Looking some info on moveing to Spain

[G mann]

Hi there just joined my wife and i and 7,year old boy are wanting to move to Benidorm area in 2009 we have holidayed there for some time now and love the area we don't speak any spanish thats sort of why we are chosing that area as well so it might be easier to find work. We could buy a business but we don't know if this would be a good idea as you hear of so many failing, basically we are just looking some advice on work issues, schooling, good areas to live in the enidorm area or may be buying a business, would be grateful for any info regarding these issues thanks.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by G mann

Hi there just joined my wife and i and 7,year old boy are wanting to move to Benidorm area in 2009 we have holidayed there for some time now and love the area we dont speak any spanish thats sort of why we are choseing that area as well so it mite be easier to find work we cood buy a business but we dont no if this wood be a good idea as you hear of so many failing, basically we are just looking some advice on work issues, schooling, good areas to live in the benidorm area or may,b buying a business, wood be grateful for any info regarding these issues thanx.

Hi & welcome to the forum
What kind of business are you talking about ...... please dont say a bar

Benidorm gets a bad press. I like it now, but only out of season. I prefer the Southern area & old town, I'm afraid the Brit end does my head in.

Work will be more difficult if you dont speak Spanish I'm afraid .... have a look at the Costa Blanca News online newspaper (google it)

[G mann]

Thanks for the reply, no i dont think we wood really be interested in a bar we were thinking more along the lines of mini market, coffee shop etc, we are just looking a better life my wife works legal secretary and i as doorman so she works all week and i all weekend i no thats what every,1 is looking a better life and it always doesnt work out like that but you never no unless you try.As to were we go to live well we cood keep an open mind as to were we go i suppose we havent really looked into anywere else.We wood appreciate any areas you cood recomend that we cood look into thanx.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by G mann

Thanks for the reply, no i dont think we wood really be interested in a bar we were thinking more along the lines of mini market, coffee shop etc, we are just looking a better life my wife works legal secretary and i as doorman so she works all week and i all weekend i no thats what every,1 is looking a better life and it always doesnt work out like that but you never no unless you try.As to were we go to live well we cood keep an open mind as to were we go i suppose we havent really looked into anywere else.We wood appreciate any areas you cood recomend that we cood look into thanx.

Oh OK.
I dont want to sound overly negative here my friend, but what you must realise that a cup of coffee over here costs about €1.20 ... thats about 90p. You gotta sell a hell of a lot of coffee to make that pay. Mini market could be a good idea, although bear in mind that we're all market crazy over here. They are all over the place, selling all manner of things. If you have a particular line then maybe a stall at a market. We see the same stall holders at different markets all the time.

If you get a "proper" job you must bear in mind the hours can be long. You have the siesta mid way through the day which means you can still be working at night up till 8 or 9 on a regular basis. Thats why the Spanish eat late, when its cooler and when work is finished.

[G mann]

I see were your coming from just we don't know what to do for the best. We know if we try to get jobs that the hours are long but it couldn't be any worse than what we are doing now and you get the added bonus of the good weather out there. Our little boy has A,D,H,D and we live in Belfast and the weather is crop here all year round so it means he doesn't get out much and as he is very hyper this can cause proplems for us as he needs to be out doors to burn his energy. We know we won't get good paying jobs like we have here but as long as we can earn enough to live on as we would have a good bit of savings with us and we would do any job. Thats why we thought Benidorm might be the best spot for us because we don't speak any spanish and it has a big ex-pat population so work might be easier to come by thanks Glenn. Any more info would be appreciated.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by G mann

I see were your coming from just we dont no what to do for the best we no if we try to get jobs that the hours are long but it cood,nt be any worse than what we are doing now and you get the added bonus of the good weather out there,our little boy has A,D,H,D and we live in belfast and the weather is crop here al year round so means he doesnt get out much as he is very hyper this can cause proplems for us as he needs to be out doors to burn his energy.We no we wont get good paying jobs like we have here but as long as we can earn enough to live on as we wood have a good bit of savings with us and we wood do any job. Thats why we thought Benidorm mite be the best spot for us because we dont speak any spanish and it has a big excpat population so work mite be easier to come by thanx Glenn any more info wood be appreciated

Yep, the weather is a good plus.
Theres Brits all the way down the costas. Benidorm is though, as you say, a reasonably good bet.
Cost of living is about 30% cheaper than the UK in rural areas, but the salaries here reflect that also.

[G mann]

Thanks again for the reply, we are heading out to benidorm another 2 times this year to do a bit more research and gather as much more info as we can but we would still appreciate any info from people on this forum as well,we know its not going to be easy and it will take time to settle but i am quite confident we can do it. It's something we have wanted to do for a long time and if we don't just do it now we may never do it and then might regret that for the rest of our lives, as i said above any info on moving to spain would be much appreciated and thanks again for the reply, Glenn

[jojo]

Originally Posted by G mann

It's something we have wanted to do for a long time and if we don't just do it now we may never do it and then might regret that for the rest of our lives

We felt exactly the same! In the end we decided that my husband would commute until he/we could financially support ourselves here. So he spends two weeks here and two weeks in the uk. I guess we're lucky that he owns his own business, so he can allow himself this privilige. When he's here, he's also trying set a sister company up and the plan is that one day () we'll have a business in spain and no more commuting.

In the meantime, I'm trying to learn spanish and I'm looking for work, although with two kids and no husband half the time, its not a priority for now

Jo

[G mann]

Hi jo thanks for the reply do you have any regrets about moving abroad, you get all kinds of different feed back was it the same for use some good and some not so good but i think you need to try things for urself.We have been looking into buying a business but then people seem to be a bit negative about that issue but we would like to work something as a family surely every business is not doomed to fail. Glenn

[ea7/gm0vpg]

Hola,
Still a newbie here in Spain... been here for two years and have no regrets. Should of done it a long time ago. Steep learning curve having completed a reformation project.
We have friends on the coast who bought a business two years ago, typical bar. Advice... well looking at the state of the market here take your time as it is a buyers market. Look at every angle and don't jump in. If you have the luxury of time and money move here and rent for a short while. Feel the goods and you could earn up with a bargain. Stand back and view from all sides.....

Best of luck.... he who hesitates is lost forever. :-)

atb Neil