BorderGirl

Everyone in the country or should I say Europe has been effected by the credit crunch. We certainly have. The winter having been so long and cold hasn't helped. I understand that the credit rating for Portugal and Spain has dropped(?). I will admit that I don't understand these things and how they effect a countryYou only see the end results eg Greece.

What I would like to ask is how this has effected peoples quality of life?

Has the cost of living risen dramatically?

Would you say that it was still a better way of life in Spain than in the UK?

Sorry for so many questions. You only get doom and gloom out of the papers and no answers from the people who matter

cricketman

Depends how much money you have and how good your job is, simple

Many people havent been hit by the credit crush at all, but unemployment is at nearly 20% and jobs are scarce, for these people their quality life would have gone down tremendously

HBG

Quality of life really depends on the individual. I was a city dweller in the UK and live in a built-up area here in Spain, surrounded by fellow expats in what is generally considered a cheap area.

I've tried country living both in the UK and here, and it's not for me. All the things I need here in Spain are within walking distance, from banks to doctors and restaurants from all over the world.

The thought of a lonely, wind swept finca, or a cute mountain town where no one speaks English fills me with dread, and I'm sure that those lovers of peace and quiet would not like to live where I live, after the football last night the place was lit up with fireworks and cars were driving along continuously sounding their horns all night long.

They were still blowing their vuvuselas in the shopping centre at lunchtime today.

jackytoo

I prefer something inbetween the two examples

HBG

So would I, or a fast helicopter to pick me up at midnight and drop me off at the lonely, star-lit finca for the night, but then bring me back in the morning so that I could have a coffee and cake in one of my usual haunts.

Barbara Red lips

Don't forget about the weather.
It can be beautifully sunny in Spain/Portugal, or even so hot you can't bear it or find a place cool enough to sleep.
In the winter it can be warm or so wet and damp that you can't get warm.
Yes somewhere in between would be great.. without mosquitoes would be great.
That's why I spend a large portion of my time in the UK, where it's often not too hot, and when its wet and cold we have adequate heating and insulation.
You have to choose what suits you best.
I could never live full time in Spain/Portugal .

Val W

It depends on whether you need to work or are retired. If your retired life is great here. The exchange rate means you can't get as much for your money but it's still a good lifestyle. We can go to the beach every day if we want to, swim in the communal pool, go for walks along the coastline, sit in the sun, all costs nothing. We can sit at outdoor restaurants and cafes all year round. There are some drawbacks, at the moment it is boiling, there is no escape, and the mosquitos are an absolute pain, but this only lasts for a couple of months. It is best to rent when you first come over to find out where suits you best, and unless you speak Spanish it's hard in a predominately Spanish area or if your isolated. It's helpful to have English people around who you can ask for advise.

Dick Dasterdly

By far the best choice regarding weather and other things mentioned would be the Canaries,(also Spanish).
Pleasant Winters,almost always shorts and t-shirt in the Winter.
Not the excessive hothouse Summer sun of parts of the mainland,due to almost constant cooling sea breezes.
No Winter heating costs,unless right up in the mountains.
Very little problem with mozzies.
Superb micro climates,especially on the 4 Western Isles,means you can almost choose your exact weather on any given day within range of a short car journey.
Much lower taxes on everything,.....friendly Canarian ppl,etc,etc...I could go on.
Oh and Beautiful,breathtaking and fascinating countryside and landscapes, again in the Most Westerly isles
Only things to check out would be property rent/cost, but as everywhere depends on the exact location, and also flight availability/cost /distance which was dirt cheap and easy when I lived there, but may be different now.
Beats the mainland into a cocked hat for comfortable,easy all year round living.
Would still be there, but after ten years I got itchy feet to spread my wings and see little more of Europe.

BorderGirl

Thanks all for your replies.

They all sound great lifestyles. I grew up about a two mile walk from a small village. I now live in a large village with a chocolate factory and a chipboard factory. Population of roughly 4500 - 5000. This is as large as I would like to go. The village is fairly spread out.
We live in a 3 bed house (rented) and have a large garden, app 150ft, we keep chickens and grow our own veg etc.

I think if I was perfectly honest, HBG, I find the idea of only Spanish speakers rather daunting as well. I am a great believer in that if you go to a country to live that you should learn the language of it, though I do accept that can be difficult.

I don't really want much more than that, materially(?) speaking, just to improve the quality. I know that the weather can also be temperamental but can't be much worse than here.

Thanks again all for your time.

Chiclanagir

But the main problem Border Girl is how you earn money. Work is pretty unavailable. How many gardeners pool cleaners do you need in any one place. Unless you have independent means think twice. My daughter and family did 18 months here and in the end had to return to the UK with huge credit card debts.