a move to spain
Mar 1st 2007 | 6:38 am
#16
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15
From: Leicester
Re: a move to spain
Hi there Mikelincs.It's good to know that normal people like us,(if u can call us that,
),are making our dreams come true and making a success of this.It gives me hope.Yes I realise we will have to save alot and am under no illusions as to how long this could take but it will all be worth it in the end if we can be living the life that you all are now
Does anybody have any advice as to how much in English currency we should need at the most?I know it's kinda like how long is a piece of string but any rough estimates would be greatfully appreciated.Cheers all
),are making our dreams come true and making a success of this.It gives me hope.Yes I realise we will have to save alot and am under no illusions as to how long this could take but it will all be worth it in the end if we can be living the life that you all are now Does anybody have any advice as to how much in English currency we should need at the most?I know it's kinda like how long is a piece of string but any rough estimates would be greatfully appreciated.Cheers all
Mar 1st 2007 | 6:51 am
#17
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15
From: Leicester
Re: a move to spain
I really hate to put a downer on things but you need to think long and hard about what you guys want to do if you go to Spain.
I am assuming you are not at retirement age, if so ignore what i say next.
You will need to live, and while living can be cheaper in Spain, its not as big a difference as you are expecting, so you will have to find work.
If you are young, bar work will suffice for now, it is fun, it means you will meet loads of people and you will enjoy the hours, but it wont last, while every other bugger is playing you are working, so you decide to join in, then you end up with a bit of a reputation as someone who likes to have a party.
If your not young then its the most miserable life on earth, you will be either surrounded by young drunks having a good time and thinking you are an old git or by old drunk gits who will tell you that you know bugger all because they have lived out there since god was a boy!
If you find a good place the money will be shite, it always is.
Sorry to be a grump but you need to go out with your eyes wide open and a ton of research done, that way you may end up living and staying in one of the most beautiful, vibrant, exciting and special countries in the world.
I am assuming you are not at retirement age, if so ignore what i say next.
You will need to live, and while living can be cheaper in Spain, its not as big a difference as you are expecting, so you will have to find work.
If you are young, bar work will suffice for now, it is fun, it means you will meet loads of people and you will enjoy the hours, but it wont last, while every other bugger is playing you are working, so you decide to join in, then you end up with a bit of a reputation as someone who likes to have a party.
If your not young then its the most miserable life on earth, you will be either surrounded by young drunks having a good time and thinking you are an old git or by old drunk gits who will tell you that you know bugger all because they have lived out there since god was a boy!
If you find a good place the money will be shite, it always is.
Sorry to be a grump but you need to go out with your eyes wide open and a ton of research done, that way you may end up living and staying in one of the most beautiful, vibrant, exciting and special countries in the world.
Mar 1st 2007 | 11:20 am
#18
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 46,302
From: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Re: a move to spain
Hi Rugbymatt,don't worry u haven't put a downer on things for us.Believe me we have thought long and hard about it all but all we need now is alot of time and money.Like I said,anything worth having is worth waiting for and I know this could be very complicated and difficult but we're both up for the challenge.Nah we're not of retirement age.We will have to work and that will be a challenge also.Not to mention learning Spanish.We are going to have some fun in the future
Mar 2nd 2007 | 9:29 am
#19
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15
From: Leicester
Re: a move to spain
Oh yeah we both want to be there really bad and we don't expect it all to come to us.We know all about hard work as we used to live in Skegness and worked 72 hr weeks in the season.Whatever is to come,we will enjoy the challenge.Like you say this is an amazing opportunity and it could come sooner than we thought because I'm in the middle of negotiating a divorce settlement with my husband who I've been seperated from nearly 6 yrs now so that will help alot,Yay!It is all very daunting but also extremely exciting too.
Mar 2nd 2007 | 10:17 am
#20
me eds a shed
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,669
From: Spain / France /UK
Re: a move to spain
Hi there again and can I say thankyou for such a warm welcome.You all are lovely.You all said exactly the same as I was thinking.Stay here and work and save lots so we have cash to fall back on.I think it would take us a year to sort out all the junk in this house as well though!I was reckoning on about 3 years to get it all together.
