickly.
The school structure is very good and I love how the teachers interact with the little ones and are not afraid to sit them on their knee and given them a cuddle.
I have visited quite alot of Spain, so if I can help in any way please let me know.
I am currently in the U.K. but honestly I have really become to hate it here and will be returning to Spain to live by the end of the year!
Go for it, but do live as the Spaniards do and your money will last so much longer...Good luck :)

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

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

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Thanks Rosemary :)

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Sorry to jump in with something not connected to the move but...

I had the same trouble with my son at the same age. I realised that he was so bright he was finding the way they taught reading at school too boring and slow.So I took it on myself to supplement it at home. I used humour, utter nonsense and references to our own lives and pets to engage him. It worked. He found he had to read in order to find out what rubbish (or items of relevance to him personally) I had written! This was many years ago.

Apologies again. :-) We are actually looking at moving to Spain too, within a few months, and trying desperately to work out where is best for us.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

The biggest problem for us is deciding where would be the best location, affordability, job prospects, quality of life. We also have 2 young kids and only want to make the move once as we know we could end up coming back and don't want too much moving around for our kids.

Re: Foolish to consider move to Spain?!!
 

Hi,

This is all really useful information. I'm planning to move to Spain in the future and have been researching options – I'm convinced being self employed or retired is the only option but have come to this forum to learn from other peoples experiences and share mine.

SM