Cannot escape poverty, what's the cheapest place in the world for me to move to?

[despair1234]

I can't cope and getting depressed again. I can't earn enough money. Had a real go with lots of tries at being freelance, because my health problems make it extremely hard to keep a normal job. Time off for hospital appointments etc.

I'm on my own in the UK and just done. I have a partner is another country but don't have a visa.

Need to move somewhere it's really cheap to have housing and food, I can't cope here anymore. Everyday is a massive struggle worrying how to pay the bills once my savings totally run out. No money is coming in. Not entitled to any benefits apart from Jobseeker's Allowance maybe which I don't bother with because I can't stand the effect it has on my mental health.

I just can't cope. It's too expensive just being alive. I have no family I can go to stay with, there is literally nowhere to go to relax.

It's like being in a nightmare except I never wake up. Constant, constant stress of money I can never overcome. Yeah I can borrow money but have no way of paying it back if I can't earn.

Where can I go??? Where can I find somewhere to rest???? I need to calm down and can't calm down, I'm having nightmares when I'm asleep, I'm not depressed but the impossible financial reality is making me depressed...because... where can it go from here?

It will never get better? Just breathing and eating and sleeping somewhere safe costs too much money? Let alone upkeep of clothes for interviews, reliable computer to try to find jobs, even small fees for retraining???

I just want to go away and escape, I need to escape.

Your rudeness, as if it needs quoting was covered very nicely by @chickowner, it’s not just the words, it’s your whole attitude. You come across as rude and aggressive.

Instead of working freelance, could you try getting a permanent job? With regular pay, that might be enough to tide you over, try losing the attitude and maybe people might book you for your freelance work too.

There are plenty of jobs out there that pay, it’s if you’re willing to work as a cleaner or in a factory to get you out of your financial bother.
Good day to you.

Have you investigated jobs that involve websites that have a chat function some companies after training allow you to work from home you need pc and fast internet connection. It's the little box that appears saying can I help you see it on insurance, travel other websites. Do you drive ? Can you do a part time admin job ? This has probably been already said, UK offers free education, free health care, internet, opportunities to start your own business, benefits, so I don't think that you would find better opportunities in another country. I believe housing is cheaper in some places in France for example but language problems and no benefits if you haven't paid into the system. Have you been to your local job centre and looked at locally based jobs so a short commute ? Secondly, I think that you need to focus on your self not on someone who lives in another country. Have you registered for job agencies ?

Hi despair1234 if your skills are in marketing, I would maybe suggest looking at some GDPR consultancy. There are loads of companies offering this at the moment because organisations are currently panicking about it, and these consultants know no more about it than the average marketing person. Also, how about offering small businesses a marketing 'package'. They pay you a set amount for the year, and you provide their marketing, which will include x, y and z. Many small businesses can't afford a marketing person but they know they should be doing something, so if the price is right, they may use you and what they get for that price is understood by both parties.

I responded to Chickenowner's post and detailed every goading remark that I had replied to.

Joyofsox why is it ok for others to be rude and passive aggressive to me?

If you truly believe I am simply rude for no reason, while reading the lines of dialogue between me and the people who were deliberately goading and unpleasant, then you do a fine line in cognitive dissonance.

I think I unnerve you and a lot of other posters, because my situation doesn't have a clean and neat answer and you'd rather a nice comfy answer - like oh you're in this mess because you are so rude. Phew! Neat explanation! Naughty rude people get punished, and it's just their own fault!

Then you can relax and not have to think about uncomfortable things.

Hi OP, long time ESL teacher here with experience of partner visa issues too - empathy!

My two pence on the industry: get the CELTA, and do it part time. It'll take around 3 months of 2 evenings and one weekend day a week plus homework and set you back around a grand. I still found it intense but not as insane as doing the full time version by a long shot and you can still work alongside. It is the best respected entry level qualification in the industry and a prerequisite for decent employers like the British Council and International House.

Places you can earn a ton and live cheaply include much of SE and E Asia, and the Middle East. If you can stomach the politics and restrictions on women and see it as a means to an end, Saudi universities will pay you a 30k - 40k tax free salary and throw in a flat. UAE also have similar positions.

The above said, I would not take a job with a locally-run school in E/SE Asia as there is quite literally no provision for disability/chronic ill health. Sick days are unheard of - I had to rock into work with food poisoning to prove to my Korean boss I was actually ill , before he would allow me to be sent to the local hospital for a shot and some no-poo pill, then driven back to the office. A colleague was back at her desk after one day off to have cervical pre cancer surgery. I don't know what it's like in the Middle East but I'd def do my research. British owned schools tend to have HR policies in line with those here - the British Council was the only place I worked that supported and did not discriminate against hiring employees with chronic illnesses - it also paid the best but they usually want 2 years post -CELTA experience before they'll take you on. This can vary though so do sign up to their job email reminders if you decide it's worth a shot.

Skype teaching is now big in Asia too- China in particular. With this you sign up with a company and take the classes you want, when you want. You could also top up with your own online or face to face tuition.

Feel free to pm me about any of this - and good luck!

Never heard of GDPR consultancy so going to look that up over lunch right now!

Brilliant ideas coming off this thread, I can't thank you all enough. Hoping too that the ideas could be valuable to any other people who need ideas, too.

I thought you were going to apply for esa? You are in exactly the situation it is supposed to help. It's not hard to apply for and they don't start hassling you for quite a while. You may even avoid any hassle.
Ring up and claim now, today. Visit your gp and get a fit note, and get help filling in the form.
Then you will have a basic income and can apply for housing benefit.
This will give you space to get stronger and asses what you can manage in future.
If you are too ill to work and don't accept it you will end up worse off. All the posters who are trying to find other solutions are colluding with your denial. You need a break. Go well.

