Move to Spain???!?? Help!!!

[crookesey]

Originally Posted by chris(madrid)

Muddle I think - Muggle sounds very Harry Potter - And whilst I'm a Wizard sort of chap - Magic I'm not. I was spared muddling by marrying a Spaniard.

The G is very close to the D though, well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

There are two types of people, 1) those who can spell, 2) those who can't, & 3) those who can't count.

I'll get my coat.

[MDM_117]

Originally Posted by mackenziegray

thankyou Rob for replying to me, i really wish we knew what to do for the best, my son has actually fallen in with the wrong company of friends here and that sort of made our mind up about moving, although hes only 14 he looks about 19 and we thought maybe a change for him would be good also. At the minute, we are all (trying) to learn spanish (not to well) haha! He is not sure about moving, (we had an incident last month when we were on holiday, he had made friends with two spanish kids and had a great day, only at the end of the night they stole his money and mobile phone)!! Its getting him to understand that not everyone is like that. Its a big change for us all, maybe we will hate it or maybe we will love it, i thought if we gave it a year or two out in spain, whats to lose. If we dont do it now, we,ll never do it.
We would ideally like to go to somewhere where there is a lot of irish, english etc as if my son meets friends he will settle in a lot quicker
donna xxx

Hi Donna

My Advice is don't make the move yet. Spain is on the brink of recession and finding work is really difficult. I bought a business - a Cafe Bar, the business is ticking over i.e. paying the overheads but we can't afford any staff or pay ourselves a wage. The business is supported by mainly local spanish customers. Most other cafe bars in the area are not doing well (what we have been told by the owners). Both myself and my partner - luckily were able to get another job working evenings (commission only) to help us through until we can sell the business and return to the UK. We planned the move for over 12 months and have spent a lot of money moving here. We moved for a better life and its worse. We are working more hours for less money!

My advice is take into consideration what everyone else on the forum is saying. If I could turn the clock back I would have stayed in the UK. But you live and learn. Spain is a fantastic place to visit but living here is a totally different ball game. I think your son would find it extremely difficult to settle, many expats I have spoken to here in Spain who brought their children to Spain have returned to the UK.

I think if you have made your money in the UK, i.e. have a good state and private pension to see you through and are at retirement age, or have won the lottery, then go for it as you wont have to worry about money. But if not, stay where you are unless you both can secure well paid jobs before you leave.

Hope this helps

Mike.

[SunnySpain]

Originally Posted by MDM_117

Hi Donna

Spain is on the brink of recession and finding work is really difficult. We moved for a better life and its worse. We are working more hours for less money!

If I could turn the clock back I would have stayed in the UK. But you live and learn. Spain is a fantastic place to visit but living here is a totally different ball game.

I would like to add that think Spain IS in a recession NOW and there are not enough jobs for the Spaniards, nevermind an non-Spanish speaking couple from Ireland or anywhere else for that matter.

Many expats regret making the move and wish they could turn back the clocks, but the question surely has to be why did they make the move in the first place and why did it all go wrong ?

Could it be that many move through desperation to leave old blighty ?
Maybe they have just watched too many episodes of a "place in the sun"

1 answer might be:

Most expats return home for financial reasons as a direct result of not thinking things through properly before they made the move in the first place. Its all very well to dream about having some wonderful life in the sun, as if Spain is some kind of Utopia - but in reality its not like that at all.

I would like to thank Mike for sharing his story and whilst I understand things did not work out for you this time around; but just maybe you could give it another go in the future and things might just work out, although I'm not suggesting you open another cafe bar...but you could try something a bit different, something that not many people have done or even thought about doing.

Good luck Mike

[jojo]

Originally Posted by SunnySpain

I would like to add that think Spain IS in a recession NOW and there are not enough jobs for the Spaniards, nevermind an non-Spanish speaking couple from Ireland or anywhere else for that matter.

Many expats regret making the move and wish they could turn back the clocks, but the question surely has to be why did they make the move in the first place and why did it all go wrong ?

Could it be that many move through desperation to leave old blighty ?
Maybe they have just watched too many episodes of a "place in the sun"

1 answer might be:

Most expats return home for financial reasons as a direct result of not thinking things through properly before they made the move in the first place. Its all very well to dream about having some wonderful life in the sun, as if Spain is some kind of Utopia - but in reality its not like that at all.

