Hillybilly

I've been reading posts in the other BE Europe forums (Cyprus, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and ROI) in recent weeks and, unless I've been missing something, it only seems to be within the Spain forum where there are the "doom & gloom" (can't find work, have to return to the UK because we're broke etc) type posts.

So, I was wondering why this could be?

Is it simply because there are many, many more expats in Spain and so the likelihood of such posts is therefore greater?

Is it because the Europewide recession is much worse here in Spain than elsewhere?

Is it that Spain attracts younger expats who need to make a living and can't (as opposed to retirees)?

Is it because expats come to Spain less well prepared or with unrealistically higher expectations than they do other countries?

Or maybe there are also huge numbers of returnees from other EU countries but they're not willing to post?!

Anyone else noticed this or have any thoughts?

EsuriJohn

I did dip into the Cyprus Forum and it was the same doom & gloom on the day I looked but this seemed confined to the younger people who had to work. Retirees do very well if you do not work you can choose a flat rate 5% tax regime so maybe they don't complain<

bil

Me I'd guess the sheer numbers of Brits in Spain would do it.

Ray51

Every now & then , there'll be someone from France , too , who is in the similar boat i.e. not able to make it work , what with bureaucracy , taxes etc...
My main interest is with retirees , rather ; what with the sterling steadily vanishing in value vs. Euro , the mad inflation , any new taxes governments creatively dream up , medical care cost/s , frail care , U name it...Spain and/or elsewhere

jurdyr

"doom & gloom" its all slow down in (Cyprus, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and ROI) hopeful it be only 2 year and think sould be get back on track , all do with banks and oil
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"

ironporer

"Looking for some help"

My partner/wife/husband and I are going to re-locate to Spain in 3 months. He is a bricklayer and I am an interior designer. We saw during our vacation to the Costa that there is a lot of construction and that flats rent cheap.

Will getting a job be hard? We will be putting out 2 children into public school though they know no spanish. Is this really necessary since there are so many Brits on the coast?


We have come into some money with the recent sale of our house, and can live for a year or so. I am willing to take odd jobs.....





One Year Later;

Spain is such a screwed up country....our landlord screwed us, then...


1

poshnbucks

Spain has an inflation rate of 4.6 which is higher than the UK as of yesterdays figures. Most of the Spanish live on credit due to the poor wages. I think a lot of people came here about 3-5 years ago when things were much cheaper and lots of EU money was pouring into Government coffers that money is now drying up as other EU member states grab the handouts and in its time Spain grabbed its fair share. Also the Banks were much more liberal with mortgages and rates were low. I would suggest a large number of those Brits who came to Spain were not on the upper wage scale in the UK and on arrival things were good,Their pound went further, They could reinvent themselves and become a builder as the building industry was in full swing and jobs were available albeit poorly paid.Now the good times or rather get by times are over and jobs are lost a large number in that position are returning back to the UK and other parts of the EU.A lot of Rumanian builders for instance. Over 10pc of Spain's economy has been building houses however the bubble has burst and not before time,they are being hit hard mostly in the South I do not feel anything for those developers who are going bust, The same for estate agents.But I do for the workforce.
Unemployment has risen by 425,000 over the past year, reaching 9.9pc but those figures do not say how many are foreign nationals are within those figures my guess the unemployment is higher. The population is about 40,448,191 as of July last year. The US are not happy the dollar is so weak against the Euro and will in time take action to reduce the deficit. The Banks do not want any more exposure to the building crisis that they already have so mortgages are harder to obtain. Yes Spain is facing a debt-driven property meltdown as in UK, but two things must be considered. First unlike the UK she has a budget surplus and can afford to invest in her economy without stoking further inflation or undermining her currency. Second, she has a large trade deficit as does The UK but that is manageable so long as it does not affect her currency. The current balance of trade for the eurozone as a whole is in surplus so there is no danger of that.
So really the whole Western World is in slow down and readjustment you didn't think that run down semi in Wigan would reach a million did you..... Then you could retire at 35 to Spain....Smashin All will come good in the end remember there are no pockets in shrouds you can not take it with you.