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Retirement, thinking ahead

9K views 36 replies 9 participants last post by  tobyo 
#1 ·
so....I ate too much yesterday and am up in the middle of the night with an upset stomach :( So, I turned on my laptop and here I am.

Here is a question that's been rolling around in my head the last couple of months. since I want to be as prepared as possible for when we retire to Spain (still at least 10 years off) the thought of "what will I/we do with our time?" is on my mind at present. Hubby and I both work at home and, weather allowing, we take a brief walk around our pond at lunch time. and I asked him this question last week so that he begins to think about it too. I don't have any lists in my head of things I plan to do when I retire but maybe I should start forming some. I don't know. So, I thought I'd ask the question here and see what you all have to say.

We both love music and are musicians of sorts. Him more so than me. so, one of his answers was "I'm going to find a band to play in." and I could find a group to sing in I suppose. I'd love to do some volunteering too. Years ago I volunteered at our humane society, walking dogs mostly. I could do something like that too. Mostly I see myself doing more reading maybe create a blog. I've had that idea in my head for a while but haven't any time for that right now. But I sure got inspired whilst perusing Alcaina's blog. She's done a great job and if you haven't checked it out, do so. Lots of great information. I of course was drawn immediately to the "thinking of retiring to Spain?" entry and have bookmarked it for future reference. We also plan to travel a bit around Spain, funds allowing.

oh anyway, I guess I'll stop here as I think I've written enough on this for now. I'd love to hear how all you retirees spend your time. I'm all ears :wave:
 
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#2 ·
Alcalaina, ack!! that's what I get for posting in the middle of the night. sorry for the misspelling! I should know better too. maybe I should get some more shut eye now? heh.

oh, can I ask a technical question while I'm here? I somehow get subscribed to every thread I either start or reply to. How do I turn that off? I've been manually unsubscribing as I go but wonder how to turn off that default. thanks again!
 
#3 ·
If you go to the green line across the top and click on "user cp" you'll find all the posts you've subscribed to. you can click the thing that says unsubscribe or you can go into your profile and request that you dont get notified by e-mail.... I think??!!

the sites actually undergoing some modernisation and a spring clean as we speak, but I dont think that will change ???????????????????????????????????????????????

Jo xxx
 
#7 ·
We both love music and are musicians of sorts. Him more so than me. so, one of his answers was "I'm going to find a band to play in." and I could find a group to sing in I suppose.
Thanks for the plug Tobyo.

Please retire to Alcalá and then we can start a band and a community choir. Making music is really the only thing we miss.

Learning the piano was one of the things on my to-do list for retirement - we even bought an electronic one. Sadly the only time it gets used is when my friend's kids come round, as I am far too busy! Maybe someday ...
 
#8 ·
well, it's very well done and I'm not done perusing it yet, there is so much there :)

ah....as much as I enjoyed the slide show of Alcalá, it's much too small of a town for me. but the thought is nice. perhaps we could meet halfway between Alcalá and Málaga and all make music together :violin: So, you're keeping busy in retirement. What's a typical week like for you? If you don't mind sharing that is.

I haven't noticed anything where the forum changes are concerned. oh, except that now my page is bigger and if I want to see what's an inch to the right, I have to scroll. or was that there before? hmmmm.
 
#10 ·
thanks! we've got our sights on Málaga at the moment tho other cities have come up in discussion (Madrid because I know it so well, Barcelona, Valencia). but perhaps we could check out Estepona when we're there next time.

I think it just boils down to the things that interest us and finding those opportunities. It's finding the opportunities that will be challenging I think. Thanks for your input, much appreciated! your life sounds very interesting ;)
 