I would like to thank Mike for sharing his story and whilst I understand things did not work out for you this time around; but just maybe you could give it another go in the future and things might just work out, although I'm not suggesting you open another cafe bar...but you could try something a bit different, something that not many people have done or even thought about doing.

Good luck Mike

Well said Dave and good luck Mike. I'm sorry it hasnt been what you wanted, but if you'd stayed in the UK you would have always wished you'd tried and things may have been bad for the reasons you left in the first place.

I was like that before we moved here, I envisaged some kind of perfect, sunny world - utopia, a cheap, easy lifestyle, of course we'd get jobs, have money .. blah blah...... Yes, I watched too many episodes of "A place in the sun"!! I was totally blinded by that vision and nothing could make me change my mind. Fortunately my husband is a cautious person and thinks ahead. He used to use a phrase "Be a monkey in a tree, dont let go of one branch until you have a firm grip on another" And thats what we've done and so far its kept us financially secure. But when we were planning this, I was impatient and thought he was making excuses to stop us going. Many a night we'd argue as he would plan for this or plan for that. He'd worry about the "what ifs" and I'd just keep saying, "But Ehglands a dump and sinking fast, Spains better, it'll be sunny, it'll work out fine. IT'LL BE ALRIGHT"

I was all for selling our UK house, buying a place here for "nonepence" and living off odd jobs here and there. My husband is a fully trained electrician, PC programmer/ installer and mechanical engineer, so he could easily get a job if he really needed to - its easy I thought. In retrospect if we'd done it my way, we'd be totally sunk by now!

Jo

[MDM_117]

Originally Posted by SunnySpain

I would like to add that think Spain IS in a recession NOW and there are not enough jobs for the Spaniards, nevermind an non-Spanish speaking couple from Ireland or anywhere else for that matter.

Many expats regret making the move and wish they could turn back the clocks, but the question surely has to be why did they make the move in the first place and why did it all go wrong ?

Could it be that many move through desperation to leave old blighty ?
Maybe they have just watched too many episodes of a "place in the sun"

1 answer might be:

Most expats return home for financial reasons as a direct result of not thinking things through properly before they made the move in the first place. Its all very well to dream about having some wonderful life in the sun, as if Spain is some kind of Utopia - but in reality its not like that at all.

I would like to thank Mike for sharing his story and whilst I understand things did not work out for you this time around; but just maybe you could give it another go in the future and things might just work out, although I'm not suggesting you open another cafe bar...but you could try something a bit different, something that not many people have done or even thought about doing.

Good luck Mike

Hi there

When me and my partner moved here it was planned very carefully, we did not cut corners and thought we bought a successful business. My partner is a fully qualified accountant and he requested and was given accounts for the business through our lawyer, however, the figures we were given could not be correct as our takings and the previous owners takings were significantly different. We are seeing all the same clients apart from the odd few that went elsewhere.

Anyway its done now and unfortunately we are stuck here until we can sell the business. I suppose we would have always wondered "what if" if we had not made the move. I can say this though, I won't make the same mistake again, this whole experience has been a massive learning curve for me and my partner. We will be glad to return to the UK and get jobs, fortunately for us our employers have agreed to take us back upon our return - whenever that might be!

Mike.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by MDM_117

Hi there

When me and my partner moved here it was planned very carefully, we did not cut corners and thought we bought a successful business. My partner is a fully qualified accountant and he requested and was given accounts for the business through our lawyer, however, the figures we were given could not be correct as our takings and the previous owners takings were significantly different. We are seeing all the same clients apart from the odd few that went elsewhere.

Anyway its done now and unfortunately we are stuck here until we can sell the business. I suppose we would have always wondered "what if" if we had not made the move. I can say this though, I won't make the same mistake again, this whole experience has been a massive learning curve for me and my partner. We will be glad to return to the UK and get jobs, fortunately for us our employers have agreed to take us back upon our return - whenever that might be!

Mike.

Sorry to hear that
We hear regular stories about misleading accounts, and poepl hiring people to sit in their bars when prospective buyers come along.

With all the misdeclaration that goes on with earnings here its very difficult to get an accurate set of books

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by Stravinsky

With all the misdeclaration that goes on with earnings here its very difficult to get an accurate set of books

That's a little unfair imo.

Sorry to read your problems Mike.

One thing I've learned here is that it's often necessary to bill for certain things that one might elsewhere do for free and visa versa. And you need to keep on top of it. Requires imo a VERY political mindset.