Have you looked at running Twitter and Facebook and other social media feeds for companies. I know someone who did this for a small local company

Yes I am applying for ESA. I'm going to my doctor this afternoon.

However I want to make plans for the future, TESL or something else. Hence being thankful for all ideas and suggestions. Nobody is colluding in any sort of denial There is no denial. I know I'm chronically ill, I know I need to refashion ways of managing for the future.

I am well aware of my limitations.

I don't want to be on ESA for very long.

OP, in your marketing jobs did you have experience of CRM systems? A place where I worked used people working remotely to manage the CRM database - doing data cleanse, reporting, analysis etc. They tended to work an agreed number of hours, but at the times of their choosing. If you have knowledge of a specific database, like SalesForce or InterAction, then there will be opportunities, and you can upskill with free or paid online courses. Some will even give you a recognised certification.
Marketing is so data-driven now, even the events side of it, so it could be a good niche to get into.

It is just about helping companies become compliant with the changes to data protection regulations coming in May. It will really affect B2B marketers and companies that are holding data on people, that they don't have permission to. The ICO website has the latest information on it and there are loads of webinars about. Smaller companies may be struggling to get to grips with it as they won't have a dedicated person to manage compliance. And the other point is that there will be no more emailing the thousands of records you have with marketing emails as you have to have permission from them (I am clearly simplifying this), so you could also advise on other marketing techniques so that companies are not reliant on email campaigns. It will put you in a strong position if you can understand and advise businesses on alternative marketing channels.

Definitely. It sounds like something I should know about anyway. whether I ever have enough expertise to advise anyone else or not.

As @MissSueFlay said though, about CRM systems, there are a lot of businesses that are giving their systems a spring clean because of GDPR, so this is also a really good suggestion, they may need help.

Well done op. It is hard to accept 'help' but it can be better in long run.
As you say it need not be for long, just to get yourself sorted out.
Phone up today, they will take your claim over the phone, you can send gp sick note later.
Rest well and hope you are feeling better soon.

Yep, I feel ok with doing it in the short term. As far as I can see, if I go on it for approximately a month I won't need to go through any ESA medical assessments.

So, I can put all energy into managing my symptoms and concentrate on getting some decent quality rest for a period.

Have you checked your eligibility for ESA? Depending on your circumstances it may be very easy or quite difficult to claim, even for a short period.

How practical would late shift work be for you? I'm not sure if your symptoms prohibit physical work such as cleaning offices, but evening work would ensure that medical appointments were never an issue.

My goodness. There is New Style ESA, then there is Contributory ESA, and Income Related ESA. Three kinds! I can't see what the exact differences are between them all!

Is New Style part of Universal credit?

I suppose if I call and I'm not eligible for that one they could tell me which of the three?

Please don't move overseas without heavily researching costs OP.

I have an aunt who lives overseas.
She bought her home (mortgaged) in a nice suburb and In ok (liveable) condition for about £6.500 (without the interest added on of course)

Her car was £200 outright, 6 yrs old and in decent condition... her monthly shopping bill is about £35 for 5 people.

sounds great until I tell you that she earns barely £2000 a year (pre deductions) as a registered nurse... pretty sure when deductions are taken off she's on about £30 a week, it can be a huge struggle for her to pay all of her bills utility petrol and food despite living in a "cheap" country and she's on a professional wage... She's a native (my family moved from there to the uk before I was born) so didn't make that choice as such, but the silver lining is I can send her £400 for Christmas (in lieu of gifts for all of them!) and it'll make a big difference to them.

I emigrated but to a country my husband is resident of, and while it was expensive it was a different situation to going for work and having to navigate various rules so I wouldn't like to comment too much but do just want to say that it's not always as good as it seems to go somewhere "cheap".

Nobody seems to factor in the fact the wages are cheap; my aunt has told me of some people going to her country or attempting to thinking that they could live it up there because it's very cheap then realising the wages are just as cheap and returning home - or being stuck their because they can't afford to go home...

Also, what sort of work are you open to? You've stated that you want a career, but are you willing/able to work in a low paid position temporarily while you get qualified/apply for positions etc? It may be easier for posters to offer suggestions that fit if you give a little more detail.

You can apply for Contribution ESA if your NI contributions for the last two tax years are up to date and in full. This is not means tested and you will be able to get it with a Fit Note.

New Style ESA is part of UC (I think). If you are in a full service UC area then this is what you have to apply for if you don’t have sufficient NI contributions.

Income related and New Style ESA are means tested. You would need to supply some financial details and bank statements to show levels of savings etc. This would give you access to other benefits (such as HB and Council Tax) which Contribution Based will not.

Either way, there is a qualifying period of one week before you would see any money, from the date of your first fit note. Unless you have the right tax details to hand - such as P45, SSP1, payslips etc you may not see any money for a while.

ESA is no more easy to apply for than JSA if you don’t have the right circumstances.

If I was your aunt I’d move back for four weeks per year here and do some agency work!

She will earn more in a month than in a year and can take the cash back with her!

I'm not certain if my area has Universal credit or not. But will research it. I'm on hold for over 20 mins to the ESA line at the moment.

I’m currently going through my first ever claim for ESA at the moment, so let me know if you need any help.

There is a website that you can send your fitnote to electronically. It’s on a Beta test site and you won’t find it by Google. It’s currently on trial in certain areas but works everywhere. If you want the web address, let me know.

Keep holding, they will know which benefit you can get. Apply for all that seem appropriate. It takes ages to get to a medical. You may be able to self certificate until fit note kicks in. You can claim housing benefit with contributions based, they may send you the form, if not apply to your council asap.
Summer, she does have the right circumstances, you can apply for means tested with savings up to £16k, over £6k they may apply a sliding scale.