#13 ·
I took early retirement in UK as my OH is/was a very successful financial manager and then we had a baby and decided we couldn't bring him up in an increasingly violent British society with crumbling moral standards (that's the serious bit over with) so here is our typical week (now that I have been bundled unceremoniously out of retirement):
Monday wake up anywhere between 6 and 8 depending on the little one, OH cleans her parents 3 bathrooms in the morning and I do lesson prep for the afternoon lessons. Afternoon I give English lessons to groups of 10 yr olds and 7 yr olds. Armed with freshly earned lucre I descend on the shops to get some fresh produce and milk (I always have to buy milk, thinking of buying a cow) and go home. The boy has his evening meal and I cook ours (am a trained chef so have no excuse). The boy has stories which we take in turn to read to him and then it's bed for him and we have time for ourselves with a meal, some TV (usually a downloaded movie), some wine and then bed.
Tuesday, OH goes to a mother and toddler group for the morning where the boy has the opportunity to bite his peers and I have the same as Monday but today I teach 17 yr olds who are far more rewarding as they seem to want to learn English, I buy some milk and maybe a week's supply of catfood and go home where Monday's evening replicates itself, although I endevour to cook something different.
Wednesday, lessons for 10 yr olds today and some adults (and today is the day when it is obvious that 10 yr olds are sponges and adults are like reinforced steel doors. I buy some milk and fresh things and then go home for a repeat performance, although we try to eat healthily (ie salad stuff) on this day, we rarely succeed.
Thursday, OH off to another mother and toddler group and I teach a mix of teens and young kids but today I don't get home untilo after the boy is in bed and OH prepares the meal. Thius is my best day so far as I am not cooking after teaching. I get to watch some crap TV while she is cooking and then we eat, talk, sup some wine and watch more crap TV. And so to bed.
Friday has become a mightily confusing day for my putrified brain. When I worked full time it was Monday to Friday. Now I work part-time but Monday to Thursday, so my brain refuses to accept that today is Friday and willo remain convinced it is Saturday until Sunday. I spend the day doing lesson prep for next week and OH visits friends (sometimes they all come here) who also hav eyoung children. OH and the boy come home and I spend some time with the boy playing football (this is surely why men want boys??? (oh no, I remember, it's for Scalextirics) - although my two girls were pretty good at football too) then we endeavour to eat our meal with him and we do the other stuff, baths and stories, bed and TV.
Saturday is shopping day and family day so we spend most if not all of the day together. Maybe the beach (well usually the beach even now) which the boy adores, or a trip to Malaga and Plaza Mayor so he can watch the planes flying low overhead.
Sunday we will be seeing parents in a social capacity, either mine or the outlaws. I suddenly realise it isn't Monday so I can relax. Always a movie Sunday night, early bed to do some catchup reading and thats the week done.

My God what a boring post.
 
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#15 ·
tobyo

It's something you touched on in earlier threads you have started or contributed to, but you do need to look at the visa situation for Americans wanting to retire to Spain. OK, the Bill Gates of this world won't have much of a problem getting a suitable visa to live in Spain, but the rest of us don't have fat bank accounts to draw on. As it has been said before, most of the regulars here are from UK or other EU countries, or are married to one, and they have freedom to live, work and retire just about anywhere in Europe, with a minimum of red tape. So for them, even if they don't have millions stashed away in their bank accounts, they can live a frugal yet comfortable life relying on pensions and modest investment, supplemented by some casual work. This option isn't open to you, as it's most unlikely you get a long-stay visa without a 'comfortable' and 'adequate' unearned income. How much that is, or will be when you come to retire, is unspecified and depends on personal factors, but it's very likely to be a lot higher than what a 'frugal' couple live on. And you cannot supplement your income by working, even online for a business based outside Spain - all counts as working and is illegal. I don't know what your projected financial resources will be in 10 years' time, but a normal Social Security pension income alone is unlikely to be enough. Alternative is to have plenty of savings - comfortable six-figure sum - which can generate income and you can draw out the capital where needed. When selling your real estate and other holdings in US, you may generate enough savings.

Non-EU citizens get very frustrated at what they see as artificially high barriers erected against their desire to relocate, but EU states claim that they have enough problems supporting their citizens and other legal residents in these tough times and don't want to add to the number of people who are 'just managing' - i.e. without substantial disposable income to benefit the host country in terms of job creation and substantial tax take. So they can, and do set, quite high financial requirements to weed out all but the affluent.

There are relatively few retired US expats in Spain, and the main reason for it is the difficulty of getting a visa. There are some who alternate between US and Spain every three months - the maximum they are allowed to stay without a visa.