Professionals RAISED amongst the Spanish seem to cope better than outsiders.

Just about EVERY successful "small" businessman I know basically "works" 24/7 as they spend lots of their free time with their clients and a lot of work is done at social events.

I know loads - some from privileged families and others from poorer origins. It's the same story except the privileged have more pleasant social environments.

For some it's actually a drug - I've one particular friend who deals in classic cars. He's now 70, and simply cannot stop.

I made a decision about 6 years ago it was a game I did NOT want to play. I've been offered membership of several of these "business clubs" - but it's not for me.

[ATXIronHorse]

hey all,

I am from Texas but love Spain. I got it in my head one year and seriously considered moving out there. As we all know the lifestyle and carefree attitude of the people are just a blast. I've got great friends there and just had the time of my life.

So I went out there for a 3-month trail run with just a backpack and enough money to travel around the country. While it was still fun, annoyances surfaced which made me think twice about making the move. I noticed it took days and weeks to get things done that would be accomplished in 10 minutes back home. Just going to the bank for something was a fiasco. Customer service was awful. Service industry people even tried ripping me off, shortchanging at restaurants, etc. And the crowded concrete jungles of the cities got to me. I also noticed a lot of inefficiency, regulation, taxes, and low wages that chiseled away at what seemed like the best place on earth...

So when the party was over I decided to come back to Texas. Here I can build a house with one or two signatures and permits, taxes are low, regulation is low, and we've got the biggest sky you've ever seen. Granted, the bar parties don't run to 8 in the morning and 3 hour lunches are unheard of, but I think all-in-all its the better place to be to make a living, run a business, have a career and family or just deal with normal daily life. Although now and then I do get that pang in my heart and really miss Spain, so I'll just visit as much as I can.

[lipstick]

Originally Posted by mmschex

Hi All
I'm new here, just registered. Just returned from our hols in Spain. We go to the costa del sol every year at least once a year as my inlaws live there. I get very depressed when I have to return to the UK. We are considereing moving over there too now but are unsure where to start. We are both in our 30's and have 2 children aged 2yrs and 5yrs. Neither of us speak that much Spanish but I do class myself as a very quick learner! So anyway, a few questions:

Home - Would you suggest that renting is best to start?

Schools - How old are the children when they start school and how has everyone found spanish schools?

Work - this is a big question. I take it that it's better to look for work before we were to move but what would you suggest?

Areas - We always visit Competa and have been to canillas, frigilliana etc. Does anyone have any other ideas of great places to live?

Think that's it for now. We have always wanted to move to Spain but always thought it would be more like after our children had finished primary school. Really don't want to wait that long now!

Many thanks for reading all this.

mmschex

Hi Guys
The only advice as far as property goes is to rent first.
There are many reasons but the most obvious ones are that if things don't work out then you've not committed to a mortgage, deposit etc and also prices are still dropping so hopefully when you decide to stay then you'll get yourself a better deal.
(SNIP)
Good luck
Deborah

[Keidik]

Originally Posted by mmschex

Hi All
I'm new here, just registered. Just returned from our hols in Spain. We go to the costa del sol every year at least once a year as my inlaws live there. I get very depressed when I have to return to the UK. We are considereing moving over there too now but are unsure where to start. We are both in our 30's and have 2 children aged 2yrs and 5yrs. Neither of us speak that much Spanish but I do class myself as a very quick learner! So anyway, a few questions:

Home - Would you suggest that renting is best to start?

Schools - How old are the children when they start school and how has everyone found spanish schools?

Work - this is a big question. I take it that it's better to look for work before we were to move but what would you suggest?

Areas - We always visit Competa and have been to canillas, frigilliana etc. Does anyone have any other ideas of great places to live?

Think that's it for now. We have always wanted to move to Spain but always thought it would be more like after our children had finished primary school. Really don't want to wait that long now!

Many thanks for reading all this.

mmschex

Hi there,

Home - yes def start renting first so you get to know what area you want to end up living in. It is difficult to tell that if you lurch straight into buying a property. You could make a mistake.

Schools - they can start from age 3 and generally they are very good although there can be bullying issues with the Spanish kids.

Work - have you considered buying into a successful business opportunity ?

Areas - I live in El Morche, near Torrox Costa - look that one up I love it. if not Torre del Mar is another fave spot. The problme with the villages you mention is the distance from the coast. The jounrey can become a bit tedios up and down the mountains.

Dont wait any longer!!!