Never mind though anything worth having is worth waiting for.It sure does sound like a good life over there and it would be lovely to meet somebody with good manners for a change and we have always yearned to live in a friendly community.That has been long gone over here.I don't have the experience or Spanish fluency to get a well paid job.I've worked in Cinemas,factories,shops and was a Support Manager of Pizza Hut.I currently work in a mail sorting room for Barclays Bank.I also worked in the Tower Cinema and Amusements in Skegness.Lezz 12,you know where that is.Small world!My partner has worked in the same industries as me so we would both be looking for that sort of work.I forgot to mention we both worked as Taxi operators and I have done some bar and restaurant work.I will keep you updated and visit here regularly and thank you again for your kindness.Sorry was another long post but just introducing us both.Cheers
Never mind though anything worth having is worth waiting for.It sure does sound like a good life over there and it would be lovely to meet somebody with good manners for a change and we have always yearned to live in a friendly community.That has been long gone over here.I don't have the experience or Spanish fluency to get a well paid job.I've worked in Cinemas,factories,shops and was a Support Manager of Pizza Hut.I currently work in a mail sorting room for Barclays Bank.I also worked in the Tower Cinema and Amusements in Skegness.Lezz 12,you know where that is.Small world!My partner has worked in the same industries as me so we would both be looking for that sort of work.I forgot to mention we both worked as Taxi operators and I have done some bar and restaurant work.I will keep you updated and visit here regularly and thank you again for your kindness.Sorry was another long post but just introducing us both.CheersI don't want to "Pi## on your fire" but your list of jobs won't get you a look in at an interview if you can get one,you would need to speak fluent Spanish to work in any sort of service industry job ,so that leaves Seasonal Bar work and Cleaning for the Brits but there are so many other people probably more desperate for work than you and now the Romanians and Bugarians are in the job market that cuts your chances even more,
I have a friend who runs a Removal firm and he says that at the moment he takes back as many "Disillusioned Dreamers "as he brings, most of these have only managed 5 years or less and most are returning to the UK broke, some of these are qualified Tradesmen and they can't find the work or can't live on what they can earn,also the Spanish Authorities are clamping down on the "Black Market "workers, so doing a bit for "The Bloke in the Bar" will soon be a thing of the past.
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infrastructure .
....And you don't want to know about the increase in crime over the last few years.
Anyway good luck if you decide to make the move, i hope you prove me wrong...Cowboy Builder...
Mar 2nd 2007 | 9:39 pm
#21
sun lover
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 362
From: hertfordshire
Re: a move to spain
I don't want to "Pi## on your fire" but your list of jobs won't get you a look in at an interview if you can get one,you would need to speak fluent Spanish to work in any sort of service industry job ,so that leaves Seasonal Bar work and Cleaning for the Brits but there are so many other people probably more desperate for work than you and now the Romanians and Bugarians are in the job market that cuts your chances even more,
I have a friend who runs a Removal firm and he says that at the moment he takes back as many "Disillusioned Dreamers "as he brings, most of these have only managed 5 years or less and most are returning to the UK broke, some of these are qualified Tradesmen and they can't find the work or can't live on what they can earn,also the Spanish Authorities are clamping down on the "Black Market "workers, so doing a bit for "The Bloke in the Bar" will soon be a thing of the past.
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infrastructure .
....And you don't want to know about the increase in crime over the last few years.
Anyway good luck if you decide to make the move, i hope you prove me wrong...Cowboy Builder...
I have a friend who runs a Removal firm and he says that at the moment he takes back as many "Disillusioned Dreamers "as he brings, most of these have only managed 5 years or less and most are returning to the UK broke, some of these are qualified Tradesmen and they can't find the work or can't live on what they can earn,also the Spanish Authorities are clamping down on the "Black Market "workers, so doing a bit for "The Bloke in the Bar" will soon be a thing of the past.
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infrastructure .
....And you don't want to know about the increase in crime over the last few years.
Anyway good luck if you decide to make the move, i hope you prove me wrong...Cowboy Builder...
Mar 3rd 2007 | 6:31 am
#22
Still young member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 290
From: Marbella
Re: a move to spain
Where you based cowboy ? what makes me laugh on this forum and ive heard a million times over is so many people say its sooooooo hard to get work and its soooooooo tough to survive out there i think we all get the picture but at the end of the day its tough in the uk as well ! Theres alot of people willing to sacafice everything to go for a better quality of life in the sun and they know there not going to earn the salarys that they can earn in uk, jobs are going to be alot different in spain ie lower pay get what job you can ,but in the uk you have got to earn more because of cost of living is riseing i think at the end of the day GOOD LUCK to anyone who makes the move dont let anyone put you off other wise u will regret it later on in life you only live once and if you have to come back to uk so what who cares at least you tried it ! i know alot of expats out in spain who made move and said they never want to come back there lives there are complete !
I came here with young kids, 3.5 and 5 at the time. Straight into spanish school and are both fluent. Theyre now studying to go to university.
Yes crime is on the rise, but doesnt compare with the Northeast where I left and Im originally from London.
