Re: moving to andalucia
 

Frankly, right now I cannot imagine that any area of Spain requires another "no job too small-we don't take siestas" builder with a dodgy Transit. Of course I am being unfair, stereotyping you. For all I know you could be fully fluent in Spanish and fully conversant with the rules of Spanish construction and self employment.

If your children are of school age, right now, unless you have a firm job offer I wouldn't do it. If your children are under school age, find a place to rent (don't pay more than 400 euros monthly) and come on down, bringing some cash just in case. I guarantee a good time if you have no money worries.

Re: moving to andalucia
 

400 euros a month! Where did you get that figure from?

Re: moving to andalucia
 

You could get a hole in the ground maybe :D

Re: moving to andalucia
 

Plenty available for that sort of money away from the coast for long term lets.

Re: moving to andalucia
 

Some jobs are too small to bother with, although we sometimes have to do them. Dont usually have time for siestas, what with working 9 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week and having two small children.
My Transit is in immaculate order.
Not fluent in Spanish yet, and probably dont have the grasp of Spanish building practice that you have. As for self emloyment, it's a pain in the backside in any language.

I haven't got any offers of work, which is why I'm looking now to see what the situation is.
As for money worries, I have none to worry about!
Hopefully this forum and others will help us make our decision.

Re: moving to andalucia
 

:rofl:You must remember that forums typically only propagate gloom and doom. Most happy people don't feel the need to shout from the rooftops about it, instead filling their time with anything other than posting to forums all day and night.

You'll also quickly realise that most of the "ex-pat" forums have exactly the same miserable people on them shouting to anyone that will listen about how cr*p it is in Spain, unfortunately they are normally the people with the largest post count, chipping into any thread with their harbinger of doom attitudes.

Re: moving to andalucia
 

I dont think that the way it is , you have to be realistic about things here right now, whats the point in misleading people and telling them all is rosy when it isnt,theres virtually no work here and the cost of living is rising rapidly,if you dont have deep pockets or a pension you wont last here, I have only good words for Spain ,its tough here but 10 times better than the UK, if I did not like it I would not live here ,that simple!


Rgds

Rotor

Re: moving to andalucia
 

Look at any forum about anything and it's normally 90% full of negatives. People like to complain and web forums are the perfect place to do so. When you buy a product and it works fine then you don't generally jump online looking for a "what toaster" forum and post how great your Russell Hobbs offering is.

However, when you have nothing but problems with your toaster or the supplier a lot of people are now jumping online straight away looking for similar people so they can post about their problems too. Unfortunately this then makes the problem look a million time worse than it ever is.

Agreed its currently tougher out here than it was but I'd be willing to bet my life savings that there are a considerably larger amount of happy ex-pats out here than unhappy

Re: moving to andalucia
 

I know quite a few people with villas here that are saying they are spending almost twice as much money when they come out here now, to what they used to a couple of years ago.

Re: moving to andalucia
 

I hope I don't perpetuate doom and gloom but the man wanted an opinion.

The facts are the average wage in Spain is 1000 Euros per month. The average Spaniard lives in a 3 bed flat costing under 100.000 Euros. His kids schooling is free and his wife works. He sees his Mum weekly. Life for him is great. If a foreigner comes here and joins in the Spanish way of life, is able to fund housing etc then he too will have a great time. Or if a foreigner comes here with a job, pension etc he too will have no problem.

The problems come when a young foreign family come, still having to fund one if not two houses, expects a salary similar to his home country and doesn't speak the language. Right now the unemployment rate is high and rising. Lots of eastern european construction workers have already gone home.