HELP Adivce Urgently Needed

[DH1875]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for that, If I ever make it to TORREVIEJA I will let you know.
Can I take it that your opinion has started to change because the first time you got in contact you advised that we should not come.
Cheers.

Originally Posted by SteveHall

Looks like you have thought things through - the examples I were giving were just that - "examples". There could be a million and one neither of us could even think of.

Living without a car ? Tough with 4 of you ...I have done it for 3 years and struggle to think I'd ever want one again. I am sure a LOT of expats could improve their finances massively without a car but it does seem it's the absolute last thing most will let go of.

Good Luck - happy to meet up when you make it over here. Keep practicar, practicar, practicar, repitir, repitir, repitir
Sounds like you have the right atttitude.

[SteveHall]

I still don't think you should come but you seem determined and you seem to have the gumption to make a fist of it. I wish you every success. BTW I am on the Costa del Sol indefinitely although I still have my house in Torrevieja.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by DH1875

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the great advice. Like I said to Jo we are not daft and realize that work is going to be the difficulty.
We have the back up plan in place if it all goes wrong in the first six months but having the plan in place makes me worry that it could be to easy to back out when things get hard.

To be honest with you and you probably wont all agree but we think that if we both find work for €600 euros a month each then we could easily do it. We aren't coming out there to make money and have a wild time, and are quite well aware that even if things work out we will lose most of our savings but we are young enough to start again here if need be.
We are looking to send the children to state school so we wont have to worry about the cost of a private school.
Also we didn't think we would be intitled to any benefit in Spain so it is not something we have looked into so if anyone has any info.

You are all stars.

I´d love to find a job that pays €600 a month, so if you find one let me know!!!! I could do with it to help to pay my latest electricity bill (AAAAGGGGHHH!!! There are some strange goings on with the electricity here at the mo, another topic!!)

One other "nasty" you need to know is that state schools expect you to buy all the kids books, stationary and paper (they provide you with a list of every item your child must have), its only an initial sum at the beginning of the school year, but it cost me €550 and even now, my daughter comes home every now and again needing yet another book for €15 or whatever - really annoying!



Jo x

[DROOBY]

Originally Posted by DH1875

Hi Steve,
Thanks for that, If I ever make it to TORREVIEJA I will let you know.
Can I take it that your opinion has started to change because the first time you got in contact you advised that we should not come.
Cheers.

Alrighty Matey.

Really enjoyed reading this thread.
Nice to hear your resolve to things not being great out here for newbies. Sounded like myself last year before we came out this January.
We came out with our children 3 & 5 and like yourselves moved to a house 5 minutes from village school to save on the school run and i can also say the settled within the first day and absolutly love it.

I don't find the cost of living that much cheaper anymore (good old exchange rate) but we also find were not spending no way near as much back home due to things like, Doing things with the kids is alot cheaper beaches, Park and walking with picnics costs nothing.
I also use the weekly market here and buy veg and fruit off the guy who grows locally its about 10-14euros for 3 carrier bags worth.
Free tapas!!!
Electricty we've found very exspensive. We brought over our gas fires and just changed the regulators and a great life saver is to take the kids out walking collecting cones and branches. Keeps them occupied for hours and gives us free fuel.

My wife is due to start new job next week which will be great as my first job fell through due to restaurant lease holder falling out with owner. we also brought enough money to last at least a year which i do think is a must if only for peace of mind.
To cut a long comment short. We've been here six weeks (still babies) but we did do alot of visits to the area and research and so made it quite an easy move and we love it so far. Things are not easy and i don't think they will be for a long time but if you live by your means and tighten the belt you'll love it. Resedential certificate, Schools, Registering with town hall and car matriculation were all a peace of cake for us and we don't speak alot of spanish but don't expect it done in a hurry
In fact don't expect anything in a hurry

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by jojo

One other "nasty" you need to know is that state schools expect you to buy all the kids books, stationary and paper (they provide you with a list of every item your child must have), its only an initial sum at the beginning of the school year, but it cost me €550 and even now, my daughter comes home every now and again needing yet another book for €15 or whatever - really annoying!

Jo - ask the councillor for Education or the local Social Services folk whether YOUR town hall or region offers assistance in this area. iirc the TownHall I work in offered €100/student. Was a regional (Madrid) thing. Ask fast - the Window end often is start March.

[Cazzy]

Originally Posted by jojo

I´d love to find a job that pays €600 a month, so if you find one let me know!!!! I could do with it to help to pay my latest electricity bill (AAAAGGGGHHH!!! There are some strange goings on with the electricity here at the mo, another topic!!)

One other "nasty" you need to know is that state schools expect you to buy all the kids books, stationary and paper (they provide you with a list of every item your child must have), its only an initial sum at the beginning of the school year, but it cost me €550 and even now, my daughter comes home every now and again needing yet another book for €15 or whatever - really annoying!



Jo x

Apparently the electric went up in January, but Endesa have charged the new rate from december, we are all going to get a refund (ha ha) It is the equivilent to a pound a unit now with the exchange rate!!!

[DH1875]

[Hi Jo I am sure if have read all about your electricity bill on another thread.
Hope you get it sorted out.
Thanks for the info but I already knew this as we looked into it all when we were looking at schools in the area. As I have said before this is not just a whim we have had and were actually planning it before the world decided to go loco. Things are just going to be harder than we had first planned.