Im not as fluent ith my spanish as I would like but I have had no problems with the Spanish at all and e are fully accepted and integrated.
Life is too short to not try - good luck
Mar 3rd 2007 | 6:35 am
#23
Popping in for a chat
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,573
From: Back home
Re: a move to spain
Well - Ive been here for 12 years and have never not had work! As long as you are willing to try and get on with it then life here is very rewarding
I came here with young kids, 3.5 and 5 at the time. Straight into spanish school and are both fluent. Theyre now studying to go to university.
Yes crime is on the rise, but doesnt compare with the Northeast where I left and Im originally from London.
Im not as fluent ith my spanish as I would like but I have had no problems with the Spanish at all and e are fully accepted and integrated.
Life is too short to not try - good luck
I came here with young kids, 3.5 and 5 at the time. Straight into spanish school and are both fluent. Theyre now studying to go to university.
Yes crime is on the rise, but doesnt compare with the Northeast where I left and Im originally from London.
Im not as fluent ith my spanish as I would like but I have had no problems with the Spanish at all and e are fully accepted and integrated.
Life is too short to not try - good luck
Mar 3rd 2007 | 8:40 am
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 117
Re: a move to spain
I don't want to "Pi## on your fire" but your list of jobs won't get you a look in at an interview if you can get one,you would need to speak fluent Spanish to work in any sort of service industry job ,so that leaves Seasonal Bar work and Cleaning for the Brits but there are so many other people probably more desperate for work
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infraong...Cowboy Builder...
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infraong...Cowboy Builder...
Mar 3rd 2007 | 9:56 am
#25
me eds a shed
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,669
From: Spain / France /UK
Re: a move to spain
Where you based cowboy ? what makes me laugh on this forum and ive heard a million times over is so many people say its sooooooo hard to get work and its soooooooo tough to survive out there i think we all get the picture but at the end of the day its tough in the uk as well ! Theres alot of people willing to sacafice everything to go for a better quality of life in the sun and they know there not going to earn the salarys that they can earn in uk, jobs are going to be alot different in spain ie lower pay get what job you can ,but in the uk you have got to earn more because of cost of living is riseing i think at the end of the day GOOD LUCK to anyone who makes the move dont let anyone put you off other wise u will regret it later on in life you only live once and if you have to come back to uk so what who cares at least you tried it ! i know alot of expats out in spain who made move and said they never want to come back there lives there are complete !
I'm not convinced that legal jobs are made available to all applicants ,would you give a job to a non Spanish speaker over someone who is fluent ,i don't think so ,we see it all the time in the UK ,there are cases of Polish workers with degrees pulling veg in Lincolnshire because their "English isn't good enough "for the jobs they apply for, and these people can say a lot more than "ola dos cev..ceva ,two beero matey" ... the Spanish are no different ,there is a lot of prejudice in Spain ,this is another thing that lots of Britts can't or refuse to see.
I too know of lots of people who will never return to the UK and have made a good life for themselves, after September this year when all my business interests are closed in England i will be one of them ,but unlike a lot of people we have worked towards this for 5 years ,done our research bought our properties ,laid the foundation for our Spanish business so when we are ready we will have an income ....CB
ps ...I stopped wearing "Rose tinted glasses "very early in life..
Mar 3rd 2007 | 10:07 am
#26
Banned
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,826
From: Hoping to get away from UK to Spain
Mar 3rd 2007 | 10:09 am
#27
Banned
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,826
From: Hoping to get away from UK to Spain
Re: a move to spain
Where you based cowboy ? what makes me laugh on this forum and ive heard a million times over is so many people say its sooooooo hard to get work and its soooooooo tough to survive out there i think we all get the picture but at the end of the day its tough in the uk as well ! Theres alot of people willing to sacafice everything to go for a better quality of life in the sun and they know there not going to earn the salarys that they can earn in uk, jobs are going to be alot different in spain ie lower pay get what job you can ,but in the uk you have got to earn more because of cost of living is riseing i think at the end of the day GOOD LUCK to anyone who makes the move dont let anyone put you off other wise u will regret it later on in life you only live once and if you have to come back to uk so what who cares at least you tried it ! i know alot of expats out in spain who made move and said they never want to come back there lives there are complete !
spot on ...
Mar 3rd 2007 | 10:11 am
#28
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,459
From: On the edge
Re: a move to spain
I don't want to put anyone off moving to Spain ,but so many do without realising the problems that may befall them ,when you don't speak the language and you have a problem trying to sort it out at the town hall can be very stressfully ,no one can explain just what your up against, Spain is bogged down with Bureaucrats and triplicate paperwork and things that take 10 mins in the UK can take weeks or never happen at all,so many are seduced by the TV programs that are a couple of years out of date and all of us who live or spend a lot of time in Spain should tell the new comers the truth in Forums like this because it's not like the TV portrays it, just try and get planning permission for that nice piece of land you have just bought ,it's unlikely to happen .