So I respectfully suggest you make a thorough investigation of visa requirements for Spain and your possible future financial resources (boring and tedious it may be), as well as thinking about your lifestyle choices.
 
#17 ·
So I respectfully suggest you make a thorough investigation of visa requirements for Spain and your possible future financial resources (boring and tedious it may be), as well as thinking about your lifestyle choices.
I do believe your comment was well-intentioned. however, I was taken quite aback as well by your reply. How do you know I'm not making a thorough investigation of visa requirements?? Because of my lack of questions of the same? It appears that you assume that I'm not doing this. If I'm wrong, I will apologize in advance. What I was looking for was what retirees do with their time but I guess I could find another retirement forum to ask this, one where I don't feel very small reading responses like this. and you didn't respond to my query at all.

Six figures? Would you care to extrapolate on that number? that could be anywhere between $100,000 and $999,999 couldn't it? So far, I have not found anything that tells me what that threshold might be when I get to the point of applying for this Visa. You're right, we're not all Bill Gates but someone who has worked hard her entire life and has built up savings and will get social security income (as long as it's still available when I retire) surely just MIGHT have a chance to live in a country that she fell in love with as a student many moons ago? If not, what's the point of trying?

Thanks to all of you that took the time to give me food for thought. and I just noticed that this is a forum for people already living in Spain, not me who just wants to. So, I guess I really don't belong here anyway. I do appreciate the input I have gotten from many of you. I'll go back to lurking now.
 
#18 ·
Please, please don't misinterpret my intentions. My contribution was meant to help you - and others who are thinking along the same lines - to take into account factors that can determine whether your dream can become reality or will likely to stay as a dream. It's meant as a practical contribution. If you are already doing it, fine. If you've found my comment. offensive, I can only apologise.

As for six-figure sum, it's meant as an example but from what I know of how immigration people think these days, I don't think it's entirely unreasonable assumption. In UK, there are no longer retirement visas as such and intending migrants without work visa are expected to have at least £200,000 ($320,000) in cash savings plus steady pension and investment income at least equal to natioanl average salary of £26,000 ($41,000) a year, and they are expected to invest sizeable sum into UK economy. While Spain may have differenty criteria, the thinking behind can't be a million miles apart..
 
#22 ·
okay, okay, I get it now! it was just so long-winded and sooooooooo not what I was looking for. but thanks for this explanation. and, yes, I've already been doing the research and it IS very daunting indeed!! but not impossible. and with the way things are going in the world right now, chances are good we won't have enough money to retire where we want. and I can't think of anything more depressing than that :( just remains to be seen I guess. I'll post what I found later.

thank you!!
 
#20 ·
We never get bored!

Hi there,

We retired to Spain in January, it was the best thing we have ever done!
We have met some wonderful people and now have a large circle of friends with whom we have a fantastic social life.

We meet for lunch either in restaurants or each others homes,we have coffee mornings, beach get togethers and also fantastic house parties.

We have been busy sorting out our villa and also the garden( 6 acres) so there is always something to do.

Friends in the UK ask us if we get bored! no way, there is always something to do and with the better weather and such a large country to explore so i don't think that will ever happen!

Have not even had time to read a book since we arrived here!:clap2:
 
#24 · (Edited)
here is what I found w/regard to a dollar threshold that retirees have to have to obtain the retiree visa. Note that this is not from a consulate website, it's a woman's website who also wrote a book "Living abroad in Spain". I couldn't find an actual dollar amount at the Consulado's Chicago website. First the link to this website:

Moving to Spain

and the paragraph regarding a dollar threshold(ok, so I included two more paragraphs):

If you’re a retiree applying on the related visa, you’ll have to add an official form certifying that you receive social security and stating its monthly amount. Additionally, add proof of any other source of income that you might have—and that includes all properties in Spain. Also submit an official document from the company that provides your medical insurance guaranteeing continual coverage while you’re in Spain.

Those applying as investors or as the self-employed must also have their doctors add to the letters that they are healthy enough to do the work proposed. A copy of the solicitud de permiso de trabajo (work authorization application) should have been filed previously with the Ministry of Labor in Spain—both an original and a copy of that should be included. The last form should document proof of the medical coverage to be received while in Spain.