We have thought about staying put, but it could be a case of now or never as we don't want to move the kids when they are older.

We are going to take the 6 month option and if things work out great. If not we will have had a holiday to remember.

Cheers.

QUOTE=jojo;110700]I´d love to find a job that pays €600 a month, so if you find one let me know!!!! I could do with it to help to pay my latest electricity bill (AAAAGGGGHHH!!! There are some strange goings on with the electricity here at the mo, another topic!!)

One other "nasty" you need to know is that state schools expect you to buy all the kids books, stationary and paper (they provide you with a list of every item your child must have), its only an initial sum at the beginning of the school year, but it cost me €550 and even now, my daughter comes home every now and again needing yet another book for €15 or whatever - really annoying!



Jo x[/QUOTE]

[DH1875]

Hi Drooby,

Glad everything seems to be working out for you. Thats a shame about your job but good luck to your wife.

We actually looked into Frigiliana when we were looking at areas to move to but thought it would be hard to get work in that area and that there wouldn't be much happening in the winter. To be honest we thought it was more of a tourist town for summer holidays. How do you find it, are we right or wrong?

I see that you are Scottish, so hopefully you more than anyone can understand us wanting to get away.

All the best from a cold and really wet Glasgow.

Originally Posted by DROOBY

Alrighty Matey.

Really enjoyed reading this thread.
Nice to hear your resolve to things not being great out here for newbies. Sounded like myself last year before we came out this January.
We came out with our children 3 & 5 and like yourselves moved to a house 5 minutes from village school to save on the school run and i can also say the settled within the first day and absolutly love it.

I don't find the cost of living that much cheaper anymore (good old exchange rate) but we also find were not spending no way near as much back home due to things like, Doing things with the kids is alot cheaper beaches, Park and walking with picnics costs nothing.
I also use the weekly market here and buy veg and fruit off the guy who grows locally its about 10-14euros for 3 carrier bags worth.
Free tapas!!!
Electricty we've found very exspensive. We brought over our gas fires and just changed the regulators and a great life saver is to take the kids out walking collecting cones and branches. Keeps them occupied for hours and gives us free fuel.

My wife is due to start new job next week which will be great as my first job fell through due to restaurant lease holder falling out with owner. we also brought enough money to last at least a year which i do think is a must if only for peace of mind.
To cut a long comment short. We've been here six weeks (still babies) but we did do alot of visits to the area and research and so made it quite an easy move and we love it so far. Things are not easy and i don't think they will be for a long time but if you live by your means and tighten the belt you'll love it. Resedential certificate, Schools, Registering with town hall and car matriculation were all a peace of cake for us and we don't speak alot of spanish but don't expect it done in a hurry
In fact don't expect anything in a hurry

[DROOBY]

Originally Posted by DH1875

Hi Drooby,

Glad everything seems to be working out for you. Thats a shame about your job but good luck to your wife.

We actually looked into Frigiliana when we were looking at areas to move to but thought it would be hard to get work in that area and that there wouldn't be much happening in the winter. To be honest we thought it was more of a tourist town for summer holidays. How do you find it, are we right or wrong?

I see that you are Scottish, so hopefully you more than anyone can understand us wanting to get away.

All the best from a cold and really wet Glasgow.

Hi DH

We went for Frigiliana because we know the area and the school has a really good reputation for international kids.
It's been an easy place to settle because it has quite a big percentage of expats but they all seem to interact with the locals and it makes for a good night out here. I've been down to nerja a few times and there is much more of a feeling of community here. I've yet to see it quiet there is always something going on.
With regards to work Nerja, Almunecar, Torrox costa etc. are all within easy scooter distance. this suits me as i like to be set back from where i work makes a day off feel like a day off if you know what i mean.

Yep i can understand you wanting to get away. I've spent alot of time working abroad and everytime i go back to perthshire It's not long before i'm planning another venture.
This one is more is more permanent because i don't want to mess the kids arond with there schooling and the wifes job is permanent with good money (and her parents are the boss) which is a bonus.

Which area are you planning on moving to?

[DH1875]

Originally Posted by DROOBY

Hi DH

We went for Frigiliana because we know the area and the school has a really good reputation for international kids.
It's been an easy place to settle because it has quite a big percentage of expats but they all seem to interact with the locals and it makes for a good night out here. I've been down to nerja a few times and there is much more of a feeling of community here. I've yet to see it quiet there is always something going on.
With regards to work Nerja, Almunecar, Torrox costa etc. are all within easy scooter distance. this suits me as i like to be set back from where i work makes a day off feel like a day off if you know what i mean.

Yep i can understand you wanting to get away. I've spent alot of time working abroad and everytime i go back to perthshire It's not long before i'm planning another venture.
This one is more is more permanent because i don't want to mess the kids arond with there schooling and the wifes job is permanent with good money (and her parents are the boss) which is a bonus.

Which area are you planning on moving to?

Evening Drooby,

How is Frigiliana this fine day?
I can take it we were wrong then, like I said the only things that put us off was that we thought it was only really a holiday town for summer holidays and so work would be hard to come by. When we were looking for property on kyero there were a lot for sale and loads to rent.
Does the wifes family live out there to? If so I imagine it makes life a whole lot easier. If you struggle to get work will they not be able to help you find any, or better yet offer you a job to.

Take care.