I'm not convinced that legal jobs are made available to all applicants ,would you give a job to a non Spanish speaker over someone who is fluent ,i don't think so ,we see it all the time in the UK ,there are cases of Polish workers with degrees pulling veg in Lincolnshire because their "English isn't good enough "for the jobs they apply for, and these people can say a lot more than "ola dos cev..ceva ,two beero matey" ... the Spanish are no different ,there is a lot of prejudice in Spain ,this is another thing that lots of Britts can't or refuse to see.
I too know of lots of people who will never return to the UK and have made a good life for themselves, after September this year when all my business interests are closed in England i will be one of them ,but unlike a lot of people we have worked towards this for 5 years ,done our research bought our properties ,laid the foundation for our Spanish business so when we are ready we will have an income ....CB
ps ...I stopped wearing "Rose tinted glasses "very early in life..
I'm not convinced that legal jobs are made available to all applicants ,would you give a job to a non Spanish speaker over someone who is fluent ,i don't think so ,we see it all the time in the UK ,there are cases of Polish workers with degrees pulling veg in Lincolnshire because their "English isn't good enough "for the jobs they apply for, and these people can say a lot more than "ola dos cev..ceva ,two beero matey" ... the Spanish are no different ,there is a lot of prejudice in Spain ,this is another thing that lots of Britts can't or refuse to see.
I too know of lots of people who will never return to the UK and have made a good life for themselves, after September this year when all my business interests are closed in England i will be one of them ,but unlike a lot of people we have worked towards this for 5 years ,done our research bought our properties ,laid the foundation for our Spanish business so when we are ready we will have an income ....CB
ps ...I stopped wearing "Rose tinted glasses "very early in life..
A balanced view is what is required ....... I found it stressful when we first came here and I'd done all the necessary research and spent some considerable amount of time planning.
There are those that make a snap decision .... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but in general you have to credit people with some intelligence. It's a huge decision to leave home and ship off to a new country, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.
My experience tells me that you should prepare for at least 6 months of trying to sort out admin in Spain, and as the Cowboy says, that can be stressful to say the least. My neighbour a few doors away said that Spain is a great place to live, but if only you could wave a magic wand and have all your initial organisation and paperwork sorted for you .... Of course you can always use a gestor for the lot if you want to spend the money
Mar 4th 2007 | 1:33 am
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 117
Re: a move to spain
yay, im from leicester too! how many more people on here are from leics? u never know...small world
Mar 4th 2007 | 7:19 am
#30
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15
From: Leicester
Re: a move to spain
I don't want to "Pi## on your fire" but your list of jobs won't get you a look in at an interview if you can get one,you would need to speak fluent Spanish to work in any sort of service industry job ,so that leaves Seasonal Bar work and Cleaning for the Brits but there are so many other people probably more desperate for work than you and now the Romanians and Bugarians are in the job market that cuts your chances even more,
I have a friend who runs a Removal firm and he says that at the moment he takes back as many "Disillusioned Dreamers "as he brings, most of these have only managed 5 years or less and most are returning to the UK broke, some of these are qualified Tradesmen and they can't find the work or can't live on what they can earn,also the Spanish Authorities are clamping down on the "Black Market "workers, so doing a bit for "The Bloke in the Bar" will soon be a thing of the past.
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infrastructure .
....And you don't want to know about the increase in crime over the last few years.
Anyway good luck if you decide to make the move, i hope you prove me wrong...Cowboy Builder...
I have a friend who runs a Removal firm and he says that at the moment he takes back as many "Disillusioned Dreamers "as he brings, most of these have only managed 5 years or less and most are returning to the UK broke, some of these are qualified Tradesmen and they can't find the work or can't live on what they can earn,also the Spanish Authorities are clamping down on the "Black Market "workers, so doing a bit for "The Bloke in the Bar" will soon be a thing of the past.
If you have children they will find it very hard to find work even if they are fluent ,as the Spanish look after their own i know of several young people who had to leave Spain and return to the UK to find work.
We are given the impression in the UK that Spain is cheap to live ,i would estimate that i'ts around 70% of the UK and rising,the cheap rates and water charges will have to rise soon as more and more demand is put on the fragile infrastructure .
....And you don't want to know about the increase in crime over the last few years.
Anyway good luck if you decide to make the move, i hope you prove me wrong...Cowboy Builder...