If the residence visa that you’re after is for non-lucrative purposes, you’ll have to offer proof that you have enough money to live on while in Spain. More specifically, you must submit bank account statements, investment certificates, and any other proof of funds that amounts to no less than $75,000 annually. If you own stock or partnerships in any companies, the Spanish government requires assurance that you do not make money from direct labor in those companies.
There is TONS to do to apply for this Visa. I figured out that since I live in Minnesota, I would go to the Chicago consulate. I'm not done reading yet but so far I learned that we must appear in person as one requirement. so hubby says "cool, we can take the train!" :D gotta love him. Here is "my" consulate's website:

Consulado de España en Chicago

and then this page chock full of Visa info:

Consulado de España en Chicago

All forms must be in Spanish. whew, good thing I know Spanish! :)
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A VISA

Applicants in this Consulate must have permanent residence status in the following States of the USA: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
You cannot request the visa in Spain.
To apply for a work visa or a residence visa you must appear in person.
The visa will be affixed to your passport, in your country of residence, before your departure and must be resented at the Schengen border officials at the port of entry.
There are two types of visas:

Short Stay
Long Stay
pretty sure they meant "presented" and not "resented". two totally different meanings :D

okay, I think that's it for now.
 
#26 ·
here is what I found w/regard to a dollar threshold that retirees have to have to obtain the retiree visa. Note that this is not from a consulate website, it's a woman's website who also wrote a book "Living abroad in Spain". I couldn't find an actual dollar amount at the Consulado's Chicago website. First the link to this website:

Moving to Spain

and the paragraph regarding a dollar threshold(ok, so I included two more paragraphs):



There is TONS to do to apply for this Visa. I figured out that since I live in Minnesota, I would go to the Chicago consulate. I'm not done reading yet but so far I learned that we must appear in person as one requirement. so hubby says "cool, we can take the train!" :D gotta love him. Here is "my" consulate's website:

Consulado de España en Chicago

and then this page chock full of Visa info:

Consulado de España en Chicago

All forms must be in Spanish. whew, good thing I know Spanish! :)


pretty sure they meant "presented" and not "resented". two totally different meanings :D

okay, I think that's it for now.
Glad to see we are finally getting some info about this.
Thanks!
 
#34 ·
well how lovely!! you better believe I'm going to try!! and I'm mostly kidding about my friend in Spain. tho I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask if he had any pull. :D

and this all made me think that as much as I hate it, I probably should have a plan B in place just in case those nice consulate people turn me down.

but back to the weather. today was our third snowfall and guess who ran her car into a tree? omg...I'm afraid to go to sleep!!! for fear of seeing that tree come at me in my nightmares :( I am sooooooooooooooo ready to leave this crappy weather behind me. I'm not sure I'm going to last 10 more winters. the good news is that I am fine. I was going nice and slow, alas, I couldn't steer my way out of it fast enough and next thing I knew I was crashing into a tree. heavy, heavy, heavy sigh. so, yea, I love your picture!! especially tonight. thank you.
 
#36 ·
We bought a place in the Ontario Valley, in a tiny rural community, with a view to retiring there.
It was a really nice place, a restored nineteenth century woollen mill, but one visit in the middle of a very harsh winter put us off - that and the fact that Canada, whilst outwardly a relaxed, tolerant place, has an attitude to some types of non- conformity that reminds me of the iron fist in the velvet glove...
I decided that temperature swings of 80 C -from 40C in summer to -40C with wind chill in winter -would finish me off sooner than hoped for.
It was in many ways a beautiful location: real cowboy country with stone-built small settlements. But even wearing a black Tshirt rather than one with a moose head or large flower on it attracted suspicious stares from the dour locals.
Prague was cold too...not like Canada but cold enough. Unlike rural Ontario, snow in Prague quickly turned into a morass of thick yellow and grey slush. Not pretty.
I sympathise with your car accident. My cousin, who lives in the Ottawa Valley, is constantly experiencing what she calls 'fender benders' in the winter.
I am told that our village has never known frost, let alone snow.
 
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